I agree with Adrian, I see this camera as 4K B-cam to my C100. I don't work with huge budgets so I need something with the same look at a reasonable price. Very few clients pay enough to spend ages colour correcting or grading. So far I've been using dslrs like the 7D and 700D as B-cams as their look/colours are more or less similar to the C100 (although if I'm honest, the image is hella soft). I could never get the Canon camcorders to match well as they are too 'video'. The dslrs are a pain in the arse to be frank. If this offers a look and usability that matches the C series then it could be a winner. I love the ergonomics of the C100 (although the evf and screen are awful!).
I agree that it is over priced at present. I would hope that it goes on sale for considerably less than 2000€. If that were the case I'd be very interested. Of course, that would depend on seeing quality real world testing. The video that Canon released with the pretty girl wondering around Paris is pants. It seems the girl and crew decided to make 'another boring day in Paris' video. We have no idea how it will handle run and gun, poor lighting etc. These areas are real strong points for the C100 although the aforementioned evf and screen and the tedious black balance let it down.
It'll be interesting to see the first tests and thoughts of the first members of the forum who get their hands on one.

The Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS lists for $2,549.00.

The XC10 lists for less, and you get a camera attached to it!

For new media and web applications there is zero.point.zero reason to complain about this new product.
Including any moire, CA, etc.
It's an impossible miracle of science and I feel like yelling ala Louis C.K. (who will probably be using this on some future project) that todays camera choices and price points are ridiculously amazing.

If you want to make a feature film for serious festival or distribution contention... rent something appropriate.

I wish I could give Canon's engineers a hug.

Basically this is an 8mp 30fps still camera. This could be invaluable for certain applications.

Dutch -- you win the Post Of The Day award. I think you're spot on. Many thanks,

For new media and web applications there is zero.point.zero reason to complain about this new product.

If you are going to lower your expectations, why stop there. Just get the FZ1000 and get a capable still camera for your family photos.

I really don't get it ... you see a new overpriced product, recognize its shortcomings and then look for applications where it would be (just) good enough to justify its existence. If you don't care about image quality all that much and much less about bitrate, why not get something with a constant aperture across the zoom range and a power-zoom at that.

Dutch, you get out of here with all that sensible talk!

I'm also intrigued by this camera. Such a small camera that should make incredible images, 4K or not. I love the form factor.

For those who suggest getting a cheaper FZ1000 or LX100, neither of those cameras has an earphone jack. Talk about a glaring omission! There's no way I'd get a video camera that doesn't give me the most basic ability to monitor audio, I don't care how much cheaper they are. That puts those cameras squarely in the "stills camera first, video camera second" category.
The XC10 is definitely a video camera first.
I don't know if the XC10 has the ability to change the audio levels internally, like the VG30. We'll see.

The Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS lists for $2,549.00.

The XC10 lists for less, and you get a camera attached to it!

For new media and web applications there is zero.point.zero reason to complain about this new product.
Including any moire, CA, etc.
It's an impossible miracle of science and I feel like yelling ala Louis C.K. (who will probably be using this on some future project) that todays camera choices and price points are ridiculously amazing.

If you want to make a feature film for serious festival or distribution contention... rent something appropriate.

I wish I could give Canon's engineers a hug.

I surely hope you're being sarcastic here. The XC10 in no way has the EF 28-300mm L lens you mention:

EF 28 to 300 L (http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_28_300mm_f_3_5_5_6l_is_usm)

I surely hope you're being sarcastic here. The XC10 in no way has the EF 28-300mm L lens you mention:

EF 28 to 300 L (http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/ef_lens_lineup/ef_28_300mm_f_3_5_5_6l_is_usm)


He's not being sarcastic, and he's not saying the XC10 has *that* particular lens.

He's saying the XC10 has nearly the same focal length and reach of that lens for nearly the same price, with a camera attached to it.

And since the XC10 lens has to resolve for 4K, you can assume the optical quality is at least on par with (if not better than) the EF 28-300.

For people who have been using a 4:2:0 camera the difference in Canon's 8 bit 4:2:2 color implementations is significant. Our nonprofit used to have a Canon XF100, really rotten resolution, but the colors were magnificent and the 4:2:2 made them easier to grade and compress. The XC10 will also have 10 bit 4:2:2 4K output to Atomos Shogun 4K recorders for those time when you want the absolute best color.

Canon is well known for color science. I have never understood why people obsess about other features when the delivered image is what ultimately matters. Our C100s deliver outstounding results from a 8 bit 4:2:0 color space, however, we had to use an external Ninja recorder to get 8 bit 4:2:2 when we were doing critical work that will be heavily graded. Perhaps we will not have to do that with the XC10.

Is it a pro camera? It is much better than the cheaper all in ones with the XC10 having button layouts that more closely resemble those found on our C100s that make those cameras a joy to use. Which brings up another issue - ease of use. We have filmmaker blog darlings such as the Sony A7s, but when I don't have the time to do fussy setup I always grab a C100. Will the A7s do more, does it have much better low light, does it deliver more filmlike DOF? Yes, but that is not what always matters when I am doing a million things at the same time. Not when I want to have the colors I like straight off the card. Canon's wide DR setting is amazing.

Several open questions remain about the XC10. Was the Paris video really the best it could do? What are the low light limits? How good is the in camera oversampling as it reduces 4K to HD formats. (We will probably mainly use the XC10 as a 4:2:2 HD camera for web delivery.) Is audio adjustable and are there audio meters? Will CFast 2 cards become affordable? Or is the most affordable way to record long 4K sessions is on a Shogun? How good are the remote control capabilities?

Finally, for those complain about the price please remember that the kit includes a Sandisk 64Gb CFast 2 card and a card reader. this a $450 dollar value at actual retail sales prices. this lowers the real cost of only the body. My guess is that as usual the actual retail sales price will be about 20% less than the $2500 list price, bringing the price of the camera alone into the mid 1000s. For this you get better layout, and better color space.

If you want to complain then question the decision to use CFast cards rather than one of the recent hyper speed third generation SD cards. That is an expensive decision. SO why did Canon do that? The Canon C300 Mkii uses CFast cards. It may not be an accident that the C300 MKii and the XC10 were announced in the same press release. They are positioning the XC10 as a B, or more likely C, camera in top end shoots so it makes sense to have card compatibility.

They are positioning the XC10 as a B, or more likely C, camera in top end shoots so it makes sense to have card compatibility.

Now this makes sense to me. For what I need (single cam), it does indeed make zero sense to pick up the XC10.

I have created a spreadsheet with about 20 attributes (things like 4:2:2, XLR inputs, storage card type, etc.) Then placed weightings on them. For me, 4:2:2 was very high on that list whereas things like 24-bit audio were very low. Top contenders are the PXW-X70 and XF100. When I add the XC10 into this spreadsheet, it scores very very low.

But going back to the B-cam concept. I do see the XC10 as a strong contender that need one.

For Filmmaking the XC10 is a B camera, but Canon is equally pushing the view that the XC10 is a broadcast compliant portable news camera for reporters operating without a crew. Also for drone use.

I think this camera has two personalities. On one hand it is a new media camera for the one person crew and on the other a very compact, portable complement to the Canon C series for television production. In the new media role, the camera offers better ergonomics than a smart phone or DSLR, and higher quality results. New media display devices in the home are typically HDTV resolution today and UHD in the future. There is no need for more resolution except for cropping. Companies with websites and HDTV requirements can satisfy them with this camera. The camera body is not designed for use under adverse weather conditions but neither are most DSLRs or prosumer camcorders that they might replace. Broadcasters will still require some traditional heavy duty cameras for traditional production with two person crews.

The technical parameters of the XC10 seem well matched to the new media requirement. The large sensor, in video terms, and relatively small pixel count means larger pixels with more dynamic range and higher sensitivity. Keeping still resolution down to 12 MP allows for more aggressive optical low pass filtering that reduces moire in video images. UHD/4K reads out pixel for pixel and does not require fancy line skipping or other gymnastics that generate image artifacts. HD does require scaling but it is straight forward down conversion. If the lens provides high MTF in the UHD resolution range then the pictures can be very sharp.

Use of the XC10 as a B camera has been discussed in other posts. I think there is room for some optimism about the performance of the lens and sensor based on similarity of technical approach to the C series cameras. The high bit rate intra frame codec should preserve the quality. In the hands of a professional camera operator with due attention to exposure, C-log footage should be suitable for cutting with C series cameras.

At $2,500 a copy, this camera is a bit expensive as a personal camera but not prohibitive for someone used to paying for DSLR bodies and lenses. The camera needs RAW capability for stills. In a future version, an EVF would be attractive provided it has sufficient resolution. It could make a great travel camera for anyone wishing to shoot stills and video.

Many of the comments on this camera have been made about what is isn't rather than what it is. I think it is conceptually different and will be used in ways not yet apparent. DSLR video brought about completely unanticipated changes and this camera may do the same thing.

Edit: original post removed; contained incorrect computations. I was looking at an alternative to CFast 2.0 by pairing an SSD-based external recorder. I unfortunately overlooked a key feature of the recorder which is its ability to record 4K.

An Odyssey 7Q+ (comes with two 256 GB SSDs) would add about USD 2,300. That's cheaper than four 128 GB CFast 2.0 which comes in around USD 3,200 (Sandisk brand).

But of course the unit is not as portable and the total cost is now too high for my budget. Still, a SSD-based system may be attrictive for some and could reduce overall costs.

sample video.

Battle of the Ages on Vimeo


No indoor shots so no idea of low light capabilities that could be the downfall of this sensor

sample video.

Nice! Really love the look of the footage.

While I earlier dismissed the XC10 as being useful for me, I'm now taking a second look. Still need to find a solution though to bring cost down. Basically, I don't need 4K right now. So if reading specs correctly, I should be able to get 8-bit 50 Mbps 4:2:2 HD in camera on its SDXC card.

Another not-too-expensive option (if HDMI outputs clean 4:2:2 1080p) is to record to Blackmagic's 'Video Assist' unit which uses SDXC.

My thought is that CFast 2.0 cards should come down in price (hopefully!). So perhaps in a couple years, I would then have a good 4K solution.

Thoughts? Anyone else eyeing this as just an HD unit for now?

Edit: 50 Mbps is reserved for 60fps. If shooting 29.97 or 23.976, bit rate caps at 35 Mbps. But that's still acceptable for me. 4:2:2 is must have whereas 50 Mbps "broadcast" bitrate isn't.

Hmm. I like the ergonomics that mimic the C100.
And this should offer good color and dynamic range.

Lack of XLR, remote control and motorized zoom are limiting its usefulness.
And the dark zoom lens doesn't impress me for indoor shooting.
Don't know if this camera is moire-resistant. Shooting people with patterned dresses or rooms with air-conditioning grills often causes problems with dSLRs.

I like the use of the same batteries as the 6D and the 5D MkIII (I already have some), but I suspect these will not be adequate for longform shots (e.g. concerts of conferences).
I dislike the Cfast 2 price. I think I would prefer a generic low-profice 2.5" SSD instead, like the Blackmagic. I know, this would make the camera larger.

I think I'll pass on it. I hope for a body like the Sony EA50 or the C100 instead.

N.F.

The Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS lists for $2,549.00. The XC10 lists for less, and you get a camera attached to it!

Yes, that's very true! Also considerably more compact than a 28-300. Plus, the 1" sensor can become an advantage when you're at the tele end.

Incidentally, one thing people used to interchangeable lenses don't always appreciate is how useful having a wide zoom range is.

In North America, the XC10 is bundled with a 64GB CFast card, which strikes me as too small to make this a convincing stand-alone 4K package. It also effectively reintroduces the record-time limit I was hoping to avoid.

In the UK, buyers are offered a much more immediately useful 128GB CFast bundle, or can (apparently) opt to buy the XC10 without any CFast card whatsoever.

Any chance North American buyers might be given similar options?