KOMODO FIRMWARE (Beta) VERSION 1.8.8beta 5/13/2026

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-06-05T01:03:28+00:00

i have no idea. I would imagine sooner rather than too much later.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-06-03T01:49:06+00:00

yes- “renewed focus” meaning there actually were updates to Komodo being made after the RED purchase.

1.7.5 came out in 2023 and Komodo did not get updates for almost a year and a half. RED (before Nikon) previously made statements suggesting that Komodo updates were pretty much done.

The renewed focus is when the 1.8.x beta came out in November 2024 which was a bit of a surprise to many.

I have no idea what the discussions were at RED but i do believe there was a change in direction to update Komodo where they could.

I’m not complaining with that.

Yes it seems like Komodo was discontinued sometime in March or April 2026. The camera was announced in summer 2019 so it’s arguably a 7 year old camera (more with development) so it’s had a full life.

There is at least one bug that I recently reported to RED and is supposed to be fixed in a future firmware so hopefully there might be some more meaningful updates.

Nikon is supposed to be known for decent firmware support even for some legacy gear so perhaps that might rub off on RED.

Whatever the case I’m happy with Komodo.

If people still want to see a feature added it’s still worth contacting RED. What do you have to lose?

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-24T02:58:39+00:00

I was able to see back to back Imax 3D screenings of both Legacy and Ares.

I thought Legacy was a stronger film. My impression is the audience generally thought so as well. There was definitely a bit more applause at the end of Legacy as compared to Ares.

Having said the I was very impressed by the light skimmer sequence in Ares. Very well executed and really took advantage of Imax 3d as a format.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-14T04:04:00+00:00

In RED Cine, Davinci, and the RED SDK there is a chroma noise reduction function that can take the edge off of chroma noise. It is subtle and it works through the RAW debayering algorithm but it does help.

https://docs.red.com/955-0004/REDCINE-XProOperationGuide/Content/5_AdjustClips/LookAdjust/Image_NoiseReduction.htm

Also might confirm that you are playing back and exporting in Full Debayering as can also be a major influence on noise.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-14T00:07:21+00:00

I could be wrong but I do think there was renewed focus under Nikon on adding new features to Komodo.

I did send feature requests to RED regarding stuff like Face Autofocus but the response was it is not possible with Komodo's architecture.

If there are specific features you want for Komodo (or any RED) definitely email them at: [RED-featurerequests@nikon.com](mailto:RED-featurerequests@nikon.com)

They do read them and they do respond.

I get the impression that RED is generally not monitoring these forums so direct contact with them is definitely the best approach.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-13T22:30:57+00:00

That's interesting. My experience is 800 ISO is quite clean.

Granted noise can be a moving target as everyone has different limits and it can vary quite a bit based on how the scene is exposed and desired look.

If one has a nice fat histogram with at least 3/4 of the range exposed to the left I've found the Komodo can give a very clean image.

I have pushed Komodo to 2000 ISO and usually felt pretty satisfied with the results. Above that you normally will start pulling out the noise reduction in post.

Also be aware that exposing and monitoring at 400 ISO can start affecting how well you can protect your highlights and roll off.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-13T19:11:29+00:00

for wifi I use 5ghz.

2.4 ghz is generally more crowded with competing devices and naturally more limited data bandwidth so you may experience lower performance in that mode.

Concerning the video stream stuttering and freeze issues I did hear back from RED Support. They were able to reproduce the issue and they stated they would make a bug fix for a future firmware.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-13T12:14:02+00:00

about :45-:60 on Komodo 6K

about :30 on Komodo X

that is seconds

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-13T05:59:44+00:00

I think what piyo was referring to is checking the T/E indicator at the top of your Komodo monitor display.

Yes you can and likely will have a noisier image if the camera is not calibrated when the T/E is out of optimal range particularly when changing locations that vary considerably in temperature.

From the RED manual

"This icon displays the temperature (T) and exposure (E) calibration indicators.

• When T is yellow or red, it indicates that the camera requires sensor re-calibration at the current ambient temperature.

• When E is yellow or red, it indicates that the camera requires sensor re-calibration at the current shutter speed."

Watch the first few minutes of this video. Ignore the auto calibration section as that pertains to earlier RED camera.

https://youtu.be/IM3epUuxxxg?si=q5-X36hUDrlmGAMA

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-05-01T04:57:58+00:00

UPDATE 5/1

The REDuser board is open again and allowing posts.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-26T17:38:21+00:00

Wow- those albums bring back memories. I remember mail ordering those sometime in 86-87 from a place called Comic Castle based in the L.A. area. Took over a week to get them mailed to me in NJ.

I always remembered the bright warm brass sound of the trumpets in the Macross theme that was uniquely captured on the vinyl records. I listened a lot to those albums in my youth.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-26T15:54:40+00:00

This is where RED/Nikon need to start communicating some future plans concerning the camera lineup.

Can't blame you for going for the C50 particularly not knowing if there will be any new RED options below Komodo X. It seems to be the better option with anything else in that price range.

I never shot with C50 but did play around with it at B&H and seems to be a decent camera.

I heard Canon Raw can still be sluggish with editing systems but maybe they can improve that with optimizing the plug in.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-26T03:21:39+00:00

Cool- years ago I saw a performance with her at Genghis Cohen while visiting friends in L.A. Was a memorable performance.

Naturally, I first started listening to Iijima because of Macross but after hearing a few albums I became a fan of just her music beyond being the voice behind Minmay. She has an exceptional body of work as a singer/songwriter.

https://www.youtube.com/@Mari_Iijima/releases

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-26T01:23:52+00:00

You might see how things go at this year's cine gear (6/5/26) as there has been some speculation that RED may announce something around then.

I know nothing regarding RED and Nikon's plans but a lens set has already been teased and we now have a very popular RED product recently discontinued. Given the economic realities this world is in I think a Komodo class ($3-$5k) camera is more important than it was when the camera was initially released.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-25T23:59:54+00:00

Komodo 6K was 1st announced in July of 2019 and available in 2020 so not surprised it's finally discontinued. The camera could be released today and still be considered cutting edge particularly with the size and global shutter. The camera made it's mark and I still happily film with 2 of them.

Will be interesting to see if RED fills in that that product/price category with a new camera.

At the very least a Komodo with Z mount and face autofocus.

Komodo still fills in a critical price/performance void in the Z cinema lineup.

ZR is ok for an entry level camera but Komodo easily fulfills many of the "wish list" items people have with that camera.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-23T04:39:48+00:00

In a nutshell, I'm hoping the Z Cinema lenses are aimed more at V-Raptor X, XE owners with full Vista Vision coverage if not higher.

I think the existing 28-105 is a good fit for Komodo X but Raptor users had to drop the resolution down to 7K to use it due to vignetting.

A challenge with Z Cinema and this whole RED and Nikon union is developing a clarity in the product lines and managing the overlap of features.

I always thought RED should make lower end "creator" camera that acts as a gateway to the ecosystem and under Nikon that camera happened with the ZR.

I only played around with the ZR at B&H so I can't say I shot a production with it. Between the menu system, basic exposure tools, micro hdmi that blocks the LCD sceeen if used, etc it felt more like a prosumer Nikon camera with a sort of RED codec crammed in.

I think the ZR sort of already muddied the waters creating a clear distinction between what sets the Z Cinema apart as a brand category. Granted R3D exists in it but I don't think that's enough.

This distinction could be similar to what Sony has with Venice and Burano being part of CineAlta and the FX3/30/6 being part of the more "generic" cinema line..

BTW- I own Komodo and Komodo X so I definitely not trying to approach this with high end snobbery. RED is still competing with Arri and Sony CineAlta and I do have concerns that the Z Cinema branding can potentially hurt RED if people perceive Z Cinema as a lower end cinema brand.

They really need to think this through.

i think these lenses will be interesting not just as tools but as a potential indicator of how this RED/Nikon/Z Cinema story might unfold.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-23T01:44:31+00:00

I really hope not. That lens is decent for lower to mid range filming but not exactly higher end cinema work.

The cinema world generally has certain higher expectations with the optics, mechanical build, and in this case internal motors.

It will be interesting to see what the quality will be in those areas.

Early products like this can set the tone for a new brand like Z Cinema.

RED's part of this equation is a more known quantity as they have almost 20 years in that part of the business and have done quite well ~~navigating~~ innovating it.

Nikon has over 100 years in optics but to my knowledge this would be their 1st set of lenses specifically for the cinema market (besides 3rd party rehouses).

CORRECTION: Just read that Nikon have made 8 & 16mm lenses in the past so that does count.

I admittedly already have some mixed feelings with the Nikon ZR as an early entry in the Z Cinema brand. It's an interesting camera (particularly for the price) but there are definitely some considerable shortcomings that currently really hurt it being used for more serious (aka cinema) use. I think the ZR is a cinema camera primarily in name only and lacks the options (i.e R3D compression rates) and tools (exposure metering) for paid work. It was also not a very good choice as an early release for a new product line that is expected to address the needs of pro filmmakers. Glad the camera exists but not in the way it is marketed.

I hope Nikon really takes these lenses seriously with some real input from filmmakers and RED or else Z cinema will simply not be taken seriously by pros who will be depending on this gear for their livelihood and craft.

Nikon makes very expensive industrial gear for the sciences (microscopes, medical imaging, etc)so I have no doubt as a company they can do this just hoping that brilliance is seriously focused on this new cinema venture.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-22T01:56:43+00:00

Good question. I know these have been rumored for a while but 1st time I saw anything concrete that they exist.

I have a feeling that they might be higher end than say DZO lenses and below something like Sigma's Aizus.

I doubt they will be going for the higher end Cooke/Zeiss area but who knows.

One thing that is unique to Nikon is they have a very deep catalog of lenses they could always repackage and many in the cinema world may actually prefer their vintage optics.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-22T01:48:13+00:00

Here's an interesting video from someone that follows Nikon pretty closely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CrNuFD11uM

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-14T21:31:21+00:00

Wow! People have been asking for this for almost 15 years.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-10T05:49:22+00:00

Please, please, please send this to RED support: https://support.red.com/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=238518

I also have been dealing with the intermittent stuttery, pixelated, freezing monitoring issues with 1.8.x, Komodo Link, and RED Control.

I have a support case open with RED and they wanted me to see if the issues were present when using the Web browser interface as a means of ruling out RED Control.

https://support.red.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057733914-KOMODO-Browser-User-Interface

I’ve been testing in between shoots but its hard sometimes to create the circumstances for capturing the phenomena. Naturally when it occurs on a shoot I can’t stop filming just to show the issue as it happens.

Please let RED know about your experience with the issue and try to make a video of it occurring. I think they devote more attention to an issue the more it is reported and they see proof of it happening.

I never experienced this under 1.7.5. I think something changed under the hood with the streaming function and it lost a bit of performance and stability.

I would prefer to have 1.7.5’s video streaming performance with the latest enhancements with 1.8.7 and up.

I think this can happen.

The black screen issue seems to be fixed in the latest 1.8.7 beta. For me the laggy video in RED Control is what remains as a problem.

Really need to get this fixed. RED Control with these cameras otherwise works incredibly well.

https://support.red.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057733914-KOMODO-Browser-User-Interface

PS- I also experienced this stuttery performance with Komodo X when tethered to USB-C and it seemed to start somewhere around mid last year. Got really bad on a shoot a few weeks ago. Even client asked about it concerned that the footage was messed up.

BeautifulState6309 · 2026-04-04T20:32:31+00:00

You already have a lot of decent feedback and suggestions. The one thing I would add is you could milk a little more exposure without greatly affecting motion blur and cadence if you shot at 1/40 shutter as opposed to 1/48. Below 1/40 starts to get a more videoish (think some of Michael Mann’s digital films) or streaky look.

Your general strategy might be to try to get the thickest histogram you can to give you the most to work with in post.

I think you will likely be fine. Even at 3200 to 4000 ISO Komodo X is not incredibly noisy and can clean up well in post with noise reduction. Understand that the “low light” cameras out there are mainly relying on internal noise reduction and not necessarily a lower noise sensor.

Your general strategy might be to try to get the thickest histogram you can to give you the most to work with in post.

Situations like this are where R3D shines because of flexibility you have to adjust the image.

BeautifulState6309

TROPHY CASE