Making of...Leopards: The Last Stand. The C300 footage is marked with the text "C300 Footage" at the top.

Making of "Leopards: The Last Stand" - YouTube

You can watch it in HD (720p), as I found youtube automatically shows in lower resolutions.

Hi Sabyasachi,

Thanks for posting that. Fabulous animals.

The nearest we could get to that here in the UK is to film Urban foxes, in the news at the moment for attacking babies in their cots.

I trust you have someone working with you to warn you if the Leopards have done a flank movement and are about to attack!

Mark

Hi Mark,
Thanks. Normally the leopards are shy and don't attack human beings. At times, if one of the animals have got some prior bad experience with people then the situation can be a bit different. In some places, the leopard conflict is high and I am careful. However, in the darkness that I am filming, accidents can happen.

I have atleast my assistant with me. The only time I am alone is when I wait in a hide or under a rock for the entire night. Once I had a creepy feeling and when I turned, I found that one leopard was trying to pass me from behind, hardly 10 feet away. In those situations, all your knowledge of animal behaviour goes for a toss and you are made to realise again and again how vulnerable we are.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi

Looks good. How many Leopards in that area?

Hi Sabyasachi,
Wow you have some really nice shots of those leopards! Looks like the C300 is being used quite a bit for wildlife filming!
Good luck with the film.
Bryce

Hi Simon,
Some of the hills have leopards. No body knows the exact number as the places I am filming are near human habitations and technically not classified as forest land. A lot of wildlife live outside our protected areas. In a number of cases the Government is not interested in declaring it as a sanctuary, as that will mean ban on mining and other such activities.

Hi Bryce,
The C300 is a good camera for wildlife as it is small, has XLR ports, the codec is broadcast approved and ISO can be pushed up. Wish it had 50p for slow motion.

Cheers,
Sabyasachi

The Canon does do slow motion but only at 1280x720.
Maybe that is what you were wishing for, 1920x1080.

Set to 1280 x 720 and 25P and just set the camera to record at 50 frames in the S&F menu.
Play it back and its in slowmo.

I have found that the C300 holds up pretty well at 1280x720 at 60fps (here in the states). Better than the dslr's.
Maybe not ideal but unless you are shooting with a much bigger/heavier camera that is what you have to deal with at this point.

Hi Bob,
Thanks. I was talking about 50p at 1080. I am not interested in dropping the resolution to 720p. All this expectation of a higher frame rate is a kind of dream, as Canon has never promised it to us. It will be a huge plus if that happens. If not, then it will be life as usual. :)

Overall, I am very happy with this camera as I am able to track animals in low light/ no light. Earlier, the working hours of a wildlife filmmaker was kind of 6-7 hrs due to the light. Other times we used to rest under a tree or in the car or in the rest house. Now, most of the times I am in the field. It is making me a better naturalist as I see these leopards for more number of hours.
Cheers,
Sabyasachi