C100: C100 II - Considering purchasing

J

Joshua_G

Well-known member
I consider purchasing Canon C100 mkII.
I'm basically hobbyist, it would be used not frequently for shooting lectures and interviews, mostly as OMB, mostly on sticks. I have a collection of EF & EF-S glass and Atomos Ninja Blade. B Cam will be either Canon EOS 7D mkII or 80D.
I don't need more than good 1080p. Reliable AF is crucial for me.
All thoughts and comments are welcomed.
 
I think it's a fine camera, as long as you're content with 1080P. I used it in the manner you described as my A Cam for about six years and never had any issues with it. In the beginning, I always used it with an Atomos recorder but later on started viewing the small file sizes of the internal recording as a bigger benefit than the slight boost in image quality (visible only when pushing a hard grade) I got from the Atomos. I still own two Mark Is and in some cases, I think the footage I get from them has more character than my C200.
 
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The AF is center weighted unless you use a select set of STM zooms. Great battery life, ergonomics, etc. I still use mine for paid jobs frequently.
 
I used the C100 MKI to shoot two documentaries, one is on HBO currently and one opened the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in January. The 1080 looked GREAT on a 50' screen. Amazing cameras.
 
I have two C100 MkI cameras. They're excellent, but the auto focus is rudimentary compared to the C200 and the DSLR/Mirrorless offerings from Canon.

That said, if what you want to focus on is in the center of the frame, it works great.
 
C100 MKII is still my favorite camera. I have access to C200's and C300mkii's, but I usually reach for the C100 MKII.

Assign the AF toggle to a button, and you'll get the hang of making it very usable and reliable.

Upscale to 4K if ever needed, and it still looks great.
 
Thanks to all commenting.

puredrifting said:
The AF is not nearly as advanced or capable as the C200 and C300 MKII. Good camera but old technology.
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Thanks, Dan. Both the C200 and the C300 MKII are beyond my means and needs.


puredrifting said:
I used the C100 MKI to shoot two documentaries ... Amazing cameras.
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Are there any differences in IQ between MKI and MKII?


KarlSutton said:
The AF is center weighted unless you use a select set of STM zooms. ...
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Thanks, Karl. Would you please care to elaborate on various AF limitations, tips and tricks?


drummondb said:
C100 MKII is still my favorite camera. I have access to C200's and C300mkii's, but I usually reach for the C100 MKII.

Assign the AF toggle to a button, and you'll get the hang of making it very usable and reliable.

Upscale to 4K if ever needed, and it still looks great.
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Many thanks.


My take:

Since the C100 MKII is the only real cinema camera I can afford at present, and in the light of the bottom line of all comments here, I'll probably go for it.

It will be my first real Cinema Camera. It's time (at almost 77 years young) …

DSLRs and MLs main drawback for me is the limitation of 29:59 min. continues recording, ergonomics, and mic. input limitations. Most camcorders (at least, the affordable ones) are of smaller sensor, hence, noisy at high ISO settings. The BMD PCC6K lacks any usable AF. Cinema cameras of other brands will require purchasing new glass, which, again, is beyond my present means.

Did I overlook anything?
Any further remarks and comments?
How about the rumored green cast of the C100 MKII?
Any shooting tips?
What to look for when the camera will arrive?

Many thanks again.
 
FWIW, a handful of mirrorless cameras don't have a recording limit anymore, but many of them would require new glass or an adapter.

Mic input limitations maybe = the lack of XLRs, but audio is very usable with the assistance of an external preamp (although maybe it's something you'd like to avoid considering the already unfavorable ergonomics).

Cameras go a bit green or magenta; you can tweak the color in the camera or post.

One note about AF...I recommend checking out some YouTube videos about this because not every lens may work like you're expecting it to. The camera really isn't a great AF machine like other systems out there (but maybe just good enough).

Here's one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ievNUsI7oo
 
Barry1908 said:
Interviews really show of some of the best c100 images I’ve seen really.
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My older interview demo reel was mostly with the Canon C100 Mark I and Mark II (and a few interviews with the GH2 as a tight shot). Internal recording, wide DR; log and external recording with that camera are a joke.

 
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Eric Coughlin said:
My older interview demo reel was mostly with the Canon C100 Mark I and Mark II (and a few interviews with the GH2 as a tight shot). Internal recording, wide DR; log and external recording with that camera are a joke.

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I've always liked your C100 work Eric, some good looking stuff there.
 
Many thanks again.

Which lenses enable face follow focus on the C100 MKII?

What are the recommended picture profiles on the C100 MKII and on the 80D when both are used as a and b cams?
 
It's not exactly clear which lenses support face-tracking, but I would guess all STM lenses do (and there aren't that many).

Here is an official general support document for DPAF, but I think it may be a bit dated as there are newer lenses that most definitely should be on there but aren't:

https://www.usa.canon.com/CUSA/assets/app/images/cameras/eos/DAF/compatible_lens_chart.pdf

If I had to make an educated guess, I would say there aren't many lenses that provide face-tracking in the C100 Mark II since it is an older piece of hardware, and DPAF was in its very early stages of progress back then.

As far as picture profiles, you'll have to experiment. I think most people use 'neutral' on the 80D and turn the settings down to match the softer, less harsher video quality of the C100 (usually used with WDR or C-Log).
 
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