http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1296581.php By KIMBERLY EDDS THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER October 4, 2006 A prototype for a digital cinema camera that creators say will revolutionize the cinematography industry was stolen late last month from the Lake Forest office where it was being tested, authorities said Tuesday. Red Digital Camera Co., the brainchild of Oakley sunglass creator Jim Jannard, is in the process of perfecting RED ONE, a high-performance 4K digital camera that promises to deliver the quality of 35mm film with the ease of a camcorder at a bargain price. "Losses could venture into the millions" if the technology is compromised, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department. The list price for RED ONE cameras is $17,500, compared with $100,000 for competitors' models. Initial production of the camera is scheduled for early 2007, according to the company's Web site. A Red Digital employee arrived at work shortly after noon Sept. 24 to find the office's front window smashed and hundreds of thousands of dollars in camera and computer equipment missing, Amormino said. A prototype for RED ONE, computer files relating to the camera's imaging sensor and four other pocket camera prototypes were among the missing items, Amormino said. A 50-inch plasma television, a 30-inch monitor, an Agenieux camera lens, an HBX 200 camera and several laptops were also stolen. The total property loss was $332,200 Sheriff's investigators are trying to determine whether Red Digital was the victim of industrial espionage or run-of-the-mill thieves. Several other neighborhood businesses have had their windows smashed and property stolen in recent weeks, investigators said. There are no suspects. The company is offering a $100,000 reward for information leading to the capture of the thief or thieves. Company officials declined to comment on the case, citing the ongoing investigation. Jannard was quoted on technology-centric blog Gizmodo assuring observers the theft would not significantly delay production. "While items taken included many computers, drives, monitors, prototypes (including our shiny aluminum IBC prototype), ID files and our Scratch system ... it appears that the thieves did NOT get any sensors, sensor information or our primary 'Frankenstein' shooting camera," Jannard wrote Sept. 26. "We will resume shooting and testing tomorrow." Red Digital set off a feeding frenzy at the 2006 National Association of Broadcasters conference in April, when it introduced RED ONE with a flashy presentation. Capable of recording resolutions up to 4520 x 2540 (a measure based on pixels), the 7-pound camera advertises the same depth of field and selective focus as found in film cameras. Hundreds of people put down $1,000 deposits to buy RED ONE at the NAB conference. But the possibility of maintaining such high footage quality at such a reduced price has also spurred skeptics. _________________________________ Donate online for the Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes! http://www.c4i.org/ethan.html
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