Other features of the Aluminum-framed beast include full size, dual-link HD SDI, 2 XLR audio inputs, HDMI, Wi-Fi, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0. It also weighs 6 pounds. And if any of you happened to purchase the $17500 RED ONE, you can exchange it and receive full credit towards the RED EPIC (which currently has no price tag). RED currently plans on an early 2009 release for the EPIC. [RED]

SPECIFICATIONS:

* FULL FRAME S35MM NEW MYSTERIUM X SENSOR
* 1-100 FPS
* UP TO 100 MB/SEC. REDCODE RAW AND RGB RECORDING TO REDFLASH
* FULL SIZE DUAL LINK HD-SDI, 2-XLR AUDIO INPUTS AND HDMI
* WI-FI CONTROL
* FIREWIRE 800 and USB2
* 6 POUND FULLY MACHINED ALUMINUM BODY WITH HYBRID STAINLESS PL MOUNT
* COMPATIBLE WITH MOST RED ONE ACCESSORIES
* FULLY UPGRADABLE SENSOR, BODY, BOARDS AND MOUNT.

SPECIFICATIONS, DELIVERY DATES AND DESIGN ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE... COUNT ON IT.

And yes, I like to say "swede." I like swedes, some of my best friends are swedes, and I want to move to Sweden. I can't have enough of the TIE Fighters here either.

[StarWars Blog]

Texas Instruments Announces IMAX Digital Projection System to be Powered by DLP Cinema® 2008 marks the 10th Anniversary of digital cinema led by DLP Cinema LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - March 11, 2008: Texas Instruments (TI) (NYSE: TXN) DLP Cinema® announced today at ShoWest that IMAX® Corporation (Nasdaq: IMAX) has decided to incorporate the DLP Cinema projector solution in its IMAX digital projection systems to be deployed by commercial exhibitors around the world. "We are excited to cement this alliance with DLP Cinema, and believe their technology will help ensure that our digital projection system delivers the best cinema experience available to audiences," said IMAX Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs Richard L. Gelfond and Bradley J. Wechsler. "We've evaluated competing cinema projection technology and found DLP Cinema to be the ideal match for IMAX." IMAX's highly anticipated digital projection system integrates a suite of proprietary IMAX intellectual properties with the DLP Cinema projector solution in a way that creates The IMAX Experience in a digital format. IMAX expects its transition to digital to help to drive profitability for studios, exhibitors and IMAX theatres by virtually eliminating the need for film prints, increasing program flexibility and ultimately increasing the number of movies shown on IMAX screens. With the implementation of DLP Cinema technology, IMAX moviegoers will experience precise, lifelike images in vibrant colors, delivered through the millions of microscopic mirrors on the DLP Cinema chip. "We are proud to work with IMAX and look forward to the development and rollout of the best digital cinema experience in the market," said Nancy Fares, Business Manager for DLP Cinema Products Group. "DLP Cinema projectors are the heart of every digital 2D and 3D movie experience for traditional and now large format venues. We look forward to participating in their move to digital in the months ahead." Digital cinema installations continue to be catalyzed by the increasing release of 3D film. The 3D movie format is serving as a revenue driver for the film industry overall, and has gained a resurgence of interest by moviegoers. IMAX has been a leader in 3D content, especially since the overwhelming box office success of The Polar Express: An IMAX 3D Experience, which has grossed more than $65 million in IMAX theatres around the world since it opened in 2005. More recently, Beowulf: An IMAX 3D Experience grossed $25 million, representing a per screen average of more than $185,000. Celebrating its 10th year in the film industry, DLP Cinema projection technology is installed in over 6,000 theatres on every continent except Antarctica and is the only digital 3D single projector solution. Today there are more than 1,200 theatres in the country that offer the digital 3D experience powered by DLP Cinema technology, and this number will continue to increase as IMAX begins its rollout of digital projection systems powered by DLP Cinema. 10 Years of Digital Cinema 2008 marks the 10th Anniversary of DLP's entrance into the cinema industry, with the first fully functional and Hollywood endorsed digital DLP Cinema movie projector. After years of prototypes, DLP had delivered Hollywood's biggest image critics and cinematographers with a digital projector that met the world's highest standards on color, brightness and reliability and therefore pioneered the digital cinema concept. A year later in 1999 the studios released the first movie in digital format on DLP Cinema which was Star Wars: Episode I- The Phantom Menace. DLP Cinema honors the heritage of the ultimate viewing experience while incorporating the latest technology innovations, such as the 3D single projector solution, and cutting costs for cinema exhibitors, distributors and ultimately the consumer. About DLP Cinema DLP Cinema is a proprietary technology that delivers clear, sharp, bright and accurate images to movie theatres globally. To manufacture and market under the DLP Cinema trademark, technology licensees, including Barco, Christie and NEC, must meet stringent standards and guidelines meant to ensure the best possible performance and picture quality. This digital picture and standard of excellence ensures that a DLP Cinema movie screening looks flawless and each showing is as perfect as the first with no annoying scratches, tears or weaving that detract from the movie-going experience. For more information, or to find a DLP Cinema theatre near you, please visitwww.dlpcinema.com. About Texas Instruments DLP Products DLP display technology from Texas Instruments offers clarity down to the most minute detail, delivering pictures rich with color, contrast and brightness to large-screen HDTVs and projectors for business, home, professional venue and digital cinema (DLP Cinema®). 50 of the world's top projection and display manufacturers design, manufacture and market products based on DLP technology. DLP is the only HDTV technology built from a foundation in the digital cinema where it set the industry standard demonstrated by the deployment of DLP Cinema technology in 5,971 theatres worldwide. At the heart of every DLP chip is an array of up to 2.2 million microscopic mirrors which switch incredibly fast to create a high resolution, highly reliable, full color image. DLP technology's chip architecture and inherent speed advantage provides razor-sharp images and excellent reproduction of fast motion video. Since early 1996, more than 15.5 million DLP subsystems have been shipped. For more information, please visitwww.dlp.com. About Texas Instruments: Texas Instruments (NYSE: TXN) helps customers solve problems and develop new electronics that make the world smarter, healthier, safer, greener and more fun. A global semiconductor company, TI innovates through manufacturing, design and sales operations in more than 25 countries. For more information, www.ti.com. DLP and DLP Cinema are registered trademarks of Texas Instruments. About IMAX Corporation IMAX Corporation is one of the world's leading digital entertainment and technology companies. The worldwide IMAX network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event Hollywood films around the globe, with IMAX theatres delivering the world's best cinematic presentations using proprietary IMAX, IMAX 3D, and IMAX DMR technology. IMAX DMR is the Company's groundbreaking digital remastering technology that allows it to digitally transform virtually any conventional motion picture into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience. IMAX's renowned projectors and new digital systems display crystal-clear images on the world's biggest screens. The IMAX brand is recognized throughout the world for extraordinary and immersive entertainment experiences for consumers. As of September 30, 2007, there were 296 IMAX theatres operating in 40 countries. IMAX®, IMAX® 3D, IMAX DMR, and, IMAX MPX The IMAX Experience® are trademarks of IMAX Corporation. More information on the Company can be found at www.imax.com.

Over the last two years Polaroid has stopped production on the instant cameras and now it's the film, which will be available till around next year. It was only a matter of time till Polaroid killed off the film since it was obviously a declining / nonexistent profit. So for all those Polaroid users out there, were sorry, looks like you'll only have another year left to take random pictures at house parties. [Washington Post]

1. Lightsaber (Star Wars)

2. .44 Magnum (Dirty Harry)

3. Bullwhip (Indiana Jones)

4. Samurai sword (Kill Bill)

5. Chainsaw (Texas Chainsaw Massacre)

6. Golden Gun (James Bond - The Man With The Golden Gun)

7. Bow and arrow (Robin Hood)

8. Machine gun (Scarface)

9. The Death Star (Star Wars)

10. Bowler hat (James Bond - Goldfinger)

[Telegraph via Neatorama via Geeklikeme]

Along the same lines, digital cameras allow for instant editing of acquired material and cheaper materials to capture images (tape as opposed to film). But digital isn't an end- all solution for Hollywood's media preservation, according to a recent study by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences—it's hugely imperfect while costing far more than traditional storage methods. Check out these crazy totals:

$1,059
Yearly cost of saving film master

$12,514
Yearly cost of saving digital master, converted from film

$208,569
Yearly cost of saving a digital master, born from digital

One of the biggest factors is not just changing digital technologies, but that hard drives storing old media need to be operated annually to stop the heads from freezing up. And where degradation of an analog signal equals a bad recording, degradation of a digital signal equals no recording.

Not so long ago I wrote a piece over on our video game sister site Kotaku regarding the LoC's preservation of old video games. Unfortunately, there's no great digital solution out there at this time to preserve any media value...giving stone tablets of yesteryear plenty of credence in my mind. [theinquirer]

Enemy at the Gates (2001) - DVD T2 The Extreme DVD Edition (1991) - DVD Once Upon a Time in the West (1969) - DVD Frailty (2002) - DVD Rosemary's Baby (1968) - DVD First Blood (1982) - DVD

See, lots of good "merry Christmas, now die!" titles on the list. Just be careful, as there are a few good movies (Eternal Sunshine, Sideways) that are full frame only. And when we take over the world, such discs will be outlawed (and people who buy them on purpose, shot in a nonlethal manner). [JR via bargainjack]

Er, shouldn't that be the Al Jabba gallery? [Hombre Lobo via Boing Boing]

It's not as cheap as throwing some quarters into a Salvation Army bucket—digitizing 10 minutes of film costs $110, up to 45 minutes runs $244—but supporting and preserving the arts is always a worthwhile cause. Besides, it shows the MPAA that internet+film doesn't always = piracy. [Save a Film via Boing Boing]

They're hemming and hawing a bit, saying they'll assess the market before jumping back into the film world, but that's highly debatable. It's the end of an era. John Biggs

UPDATE - Interestingly enough, Reuters is now reporting that they're "considering" leaving the market, but that's bull. You don't alert the media if you're "considering" doing something.
Canon to halt development of film cameras [Reuters via Photography Blog]

Press Release [Fuji via DigitalTrends]

We love the flashSCAN8 digital film scanner for its retro good looks, and that it can capture Super 8 and Standard 8mm film in real time, do color correction and even transfer synchronized soundtracks without any additional hardware, but its €30,000 pricetag? Now that just breaks our heart. We guess all the embarassing home movies of Joel Johnson's youth we "liberated" from his mom's garage will never make it onto YouTube now. Too bad.

flashSCAN8 [MWA, via Retro Thing]

What think you all?

A rough decade for traditional camera makers [ArsTechnica]

The world's largest maker of photographic film, Eastman Kodak, said today that it's going to hike prices on its consumer, professional and movie films to offset the high costs of raw materials such as silver. Consumer and professional film will be jacked up by as much as 17 percent while motion picture film could rise as much as five percent.

"Over the past year, Kodak has been absorbing unrelenting increases in the costs of raw materials used to manufacture film, including silver and petrochemicals," the company said in a statement. "These pressures have reached a point where they can no longer be offset by Kodak's ongoing productivity programs."

Or in other words, maybe it's about time you tossed out that Instamatic and bought one of our friggin' digital cameras, bee-atch.—Dan Havlik

Eastman Kodak announces film price hikes [BusinessWeek]