Let me start by apologizing, I'm sure this has been covered this ad nauseum, but I'm not even sure what questions I should be asking.

We are a small broadcast station doing mostly local retail commercials, we currently shoot on Canon 5D and deliver in 1080i 59.94.  My system is a custom box with an i7 cpu, 16 Gb of ram and a Quadro FX4000.  We're on MC 7 right now, I'll be signing up for the annual license/MC8 within the next few weeks.

We're in the market for a new camera.  We're looking at C300, C500, Red, we don't know what it will be yet, all we know for sure is that it'll be an interchangeable lens camera.  We would shoot in 4k and continue to deliver in HD (we think).  Our problem is we're completely new to the world of 4K and we would hate to commit to a camera system and find out that the workflow sucks.  Does anyone know of a good primer site that I could go to that explains the pros/cons of various systems?  Does anyone have a personal experience that would help?

Secondly; are we crazy to be jumping into shooting 4k and trying to cut on our current system.  Do we need a new computer, more ram?  Will our video card be up to the task?  I'm thinking at the very least I'll want more ram to handle background rendering but is it false economy to stick with our current computer?

I'm sorry this is so vague, but as I said, I don't know enough about 4K to even know what questions to ask.  Any advice would be gratefully accepted.

Im barely a hobbyist, so you can take my comments with a grain of salt, but no doubt upcoming model of 5D (Version 4) would probably shoot 4K.

Lots of rumours, google 5D 4K

Given you already have lens etc and experienced with Camera, my thoughts would be to wait for 4K version of 5D. You then only need new body and probably something like a Atomos External Monitor/Recorder

With regard editing, have to wait for upgrade to AVID codec. Once that is availalble, you could source some bRoll 4k video files and test your machine to see if its fast enough.

Here is a link to some 4K video, im sure theres lots more if you google it:

http://www.elementaltechnologies.com/resources/4k-test-sequences

No doubt when AVID relaeses the 4K Codec, they will have some suggestions on minimum specs etc.

Regards

Hugh

a quick look at the new 4k handling in the upcoming version of mc...

http://www.avidblogs.com/master-the-art-of-4k-editing-series-preview/

Hugh Moore:

Im barely a hobbyist, so you can take my comments with a grain of salt, but no doubt upcoming model of 5D (Version 4) would probably shoot 4K.

I am not sold that the next 5D will have 4K support considering the C100 MkII and C300 do not have it either. Canon is clearly differentiating DSLR and Cine cams via resolution.

Don't forget 4K on a single sensor works out at around 2.8K or RGB resolution if you debeyer at max quality.

So 4K aquisition is ok for HD delivery but doesn't stack up if you want to protect for 4K delivery in the future. You need to loom at 6K plus in a single senor to make good 4K outputs.

cheknews:

 We would shoot in 4k and continue to deliver in HD (we think).

this is what drives me bannas they already got 9k in production (the next big thing brand,don't want to give them any free add's) but yes the price is out there way out there, So there customers AKA lemmings run out and buy up all the 4k stuff we can and then here comes the upgrade anybody rememberwhen 3D was to be the in thing ESPN sports in 3d everybody was buying all those expensive camera's, another thing a 80"4k box was 40,000.00 the same 80" 9k is wait for it ......109,000.00 ( also the next big thing ) look it up. i had a few extra $$$$ when i saw that i was feeling realy good when i got my 80" sharp 2995.00 plus insurance how many 4k movies are out there.........crickets..crickets

ok I put my soap box away

Stephen Roseman:

remember when 3D was to be the in thing....

Capability drives marketing to attempt creating demand.

Stephen Roseman:

ok I put my soap box away

More room for me

never mind, sorry I asked.

Don't be sorry you asked - it's a good and legitimate question that is on a lot of producer's minds at present.