Hey everyone, starting Monday the 18th, Canon will be giving a $2000 instant rebate on the C300s! That means you'll pay just $13,999 for the camera. This rebate is available from all the selected Cinema EOS dealers including Texas Media and ourselves. The cameras continue to do well and I think this is really about Canon getting more aggressive in the marketplace.....this deal goes until April 30th.

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com

Jim any idea if a rebate offer will be available in the UK or Europe anytime soon? You lucky Americans seem to get so many more offers than we do over our side of the pond.

No idea.....Canon runs Europe completely different from the US.....here we have only 19 dealers for the C300 & C500. In Europe, any pro level Canon dealer can sell the cameras...from what I'm told by my friends in Switzerland....

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com

Well great news for those who are looking to buy and bad news for those who already own the camera as they see their investment once again devalued.

So on the one hand we see Canon not responding to a huge groundswell of requests for firmware enhancements and on the other hand offering opportunist cashback rebates.

I think once the F5 & F55 come out Canon might find moving more C300's a challenge.

Well great news for those who are looking to buy and bad news for those who already own the camera as they see their investment once again devalued.

So on the one hand we see Canon not responding to a huge groundswell of requests for firmware enhancements and on the other hand offering opportunist cashback rebates.

I completely agree. This news combined with the lack of firmware improvements is disheartening. It seems obvious that this is Canon's ploy to undercut initial sales of the Sony F5, and I think that is pointless. The C300 and the F5 will appeal to different segments of the market. I own a C300, and even though it appears that the F5 will be technically superior, I am not interested. Using old film cameras as an analogy, it is like the difference between an Arri SR and an Arri BL. Like the Arri SR, the C300 is smaller, lighter, uses less power and less expensive lenses. I don't think it will compete with the new Sony F series or the Alexa for high end projects, but it is excellent for the kinds of projects that were once shot on 16mm: independent features, television, documentaries, lower end commercials and higher end corporate productions. It would be nice to see Canon build on the strengths of the C300 instead of battling for market share with rebates.

During my MBA days, long long ago, they used to teach us that one of the purposes of advertising is to reduce cognitive dissonance. Advertising helps in not only influencing people to make their buying decisions but also to in reducing their anxiety after buying the product to reinforce their belief that they have taken a good decision in buying the product.

Canon's rebate is primarily aimed at bringing in new buyers to the fold. However, as can be seen here, existing buyers get affected as they feel that the value of their product is going down. To stop this dissonance, Canon needs to come up with a firmware update soon or atleast during NAB to give the things like higher frame rates in 1080, waveform in viewfinder etc etc which are detailed in other threads.

For a wildlife filmmaker like me:
The F5 or F55 will make sense if:
1) it images are great and pleases the clients
2) codec is broadcast approved
3) codec helps in quick turnaround and ability to cut in smaller editing systems
4) small and handy package - which doesn't attract attention while filming
5) records to CF cards (inexpensive )

Now C300 is an A Camera. If a 4K camera, raw or otherwise, fits all the above, then it is a competitor and it can become A camera and C300 as the B camera. These cameras need to be working all 5 days a week. Sitting on the dry box is a waste.

I am happy that Canon reduced the price now, instead of reducing it when the Sony made the announcement and terming it as love towards customers or some such thing. We all are mature enough to know that these things are business decisions. Each of us have to see what is right for us and act accordingly.

I agree Simon being a C300 owner and liking the camera, I will switch based on how Canon has treated me as a customer.

Spot on Paul, customer service. I use the C300 on about 90% of all shoots and like the image it produces etc... but Canon need to update it's firmware for me ASAP. I purchased this camera thinking that a firmware would be around the corner, well that has now been 12 months. Basic functions need addressing for me. I have to say the Sony F5 or 55 might be in my bag if Canon can't come forward with an update.

I am with you mate. Do you still have the Sony PMW-500?

Just back from a week of shooting and I agree with everything you said, nice picture but in need of major upgrade with firmware to have me stay. And having to pay for service in the first few years is not even close to professional service. Guess they just don't care, which is not the case with my Canon 1DX that is excellent service.

Hi Paul,

Yep, I still use the 500 in fact I just shot over the weekend with both the 500 & C300. I used the 500 for all the interviews and typical ENG walk around stuff and used the C300 for all the cutaways etc...
Have to say that they both mix well in the edit.

Sounds like a good combo. I miss my 500 often.

GIven the comments here, I think I'll hold off on the 300 until the firmware upgrade. Canon, you listening? A possible buyer deciding to wait on the delivery of the upgrades...

I doubt this is a temporary discount and that Canon will jack the price back up 2K in April. They must have something behind their sleeves, A C350 maybe ?

You lucky Americans seem to get so many more offers than we do over our side of the pond.

Just did a quick calculation - $13,999 is £9,308 - only about £55 less than the UK price (not including VAT, which most pros will reclaim) - so perhaps our lucky American cousins can now enjoy our price?

I didn't know it sold for that price in the US. I thought it would be quite a bit cheaper like most DSLRs are over the pond.

Sadly I'm not VAT registered so full price for me.

I saw an advert in a camera magazine that said Canon were having a new cashback scheme on some camera and lenses starting 7th March. I doubt the C300 will be included but we can always hope.

I'm going to check out the C300 and C100 at the Canon stand at Focus on Imaging at the NEC tomorrow.

Maybe they will - NAB is soon upon us, and the rule of Sales is that offers are ONLY on slow selling lines. If the C100 and C300 are selling like the proverbial piping-hot post-prandial pudding, there is absolutely no reason to discount them, and Canon reps get to go to their annual incentive event.

Sorry to hear about the VAT.

BTW, I think we pay an extra 15% for video cameras (in terms of duty) because they're deemed to be VCRs under the EU tax regime. This is why consumer camcorders cannot record from external sources and why DSLRs cannot record more than 29 mins 59 seconds of video - they are NOT VCRs and are taxed at 5% upon import (i.e. the dealers pay this). The extra 10% import duty (which is on the price that the DEALERS pay) would push the prices beyond their intended brackets.

Have any of you had issues with the iris wheel on the left side of the camera - the small wheel under the large one? Mine is worn out after 200 hrs - it spins but rarely changes iris. And I'm now out of warranty. I'm making due with iris control on the grip until I can send the camera in. Currently shooting in South America.