A few things/observations/unanswered questions that hasn’t come up in the threads so far regarding the C300 mk2 (unless I missed it):
1. Canon should have put one or two power OUT connectors on the camera (especially now that they moved to 14v) - enough to power a wireless video transmitter and/or follow focus. One of the cameras USPs is it’s (relatively) small form factor when stipped down. I don’t really want to HAVE to rig an extra battery solution for wireless video/FF. Hopefully there will be 3rd party batteries with D-tap out like this (http://www.hawkwoods.com/Prods/Product/BP-FS7U). I did speak to a Canon rep at NAB, and the camera will power up even if the battery door is left open due to a larger battery jutting out (their own ”60” battery will also jut out acording to the rep.
2. Kind’a surprised it didn’t happen/was hoping for, Canon to enable remote follow focus control of their EF autofocus lenses like Optitek is doing for EF-lenses on sony F5 - look at this from last years NAB (https://vimeo.com/92764586). The C300II body can obviously drive/control the focus motors in EF-AF lenses very well, and it has wireless access to the camera (wifi with extra dongle - I don’t know if that would be enough - plenty of FF units are using bluetooth). It would seem both logical and possible to connect the ”dots” and provide natively what Optitek is doing for the same lenses as a 3rd party solution on a Sony camera… don’t you think? Oh, and by the way, we have the Optitek solution for one of our F5’s and it’s working great.
3. Recording - will the camera record to both C-fast cards at the same time for a safety back-up? This would be nice/useful maybe this has been stated by Canon and I missed it…
4. Audio - for the type of work I do, we are always recording double system sound, so I’m curious about the quality of the internal clock… will it be enough to jam-sync a few times a day, or will it need the old lock-it box attached velcro-style to the camera body to maintain sync?
5. Observation about lens mounts - there are a lot of comparisons to FS7… 99% of the lenses used in production are PL or (increasingly) EF. FS7 is E-mount. Yes E-mount is cleaver in it’s short flange so that in theory almost any lens can go on there - but it will always be via an adapter (most likely 3rd party) and E-mount is rather wobbly to begin with (at least in my experience). I’m sure choices for native E-mount lenses will increase over the years, but for the forseable future… well, choices are somewhat limited. C300II has native EF with Locking EF or PL as native options (no adapters) this must be the best solution at this point in time. (user interchangable might have been better - I very much like the Sony FZ-mount on our F5’s - tool-less hop between mounts in seconds - yes, there is an adapter involved, but FZ is alot sturdier than e-mount.
6. Form factor - personally, I’m very happy Canon stayed with the form factor - yes, it may not be the greatest rigging experience for shoulder mounted work, but stripped down for handheld work - as in hold it in your hand - it’s really fantastic.
7. Only formfactor gripe - I wish they had put the OLED-monitor on the body like the c100.
8. 4K @ 4:2:2 10bit = nice. 2K @ 4:4:4 12bit = FANTASTIC! (at least on paper).
Jack
1. Canon should have put one or two power OUT connectors on the camera (especially now that they moved to 14v) - enough to power a wireless video transmitter and/or follow focus. One of the cameras USPs is it’s (relatively) small form factor when stipped down. I don’t really want to HAVE to rig an extra battery solution for wireless video/FF. Hopefully there will be 3rd party batteries with D-tap out like this (http://www.hawkwoods.com/Prods/Product/BP-FS7U). I did speak to a Canon rep at NAB, and the camera will power up even if the battery door is left open due to a larger battery jutting out (their own ”60” battery will also jut out acording to the rep.
2. Kind’a surprised it didn’t happen/was hoping for, Canon to enable remote follow focus control of their EF autofocus lenses like Optitek is doing for EF-lenses on sony F5 - look at this from last years NAB (https://vimeo.com/92764586). The C300II body can obviously drive/control the focus motors in EF-AF lenses very well, and it has wireless access to the camera (wifi with extra dongle - I don’t know if that would be enough - plenty of FF units are using bluetooth). It would seem both logical and possible to connect the ”dots” and provide natively what Optitek is doing for the same lenses as a 3rd party solution on a Sony camera… don’t you think? Oh, and by the way, we have the Optitek solution for one of our F5’s and it’s working great.
3. Recording - will the camera record to both C-fast cards at the same time for a safety back-up? This would be nice/useful maybe this has been stated by Canon and I missed it…
4. Audio - for the type of work I do, we are always recording double system sound, so I’m curious about the quality of the internal clock… will it be enough to jam-sync a few times a day, or will it need the old lock-it box attached velcro-style to the camera body to maintain sync?
5. Observation about lens mounts - there are a lot of comparisons to FS7… 99% of the lenses used in production are PL or (increasingly) EF. FS7 is E-mount. Yes E-mount is cleaver in it’s short flange so that in theory almost any lens can go on there - but it will always be via an adapter (most likely 3rd party) and E-mount is rather wobbly to begin with (at least in my experience). I’m sure choices for native E-mount lenses will increase over the years, but for the forseable future… well, choices are somewhat limited. C300II has native EF with Locking EF or PL as native options (no adapters) this must be the best solution at this point in time. (user interchangable might have been better - I very much like the Sony FZ-mount on our F5’s - tool-less hop between mounts in seconds - yes, there is an adapter involved, but FZ is alot sturdier than e-mount.
6. Form factor - personally, I’m very happy Canon stayed with the form factor - yes, it may not be the greatest rigging experience for shoulder mounted work, but stripped down for handheld work - as in hold it in your hand - it’s really fantastic.
7. Only formfactor gripe - I wish they had put the OLED-monitor on the body like the c100.
8. 4K @ 4:2:2 10bit = nice. 2K @ 4:4:4 12bit = FANTASTIC! (at least on paper).
Jack
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