C300 Discussion

[Mike Marriage]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

But there is, via Wi-Fi. See my article, linked in the first post.

Chris, I meant something more along the lines of a follow focus wheel that could be attached to the camera and used by an operator or AC or detached for remote operation.

Have they provided a way for the operator to control iris on EOS lenses? (Obviously a phone/tablet via wifi is not suitable for this).

[Henry Coll]

Originally Posted by Simon Wood

Well, the XF300 was passed by the BBC and various other networks, mainly based on the quality of the codec (and the lens). I reckon TV studios would see this as a strong contender for dramas, documentaries and other productions. The ability to shoot it straight out of the box, without any external recorders would be seen as a real positive by many (something not possible with the F3).

Ok, so we have:

-Canon C300 at $16k. Can shoot 50Mbps but only film-style. SDI out won't get you 444 or more stops.

-Sony F3 at $16k, 35Mbps. Add $2k for a KiPro are you're BBC ready and beyond. You CAN shoot Run and Gun. NDs included. Add S-Log and you get the closest there is to an ALEXA.


No camera is an island but a system. Given than you need plenty of stuff besides the camera body (DSLR/PL lenses, Sachtler, Mattebox+NDs, mics+transmitters...etc), the additional $2K for the KiPro or Pix240 hardly make any difference in the overall amount.

With the C300 you're painted into a corner. The F3 is on the other hand 3 cameras in one. I still don't get it.

[Mark Kenfield]

Originally Posted by Simon Wood

Well, the XF300 was passed by the BBC and various other networks, mainly based on the quality of the codec (and the lens). I reckon TV studios would see this as a strong contender for dramas, documentaries and other productions. The ability to shoot it straight out of the box, without any external recorders would be seen as a real positive by many (something not possible with the F3).

This is my thinking exactly, no one else is doing on-board S35mm recording to a broadcast approved codec anywhere near this pricepoint.

If DR, colour, tonality and highlight handling are on par with an SLOGged F3, then this it will become even more appealing (for the fact that it'll cost a couple of grand less).

Originally Posted by Henry Coll

With the C300 you're painted into a corner. The F3 is on the other hand 3 cameras in one. I still don't get it.

But the Canon has LOG recording built in - so we might see 'Alexa-ish' images from it anyway. It's just not a run & gun machine.

[Zach Love]

I think the telling point is that it is labeled as EOS & designed by EOS employees. There are a lot of good things with this, but I see a lot of other people disappointed like myself.

I kinda feel that the video guys at Canon know video better than the still guys. The fact that there was a XH-G1 / XH-A1; XF 300 / 305 proves that there are some people in Canon that understand the varied needs of video. If you take the best of the EOS cameras & put it in a video camera, I'll be excited. Another video camera in a EOS camera & I'm now just counting down the seconds until Red disappoints me too.

[Shaun Roemich]

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

but the Canon has LOG recording built in - so we might see 'Alexa-ish' images from it anyway. It's just not a run & gun machine.

Log over 8 bits? Meh...

[Peter Phelan]

Looks like the prcie will be more - at 20,000 dollars - delivery from end of January.

Peter

[Simon Wood]

Originally Posted by Henry Coll

Ok, so we have:

-Canon C300 at $16k. Can shoot 50Mbps but only film-style. SDI out won't get you 444 or more stops.

-Sony F3 at $16k, 35Mbps. Add $2k for a KiPro are you're BBC ready and beyond. You CAN shoot Run and Gun. NDs included. Add S-Log and you get the closest there is to an ALEXA.


No camera is an island but a system. Given than you need plenty of stuff besides the camera body (DSLR/PL lenses, Sachtler, Mattebox+NDs, mics+transmitters...etc), the additional $2K for the KiPro or Pix240 hardly make any difference in the overall amount.

With the C300 you're painted into a corner. The F3 is on the other hand 3 cameras in one. I still don't get it.

Well, thats how I'm seeing it; it looks to me like Canon is targeting the TV market first (maybe a more cinema orientated camera will be in the next cycle).

External recorders are great in that they bring out the best in the camera (I use a nanoflash all the time), but at the end of the day its one more thing that needs power, more cables, something else to be looking at, something else to go wrong etc etc.

The F3 was crippled, purposely, by its lousy codec. Thats not a problem if you're shooting film, and you have time to mess around with all the paraphernalia hanging off the camera. For TV (and especially for running and gunning) the stronger inbuilt codec will be much appreciated by cameramen.

I reckon it will do well, but more so in TV than in film.

[Chris Hurd]

ISO 640 at 0db, according to Larry Thorpe

(still at Paramount here)

[Daniel Browning]

Originally Posted by Mark Kenfield

But the Canon has LOG recording built in - so we might see 'Alexa-ish' images from it anyway.

Alexa's prores 12-bit 330 Mbps is in an entirely different league than the C300's MPEG-2 8-bit 50Mbps.

[Mark Kenfield]

Originally Posted by Daniel Browning

Alexa's prores 12-bit 330 Mbps is in an entirely different league than the C300's MPEG-2 8-bit 50Mbps.

Of course, but if the DR, colour and tonality from the Canon allow us to get 'Alexa-ish' images (like the SLOGged F3 does. Then that's a great thing.

No one's expecting an Alexa-beater (or even matcher) at this pricepoint.

[Jonathan Shaw]

Good but not that good.

[Steve Kimmel]

Looks like 12 stops with Canon log.

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Now they're talking about 20.000 dollars list price.
What is Canon smoking?

I saw an MX RED One going for 13.500 dollars last week at Reduser.

Still holding out for the Scarlet...

[Don Parrish]

Thanks Chris for the hard work, hope your having fun.

I think that it may take time to ingest the abilities (or lack of) of this new breed. My initial thoughts are a little dissapointed as this appears to be a camera for a crew of people and I will probably never have that. It appears to target a very small group of potential customers. I am not sure what makes this a historical global announcement, but you would have to ask those that are proficient with a tool of this type to get a proper response.



Chris, How do you feel about this camera ??

[Henry Coll]

"Hard to choose between this and the Alexa (vincent)"

Sure, a 30fps 8bit 50Mbps pseudo-DSLR VS a 120fps 12bit 4444Prores/ARRIRAW and VERY reliable camera with the best latitude ever seen from a digital unit.

One thing is to be enthusiastic and on the payroll, another is to say such nonsenses. There was no need to make such a silly comparison and descredit yourself at the same time.