What’s Changed? Not much new here compared to the previous WEAPON HELIUM. This camera has the same exact features and very similar physical specifications to the RED WEAPON HELIUM 8K S35, so this brain is mostly a change in name only. It’s worth noting that it will record up to 8K/60p where as the similarly named RED EPIC-W HELIUM 8K S35 Brain will only record up to 8K/30p.

8K Resolution. This is the banner headline that gets people in the door. The HELIUM sensor pushes RED to a monstrous 8192 × 4320. That means you get video that’s four times the resolution of DCI 4K at 60 fps and still images at up to 35.4MP. In addition to an increase in resolution, you will also see improved low light performance and greater dynamic range from this sensor over previous Epic and Mysterium sensors.

High Data Rates. The HELIUM can handle 300 MB/s transfer rates, which allows you to record REDCODE RAW files at the highest quality, while also recording ProRes proxy files in 422 HQ, 422, and 422 LT at 4K resolutions.

Greater Versatility. The DSMC2 HELIUM features the DSMC2 Interchangeable OLPF system. This means that you can optimize your footage for your environment by swapping out the optical low pass filter. We send the DSMC2 Standard OLPF installed for balanced shooting, but we also rent the Skin-Tone Highlight and Low-Light Optimized OLPFs as add-ons.

Semi-Backwards Compatible. A fully redesigned brain also means support for some components/accessories has been dropped. Any RED component labeled DSMC2 is fully compatible, and we include the DSMC2 Lemo A Adapter to retain compatibility with original DSMC Touch LCD monitors.

Additional Items Required. At a minimum, you’ll need the following additional items to operate this camera:

• RED DSMC Canon, Nikon, or PL lens mount (see Recommended on the left-hand side of this page for a complete list)
• RED DSMC2 Sidekick or DSMC2 Touch LCD (see Recommended on the left-hand side of this page for a complete list)
• RED Mini-Mag SSDs
• RED Mini-Mag Station