Nikon to acquire RED

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Nikon’s acquisition of cinema camera maker RED is seen as a bid to catch up with Sony and Canon in high‑end video and to gain control of RED’s controversial patents on compressed RAW recording. Commenters debate RED’s legacy: once revolutionary for bringing 4K digital cinema to a lower price tier, but later criticized for reliability issues, aggressive patent enforcement and being eclipsed in prestige by ARRI and in affordability by Blackmagic. Many expect the deal to shape future licensing around RAW codecs and to determine whether Nikon’s stills cameras continue to gain advanced video features or whether capabilities are split into a dedicated cine line.

RED’s Role and Reputation

  • Early RED cameras were seen as revolutionary: relatively “cheap” 4K vs six‑figure digital cinema gear; enabled indie and mid‑tier productions.
  • Over time many commenters feel RED lost its edge: ARRI and Sony dominate high‑end work; RED sits in a squeezed middle market.
  • Criticisms:
    • Reliability issues (overheating, software updates, fragile ecosystem).
    • Confusing modular system and expensive accessories/media.
    • Overemphasis on resolution vs dynamic range, workflow, reliability.
  • Others argue image quality is fine; problems are more about reliability, ecosystem, and marketing hype.

Patent and Codec Issues

  • Major focus on RED’s compressed RAW patents, seen by many as harmful “patent trolling” that slowed industry progress.
  • REDCODE is described as essentially JPEG2000 on Bayer data (lossy) with specific pre‑processing; patents target compressing pre‑debayer raw in‑camera.
  • Nikon previously faced a RED lawsuit over N‑RAW; case was dismissed, but some say Nikon ended up licensing.
  • Blackmagic and others reportedly sidestepped patents via partial debayering or different pipelines; ProRes RAW and BRAW are also criticized as proprietary/opaque.

Nikon’s Strategy and Product Line

  • Many see the acquisition as Nikon buying its way into a proper cinema line to compete with Canon and Sony cine systems.
  • Nikon Z8/Z9 already offer strong internal RAW video (8K60 12‑bit), fast readout, and good AF; some fear future bodies may be artificially split from cine features.
  • Others expect Nikon to leverage RED IP for broader RAW licensing and better in‑body RAW, or to monetize patents as a licensing “cash cow.”

Cinema Market Landscape

  • Repeated consensus: ARRI leads high‑end narrative work; Sony is a strong second (Venice/FX line); RED has a niche; Canon is stronger in doc/news/indie than top‑end cinema.
  • Netflix “approved camera” list: many RED and other cine cameras, but no Nikon because Nikon has had no dedicated cine line.

Image Quality, “Netflix Look,” and Style

  • Several argue that modern sensors are broadly capable; differences in final look come mostly from lighting, lenses, grading, and rushed post, not camera brand.
  • “Netflix look” is widely criticized as sterile/samey; attributed to stylistic and workflow constraints, not RED specifically.
  • Some note ARRI’s strength is reliability, dynamic range, and default color pipeline; others emphasize that with expert color work, different cameras can be matched.

Pricing, Market Structure, and Accessibility

  • Debate over whether RED truly made “cinema for the masses”: $17.5k body was revolutionary vs $200k+ rigs, but still far from consumer‑level.
  • High cine prices are linked to low volume, pro‑focused support, and reliability requirements; unlike CPUs/servers, there’s less volume‑driven cost collapse and slower upgrade cycles.
  • Blackmagic and newer brands (e.g., Z‑Cam) are cited as pushing lower‑cost cinema options harder than RED in recent years.