C500: C500 Fan noise be gone!

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B.Berry

Well-known member
I'm starting a new thread about the C500 fan noise issues, didn't want to highjack the C500 Atomos thread.

Asking around I found some people that have worked with the C500 recording both 2K and 4K, it look's like with the firmware update Canon last made for the C500 it addressed the cooling fan noise that would come on when in 4K and 2K recording modes, Shane Hurlbut ASC used the C500 on two big features, Need for Speed (shot in 4K finished in 2K) and Fathers and Daughters (shot in 2K)

His findings were as follows: the first comment was on Need for Speed, the second comment was on Fathers and Daughters.

The fan was a major problem. On Need for Speed which was the first feature shot with this camera we had Canon re work their firmware so that it would give us about 8 minutes. But this all depends on the heat in the room. Many takes on the film were compromised because the fans came on and we had to cut. You take the good with the bad sometimes. I would not suggest this camera ever for an docu/interview camera.

​In 2K we did not seem to have a problem at all. But it was the winter in Pittsburgh. Very cold
 
I'm hoping to keep the C500 I just bought and not have to worry about the fan noise issue when recording in 2K 444 RGB 12bit, but it looks like if you need to record 4K that fan will just turn itself on after 6-7 minuets? I do all types of shooting: Doc, Corporate, Medical, Informercial, Celebrity talking heads, the list goes on. I bought the C500 for its lovely picture/color and sensor! it's a shame not to be able to record longer 4K interviews without the problem of the fan eventually coming on :(
 
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There is a similar issue with several Sony cameras, among them A6300. There have been several suggested solutions. One that seems to work reasonably well is adding a small external fan (a PC type) onto the camera rig/cage. I have no idea if this will solve C500 heat buildup/fan noise issues but, just in case, one might head over to the Sony A6300 thread and explore the proffered recommendations further.
 
I would expect issues using prosumer cameras like the A6300, in regards heat and problems, but not from a leading contender like Canon selling the C500 as a professional 2-4K digital movie camera.
 
B.Berry said:
I would expect issues using prosumer cameras like the A6300, in regards heat and problems, but not from a leading contender like Canon selling the C500 as a professional 2-4K digital movie camera.
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As a four year old model, C500 is probably using 65 nanometer processors that were considered the state of the art back then. Since then, the 28 nM and 14 nM chip plants came online and, just yesterday, Samsung announced the volume production of the 10 nM chips. Newer processors are far more power efficient than the old ones.

Of course, there are other variables as well.
 
I'm not showing up anytime soon with a Sony A6300, or newer A6500, camera and going to expect my producer to accept that this will be my main 2K - 4K capture camera. I would lose a client quicker than solving this fan noise problem! Sure you can use these Sony A series cameras as a cut away B camera shot, or extra B roll camera, but not a main camera.
 
The A6300 is a very good camera; one of the best I have ever used in the mirrorless line. It has its own issues we know about, but it's a powerful little machine that stresses itself out producing beautiful images.
 
Crap, how did this thread turn towards the A6300 :( I post here on DVXUSER to hopefully get solutions or options on using the Canon C series cameras, not to dismiss the pretty pictures you can get out of the Sony A6300, I just want to stay on the Canon C500 problems for now.
 
For sure. I hope others that use the camera can chime in...I will know how they sound tomorrow.

But I also think you want to hear that the fans aren't really a problem when everyone so far has said they are.

I hope you find a solution!
 
We know the fan is a problem in 4K after 6-8 minuets, I think the electric micro fan set up that was made a couple years back may help if anyone with a C500 needs to record a lengthy 4K interview, and recording in 2K seems to be fan free! Anyway I'm hoping to not return the C500 and make it work. The other option is upgrade to the C300 Mark II, just no 60-120p in 2K and 4K :(
 
One solution for interview situations is to use a longer lens and film further away.

I worked with a Red One during an interview recently and it was pretty noisy, though passable. I haven't personally used the C500, though a production in our studio used one for interviews. Here is that interview video shot on the C500.


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B.Berry said:
The other option is upgrade to the C300 Mark II, just no 60-120p in 2K and 4K :(
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C300 Mark II has 60-120p in 2K. Not in 4K which goes up to 30p.
 
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It such a shame if it is really loud, I mean most peoples income would be shooting interviews, corporate etc. C300Mkii still priced a bit high at the moment for me. That's why I wanted to go C500 4K image looks great but this fan issue would be a pain. I might shoot in 2k. Would be great if someone could post how it sounds.

Thanks
 
How bad is it really? My F55 has an audible fan that I would consider loud(at least when I'm standing next to it) and I leave it on auto and I've heard it kick on and off during interviews with my own ears as long as I've owned it and I've never lost a take because of fan noise. A lot of noises that we hear with our own ears don't pick up on mic, or at least as bad as we think when someone is talking over it. I always want it to be as clean as possible(perfect), but I don't know how many interviews I've shot where there was audio crap all around us, but by the time they posted it and laid a music bed, you never heard it.

Maybe you could go the old Red route and put ice packs around the body ; )
 
It just sounds like any computer fan. At 7 feet or more from your subject in a quiet room, it is definitely not a problem when using a boom or lapel. If there is ambient sound, such as an open window, you won't hear it at all.

It's really not a big problem for a close mic setup unless you are very tight on your subject (5 feet or closer). The main problem for me is that the fan sound would be too loud for camera-mounted mics in quiet environments. I will also need to test it to see how it does in stereo configuration.

I find it is less a problem for the subject's mic and more of a sound I don't want to hear as the operator with my head right next to it. Imagine having your computer fan right next to your head when recording. It would be distracting to the operator in a long take. So far, the fan hasn't even turned on for me in my tests, but I haven't recorded any long takes (10+ minutes).

The fact that the fan turns off when pressing "record" is itself a problem because it changes the ambient sound in the room, such that the camera goes completely silent.

I will definitely be making a trip to Fry's in Burbank to see if I can fashion a little fan rig like the AbelCine one that was posted before. It shouldn't be too difficult. It's a minor problem, but it does require a solution.
 
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Thanks Kinok,

What is this shooting in 4k? Most of my subjects are around 6/7 feet mainly shoot on 50 - 85mm for interviews unless I have a great backdrop then 24 -35.

What is it like in 2k?
 
Well it sounds like the fan noise is less of a problem from what Kinok, says. I think we will have some more C500 owners tell us their opinions in time, i'll have mine running this weekend and will run some 2K and 4K tests.

Thank's for all the feedback DVX members.
 
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