Fantastic review. Wondering what your post workflow looks like with the RED raw footage. Davinci or PP? Medium or High output tone map, etc. Footage looks great.
This update pretty much takes care of the only 2 issues I have with the Komodo. Low light performance and frame rate options. I seriously can't wait! Would love to see a more direct comparison/shoot-out against the S35 V-Raptor!
It looks like it fixes a lot of my gripes with the original Komodo, which is great. That said, I feel like the point of the Komodo is to be an "affordable" entry into the Red ecosystem, but this starting at $10k for just the brain, I think might be too much for a lot of people to give it a try.
I think they missed the point of what made the Komodo so popular: the price. At $6000, it meant a lot of people could afford to buy it, and the rental prices were very affordable. Fixing what was annoying about the Komodo and then charging $4000 more for it is asking too much.
Yup this. The regular komodo fits my budget and is a serious contender for what I'm looking to get. $10k for just the brain puts the komodo x as a if I won the lottery I'll buy it luxury. And we all know the price was probably more so they don't canabalise the regular komodo's value to where it would be worth less on the used market where sales for new units would be hurt.
Jared Land has always held that the Komodo was created because Michael Bay yelled at him to make a better crash cam over a GoPro. They were taken by surprise so many shooters made it into an A-cam (not unlike Arri with the Alexa mini)
True but I hear the Komodo is actually going to rise in price as well. Jared keeps hinting at it and he actually stated that in a recent comment on Facebook. That the price of the Komodo is not going down but “the other way” since x is released. No timeframe or course but if the Komodo goes up, I hope things are improved as well
Hum, I not quite sure about this one. I LOVE my Komodo, but a 4K$ difference is HUGE and I don't really understand why. I feel like RED realized they could reach a lot more customers by offering an entry level camera like the Komodo and think they will still sell a ton of the Komodo-X, but with a much higher profit margin.
Thats a big price jump for what is essentially higher frame rate options…. We are at a point where there is little to be improved with regard to ‘image quality’. Most higher end cams these days have that covered for all practical purposes. So features need to improve to justify the next purchase and im not sure this does it
RED will literally release a whole new camera before simply issuing a firmware update to get the current gen cameras (V-Raptor/Komodo) up to the functionality of the past gen cameras. Like... let us play our footage backwards during review. Let us loop footage. Let us change the speed of the footage. Make it so it doesn't take 10 seconds to switch from live view to playback view, etc. Fix stuff first. Then new cameras.
Kinda feel like this is what the original should have been. I also thought frame rates were gonna be improved via firmware update. $10k just seems like a lot for updates that they had technology for years ago (USB C, higer frame rates)
Well....waiting for a Blackmagic camera in cube format xD agree with the comments below, RED did not understand the main reason for the popularity of KOMODO: it was a really good budget movie camera, but $10K 😴
@G I was one of the people telling them to use CFexpress back in the day, but I remember while they were developing the Komodo, CFexpress was still very new, so it's hard to blame them.
As an OG Komodo owner (just bought it 10 weeks ago) I’m excited. Really happy to see RED pushing the sub 10-12k market forward. I just wish there was a 5 monitor that worked with the original Komodo.
Looks like a great little upgrade. As an original Komodo user I was worried I'm already behind.. but luckily the upgrades are as I said.. little. Phew. I'm also not a fan of the Raptor look..reminds me of 8k TVs, so all in all, I've got the right one for my particular taste.
Great info, per usual Jake! The Kondor Blue top and side plates will work with the Komodo-X. Future Komodo/Komodo-X baseplates will be able to work with both body types. We are working on adaptations to our side plates as well it be able to receive the E-ND M4 bolts as well. Stay tuned 🦅💙
I’ve always felt that the original Komodo was intentionally detuned, and could easily achieve 6k60 and 4k120. But they didn’t want to take away the market from other existing options. Especially given competitors offering similar frame rates with lower end setups, even the raven offered 4k120 and was offered initially at a similar price point almost 7 years ago. It’s upsetting
Well, when we told u guys to cut ur coat according to ur size and go get a blackmagic camera 6k pro, u all claim the komodo was the best invention since slice bread and is just PERFECT for u pros. Now Red release a new camera now, u guys no longer like the camera which u lot claim was making u millions of $$$$. 🤣🤣🤣
@@akpevbe I still prefer the Komodo to the 6k. I own both a Komodo and DSMC2. I dislike reds business practices, but their products are definitely in a league above competition, and on par with varicam. I don’t trust blackmagic products durability on set. I like their products conceptually
I know we can't ask too much but I wish it was full frame but. at this price point. I don't mind super 35 just that, I shoot wider lenses and it's tough to find wide enough lenses without using a speedbooster.
Komodo-X looks “James Bond” quality good to my eyes. It doesn’t just look good for the price, or good for a camera body that small. It looks good period, without the need for any qualifiers. Thanks for the footage CVP. 👍
Not nearly enough of a change for me to upgrade from my current Komodo, honestly….especially for a base price point of $10,000. It’s absolutely absurd to me that they have upgraded the frame rates to a max of only 80 fps in 6k. Pretty much every single other competing camera out there starts at 120 fps at max resolution (without a crop)…and have done so for years. I love my Red’s image quality…and R3D Raw is unmatched with flexibility. But I have a lot of gripes regarding frame rate, autofocus, lack of internal ND, etc. I was really hoping that Red would have learned from the first gen and made the Komodo X more in line with what people want out of a compact camera like this at the original price point. The Komodo could have easily been the one off “affordable” model that has features more in line with what is needed for the “one man band” indie filmmaker on the go. This is not what I was hoping for. It’s a mild jump up technologically for a huge jump up in cost. No thanks. I’ll wait to see what they come up with on the Komodo III.
@@windcine2388 - yeah, I know it has a global shutter….I own a first gen Komodo. What’s the point you’re trying to make? Having a global shutter should not hinder Red’s ability to upgrade their specs to match that of competing cameras. It’s just a choice they are making. I guarantee they just don’t want the Komodo X to be “too good” otherwise it will detract from sales of their more expensive cameras. There is zero excuse for not being able to deliver 120 fps at 6K and 240fps at 4K (cropped), or even internal ND’s and an external recording option via USB-C. It’s 2023, mate…Literally zero excuse. The Black Magic 6K PCC has offered all that for years, minus the 120fps…and I can guarantee that will be on their next model. The only downside is their codecs suck in comparison to R3D. But if I had to choose between a BM 6K Mark II (or whatever it will be called) with all the original’s specs but with added 120 fps….and this, it’s the easiest decision of my life. I’d go Black Magic next time, and just keep my Red for fast moving objects and talking heads. I just think this is a very poor execution on Red’s part.
@@Samvisualarts Lol!!! "Detuned"? Is that a technical term, Sam? What does that even mean? HAHA. I can't even tell who this comment is aimed at considering I (and several other people) have literally said we are NOT buying this camera....so how is it possible to get "scammed" if we aren't buying it? Literally the only possible person who would come on here and say something that idiotic is someone who is probably some Sony or Canon Mirrorless fanboy who has never touched a RED in his/her life and is mad about it, so they call it a scam. LOVE IT. Prove me wrong.
@@kevinmccarney8704 I think he’s saying your scammed in the sense that red not only had the capacity but people had told them to make certain improvements before the release of the Komodo. So at a fundamental level they have idk if you can say detuned, but they knowingly haven’t sold the optimal product just so down the future they can make more money with the next generation (aka Komodo x ) without making as much improvements in tech. They also did something similar when they released the raven initially offering it at the same price as the Komodo, and changing things upon release. They’ve also said ages ago that they would release a cinema camera for like 2k for the indie filmmakers, but they never followed through with that. As a whole red despite releasing great products has also slowed down the camera industry. They have patented compressed raw, despite not being the first ones to come up with, and have prevented access to any other company from doing similar codecs, which is why arri raw and even b raw don’t have as much efficiency or latitude, even though they have endeavoured too for a while. Dji s cinema camera had a similar raw codec, but red filed that law suit and they had to take it down. So as a whole red may not necessarily be scammy, but they are unethical and their actions have harmed the cinema technology industry as a whole. I guess he means you bought into a camera company that’s scammy and has been known to be so for a while, since they limit not only their own technology but everyone else’s. Nonetheless the first Komodo is beautiful and red has made incredible cameras, just sucks that the company hasn’t taken the best approach in terms of elevating and advancing the industry as a whole. Imagine if they allowed everyone to use a compressed raw codec like theirs. Not only would they have great cameras people would be keen on getting, but people would salute them and trust then for their innovation not only for their own company but cinema and technology as a whole. It is what it is though.
It seems to fix almost everything wrong with the Komodo, but it's disappointing to see it still having a single SDI port. It should have at least another SDI or HDMI for redundancy, considering the on-body screen is almost unusable for anything other than the menus, and the older SDI issues don't inspire confidence in a professional set.
@@railerswim Perhaps, though it was a unique feature for the body considering it's context as a small form factor cameras (FX6, R5C etc) that often needed externally powered. There's a real production flow benefit from being able to fail over to even a smaller battery while you swap v-locks that's now completely gone. Not a catastrophic loss but has certainly made its use cases more narrow now given the options.
This reminds me of when iphone released a new phony every year and offered some soft differences. It's cool for people looking to go into red but it's not big enough of an upgrade in my opinion to preexisting komodo owners
Great review, Jake. Faster black shading, faster, more robust media, higher frame rates, better audio, ProRes 4444XQ, 1080p over Red Control app, improved DR in shadows, more extensive I/O, locking RF mount all make the X a very compelling package! I’m guessing it’ll also receive loads of FW updates that make it even more attractive.
I really like my Komodo and I don´t think that Komodo-X is so much better for such a big price difference. (40% 😀) It´s not already budget cinema camera for me. Now I would still prefer to buy Komodo for $6K. Komodo-X would have to cost max $6.5-7K to buy this camera.
TBH I don't think its worth the $4K extra for me personally. Yes its the same size sensor. If one were buying their first RED today, maybe. However you'd REALLY have to need 80fps at 6K. Which, TBH is REALLY slow. We'll see if the sensor is really more capable of dynamic range, low light etc, but we are going to be talking about hair splitting here. Their entire lineup is mature to the point that the level of quality from the $6,000 Komodo is more than enough to shoot any broadcast or feature film level production. Autofocus? We'll see. Face Tracking? Probably a ways off. V-mounts? Already possible. 1080p wireless - nice, but professionals are going to Teradek it anyway.
The best thing about this channel is the knowledge. Followed by an unbiased review of all things camera. I honestly feel you guys just tell it like it is. Other channels I already know how they feel about certain brands. You guys are fair. Thanks!
@@andregrenville It seems to be doing a good job of bridging the price point gap between different offerings. The original Komodo looked good to me but not “gotta have it good” so I was waiting to see what would happen with the second version of the Komodo. The Komodo-X footage is in the “now we’re talking” tier for me, IF that look works for the desired look for a project. Komodo-X footage has a lot of depth to it, which is why some people are willing to pay a price premium for Cooke and other high end lenses that yield greater subject separation from the background. Add good lenses to a Komodo-X and the image starts to have the “it factor” at a lower price point that Sony CineAlta and Arri (both amazing) do not achieve for projects with smaller budgets.
@@cobymarcum1442 These are my exact thoughts. There always seemed (to my eyes) a lack of three dimensionality in the original Komodo and I could never put my finger on it. But this seems promising as you said and I really think it can be killer for the price point. Will be intriguing to see more footage come out in the coming weeks.
It's an exciting but pricey addition. I think it's worth it and will eventually be what I upgrade to but as someone who has invested both a lot time and money into the original Komodo ecosystem it stings a bit. Audio preamps and phantom power are the unsung heroes here.
Hello guys, thanks for the video! Did you test the camera in low light conditions? What do you think in comparison with the FX6 low light capabilities? I'm a wildlife filmmaker so the scenarios where I usually work are extreme low light conditions Thanks
KX seems pretty dope… but think about this. People already make Sony FX6 comparisons right? For slightly less than the price of 1 KX, you can buy 1 FX6 and 1FX3. That would allow you to do 2 camera setups for jobs/gigs. And since the FX3 has IBIS you can use that one for run and gun while using the FX6 for tripod/mounting solutions.
A super camera for making very high quality RUclips videos to watch on your phone I'm sure everyone will see the knockout difference between a $1000 sony and an awesome $20000 camera
Is the eND the same as the Raptor-XL? I'm pretty sure XL has a mechanical drop in/out type glass ND solution, the new cartridge eND for Raptor and Komodo/X is an electronic type isn't it?
Heyy, once again a very good and informative video. I currently have the Komodo 6K and I'am considering switching to the Komodo X. What do you think, is the switch worth it? And then I have another question that has been on my mind for a long time. I want to buy DZOFILM Cine Lenses but I'm not sure if I should buy them with EF or PL adapter. What would you recommend?
Thanks! I think for some people the differences we've laid out in this video will be worth the upgrade but it depends how much you need/want those improvements. I would go PL personally. Jake
Maybe this is stupid, but i´m really confused with this: RED recommend the black shading "If temperatures vary considerably (+/- 30ºF or +/-15ªC..." but the thing is that 30ºF is, in fact, less that 1ºC. That means that you have blackshade the sensor whente temperatura vary 1ºC?? Sorry if this is stupid question, but im cofussed because a variation of +/- 15ºC is considerably and i understand, but the equivalence with Farenheith makes me confussed. Thanks so much.
I love Red and own several myself. If you don't have a Komodo this is a great opportunity to jump in to the ecosystem. That being said, if you already own an OG Komodo and/or other models, there's really no reason to drop $10K on this.
I am a filmmaker who loves your reviews. What are your favorite trinity lenses to use with the X. Please include the brand name too. I will say I have a weakness for lenses with amazing DOF.
The komodo x looks the part on set, and the global shutter is a game changer for those who need it. But for 99% of people a S5iix offers a full frame sensor with 6k raw output, straight to ssd, if you put the correct LUT on, the Panasonic looks awesome for a fraction of the price. Not to mention the best ibis, and far better AF.
I suppose you can jam timecode via the 5 pin audio? and then R/S via the EXT? Man I just wated so much time doing a nice build on the Komodo with the horseshoe, if I had a KX it would've made my life so much easier.
We are at a point in camera tech that everything is homogeneous. Put the same great lens on this and an fx3, and less than 1% of viewers could tell the difference. Unless it’s low light, then everyone would know the fx3
@CVP - Correct me if Im wrong. But, Komodo had the 6K Dragon sensor. Meaning, the K-X has the 6K Dragon sensor..? As an ex-Dragon owner, Im not that impressed tbh..
Other than being able to say you have a 'RED' camera- is this really worth the price-point? I do think that there was a mystique about the name that has out-lived its' justification image-wise perhaps... Arri sensors still really do win the battle of absolute best imagers (but even then the extra dollars may be buying only marginally better image quality over more affordable options).
If you're comparing this to an Arri then you shouldn't be thinking about Arri cameras. Compare this to blackmagic or getting more cinematic than Canon or Sony. Arri is in a completely different price range and use case.
I cannot afford an Arri… my question is whether the Red is - now - noticeably better than the good Sony cine (obvi not talking Venice!) cams- or are you paying for a name/mystique that actually had real value 10years ago?
It make’s better sense to rent then to buy these cameras unless you’re a working DP with (Red only) rich client’s. I would say Komodo has 5% better IQ then most canon, Sony, black magic cameras, it’s not that big of a difference. Can you see a difference, sure but it ain’t mind blowing enough to pay $10,000 - $20,000 for it.
A lot of people wondering why the price increase? I think if you were to take a look around you then you might notice that you are paying a premium for pretty much everything for everything at the moment. Even adjusted for the stupid levels of inflation experienced at the moment accounts for a significant amount of it, not to mention the cost of raw materials, chips, labour etc. having increased exponentially since the initial Komodo release. So before everybody has a complete whinge at how much it costs. . .perhaps have a think about the overall economic picture rather than just the insular view of "How dare RED charge more than the last camera..." 🤷♂ 10K sounds pretty cheap to me for what it is and does. . .just pony up and start using it to make money.
Please tell me if I understand correctly that if the POGO connectors on the KOMODO-X are the same as on the V-RAPTOR camera AND IT MEANS you can use a monitor for the V-RAPTOR? BUT will the same monitor work with the KOMODO camera of the previous generation, if we take into account that the old KOMODO has exactly the same POGO connector? If the old COMODO has the same POGO connector, DOES THIS MEAN that you can use a monitor from V-RAPTOR with it? Thank you.
I don't care about frame rates at all. I feel like it's exactly the same in the highlights. There's a solid stop more in the shadows and it gets rid of the nasty green tint in favor of a much-less distracting gentle magenta tint, but I prefer the cool shadows overall. I think the stop of range in the shadows probably goes down to about half if you downscale to 4k and then add some really good noise reduction like NeatVideo. You still need to correct out the green from shadows in underexposed areas but I'm used to this. Overall, not enough to justify the $4000 price increase for me. Definitely would be if I used the Komodo for slow motion for anything, but I have other cams that do slow mo better.
@@nigerian-nightmare Noise profile of -3 stops on Komodo is about the same as noise profile of -4 stops on Komodo-X - I am guessing that when cined comes out with its lab test we'll see 1 stop more in Komodo-X
seems like a very reasonable and capable camera than original komodo, btw any open gate option? My work uses a lot of anamorphic lens, open gate is big in my work flow, purchased 4 of panasonic s5iix right at release just for its open gate, way cheaper than use arri. Haven't try komodo or vv since there are some rumors about Red not stable enough during long work or harsh work. I personally like work with Alexa mini/amira , c500 mkii or Vanice. Panasic is just so cheap, we can always stock few more on site just in case if one fail. So if the new K-X can do open gate and actually stable enough, I really like to try it, it's basically like a fx3 size(My fav for personal use) but a lot more pro, especially with the change and upcoming accesories, it seems very very worth trying.
You do realize that open gate refers to the full sensor readout and red cameras do that. The sensor on the other end is not a 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio that you seem to desire for anamorphic desqueeze? Even looking at the physical sensor size of Komodo, you can see it’s a 17:9 one? How would you expect that „open gate“ to look like?
I've pre-ordered mine (in black) from you guys, but I'm not sure how I'll make the most of it yet. I already have some amazing cameras that can shoot 6K and 4K/120 in the form of the S1H, GH6 and Lumix S5IIX. I'm most curious to compare them with this.
Hey team, Would be hyped to know how easily you think the KX will rig on an RS3 pro gimbal. Is this going to be possible and how so, ie what battery + lens combos. Cheers!
I have the Kondor Blue baseplate in front of me - WON'T work. It has the same bundled up slot as the Tilta. With a bit of CNC, yeah you can make an extra slot, there's enough meat in the plate.
@@nightimee oh I see! Thank you for letting me know! But still I would've like to have it on the front left side...not that I have money to spent on it though...😂
We loved our time shooting with the KOMODO-X and can't wait to get ours! Let us know what you think down below!!
for that price i'd rather lean towards ursa12k olpf imo, altough small form factor is atractive
Fantastic review. Wondering what your post workflow looks like with the RED raw footage. Davinci or PP? Medium or High output tone map, etc. Footage looks great.
This update pretty much takes care of the only 2 issues I have with the Komodo. Low light performance and frame rate options. I seriously can't wait! Would love to see a more direct comparison/shoot-out against the S35 V-Raptor!
If you look closely, the old Komodo has slightly better highlight retention than Komodo-X
What are the advantages of the komodo x over the arri alexa mini(super 35 ) ?
It looks like it fixes a lot of my gripes with the original Komodo, which is great. That said, I feel like the point of the Komodo is to be an "affordable" entry into the Red ecosystem, but this starting at $10k for just the brain, I think might be too much for a lot of people to give it a try.
I think they missed the point of what made the Komodo so popular: the price. At $6000, it meant a lot of people could afford to buy it, and the rental prices were very affordable. Fixing what was annoying about the Komodo and then charging $4000 more for it is asking too much.
Yup this. The regular komodo fits my budget and is a serious contender for what I'm looking to get. $10k for just the brain puts the komodo x as a if I won the lottery I'll buy it luxury. And we all know the price was probably more so they don't canabalise the regular komodo's value to where it would be worth less on the used market where sales for new units would be hurt.
Jared Land has always held that the Komodo was created because Michael Bay yelled at him to make a better crash cam over a GoPro. They were taken by surprise so many shooters made it into an A-cam (not unlike Arri with the Alexa mini)
True but I hear the Komodo is actually going to rise in price as well. Jared keeps hinting at it and he actually stated that in a recent comment on Facebook. That the price of the Komodo is not going down but “the other way” since x is released. No timeframe or course but if the Komodo goes up, I hope things are improved as well
@@brivnii it was always underpriced compared to everything else in it’s lineup and any real cinema camera released at the time.
Hum, I not quite sure about this one. I LOVE my Komodo, but a 4K$ difference is HUGE and I don't really understand why. I feel like RED realized they could reach a lot more customers by offering an entry level camera like the Komodo and think they will still sell a ton of the Komodo-X, but with a much higher profit margin.
@G Yeah it was a weird chose to go for CFast...
It's all just fanboyism...
Thats a big price jump for what is essentially higher frame rate options….
We are at a point where there is little to be improved with regard to ‘image quality’. Most higher end cams these days have that covered for all practical purposes.
So features need to improve to justify the next purchase and im not sure this does it
RED will literally release a whole new camera before simply issuing a firmware update to get the current gen cameras (V-Raptor/Komodo) up to the functionality of the past gen cameras. Like... let us play our footage backwards during review. Let us loop footage. Let us change the speed of the footage. Make it so it doesn't take 10 seconds to switch from live view to playback view, etc. Fix stuff first. Then new cameras.
Kinda feel like this is what the original should have been. I also thought frame rates were gonna be improved via firmware update. $10k just seems like a lot for updates that they had technology for years ago (USB C, higer frame rates)
Well....waiting for a Blackmagic camera in cube format xD agree with the comments below, RED did not understand the main reason for the popularity of KOMODO: it was a really good budget movie camera, but $10K 😴
@@windcine2388 judging from their own insta photos, the ST batch is like 2 shelves worth. So being "sold out" is meh.
No matter what anyone says, I bet the sensor is identical to OG, just better processor.
I think that’s what “Architecture redesign” means 😊
@G I was one of the people telling them to use CFexpress back in the day, but I remember while they were developing the Komodo, CFexpress was still very new, so it's hard to blame them.
It's worth it for someone who haven't get the original Komodo. For those who have the original, I understand the frustration.
As an OG Komodo owner (just bought it 10 weeks ago) I’m excited. Really happy to see RED pushing the sub 10-12k market forward. I just wish there was a 5 monitor that worked with the original Komodo.
Looks like a great little upgrade. As an original Komodo user I was worried I'm already behind.. but luckily the upgrades are as I said.. little. Phew. I'm also not a fan of the Raptor look..reminds me of 8k TVs, so all in all, I've got the right one for my particular taste.
Great info, per usual Jake! The Kondor Blue top and side plates will work with the Komodo-X. Future Komodo/Komodo-X baseplates will be able to work with both body types. We are working on adaptations to our side plates as well it be able to receive the E-ND M4 bolts as well. Stay tuned 🦅💙
7:04 Facetracking is also available on Komodo since several updates before
The law of diminishing returns is strong with this one.
I’ve always felt that the original Komodo was intentionally detuned, and could easily achieve 6k60 and 4k120. But they didn’t want to take away the market from other existing options. Especially given competitors offering similar frame rates with lower end setups, even the raven offered 4k120 and was offered initially at a similar price point almost 7 years ago. It’s upsetting
Well such a shame people are still getting these crap instead of way better option out there, even a GoPro has insane high frames lol
Well, when we told u guys to cut ur coat according to ur size and go get a blackmagic camera 6k pro, u all claim the komodo was the best invention since slice bread and is just PERFECT for u pros. Now Red release a new camera now, u guys no longer like the camera which u lot claim was making u millions of $$$$. 🤣🤣🤣
My point exactly. Their business philosophy is very 'different'. They had the technology to make these updates on the first iteration.
@@eliovisita it’s all about data rates, sensor readout speeds, and compression, rather than just frame rates. But yes I agree with the sentiment
@@akpevbe I still prefer the Komodo to the 6k. I own both a Komodo and DSMC2. I dislike reds business practices, but their products are definitely in a league above competition, and on par with varicam. I don’t trust blackmagic products durability on set. I like their products conceptually
Legit one of the first channels I wished had it on game day and you did! Always full of surprises MVP I mean CVP
I know we can't ask too much but I wish it was full frame but. at this price point. I don't mind super 35 just that, I shoot wider lenses and it's tough to find wide enough lenses without using a speedbooster.
FX6 babbyyyy
Komodo-X looks “James Bond” quality good to my eyes. It doesn’t just look good for the price, or good for a camera body that small. It looks good period, without the need for any qualifiers. Thanks for the footage CVP. 👍
Not nearly enough of a change for me to upgrade from my current Komodo, honestly….especially for a base price point of $10,000. It’s absolutely absurd to me that they have upgraded the frame rates to a max of only 80 fps in 6k. Pretty much every single other competing camera out there starts at 120 fps at max resolution (without a crop)…and have done so for years. I love my Red’s image quality…and R3D Raw is unmatched with flexibility. But I have a lot of gripes regarding frame rate, autofocus, lack of internal ND, etc. I was really hoping that Red would have learned from the first gen and made the Komodo X more in line with what people want out of a compact camera like this at the original price point. The Komodo could have easily been the one off “affordable” model that has features more in line with what is needed for the “one man band” indie filmmaker on the go. This is not what I was hoping for. It’s a mild jump up technologically for a huge jump up in cost. No thanks. I’ll wait to see what they come up with on the Komodo III.
@@windcine2388 - yeah, I know it has a global shutter….I own a first gen Komodo. What’s the point you’re trying to make? Having a global shutter should not hinder Red’s ability to upgrade their specs to match that of competing cameras. It’s just a choice they are making. I guarantee they just don’t want the Komodo X to be “too good” otherwise it will detract from sales of their more expensive cameras. There is zero excuse for not being able to deliver 120 fps at 6K and 240fps at 4K (cropped), or even internal ND’s and an external recording option via USB-C. It’s 2023, mate…Literally zero excuse. The Black Magic 6K PCC has offered all that for years, minus the 120fps…and I can guarantee that will be on their next model. The only downside is their codecs suck in comparison to R3D. But if I had to choose between a BM 6K Mark II (or whatever it will be called) with all the original’s specs but with added 120 fps….and this, it’s the easiest decision of my life. I’d go Black Magic next time, and just keep my Red for fast moving objects and talking heads.
I just think this is a very poor execution on Red’s part.
Lol you got scammed by a scammy company that purposefully detuned your camera for business purposes
@@Samvisualarts Lol!!! "Detuned"? Is that a technical term, Sam? What does that even mean? HAHA. I can't even tell who this comment is aimed at considering I (and several other people) have literally said we are NOT buying this camera....so how is it possible to get "scammed" if we aren't buying it? Literally the only possible person who would come on here and say something that idiotic is someone who is probably some Sony or Canon Mirrorless fanboy who has never touched a RED in his/her life and is mad about it, so they call it a scam. LOVE IT. Prove me wrong.
@@kevinmccarney8704 I think he’s saying your scammed in the sense that red not only had the capacity but people had told them to make certain improvements before the release of the Komodo. So at a fundamental level they have idk if you can say detuned, but they knowingly haven’t sold the optimal product just so down the future they can make more money with the next generation (aka Komodo x ) without making as much improvements in tech. They also did something similar when they released the raven initially offering it at the same price as the Komodo, and changing things upon release. They’ve also said ages ago that they would release a cinema camera for like 2k for the indie filmmakers, but they never followed through with that. As a whole red despite releasing great products has also slowed down the camera industry. They have patented compressed raw, despite not being the first ones to come up with, and have prevented access to any other company from doing similar codecs, which is why arri raw and even b raw don’t have as much efficiency or latitude, even though they have endeavoured too for a while. Dji s cinema camera had a similar raw codec, but red filed that law suit and they had to take it down. So as a whole red may not necessarily be scammy, but they are unethical and their actions have harmed the cinema technology industry as a whole. I guess he means you bought into a camera company that’s scammy and has been known to be so for a while, since they limit not only their own technology but everyone else’s. Nonetheless the first Komodo is beautiful and red has made incredible cameras, just sucks that the company hasn’t taken the best approach in terms of elevating and advancing the industry as a whole. Imagine if they allowed everyone to use a compressed raw codec like theirs. Not only would they have great cameras people would be keen on getting, but people would salute them and trust then for their innovation not only for their own company but cinema and technology as a whole. It is what it is though.
Wait until they become used no need to pay full price
It seems to fix almost everything wrong with the Komodo, but it's disappointing to see it still having a single SDI port. It should have at least another SDI or HDMI for redundancy, considering the on-body screen is almost unusable for anything other than the menus, and the older SDI issues don't inspire confidence in a professional set.
10k? Im not sure that pricetag is justified 👀
it is buddy
$7000 now they dropped the price
Man, losing that power failover function with the dual battery mount though. Would have been nice to just make it an option you could swap in/out.
Could that have been a problem for the SDI port issues though?
@@railerswim Perhaps, though it was a unique feature for the body considering it's context as a small form factor cameras (FX6, R5C etc) that often needed externally powered. There's a real production flow benefit from being able to fail over to even a smaller battery while you swap v-locks that's now completely gone. Not a catastrophic loss but has certainly made its use cases more narrow now given the options.
This reminds me of when iphone released a new phony every year and offered some soft differences. It's cool for people looking to go into red but it's not big enough of an upgrade in my opinion to preexisting komodo owners
Great review, Jake. Faster black shading, faster, more robust media, higher frame rates, better audio, ProRes 4444XQ, 1080p over Red Control app, improved DR in shadows, more extensive I/O, locking RF mount all make the X a very compelling package! I’m guessing it’ll also receive loads of FW updates that make it even more attractive.
I really like my Komodo and I don´t think that Komodo-X is so much better for such a big price difference. (40% 😀) It´s not already budget cinema camera for me. Now I would still prefer to buy Komodo for $6K. Komodo-X would have to cost max $6.5-7K to buy this camera.
No, we aren't going to pay EXTRA $4,000 for the same sensor, LOL
Except it’s not the same sensor
@@daviddidato3958 except it pretty much is.
@@JohnnyYork how is it can you explain? Cbf looking it up 😊
TBH I don't think its worth the $4K extra for me personally. Yes its the same size sensor. If one were buying their first RED today, maybe. However you'd REALLY have to need 80fps at 6K. Which, TBH is REALLY slow. We'll see if the sensor is really more capable of dynamic range, low light etc, but we are going to be talking about hair splitting here. Their entire lineup is mature to the point that the level of quality from the $6,000 Komodo is more than enough to shoot any broadcast or feature film level production. Autofocus? We'll see. Face Tracking? Probably a ways off. V-mounts? Already possible. 1080p wireless - nice, but professionals are going to Teradek it anyway.
@@daviddidato3958 good points. You helped me with your perspective.
Slightly improved sensor with the more or less same dynamic range and a 67% price increase. Fantastic ! 😅
They’re over sold out, so yeah, I’d say so!
It’s a stop better according to some of the early testing people have done, that’s pretty significant
@@fireboltacic99 We will see when CineD do their labtest. Would be very suprising if the actual values are better than the official values.
You reviews are the absolute gold standard
I am curious: what is more common among filmmakers - owning a Red (or similar camera), or renting?
5:08 the Komodo X and V-Raptor S35 look more saturated in the reds compared to the original Komodo and V-Raptor VV. Look at the red clamp.
This channel should have 1million subs EZ what the hell! Been watching reviews of stuff I’m never gonna buy lol. So much eye candy and in depth info
I still prefer the higher color capture in the Blackmagic 6K G2. In side-by-side comparisons, Blackmagic picks up more color.
Great video. Excellent work, per usual. It would be cool to see a comparison video between the KX and the V-Raptor 35.
The best thing about this channel is the knowledge. Followed by an unbiased review of all things camera. I honestly feel you guys just tell it like it is. Other channels I already know how they feel about certain brands. You guys are fair. Thanks!
And here I am still waiting for DSMC2 final firmware My Scarlet-W is also fantastic!
i like the image from it better than Komodo (too clean, digital looking imo) Dragon looks more organic to me.
@@giordanobruno7943 Yess, I agree with you. Dragon sensor is definitely a keeper!
Imma say it now. This footage looks significantly better. I think they are downplaying the image quality improvements.
I agree. - The image quality “the primary job of a camera” - looks significantly better to me over the original Komodo.
@@cobymarcum1442 Exactly. To me it would make sense if this bridged the gap, and looked closer to the dragon x for the price they are charging.
@@andregrenville It seems to be doing a good job of bridging the price point gap between different offerings. The original Komodo looked good to me but not “gotta have it good” so I was waiting to see what would happen with the second version of the Komodo. The Komodo-X footage is in the “now we’re talking” tier for me, IF that look works for the desired look for a project. Komodo-X footage has a lot of depth to it, which is why some people are willing to pay a price premium for Cooke and other high end lenses that yield greater subject separation from the background. Add good lenses to a Komodo-X and the image starts to have the “it factor” at a lower price point that Sony CineAlta and Arri (both amazing) do not achieve for projects with smaller budgets.
@@cobymarcum1442 These are my exact thoughts. There always seemed (to my eyes) a lack of three dimensionality in the original Komodo and I could never put my finger on it. But this seems promising as you said and I really think it can be killer for the price point. Will be intriguing to see more footage come out in the coming weeks.
It's an exciting but pricey addition. I think it's worth it and will eventually be what I upgrade to but as someone who has invested both a lot time and money into the original Komodo ecosystem it stings a bit. Audio preamps and phantom power are the unsung heroes here.
Hello guys, thanks for the video!
Did you test the camera in low light conditions? What do you think in comparison with the FX6 low light capabilities?
I'm a wildlife filmmaker so the scenarios where I usually work are extreme low light conditions
Thanks
I would like to see a quality comparison with the Dragon X, they share a lot of recording option! to see if it's worth the upgrade
KX seems pretty dope… but think about this. People already make Sony FX6 comparisons right? For slightly less than the price of 1 KX, you can buy 1 FX6 and 1FX3. That would allow you to do 2 camera setups for jobs/gigs. And since the FX3 has IBIS you can use that one for run and gun while using the FX6 for tripod/mounting solutions.
One thing for sure is the BT cage will look great on it 😁 🍊🎥
Another great video guys!
It'd be great if a single cage was't $500+. Or two pieces of machined aluminum for the sides wasn't $127.
Must be time to buy, I just googled the Komodo to see how it has changed over the year.
A super camera for making very high quality RUclips videos to watch on your phone I'm sure everyone will see the knockout difference between a $1000 sony and an awesome $20000 camera
Thanks for this! Would you guys consider sharing some of your Komodo-X R3D B-Roll for us to download and have a play with in post?
Komodo X Vs V Raptor s 35 which one you think has the best sensor you'd pick?
conspicuous hair on the sensor at 1:30
Is the eND the same as the Raptor-XL? I'm pretty sure XL has a mechanical drop in/out type glass ND solution, the new cartridge eND for Raptor and Komodo/X is an electronic type isn't it?
Can you please compare the low light difference between RED Gemini 5K VS Komodo X
Thank you
Heyy, once again a very good and informative video. I currently have the Komodo 6K and I'am considering switching to the Komodo X. What do you think, is the switch worth it?
And then I have another question that has been on my mind for a long time. I want to buy DZOFILM Cine Lenses but I'm not sure if I should buy them with EF or PL adapter. What would you recommend?
Thanks! I think for some people the differences we've laid out in this video will be worth the upgrade but it depends how much you need/want those improvements. I would go PL personally. Jake
Are you guys going to compare the DSMC2 Helium vs The V Raptor S35?
Maybe this is stupid, but i´m really confused with this: RED recommend the black shading "If temperatures vary considerably (+/- 30ºF or +/-15ªC..." but the thing is that 30ºF is, in fact, less that 1ºC. That means that you have blackshade the sensor whente temperatura vary 1ºC?? Sorry if this is stupid question, but im cofussed because a variation of +/- 15ºC is considerably and i understand, but the equivalence with Farenheith makes me confussed. Thanks so much.
If this was Blackmagic the Komodo X would just be a free firmware update to original 😂
Is this a good camera for radio?
Still holding out for a DSMC3 version of the Gemini.... this is a bit meh and probably should just have been Komodo v.2 at $6K or $7k
I love Red and own several myself. If you don't have a Komodo this is a great opportunity to jump in to the ecosystem. That being said, if you already own an OG Komodo and/or other models, there's really no reason to drop $10K on this.
Brilliant work from you, as always.
Thanks for watching Kent! Jake
I am a filmmaker who loves your reviews. What are your favorite trinity lenses to use with the X. Please include the brand name too. I will say I have a weakness for lenses with amazing DOF.
The best reviews. Period.
I think my eyes are back on the Vraptor again... coming from a GEMINI this is cool but I think the Vraptor is still the move.
for me OG Komodo never was skin tone camera, big upgrade here.
The komodo x looks the part on set, and the global shutter is a game changer for those who need it. But for 99% of people a S5iix offers a full frame sensor with 6k raw output, straight to ssd, if you put the correct LUT on, the Panasonic looks awesome for a fraction of the price.
Not to mention the best ibis, and far better AF.
Your video is always fantastic! Should I update from GEMINI 5K to KOMODO-X?
I suppose you can jam timecode via the 5 pin audio? and then R/S via the EXT? Man I just wated so much time doing a nice build on the Komodo with the horseshoe, if I had a KX it would've made my life so much easier.
We are at a point in camera tech that everything is homogeneous. Put the same great lens on this and an fx3, and less than 1% of viewers could tell the difference. Unless it’s low light, then everyone would know the fx3
@CVP - Correct me if Im wrong. But, Komodo had the 6K Dragon sensor. Meaning, the K-X has the 6K Dragon sensor..?
As an ex-Dragon owner, Im not that impressed tbh..
all cameras are able to deliver fantastic images now, what's make the difference is optics and lightning
of course you could equally say, all lenses deliver fantastic images now...
Love to see those vids about gear i'll never be able to buy
Thanks for sharing! awesome news!
Do the frame rates apply to any compression quality ??
Other than being able to say you have a 'RED' camera- is this really worth the price-point? I do think that there was a mystique about the name that has out-lived its' justification image-wise perhaps... Arri sensors still really do win the battle of absolute best imagers (but even then the extra dollars may be buying only marginally better image quality over more affordable options).
If you're comparing this to an Arri then you shouldn't be thinking about Arri cameras. Compare this to blackmagic or getting more cinematic than Canon or Sony. Arri is in a completely different price range and use case.
I cannot afford an Arri… my question is whether the Red is - now - noticeably better than the good Sony cine (obvi not talking Venice!) cams- or are you paying for a name/mystique that actually had real value 10years ago?
It make’s better sense to rent then to buy these cameras unless you’re a working DP with (Red only) rich client’s. I would say Komodo has 5% better IQ then most canon, Sony, black magic cameras, it’s not that big of a difference. Can you see a difference, sure but it ain’t mind blowing enough to pay $10,000 - $20,000 for it.
Thank you for this review CVP.
Always great vids! My AV Pro CFexpress won't read in the Komodo X. Did you ever have this issue?
Big let down, it kind look like a firmware update more than a new camera. They didn't adresse any physical limitations of the original body..
I wish you put the details of what lens combo was used on each of those opening shots.
A lot of people wondering why the price increase? I think if you were to take a look around you then you might notice that you are paying a premium for pretty much everything for everything at the moment. Even adjusted for the stupid levels of inflation experienced at the moment accounts for a significant amount of it, not to mention the cost of raw materials, chips, labour etc. having increased exponentially since the initial Komodo release.
So before everybody has a complete whinge at how much it costs. . .perhaps have a think about the overall economic picture rather than just the insular view of "How dare RED charge more than the last camera..." 🤷♂ 10K sounds pretty cheap to me for what it is and does. . .just pony up and start using it to make money.
Please tell me if I understand correctly that if the POGO connectors on the KOMODO-X are the same as on the V-RAPTOR camera AND IT MEANS you can use a monitor for the V-RAPTOR? BUT will the same monitor work with the KOMODO camera of the previous generation, if we take into account that the old KOMODO has exactly the same POGO connector? If the old COMODO has the same POGO connector, DOES THIS MEAN that you can use a monitor from V-RAPTOR with it? Thank you.
You can use the RED DSMC3 monitor on KOMODO-X and V-RAPTOR. It will not work with KOMODO. Jake
@@CVPTV What a pity. Thank you.
I literally just got the budget for the Komodo and now they drop the K/X
Wahey! Almost keeping up with the Fx6 then!
Very thorough. Thank you.
I don't care about frame rates at all. I feel like it's exactly the same in the highlights. There's a solid stop more in the shadows and it gets rid of the nasty green tint in favor of a much-less distracting gentle magenta tint, but I prefer the cool shadows overall. I think the stop of range in the shadows probably goes down to about half if you downscale to 4k and then add some really good noise reduction like NeatVideo. You still need to correct out the green from shadows in underexposed areas but I'm used to this. Overall, not enough to justify the $4000 price increase for me. Definitely would be if I used the Komodo for slow motion for anything, but I have other cams that do slow mo better.
You're claiming solid stop improvement in shadows while red made it clear it was about half a stop. Not sure how you arrived at your conclusion.
@@nigerian-nightmare Noise profile of -3 stops on Komodo is about the same as noise profile of -4 stops on Komodo-X - I am guessing that when cined comes out with its lab test we'll see 1 stop more in Komodo-X
seems like a very reasonable and capable camera than original komodo, btw any open gate option? My work uses a lot of anamorphic lens, open gate is big in my work flow, purchased 4 of panasonic s5iix right at release just for its open gate, way cheaper than use arri. Haven't try komodo or vv since there are some rumors about Red not stable enough during long work or harsh work. I personally like work with Alexa mini/amira , c500 mkii or Vanice. Panasic is just so cheap, we can always stock few more on site just in case if one fail. So if the new K-X can do open gate and actually stable enough, I really like to try it, it's basically like a fx3 size(My fav for personal use) but a lot more pro, especially with the change and upcoming accesories, it seems very very worth trying.
You do realize that open gate refers to the full sensor readout and red cameras do that. The sensor on the other end is not a 4:3 or 3:2 aspect ratio that you seem to desire for anamorphic desqueeze? Even looking at the physical sensor size of Komodo, you can see it’s a 17:9 one? How would you expect that „open gate“ to look like?
I've pre-ordered mine (in black) from you guys, but I'm not sure how I'll make the most of it yet. I already have some amazing cameras that can shoot 6K and 4K/120 in the form of the S1H, GH6 and Lumix S5IIX. I'm most curious to compare them with this.
Great job Jake & CVP as always!
Thanks mate, I presume you've already got your order in ;) Jake
@@CVPTV haha yes, made sure to set a couple alarms 💪🔥😁😁
Hey team,
Would be hyped to know how easily you think the KX will rig on an RS3 pro gimbal.
Is this going to be possible and how so, ie what battery + lens combos.
Cheers!
Is it worth the extra money over the original red Komodo ?
Depends on whether you need the extra features it has! Jake
I have the Kondor Blue baseplate in front of me - WON'T work. It has the same bundled up slot as the Tilta. With a bit of CNC, yeah you can make an extra slot, there's enough meat in the plate.
Perfect review, thank you :)
They are almost on par with the URSA 12k
Never been less interested in a new camera. Overpriced for what you get. Only looks good compared to the shortcomings of the original.
Please compare the Komodo-X to the F6 Pro
RIP RED
Does the Komodo-X crop in when in 4K 24fps Prores 4444?
If this had internal ND I would have jumped on it.
Good job guys CVP
You can buy a second hand Alexa mini for almost the same price (when you add all the needed accessories for the KX)
Now you can get the Komodo-X for 7K now, a 3K drop in price.
I… I’m excited for this. The first Komodo was cool, but it felt like it was lacking. But this? I want this and it’s going on the upgrade list!
Hmmm to me the picture does not look any better than the blackmagic 6k does at a much lower price.
Agreed!
Does komdo-x have ir pollution like the original komodo or does it have an ir cut?
Is it just me or did you dubbed your audio in the intro? it looked out of synced.
I just don't get why they put the front REC button in the right hand side! It should have been on the left hand side imo.
Jarred explained this on the live stream. The Electronic ND tray goes in from the Left side and would block the record button if it was there.
@@nightimee oh I see! Thank you for letting me know! But still I would've like to have it on the front left side...not that I have money to spent on it though...😂
Get the handle.