C300: C200/C300 mark ii - a bad time to buy?

S

stupla

Active member
Hi Folks,

I"m thinking about upgrading my gear for a couple of new documentary projects that are coming up soon.

At the moment, I've been happily using a Canon C300 (mark 1!), a Canon 1DC and Fuji Xt3.

I've been getting great results from all these camera and been able to mix the footage from them. I love shooting with the Canon 300 ( I still get great footage from it) and not many people I'm working with are asking for 4K. However, as one man band, I'm really liking the continuous autofocus of the Fuji and really thinking of upgrading my Canon.

I'm looking enviously at the Canon C500 mark ii but the price tag is unjustifiable for me, and I was thinking about buying a second hand Canon c300 mark ii or C200 along with, maybe, the Canon 1DX mark iii (still a huge amount of cash) as I do take a lot of pictures too.

My new projects are involve quite a bit of travelling and filming in difficult conditions so I'm loving the idea of a reliable autofocus for video.

I suppose I'm asking a question that only I can answer really but is this too extravagant, and do you think the price of the C300 Mark ii or C200 will drop significantly over the next few months (I've read a rumour that Canon will be releasing a new EOS C camera before NAB this year)? Is this a bad time to buy second hand? Will I see a huge difference in the image quality over what i already have?

Thanks in advance.
 
Both the C200 and C300 MKII have had price reductions over the last few months. I am sure both will have further price reductions but who knows exactly when?
Could be at NAB and right before, that's when companies typically begin blowing out gear as Fuji is doing lately with the X-T3 because of the impending X-T4.

FWIW, the AF on the C200 is better than the C300 MKII, I shoot with both mostly as our main cameras. The new focus on the Sony FX9 I am shooting with this week is better
than any of the Canons. If you can, I would wait until NAB announcements to decide what to do. If Canon introduces a new C300 MKIII, you may want it. If not, you may find people
dumping slightly used C200 and C300 MKIIs for a song since a lot of people are more into buying and selling gear than actually making films and shows.
 
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On top of that, since the DSLR/DSLM are already in use, one could find the semi-announced R5/6 to his liking.

On the negative side, new arrivals are likely to be effected by the coronavirus situations - a skeptic might say, the coronavirus will be invoked as an excuse for any production delays - which might make a slightly used gear availability a factor. But, if urgency isn't critical, then it might make sense to wait into the fall either way.
 
stupla said:
I've been getting great results from all these camera and been able to mix the footage from them. I love shooting with the Canon 300 ( I still get great footage from it) and not many people I'm working with are asking for 4K.
Click to expand...

If this is true you're in the lucky position where you don't need to do anything. You get to keep using the cameras you own because everyone is still happy with them.

You're essentially talking about shifting a huge amount of equipment/funds for auto focus. Of course there are other feature benefits but from what you said it sounds like you want AF more than anything else. If you can make money because you own newer cameras or there are enough tax incentives then go for it. Otherwise, I'd do nothing.

If you're set on some type of upgrade, why not sell the c300/1dc, buy an fx9 and keep the xt3? Fx9 is going to be relevant for 5 more years.
 
Whether it drops in price or not, an investment in a camera shouldn't affect you making money because of your skill. If you can afford it, buy one now. C200 and even the C300mkII isn't going anywhere anytime soon... that is if you need it at all.
 
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