RED sues Nikon over video compression patent with Z9 2.0 update – Newshooter

RED.com LLC is suing Nikon for what they say is a violation Video compression patent Which Nikon has recently launched 2.0 Firmware Update For Z9 camera. With the 2.0 update, the Z9 can capture up to 8.3K RAW video in Nikon’s new “N-RAW format” up to 60 frames per second or ProRes RAW HQ up to 4.1K at 60 frames per second.

Case

The lawsuit alleges that REDs used patents. Below are the main concerns.

29. RED is informed and believes and then complains that Nikon offers to sell, use, import, and / or sell in the United States, and in this jurisdiction, cameras under the Nikon brand that infringe every patent.

30. RED is informed and believes and then complains that Nikon’s infringing video camera (“alleged product”) is included, but not limited to, “Z series mirrorless cameras” such as “Nikon Z 9 with firmware 2.0.”

The lawsuit was filed here.

TicoRAW

The Z9 uses a highly efficient RAW codec for stills that comes from Inpex. intoPIX creates a video version of this same RAW codec called TicoRAW. One of the available options is IPX-TicoRAW-8K (up to 8192-pixel width). It is available up to 12-bit and up to 60fps. It uses Nikon on Z9 with 2.0 firmware.

Here is what PIX officially said in December last year:
The new Z9 camera offers high-efficiency RAW recording up to 8K and 60fps (available via the 2022 firmware update), preserves all the benefits of RAW format and ensures very low power processing and very fast transfer speeds.

With TicoRAW, the full quality of the captured sensor data is preserved while reducing bandwidth and storage requirements. It can be used for both still images and RAW movies. This patented technology provides high image quality, and the ability to handle very high resolution, high frame rates, and high dynamic range workflows. TicoRAW is the world’s first RAW codec that can provide compression efficiency with so little complexity. There is also the advantage of holding this very fast format for editing regardless of resolution and / or frame rate used.

It doesn’t seem to be going after the RED PIX but more so that the Z9 is recording internal RAW similar to the scheme that RED patented. InPIXs TicoRAW are also patented.

The filing seeks compensation and royalties for alleged violations and seeks restraint on Nikon from further violations. Plaintiffs want attorneys’ fees Nikon could either fight an expensive court battle or remove the new feature from the Z9 2.0 firmware update. One problem is that the update is available from April 20, 2022, which makes the removal process virtually impossible.

Here we go again

This is not the first time that RED has sued for protection of their internal RAW recording patents and forced companies to pull their RAW offers from the camera, saying they would include internal video RAW capture. The last I remember was with Kinfinity and DJI Ronin 4D. This is a bit more complicated because the 2.0 update has been released and has already been installed on users’ cameras.