C300 worse than S-log from the F3?

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John Andersson

John Andersson

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All footage I've seen from Sonys F3 with S-log look much better than C300 footage. Highlights are smooth with the F3 but often turn yellow with the C300. The dynamic range with S-log seems to be hard to beat even by the C300. What do you C300 users think? F3 the better camera?
 
Really?.....you should qualify a little better. How did you view this footage? Where did the footage come from? etc...While the S-log and C-log are a tad different in how they do it, many posts on this blog and others have detailed that both are quite good and are being used a lot. If there was some type of color issue on C-log, believe me there would be multiple postings talking about it.

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com
 
I've used both cameras a lot. Both cameras are capable of producing great pictures. In the wrong hands of course, both cameras can look poor. I use the C300 more than the F3 because I have an extensive range of Canon lenses and I prefer the onboard codec.
 
I also worked with both, Sony`s S-log has more usable dynamic range, maybe one ore two stops, and produces a little more 'Alexa-like' filmic pictures. In my opinion, C-Log needs to be tweaked in the custom pictures section to really shine. And the C300 still has the chromatic aberrations problem in the highlights and canon seems not to be able, fixing this.
 
I agree with the post above. C300's C-log is great but the F3's sLog is the winner in terms of dynamic range. I would however sacrifice that reality for the C300 depending on the shoot, as the F3 with external recorder is already much bulkier and heavier then the C300 which is relatively tiny in comparison. Apples/Oranges but from an image standpoint (log wise) the F3 wins IMO.
 
I've watched almost a hundred videos C300/F3 and Alexa these last days and everytime I've liked highlights better on the F3 which looks more like Alexa than the C300. I'm not sure C300 is worth the price now that a F3 can be purchased used for much less than the original price. Spent yesterday grading Alexa footage and watching Canon footage after that wasn't to exciting.
 
Directly to your question - F3 gives you an extra stop and a bit with a cleaner roll off.

Not sure of the footage you're looking at but "much better"? Cameras in this class can be hard to compare when in the right hands because they are both capable of great shots. I think you'll find the C300 has a greater diversity of shooters.

The Alexa has a number of pleasing factors when you look at the image. They not only achieve an amazing DR but theres something very pleasing about the motion appearance in 180 degrees on the shutter. Alexa shooters are far less diverse than C300. C300 mix of pros / semi pros / amateurs - not many amateurs shooting on the $80K (?) Alexa.
 
Noel Evans said:
Directly to your question - F3 gives you an extra stop and a bit with a cleaner roll off.

Not sure of the footage you're looking at but "much better"? Cameras in this class can be hard to compare when in the right hands because they are both capable of great shots. I think you'll find the C300 has a greater diversity of shooters.
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I think this is a good way to state it. To my eyes F3 always had more DR with S-Log, or apparent anyway and there was a comparison video that showed this months ago. However, I still preferred the C300 look over the F3. I do not think that the F3 looks anywhere near as nice as Alexa, but I think it's down to the "Sony spirit" That the F3 has.
 
I remember seeing C300 footage at Canon's Paramount event. People were raving about what they saw. I, on the other hand, had no idea what they were talking about. Highlights were blown, rez soft, considerable "filmic" grain/noise. From a size and workflow POV, I understand the camera. But from an image POV, I was not wowed.
 
Editman Sweden said:
All footage I've seen from Sonys F3 with S-log look much better than C300 footage. Highlights are smooth with the F3 but often turn yellow with the C300. The dynamic range with S-log seems to be hard to beat even by the C300. What do you C300 users think? F3 the better camera?
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This reeks of a thread meant to stir up conflict about a tired debate that holds no water (otherwise known as "trolling").

Everybody knows both cameras are fantastic. Each does something incredibly well that the other does poorly. Niether are perfect tools for all levels and types of production. Both are quite well-suited to the class of production they are aimed at serving. Everyone has their own opinion about which looks better to them, which has the more useful features & ergonomics, and which is preferable for a given production environment. No one is wrong.

A skilled operator will get breathtakingly beautiful images out of either one. A poorly skilled user can just as easily make either camera seem atrocious; just look at some of the samples from the new "shot on f3" website if you want to see some extreme hi-lo examples of how good and how terrible the F3 can look.

As Louis CK said, "Everything is amazing and nobody's happy." Let's quit trying to see who has the biggest camera d**k.
 
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I know the C300 is a great camera with its quirks but I wanted to hear from others what they think of DR and highlights between F3 and C300. Not to stir anything. It's just that I'm looking at a new camera and I don't want to end up with something I don't like.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Each does something incredibly well that the other does poorly. Niether are perfect tools for all levels and types of production. Both are quite well-suited to the class of production they are aimed at serving. Everyone has their own opinion about which looks better to them, which has the more useful features & ergonomics, and which is preferable for a given production environment. No one is wrong.
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Well stated. Choose your weapon.

BobbyMurcerFan said:
I, on the other hand, had no idea what they were talking about. Highlights were blown, rez soft, considerable "filmic" grain/noise. From a size and workflow POV, I understand the camera. But from an image POV, I was not wowed.
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Interesting. As I am time and time again wowed by the images out of my C300. You can blow highlights on any camera, even Alexa, even film and sometimes its a chosen or desired result for the piece. Those things I guess could be debated but, this camera is never soft. Now Im not stating that as my own opinion, its also the opinion of many others plus the opinion of testing from many, many sources. Again with grain / noise that's debatable to particular taste. I really enjoy what I see however.
 
Editman Sweden said:
I know the C300 is a great camera with its quirks but I wanted to hear from others what they think of DR and highlights between F3 and C300. Not to stir anything. It's just that I'm looking at a new camera and I don't want to end up with something I don't like.
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Have never seen the "yellow" you mentioned. I have created a log profile which gives a little more in the highlight rolloff. Think someone mentioned before, theres a lot of adjustment capability with the C300.
 
I prefer the look of slog and that's why I bought an f3 after the c300 came out. However, if you don't like rigs and prefer to work lighter, opt for a c300. The F3 depends on an external recorder to fully use (and abuse) s-log. Depending on the recorder you buy and the way you rig it, it adds weight and makes the F3 even bulkier.
 
I would like to see examples of nice looking blown highlights and see your tweaking. Examples of what I don't like:
 

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Noel Evans said:
Interesting. As I am time and time again wowed by the images out of my C300. You can blow highlights on any camera, even Alexa, even film and sometimes its a chosen or desired result for the piece. Those things I guess could be debated but, this camera is never soft. Now Im not stating that as my own opinion, its also the opinion of many others plus the opinion of testing from many, many sources. Again with grain / noise that's debatable to particular taste. I really enjoy what I see however.
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Noel, no doubt that you can get amazing images from the C300. But I just felt the images did not live up to the descriptions I was hearing.
 
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