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The RED V-RAPTOR [X] ($29,995) and V-RAPTOR XL [X] ($39,995) are the first RED cameras released since the Nikon-RED acquisition. The new cameras feature large format 40.96 x 21.6-millimeter image sensors, insane video quality, and an impressive dynamic range. Needless to say, RED’s new tech is worth being excited about. But, the most interesting thing about the new RAPTORS isn’t their new sensor or new video capabilities. Rather, it’s the fact that Nikon now has access to this new tech, which interests me, as it suggests we may see some of this tech returning in a future Nikon Z camera.

The first Nikon – RED cameras

Visually, the RED V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] don’t look much different than the cameras RED made before the acquisition. That much is to be expected, as their design was most definitely finished by the time the acquisition took place. It will take time until we’ll see a RED camera that looks a bit more “Nikon-like”.

RED V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] – the first global-shutter, large-format cinema cameras

The RED V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] utilize the new large-format V-RAPTOR [X] 8K VV and V-RAPTOR XL [X] 8K VV sensors, respectively, alongside a global shutter. As we saw with the Sony a9iii, the world’s first full-frame global-shutter camera, the global shutter offers a massive speed improvement when compared to the traditional rolling shutter. While a rolling shutter reads sensor data line-by-line, a global shutter reads all the sensor data simultaneously. This means you’ll have a much faster image read speed, allowing you to avoid effects like rolling shutter distortion. You can read more about the differences between the two shutter types in this great post by Studiobinder.

RED’s Global Vision

With the new V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X], RED introduced their Global Vision, “a new suite of tools that use the global shutter sensor to provide even more flexibility and ease of use throughout the production process. Global Vision’s Extended Highlights allows the camera to see even further into highlight detail, providing more detail for HDR finishes or softer and more subtle highlight roll-off for SDR.

RED’s Phantom Track

RED also introduced the new Phantom Track feature, a new recording option for cinematographers who work in virtual productions that utilize tools like Unreal Engine or Ghostframe:

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RED V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] – dynamic range

According to RED, the new RAPTORS have 17-plus stops of dynamic range in normal shooting modes and a whopping 20-plus stops when the new “Extended Highlights” feature is enabled.

“Extended Highlights is a beta feature designed to capture more color and detail in the extremely bright portions of your image. It uses multiple exposures to reconstruct previously clipped details in the most faithful way possible. There are no adjustments or levers for the Extended Highlight process; it is simply an On or Off feature,” explains RED on their Extended Highlights feature support page.

Price and availability

The RED V-RAPTOR [X] and V-RAPTOR XL [X] are available starting at $29,995 and $39,995, respectively.