C300: Best camera for all situations

S

stupla

Active member
Hi,

I'm based in the UK and I've been looking unsuccessfully to buy a decently priced second hand Canon C300.
My main purpose for the camera is documentary (recording long interviews with people) and some event work ( recording long talks and events). Over the years I've been using 2 EX1's that I've got loads of good stuff from and a Canon 7D.
Recently everyone is talking about the Panasonic GH4 and I've been seriously considering going down that road. I wonder if anyone has any tips or advice for or against this.
My main concern is the time recording limit on the Panasonic camera and potential overheating issue that may occur when on for a long period ( I had this with my Canon 7D).
The Canon C300 looks like a rugged workhorse and pretty much good to go from out the box but the price is so high for a lowly freelancer like myself.

Any thoughts or advice would be most welcome.
 
The only camera that comes in my mind and I would describe as ''best for all situations'' (especially after the AF upgrade) is the C100. Is it inside your budget?
GH4 looks impressive and with fair price...if you like the image it produces...but not good for low light (you said documentary right?).
Sony A7s looks promising, maybe the absolute documentary tool, but not price yet...
 
Hi,

Thanks for that.
I've been looking at the C100 but was trying to move away from external recorders (to meet broadcast requirements) but I guess I'd need one with the GH4 too.
I've been using Atamos recorder with my EX1. It's great but a hassle in the field - just extra bulk. If the Canon C100 didn't need one, I'd jump at it.
Thanks for your help.
 
There is a reason the C300 is the #1 rental camera in the UK. I've owned many cameras most much more expensive than the C300. The camera is a blast to work with.
 
I've had my c300 for 2 years now . I was at first a bit skeptical of the camera and there are a few things that I do not like about it, with no variable frame rate above 30 in 1080 being at the top of the list. Having said that, this is probably the best camera I have owned and I have owned quite a few going back 30 years. I have shot most everything with this camera, Doc, advertising, corporate, to name a few and it has proved to be very adaptable to every situation and looks really good once you have a few Custom profiles sorted to your needs. A GH4 isn't a real video camera , though it can play that role. I think it would be sort of a pain if you tried to force a GH4 to do some of the things you can do with a C 300. With an EF mount you have the world of canon glass available to you which means a ton of photo lenses as well as canon cine lenses and that is quite a deep pool of glass to choose from. It would be better if the Canon had a more adaptable lens mount like the M4/3 cameras because there you can really hang almost any lens on M4/3 mount.
To say I've been happy with my C300 even with its limitations would be an understatement of great proportions. That said , this could be the year that Canon releases a successor to the C300 ( C300 was announced in november of 2011) so you might want to keep your eyes on that.
 
stupla said:
Hi,

Thanks for that.
I've been looking at the C100 but was trying to move away from external recorders (to meet broadcast requirements) but I guess I'd need one with the GH4 too.
I've been using Atamos recorder with my EX1. It's great but a hassle in the field - just extra bulk. If the Canon C100 didn't need one, I'd jump at it.
Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if you're mistaken or misspoke but the c100 does not require an external recorder. It records just fine to sd cards, but people often use an external recorder for a potentially easier workflow and increased color depth. Though, you'll certainly be able to get very excellent images without the recorder.
 
Mark Smith said:
I've had my c300 for 2 years now . I was at first a bit skeptical of the camera and there are a few things that I do not like about it, with no variable frame rate above 30 in 1080 being at the top of the list. Having said that, this is probably the best camera I have owned and I have owned quite a few going back 30 years. I have shot most everything with this camera, Doc, advertising, corporate, to name a few and it has proved to be very adaptable to every situation and looks really good once you have a few Custom profiles sorted to your needs. A GH4 isn't a real video camera , though it can play that role. I think it would be sort of a pain if you tried to force a GH4 to do some of the things you can do with a C 300. With an EF mount you have the world of canon glass available to you which means a ton of photo lenses as well as canon cine lenses and that is quite a deep pool of glass to choose from. It would be better if the Canon had a more adaptable lens mount like the M4/3 cameras because there you can really hang almost any lens on M4/3 mount.
To say I've been happy with my C300 even with its limitations would be an understatement of great proportions. That said , this could be the year that Canon releases a successor to the C300 ( C300 was announced in november of 2011) so you might want to keep your eyes on that.
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Well said and completely accurate!

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com
 
sonofaresiii said:
I'm not sure if you're mistaken or misspoke but the c100 does not require an external recorder. It records just fine to sd cards, but people often use an external recorder for a potentially easier workflow and increased color depth. Though, you'll certainly be able to get very excellent images without the recorder.
Click to expand...

i bought the C100 and Ninja 2 thinking I'd need this setup to get decent images from it. I was wrong. The internal codec outperforms the spec-sheet numbers. I shot promos in all situations and haven't had an issue. It's features and those of the C300 will make you want to never go back to a dslr - built-in NDs and XLR audio input to name a few. The only problem I have with the C100 is I need another C100 to match it in 2 camera setups as the image and DR is so good. I have ordered a GH4 as a B cam for interviews and it's slomo capabilities but it won't replace the C100 in my everyday work.
 
GH4 looks nice, but it's not a production-ready camera like the C300 is, plus lots of skew, more than GH3, 5D Mark 3, etc. for sure. The C300 has a lot of skew relative to the Alexa/F5, but MUCH less than dSLR-style cameras, about the same as the Epic.

The C cameras are great unless you want to:

Build your camera out like a "film" camera. The Amira/Alexa is best for this. The Epic and F5 have to be by virtue of awkward ergonomics built out this way, too. Canon's cameras are great ergonomically for doc or for the dSLR shooter, but they are awkward if you want to build out a huge 30-pound cinema rig OR balance a huge zoom lens. I have seen an F3 with a Red 17-80mm t2.9 live in harmony forget it on the Canon, even the 70-200mm f2.8 II feels front-heavy!

Deliver to clients who demand 4k. The camera is sharper at 1080p than any other (Epic and Alexa included) and so that's ideal for most workflows… but it can't deliver 4k. So if your client wants 4k for some reason, this will hold you back. This is stupid, but some people like buzzwords.

I own a C100, not a C300, but it is rugged and batteries/media last forever. The ideal camera for a small crew. For a larger crew I prefer the Alexa.
 
Curnsie said:
i bought the C100 and Ninja 2 thinking I'd need this setup to get decent images from it. I was wrong. The internal codec outperforms the spec-sheet numbers. I shot promos in all situations and haven't had an issue. It's features and those of the C300 will make you want to never go back to a dslr - built-in NDs and XLR audio input to name a few. The only problem I have with the C100 is I need another C100 to match it in 2 camera setups as the image and DR is so good. I have ordered a GH4 as a B cam for interviews and it's slomo capabilities but it won't replace the C100 in my everyday work.
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awesome, and it's interesting that you feel you can't match with your old dslr's, i haven't done it yet but coming from dslr's as well i was planning on offering 2-camera shoots between the c100 and a 7d (if the project called for it). Do you think it's such a huge difference that it just won't work, or will it only work in certain conditions? I figured it wouldn't be right for everything, but I imagine most interior OTS conversation type stuff, or even some Master/CU set-ups it would be serviceable.
 
Build your camera out like a "film" camera. The Amira/Alexa is best for this. The Epic and F5 have to be by virtue of awkward ergonomics built out this way, too. Canon's cameras are great ergonomically for doc or for the dSLR shooter, but they are awkward if you want to build out a huge 30-pound cinema rig OR balance a huge zoom lens. I have seen an F3 with a Red 17-80mm t2.9 live in harmony forget it on the Canon, even the 70-200mm f2.8 II feels front-heavy!


I own a C100, not a C300, but it is rugged and batteries/media last forever. The ideal camera for a small crew. For a larger crew I prefer the Alexa.[/QUOTE]

For the OP the C300 was going to be a stretch, so Amira/Alexa/F5 built out is far out of the question though your points are valid.

The C300/500 (I own Both) hits the spot for me size wise and capability wise. I can load up a think tank bag with with camera and a number of lenses/ batteries/chargers/media/ audio and roll onto a plane and put the bag in the overhead. With What I have in the one think tank bag I can shoot for hours or even a couple of days once I arrive. You won't do that with an F5 or an Amira/Alexa. I like those larger cameras, they are some great kit, but they don't fit my needs either budget wise or size wise, or even use wise for what I am doing about 95% of the time.
 
sonofaresiii said:
awesome, and it's interesting that you feel you can't match with your old dslr's, i haven't done it yet but coming from dslr's as well i was planning on offering 2-camera shoots between the c100 and a 7d (if the project called for it). Do you think it's such a huge difference that it just won't work, or will it only work in certain conditions? I figured it wouldn't be right for everything, but I imagine most interior OTS conversation type stuff, or even some Master/CU set-ups it would be serviceable.
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The C series are just so much sharper than the 7D, it really shows. You'd be better of with a GH3 or 4 as a B Cam to match.
 
sonofaresiii said:
awesome, and it's interesting that you feel you can't match with your old dslr's, i haven't done it yet but coming from dslr's as well i was planning on offering 2-camera shoots between the c100 and a 7d (if the project called for it). Do you think it's such a huge difference that it just won't work, or will it only work in certain conditions? I figured it wouldn't be right for everything, but I imagine most interior OTS conversation type stuff, or even some Master/CU set-ups it would be serviceable.
Click to expand...

I have a 550d (T2i) that I use as a second camera for interviews and the odd event I cover. I feel the 550d image compared to the C100 is lacking - it's softer, more video like, less DR. The colours and the roll-offs in the C100 image are far superior in my eyes. Don't get me wrong, I work with it and try to match it as best I can, as do others but in the end only another C100 or similar will get me the results I'm after. I've went for the GH4 and plan to shoot 4k and downres to 1080p in post to try and get a better match. From what I've seen the GH4 footage looks great and CINE-D looks similar to C-log on the C100. I haven't received the GH4 yet so only time will tell if my plan works.

Hopefully Erik Naso will post his thoughts on the 2 cameras soon. :)
 
Sorry, I just have to chime in with yet another +1 for the C100, which - with a Ninja Blade on an Edelkrone mount (thanks Ben Giles) or even a simple ball head - ticks a lot of boxes. I actually prefer it over the C300.

It has its faults, but it does what it does very, very well. All my clients are sold - much in the same way they were sold on the EX1 in the days of the Z1. The C100 doesn't mix well with DSLRs as the DSLRs can't step up and match its picture quality. You have to dumb down the C100 in post.

I think finding a used C300 is going to be a bit like trying to find a used Dedo DLH4 - you're either lucky (rare), disappointed (99%), or at risk of buying a pup. If you've got one, you'll probably be holding onto it. The F3 suffered terribly on the F5 launch, the C300 price sagged a bit, but it hasn't gone away.

Yes, the C300 is the #1 hire camera, but I know of a couple of dealers where the C100 is the #1 purchased camera, which says a lot about the demographics. Sheesh, I'm part of them: we 'rent' C300s and 'buy' C100s. In my line of work, I have to own kit not rent it.

As for the Panny, the GH4 is very new, very clever, I'm liking many of its little ways - the Wifi's good, the 4:2:2 10 bit is good (requiring an external recorder and no internal recording as backup, though), but it's a little DSLR (yes I know it's strictly mirrorless, but...) and needs a YAGH for most of us, which isn't available in volume yet, requires external power on a 4 pin XLR and bulks the whole shebang up so it needs to go on rails. Sigh. And (ducks, runs) I don't like the pictures - too contrasty, very 'video'. It's early days, we haven't seen the full Picture Profile tests. OTOH, I think the 29 minute recording limit has gone, and especially with the YAGH, the overheating problem has gone away - IIRC, it's the battery heating up in some of the Canons, not enough 'heat sink' for all that work and effort.

I also have a heavy (and ongoing) investment in Canon L glass. It will be £3k and then some to get a useful set of 4/3 glass. That's on top of the DSLR and the YAGH, which is getting close to double the C100! The OP has Canon glass for his 7D.

Oh, and another thing - Canon C100 WDR and EX1R CineGamma 3 cut well together. Just sayin'.
 
Mark Smith said:
To say I've been happy with my C300 even with its limitations would be an understatement of great proportions. That said , this could be the year that Canon releases a successor to the C300 ( C300 was announced in november of 2011) so you might want to keep your eyes on that.
Click to expand...

I can concur with pretty much everything you said. A C300 V2.0 this year? That would be nice. 4K 4:2:2 with Canon log... sign me up.
 
I own a C100 and a Sony FS700. I consider the C100 to be more useful than the C300 for Verite shooting, particularly with the Dual pixel AF, but the FS700 is my go to camera 85% of the time. I wouldn't spend the money on a C300 when the FS700 has the same DR, is half the price and can do 4K, 240fps, and adapt to pretty much any lens ever made. The FS700 will also work with servo lenses and the Metabones Speed booster, which will not only give you an extra stop out of all your FF glass, it also gives you the wide end of your zooms back. I don't know why anyone would buy a C300 over that camera.
 
redhouse said:
Just wondering if "this could be the year Canon releases a successor to the C300" is "completely accurate?"
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Canon's product cycle is traditionally 3-4 years, so its possible we may get an announcement by the end of the year - I wouldn't hold my breath for it however.
 
kinoeye said:
I don't know why anyone would buy a C300 over that camera.
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Because it producers a better image (subjectively, so of course you are entitled to your opinion) and has much better ergonomics. Specs aren't everything. Canon and Arri, as market leaders, know this.
 
Policar said:
Because it producers a better image (subjectively, so of course you are entitled to your opinion) and has much better ergonomics. Specs aren't everything. Canon and Arri, as market leaders, know this.
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C300 and FS700 is an interesting one. I own a FS700 and have worked with C300s quite a bit.
I think FS700 is more versatile and can do more things but C300 has a better image 'as is'.
However, the FS700 can shoot '4k2HD' on the Odyssey 7Q and that is an even better image
than the C300 (subjectively of course). But then you have to be hooked up to an external
recorder, so......not the best for quicker moving stuff. I'd say either one is great (honestly
the C100 looks pretty good too.). You will be able to get nice looking stuff with any of them.
And of course, the day after you buy one, they will introduce a new, better, cheaper version.
Just the way it goes.
 
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