RED slashes Komodo prices by up to 30%

RED has announced a significant price reduction for its Komodo‑X and Komodo cinema camera systems.

RED's Komodo camera systems have always been positioned at the entry level of what you can expect to pay for a RED camera, and now that entry point has just got significantly lower, at least for the Komodo-X.

The company has just announced some major price cuts which takes $3000 off the Komodo-X 6K camera body and brings its price down from $9995 to $6995. The standard Komodo, meanwhile (same sensor, less I/O etc), drops $1000 from $5995 to $4995. New prices across the range are now set at:

• KOMODO (camera only): $4995
• KOMODO Starter Pack: $6500
•  KOMODO Production Pack: $7500
•  KOMODO-X (camera only): $6995
•  KOMODO-X Starter Pack: $8995
•  KOMODO-X Production Pack: $11995
  

This already seems to have been implemented across the channel with new prices available at resellers worldwide (though stock at some is already limited as a result).

Nikon-owned RED is at pains to point out that the price drops only apply to the Komodo and there are no other pricing updates currently expected for RED’s line of cinema cameras, specifically referencing the V-Raptor XL and V-Raptor.

"RED's Komodo lineup has only grown in popularity over the years,” said RED Digital Cinema CEO Keiji Oishi. “Since joining RED, I have heard filmmakers rave about Komodo’s small form factor and the amazing performance of the global shutter sensor. We’re excited to introduce this new pricing which lowers the hurdle for a new group of filmmakers to take advantage of the exceptional cinema quality and creative possibilities of RED cameras.

“RED always strives to create an accessible and reliable avenue for artists at any level to get their hands on premier cinema grade imaging technology,” he continued. “The Komodo remains one of the most versatile and powerful camera systems that RED has ever developed, and democratizing image capture technology at this level will always remain part of RED’s DNA.”

All of which makes it interesting to think where the company might go next. There are several possible motivations here. Either it's shifting stock to prepare for something new, is reacting to the arrival of new lower-end cameras such as the Blackmagic Pyxis, or is starting a long game policy of shifting its focus to this part of the market now that it is under Nikon ownership. Time, and perhaps even IBC, will give us a better idea.

tl;dr

• RED has announced major price cuts for its Komodo line of cameras, with the price of the Komodo-X 6K camera body dropping by $3000 to $6995.
•  The base-spec Komodo also drops $1000 from $5995 to $4995. 
• The company emphasizes that the price drops are exclusive to the Komodo line and do not apply to other RED cinema cameras like the V-Raptor XL and V-Raptor.
• RED's CEO, Keiji Oishi, believes that the price reductions will make their cinema quality imaging technology more accessible to a wider range of filmmakers.