Can good enough modules save the Hydrogen One? We're about to find out.
RED's long-hyped Hydrogen One phone was more or less a complete disaster when a few months back, but I concluded my review by saying that "there's still so much left to be done with this phone, so much bottled up potential." The cinema giant's first phone was built on the idea of modular attachments that vastly expand its capabilities (?).
We've seen prototypes of modules that add lens mounts and battery packs, but in a , RED shared a full press render its upcoming Lithium 3D/4V "beamsplitter" rig. CEO Jim Jannard has spoken about the Lithium before — built in collaboration with Lucid, whose dual lens cameras are often used for producing VR content, Lithium is a standalone camera that shoots dual 4K video streams in RED's Holographic 4-View format.
As demonstrated in the render image, you'll be able to use the Hydrogen One as a display for the camera, taking advantage of its holographic screen technology to monitor 4-View content. You'll also be able to control the Lithium's UI through the Hydrogen One, and it looks to have a few thread mounts for additional filming accessories.
At the moment, we still no idea how much the Lithium will cost, or when it will be available for purchase.