● R1MX
FIRMWARE Available

Black Shading Calibration

Required after every firmware upgrade or downgrade. Takes 15 minutes and costs nothing.

Difficulty Easy
Time 15 minutes
Tools
  • Lens cap (PL-mount body cap or any light-blocking cap)
  • Charged RED BRICK battery or AC adaptor
Parts None required

Overview

Black shading calibration corrects sensor offset errors by measuring the camera’s output with no light reaching the sensor. The camera records a baseline “dark frame” for every pixel and uses it to cancel thermal noise and fixed-pattern noise during recording.

When to run it:

  • After every firmware upgrade
  • After every firmware downgrade
  • After any repair that involved the sensor or IMAGE board
  • Whenever you notice unexpected color casts, hot pixels, or unusual noise in shadows

Skipping this step after a firmware change is the single most common cause of degraded image quality on the RED ONE MX.

The camera must be at a stable operating temperature before running black shading. Power it on and let it run for at least 10 minutes before starting. Running calibration on a cold camera produces inaccurate results.

Before You Start

Check that you have:

  • A fully charged battery or AC power connected (calibration cannot be interrupted)
  • A lens cap that completely blocks all light from reaching the sensor
  • The camera powered on and warmed up for at least 10 minutes

Steps

1
Format a fresh CF card using the current firmware.

Insert a CF card and format it in-camera via SYSTEM > FORMAT MEDIA. This ensures the card filesystem matches the current build and calibration data saves correctly.

📷 Photo needed: Camera menu showing SYSTEM > FORMAT MEDIA
2
Fit the lens cap so no light can enter the camera.

Use a PL-mount body cap, a PL lens with its rear cap installed, or wrap the mount with a dark cloth. Even a small amount of ambient light will corrupt the calibration.

📷 Photo needed: PL body cap fitted to the camera mount
3
Navigate to the Black Shade menu.

From the camera's home menu, go to:
SYSTEM > MAINTENANCE > BLACK SHADE

If this option is greyed out, the camera may be in a recording-ready state. Press STOP first.

📷 Photo needed: SYSTEM > MAINTENANCE > BLACK SHADE menu path
4
Confirm the camera and environment are ready, then start calibration.

Select BLACK SHADE and confirm when prompted. The process takes approximately 60-90 seconds. Do not:

  • Remove the battery or disconnect AC power
  • Remove or insert any media
  • Move the camera or remove the lens cap
  • Press any buttons
5
Wait for "Black Shade Complete" confirmation.

The camera will display a completion message on the rear status display and the RED-LCD / RED-EVF if attached. This confirms the calibration data was written to the CF card successfully.

📷 Photo needed: "Black Shade Complete" message on rear display
6
Power cycle the camera.

Fully power down (hold power button until shutdown completes) and power back on. The calibration data is loaded from the CF card on boot.

Do not remove the CF card between calibration and the next power cycle.

7
Verify by shooting a test clip.

Remove the lens cap, fit a lens, and record a short clip in a neutral scene (evenly lit grey card is ideal). Review in post and confirm:

  • No unexpected color cast in shadows
  • No fixed hot pixels or bright spots
  • Shadow noise looks uniform (not patterned)

Troubleshooting

Problem Likely cause Fix
BLACK SHADE menu is greyed out Camera in record-ready state Press STOP, then try again
Calibration starts but camera reboots Power interrupted or battery low Use AC power and retry
“Calibration Failed” message Light leak through mount, or CF card error Check lens cap seal, reformat CF card, retry
Colors still wrong after calibration Cold camera during calibration Let camera warm up 10+ minutes, redo calibration
Hot pixels still visible Calibration data not loaded Power cycle with CF card installed

Notes

  • Black shading data is stored on the CF card, not in camera flash memory. Keep the calibration CF card in the camera or clearly labelled.
  • Calibration is temperature-sensitive. If the camera will be used in a significantly different environment (e.g., moving from an air-conditioned room to outdoor summer heat), re-run calibration in the actual shooting environment.
  • Some users report running black shading at the start of each shooting day as standard practice. This is not strictly required but eliminates a variable.

See Also