Ready-to-Shoot Packages with LCD, IO and Power Options Priced at $9,750 and $9,950

Red Digital Cinema today announced full specs for the forthcoming Red Raven, its first sub-$10,000 camera package, which features 4K Redcode Raw and 2K Apple ProRes recording. The aluminum alloy camera body will weigh 3.5 pounds (including media bay and Canon EF lens mount), and will be available by itself or packaged with accessories — including a "Jetpack" package specifically designed for mounting the camera on gimbals, drones, jibs and cranes.

The camera body shares its overall form factor with the Red Weapon, a style that Red calls DSMC². That means the Weapon and Raven bodies can use the same expansion modules, which attach to the rear of the camera body. For example, the optional Base I/O expander (above; $1,750) adds HDMI and SDI out, DC in, timecode, genlock, and two extra audio ports. Or a Weapon Redvolt XL could be attached to the back of the Base I/O to allow the use of Redvolt XL batteries with the raven.

The Raven records 4K Redcode Raw (R3D) at up to 120fps, or 2K at up to 240fps. It uses an 8.8 megapixel (4096×2160) Red Dragon sensor measuring 20.48mm x 10.8mm (that's a 23.2mm image circle) with dynamic range rated by Red at "16.5+" stops. For the sake of comparison, the sensor is a little wider than a MFT sensor and slightly narrower than 35mm and APS-C formats.

Redcode compression is selectable at up to 3:1 for 4K 24fps, up to 7:1 for 4K 60fps, and up to 13:1 for 4K at 120fps. Importantly for shooters who want to create a high-quality camera original while also acquiring in an edit-friendly format, the camera can record Redcode and 2K ProRes (422, 422 LT, and 422 HQ) simultaneously.

The Raven will have integrated two-channel stereo mics recording uncompressed 24-bit/48kHz audio, with two more channels available through the previously mentioned Base I/O expansion module. Wi-Fi is built in.

Red President Jarred Land had indicated the Raven would be the lightest camera body the company had ever produced, but it turns out the lightest carbon fiber Weapon body weighs in at just a hair less (3.27 pounds).

For more details, download the official spec sheet: RED RAVEN Tech Specs [PDF].

The camera body only is $5,950, with preorders requiring a $500 deposit to mark a spot in line. The Jetpack package, including the camera body, Jetpack, battery belt clip, 120 GB Red Mini-Mag, 4.7-inch LCD, AC power adapter, and DSMC² Outrigger Handle, is $9,750 with a $1,000 deposit required for preorders. The I/O package, which replaces the Jetpack and battery belt clip with a Base I/O V-Lock Expander, is $9,950 and likewise requires a $1,000 deposit.

The Raven is scheduled to begin shipping in February 2016 (at press time the listed availability for the I/O package had slipped to March), and deposits are being taken today at red.com or through Red's dealer network.