C300 as a Run and Gun for Reality Show

Eatsnax

Eatsnax

Well-known member
Hey guys! Man it's been awhile since I've been on here. Well I've been commissioned to supervise produce a traveling food show. The production company is eyeballing the C300 as a main camera. I dont know much about this camera but I feel that this is more of a film camera and wouldnt do well as a run and gun for reality. I can see this being used for the beauty shots and broll but, for shooting things on the fly?

Can someone who uses this camera please advise.

Thank you.
 
I just used my C300 on a travel show as an A cam, it worked out beautifully - and this particular episode we had a very limited schedule compared to normal. With the C300 I was able to get a 22 minute ep in the can in 3 days, when we usually take 4.

I used the 24-105L IS lens as my main glass, and was able to move very fast and got incredible looking footage. The sensitivity of the camera is a real benefit to shooting travel doc material. However, I did have a small ENG style camcorder (xf100) on hand if needed, but only used it a handful of times for quick b-roll shots when I didn't have the C300 handy.

My recommendation is to try to find a way to keep it built all day. Building the camera with all it's modular components is the only aspect of it's operation that takes time worth considering.

I know a whole lot of reality and docu shows are using the C300 now, it's really proving itself to be an exceptional implementation of a S35 sensor for documentary shooting.
 
I just shot for a couple of days with my new C300 in run and gun style, and believe me I know about run and gun.

24-105 is good glass and I also like the 17-55 IS for hand held doc shooting as well. I actually find my doc shooting is better with a limited focal length zoom.

I loved the C 300 for what Doc shooting I was doing and am planning on using it as my A cam on an expedition to the south pacific in July. I would not have thought that last friday but after the past weekend of shooting I've changed my mind.
 
Brian thanks for this. This is good news. When you say 'built', does this mean that when they buy this camera for this shoot, that they need other accessories to make it work out? And if so, can you recommend what we need in order to make this camera work out for this shoot?

Mike
 
Let me guess: he means the rigging up so you can shoot from the shoulder eng-style. maybe extra batteries and a recorder as well? plus mattebox, ffocus and the works. this takes time to set up...
 
I've tried run and gun with the C300 and couldn't get it to work. Perhaps because I have an XF300 as well which is much easier to use.

How do you guys rig the C300 up and what rain protection are you using?
 
Actually, when I say 'built' I mean that the side handle, monitor/xlr module, & top handle (if you want it) are already attached, plugged in, and ready to go. For doc shooting, I use the C300 naked with no shoulder rig/FF/mattebox/recorder or anything like that. I far prefer to just use the EVF and shoot like I'm taking still photos.

Everybody has their own preference, though.
 
Angelis said:
I've tried run and gun with the C300 and couldn't get it to work. Perhaps because I have an XF300 as well which is much easier to use.

How do you guys rig the C300 up and what rain protection are you using?
Click to expand...

It's definitely a different beast than an XF300 when shooting run n' gun style. Best is to use the camera a bit beforehand and figure out the most comfortable methods for you before going out on a mission-critical shoot. But as I said above, I prefer to not "rig" my C300. I like to stay light and mobile. That being said, my favorite accessory to have with me is the Manfrotto 560B Video Monopod - that thing is a life saver and all-around ridiculously awesome tool!

For rain protection, I usually just use whatever plastic bag I have with me and some gaffe tape - but that's not the best solution, obviously. I've heard nice things about the camrade wetsuit for the C300.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Actually, when I say 'built' I mean that the side handle, monitor/xlr module, & top handle (if you want it) are already attached, plugged in, and ready to go. For doc shooting, I use the C300 naked with no shoulder rig/FF/mattebox/recorder or anything like that. I far prefer to just use the EVF and shoot like I'm taking still photos.

Everybody has their own preference, though.
Click to expand...


Thanks man. Ok cool. So seems like a monopod is defenatly something we should consider. Are there anyother DSLR cameras that comes close to the C300 that you think we can use? Good with avaiable light is key. I'm asking because I might need the producers to get two cameras instead of just one C300.
 
Any of the Canon DSLR's can work. 5DIII cuts nicely and has great low-light capability. They aren't as sharp as the C300, but the color response is very close. If I had to pick a DSLR for 2nd cam, I'd go with the 5DIII for sure. Great for close-ups, inserts, & specialty shots with super shallow DOF.
 
IMG_0154.jpg
Been Shooting Everyday with my C300 since February and Loving it: agree about the 24-105 as a great Hand held glass.
I tried it first in a small package but i'm old school that need it to sit on the shoulder: once i found the right balance hand held is a breeze. love this camera and yes goes very well with the mark III
 
This is a great looking rig! Would you be so kind and show us more pictures of the rig perhaps from every angle?
Is this Red Rock ?
Thank you
 
We use 2 c300's on a doc-style show for history channel. Easy as pie. Just take off everything and rig it how u want it. I hate the LCD and top and side handle personally. When built with the LCD on top and the handle it is way too tall. Oh and get a variable nd.
 
Please remember... these cameras use high quality lenses, it is no longer possible to send out a kid/"self shooter" from the production office, they only used to return with awful sound, now they come back with soft images too.
 
yesterday i filmed a small concert in 1 local bar.....very small room, all handheld, used pany af101, not c300, but still i think the principles of filming handhold are same .....used tilta rig, but i think same can be with any rig...... anyway i held with my left hand the left handle and with my right hand i held the lens as a handle (i took off the right handle completely from my rig)... i kind of was holding the focus wheel on my lens , and its worked out ok, in fact it was a 1st time i did it this way and it was kind of simple.......as usually i focus with left hand, but i never was happy with the result!

also i think if u lets say got used to FF and its good and solid peace ... probably its possible to use the FF as a handle and for focus same time....
 
Hi Janpol,
I’m in Europe at the moment but will post some current pictures Once back to NY.
Loren is right: the Rig is 98% Redrock and based around the C300 cage,Blue FF,DP4,and anton bower batteries. I must say that Redrock makes some excellent products: The first rig I got from them back in 2008 is working as well as the day i got it and that is after traveling around the world few times and being abused in really harsh conditions.
Rather then what it looks, more important is the way it feels.
I started shooting over 24 years ago so i got used to an heavy mass on my shoulder from Film cameras and then full size video cameras,I never liked shooting handheld with small form cameras so I stayed away from them since the Sony PD-150 was born in the 90’s until I picked up a 5D MKII in 2008 which I also made “big” for my style of shooting (using Redrock). It’s the difference of shooting from the wrist with small cameras to using your all body when it’s on your shoulder and sits right.
Whatever Rig you use: You should always shift everything to find the ultimate balance between the front and back: this way you can shoot for hours without fatigue.

BTW:
We shot a Doc somewhere in Eastern Europe recently that you will all probably hear about soon… we used 3 C300’s shooting C-log and sometime pushing ISO beyond what we wanted and that camera proved itself as a serious Documentary camera, also Log is perfect for matching few cameras.
Got to Love this camera…
 
Thank you Loren and thank you Guy.Most recently I used the C300 with just a hoodman lupe attached to the LCD and base rig from edelkrone it works well.
Jan
 
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