V-Raptor X or the original V-Raptor? How RED's global shutter [X] differs, when it matters on set, and how to check which Raptor you're being quoted in London.
Ask three London rental houses for a "RED V-Raptor" and you may get quotes for two different cameras. Both are called V-Raptor, both have an 8K VV sensor of the same size and both live in almost the same body. The difference is the shutter, and on some shoots that difference decides whether the footage works.
This guide explains what separates the RED V-Raptor [X] 8K VV from the original V-Raptor 8K VV, when the [X] is worth booking, and how to make sure the camera on your quote is the one you think you're getting.
The original V-Raptor 8K VV has a rolling-shutter sensor. The V-Raptor [X] 8K VV has a global-shutter sensor, so every pixel is captured at the same instant. Resolution, sensor size, dynamic range and headline frame rates are the same on paper. If your shoot has fast movement, vibration, strobes, camera flashes or LED walls, book the [X]. If it's locked-off interviews or slow, controlled moves, either camera will do the job.
RED built the [X] on the V-Raptor platform, so most of what crews like about the original carries over. From RED's published specs:
So you don't give anything up in resolution or sensor size by choosing the [X]. RED's own line is that it kept the dynamic range of the original while adding the global shutter.
A rolling shutter reads the sensor line by line, top to bottom. If the camera or subject moves while that read happens, vertical lines lean, spinning wheels warp and a vibrating car mount turns into jelly. A global shutter reads the whole frame in one go, so straight lines stay straight however fast things move.
The [X] also adds two tools under the RED Global Vision name. Extended Highlights captures over 3 stops of extra highlight information, which helps with sunsets, practical lamps, windows and fire. Phantom Track records multiple LED-wall or lighting states as separate clips in one take, which is aimed at virtual production work.
These are the jobs where we'd point a crew at the [X] without hesitation:
And when it matters less: sit-down interviews, slow dolly or slider moves, static wides and most beauty and product tabletop work. For those, the shutter type rarely shows, and you might pick a camera on lenses, colour or budget instead.
Many rental listings simply say "RED V-Raptor 8K VV". That's usually the original rolling-shutter model. A few simple checks save an awkward conversation on the first shooting day:
Ours is listed as the RED V-Raptor X 8K, and the product page describes it as the V-Raptor [X] 8K VV with the global shutter sensor. We're one of the few London rental houses with an [X] on the shelf, so it's worth booking early for busy weeks.
If the global shutter is the main reason you want the [X], it's worth knowing that the RED Komodo 6K has one too. It's a smaller, cheaper Super 35 camera recording 6K to CFast 2.0, and it suits crash cams, gimbals and second-unit work. The [X] gives you 8K, a large-format VV sensor, much higher frame rates and Extended Highlights.
The ARRI Alexa Mini LF is the other large-format camera on our shelf. Crews choose it for ARRI colour, but it has a rolling shutter. If a job needs 8K, large format and a global shutter in one body, the [X] is the only one of the three that does all of it.
We hire the [X] as a working camera package rather than a bare body. It includes Canon EF to RF and Tilta PL to RF mount adapters, a 7-inch RED monitor, three 660GB CFexpress Type B cards plus a 2TB card and a reader, a Tilta cage with top plates, baseplate and 15mm rods, a top handle, a V-mount battery plate, mains power and the cables you need to get going. The RED V-Raptor X hire page has the full list, live day rate and FAQs.
For glass, see our guide to the best lenses for the V-Raptor X. Large-format sets like the DZO Arles Lustre primes cover the full 8K VV sensor.
Register a production account first, then send your order through the site and we'll confirm availability. Collect from our counter at Unit H1, 2 Leswin Place, Stoke Newington, London N16 7NJ, Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm. Collecting after 4pm the day before and returning by 11am the day after aren't charged as hire days, and a weekend counts as a single day. If you're not sure which Raptor your job needs, call 020 7898 3322 or email rentals@weareyellowcactus.com and we'll talk it through.
No. They share the 8K VV sensor size, resolution and body design, but the original V-Raptor 8K VV has a rolling shutter and the V-Raptor [X] 8K VV has a global shutter. The [X] also adds RED Global Vision, with Extended Highlights and Phantom Track.
RED quotes 17+ stops of dynamic range for both cameras, and up to 20+ stops on the [X] with Extended Highlights. As with any camera, test it in your own lighting before a big job.
When there's fast movement, vibration or flashing light: car rigs, sport, whip pans, gimbal work, strobes, camera flashes, LED walls and VFX plates. For interviews, static wides and slow moves, a rolling shutter rarely shows.
Look for "[X]" or "global shutter" in the listing and ask for "V-Raptor [X] 8K VV" to be written on the quote. A listing that just says "RED V-Raptor 8K VV" is usually the original rolling-shutter model.
Yes. The camera has RED's locking RF mount, and our kit includes a Canon EF to RF adapter and a Tilta PL to RF adapter.
Our RED V-Raptor X hire page always shows the live day rate. Longer hires cost less per day: three days are charged as 2.5 days, four as 3 days and Monday to Friday as 3.5 days, and a weekend counts as a single day.