RED Digital Cinema Camera

RED Digital Cinema was founded in 2005 by Jim Jannard, the founder of Oakley, with the goal of creating a high-performance digital alternative to traditional motion picture film. Based in Irvine, California, the company revolutionized the film industry with the release of the RED ONE in 2007, offering 4K resolution at a time when HD was still the standard. The brand became synonymous with high-end cinematography, utilized by major Hollywood directors for blockbuster productions.

In a significant industry shift in early 2024, RED.com, LLC was acquired by the Japanese multinational Nikon Corporation. This acquisition integrated RED’s proprietary image compression technology and cinema expertise into Nikon’s extensive imaging portfolio. While now under Japanese ownership, RED continues to maintain its primary operations and manufacturing facilities in the United States, specifically in California, where it develops its line of DSMC3 and specialized sensor technologies like the V-RAPTOR and KOMODO systems.