C100: 1DC vs the C100

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The comparison is rather pointless as they are in very different categories.... but... I did get a chance to use them both recently.


Bottom line: I prefer the 1D-C


But of course it is not the hands down winner....

Things I prefer on the C100:
- Reduced rolling shutter
- In camera - on screen waveforms
- Focus mag while recording
- built in ND (though I am not super crazy about the ND's on the Camera, but it sure is convenient, and better than many VariND's if not all.)

Even still, I prefer the 1D-C.
 
Seriously?

@James: what about IQ? How would you compare it between the two cameras? What are the differences?

I agree with James.

IQ wise, 1D C in 1080p S35 crop mode is about the same as C100/C300, sharp and clean. It has more rolling shutter though.

1D C has FF 1080p mode, it's softer but still better than 5D3, 50/60p mode i'd say is about the same softness as 5D3 in 1080p.

Oh and 4K, resolves around 1600 tv lines.

One thing I noticed that Canon Log on 1D C is more flat than C100/C300, it was mentioned in the review (carousel), not sure if it's entirely a good thing.
 
This is a little Big-enders vs Little-enders. I can fully understand somebody's preference for the 1D-C over the C100. If you need 4K, 1080p60, a superlative stills camera and/or Full Frame, especially if you like the whole DSLR thing (and the audio quality and 24 bit is a bit addictive).

There is no single caffeinated beverage, there is no single pasta sauce, there is no single do-it-all camera. In an ideal world, one would have a 1D-C AND a C300 or C100. For now, I'll rent one when I need its features. I'm guessing James will be happy to rent a C100 or C300 if he needs it.
 
This is a little Big-enders vs Little-enders. I can fully understand somebody's preference for the 1D-C over the C100. If you need 4K, 1080p60, a superlative stills camera and/or Full Frame, especially if you like the whole DSLR thing (and the audio quality and 24 bit is a bit addictive).

There is no single caffeinated beverage, there is no single pasta sauce, there is no single do-it-all camera. In an ideal world, one would have a 1D-C AND a C300 or C100. For now, I'll rent one when I need its features. I'm guessing James will be happy to rent a C100 or C300 if he needs it.

I am a little ender too.

The 1D-C is not for most. I have never been able to recommend it to anyone else, as it never seems to tick everyones boxes that other cameras already do.


The C100 was a bit of a disappointment. I wanted to like that camera, but the things that would draw me to it, are not well thought through.

Ergonomics - Since the C300 came out, the idea of better handheld seemed great, but at least with the C100, there were too many times when I was moving one of my supporting hands to make a setting change. In ENG/shoulder mount shooting and certain dslr's, all major settings can be changed without radically shifting the weight of the camera. The C100 gets a fail in this. In addition, the placement and rotation axis of its LCD forces the user into awkward positions, or to shoot from the hip. (If I where using a C100 regularly, I would invest in a loupe for the LCD, and shoot dslr style with it. seems ok that way)

EVF - Part of the reason to buy a proper video camera (the 1dc is not a proper video camera), is to have on camera monitoring, but the C100 EVF is worse than the few hundred dollar Nikon 1 series cameras. It is so small, that if you are do anything but tripod work, it becomes nearly useless. I will concede that you can still frame, but nothing too detailed, and focusing goes out the window.

That doesn't make me hate the C100 entirely, but takes two big things away from it, making it feel like a hack, rather than a C-series camera. So, I would prefer to keep using a 1D-c or get a second hand f3.

The 1D-C has surprisingly bad jello, for a Cinema branded camera, and a few other issues. Some issues I was able to fix, or get fixed:

1. 25p 4k
2. Buried menu items - I added the most needed menu items onto my custom menu, so I can access them quickly (canon has a 'my menu' option).
3. Button functions - I changed a few custom button settings so now I have focus assist and other things in the right place.

Other issues: Jello, 8bit, compression/raw, the resolution soft resolution in 60p, etc will probably never be fixed.

As with any camera, if it is the one you have, then enjoy it (even if it is a red one). The 1D-C is great.

Many people will say you need this or that, and I agree with them usually, but if your situation is different than theirs, than buy what you need, not what they think you need. But do not think I am recommending the 1D-C to you or any one else. Just offering my personal experience, as it seems to differ from many others, as well as common wisdom.
 
I haul my F3 around alot and it's a heavy camera and I'd love to use something like the one of the EOS cinema cameras. But each time when I look at the footage it's all worth it. I can't see any of the EOS camera better the F3. Not even my 5D3 with raw.

It's sad Canon couldn't do the EOS C line as good as Sonys F cameras because Canon has so many great lenses. I'm still hoping for a C305...
 
EVF - Part of the reason to buy a proper video camera (the 1dc is not a proper video camera), is to have on camera monitoring, but the C100 EVF is worse than the few hundred dollar Nikon 1 series cameras. It is so small, that if you are do anything but tripod work, it becomes nearly useless. I will concede that you can still frame, but nothing too detailed, and focusing goes out the window.

Whilst it could be a lot better than it is, it is very very usable. I can handhold my samyang 35mm f1.4 and focus @ 1.4 quite well - not to mention the stability of having the additional point of contact. You do need to adjust the screen diopter perfectly, increase the contrast etc. on the screen and really crank the peaking to max gain.

None of that matters when you realise you can throw on an auto-focus lens and just use the conveniently placed AF button before you begin filming and just pull focus for a few of your shots.

It would be amazing if it was twice the size yes, but as it stands it gets the job done for me!
 
Whilst it could be a lot better than it is, it is very very usable. I can handhold my samyang 35mm f1.4 and focus @ 1.4 quite well - not to mention the stability of having the additional point of contact. You do need to adjust the screen diopter perfectly, increase the contrast etc. on the screen and really crank the peaking to max gain.

None of that matters when you realise you can throw on an auto-focus lens and just use the conveniently placed AF button before you begin filming and just pull focus for a few of your shots.

It would be amazing if it was twice the size yes, but as it stands it gets the job done for me!

It is far more crucial to have a good EVF at smaller apertures. 1.4 is easy enough to tell from almost any evf... it is in or out, no in-between. Adding too much contrast can trick the eye when using higher stops. Not my kind of solution.

But if it works for you, then you have a great camera at your disposal. I found it did not give me that confidence that I would like an EVF to give. There is no reason any camera should not do that, especially something with a 'cinema' badge. But fixating on the weakness of this product ignores what great images can be achieved with it. All tools have limitations, sometimes the limitations are even inherent in their strengths, but we whether or not we choose a tool, it is good to be aware of what we shouldn't expect, so that we can focus (no pun intended) on what we can do with them. If I used a C100 more, I would definitely try to offer some solutions, but I would actually prefer a few other cameras, so I do not intend to.
 
It is far more crucial to have a good EVF at smaller apertures. 1.4 is easy enough to tell from almost any evf... it is in or out, no in-between. Adding too much contrast can trick the eye when using higher stops. Not my kind of solution.

But if it works for you, then you have a great camera at your disposal. I found it did not give me that confidence that I would like an EVF to give. There is no reason any camera should not do that, especially something with a 'cinema' badge. But fixating on the weakness of this product ignores what great images can be achieved with it. All tools have limitations, sometimes the limitations are even inherent in their strengths, but we whether or not we choose a tool, it is good to be aware of what we shouldn't expect, so that we can focus (no pun intended) on what we can do with them. If I used a C100 more, I would definitely try to offer some solutions, but I would actually prefer a few other cameras, so I do not intend to.

Sure, I know that if it had the same VF and codec as a C300 in the small C100 body it would be and absolutely perfect camera for me. I'd have paid an extra 1-2k for those two features alone and they wouldn't have cost Canon very much at all to include.
 
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