C300: Canon C300 Mark II Announced & Pre-Order List at Texas Media Systems

Generally the more expensive the camera the more you can charge for it as a rental, and if you're renting it out (either to other people or as part of your day rate on your own shoots) often enough, then you're essentially making more money since the camera rents for more.

I'd figure the day rates of original C300 operators has gone down in general since the camera now costs just $7000 instead of $16,000, and if you're doing 100-200 shoots a year and can charge an extra say $200-$300 per day for the $16k camera, then you're making an extra $15,000-$40,000 per year, which quickly offsets that $9,000 price difference. For that reason I kind of like that the C300 Mark II costs more money.

And if you're not doing enough shoots to off-set the price difference, then you probably shouldn't be buying a $16k camera in the first place.

It's also much more impressive to tell clients who know nothing about cameras that your camera costs $20k (after batteries and media) than say, $5k or so. If you tell them your HMI light costs $6k, they probably won't be as impressed because lights aren't as cool from a marketing perspective for cameramen as cameras are.
Eric-
Actually, the rental rate here in town has pretty much stayed the same since it came out...around $400 a day and it's unprecedented that its held almost 4 years later. Other than the Alexa, no camera holds its rental price much past the 6 month mark.....we have 22 units in rentals and they are out all the time. When the priced dropped in April, we did get calls about lowering the rental price but that has not happened from any rental houses here in LA. Also, the phone has been very active regarding the MK II...and these calls are across the board - reality, episodic, indie features, etc

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
 
Andree-
When it came out in January 2012, it was $16000.00USD......the price was lowered to $12,500 (w/DAF) in the fall of 2014 and of course, this past April to $6999USD. Since this last drop, we've sold a ton of them.....and it's still the #1 request in our rental dept.
Missing Switzerland!

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
 
"Hate to say this, but much of the footage so far from the C300 II just look Meh...... Images just feel kind of thin, almost like everything is slightly over-exposed or something. Maybe people haven't figured out the new C-Log yet, which is a true log from what I understand."

Gene-
You should have been at our seminar last Saturday....we got to look at Trick Shot on really good 4K monitors and it really made a difference....and we also had a really good Samsung 65" 4K consumer TV, while it looked good, on the pro 4K monitor it looked outstanding!

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com

PS - this footage looks really good in color and range...and they used no bounce!
https://vimeo.com/135603642
 
Eric-
Actually, the rental rate here in town has pretty much stayed the same since it came out...around $400 a day and it's unprecedented that its held almost 4 years later. Other than the Alexa, no camera holds its rental price much past the 6 month mark.....we have 22 units in rentals and they are out all the time. When the priced dropped in April, we did get calls about lowering the rental price but that has not happened from any rental houses here in LA. Also, the phone has been very active regarding the MK II...and these calls are across the board - reality, episodic, indie features, etc
A one day rental from LensRentals.com (without damage protection) of a C300 Mark I is $305 and a C300 Mark II is $577. I don't know what the rental rates of the C300 Mark I were when it was $16,000, but I'd assume certainly a good deal more than $305, and I'd guess around the $577 that the Mark II is now renting for.

In any case, the $272 difference in rental price between the $7000 Mark I and $16,000 Mark II goes along with what I was saying before about being able to charge more for the more expensive camera both in one's day rate and if renting it out to others.
 
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I definitely feel like I'm getting a more cinematic look from the FS7.

Having purchased an fs7 of course you feel that way. Had you gone with the mk ii we would likely be reading about its amazing skin tones and how superior it is to anything else on the market <-- Joking, although these forums do seem to promote a lot of this behavior.

I agree with Gene that there is a seriously lack of quality media at launch, especially with the price point and following that canon has. The launch material lacked uniqueness and creativity(trickshot looked/sounded/felt like an independent train wreck). Either canon has a solid stranglehold on the rental/owner market, or they are supremely confident in their products ability to continue dominating.

ps: Don't forget 4k60p for christ'sake. Can we start a petition for that?
 
ps: Don't forget 4k60p for christ'sake. Can we start a petition for that?

If URSA Mini does it for $5k, C300 Mk2 should be able to do it for $16k. That's over 3x the price. Would also love the ProRes options the URSA Mini has. To shoot 4k in a ProResLT for certain projects sounds wonderful.

I initially wanted the C300 Mk2 but Canon (again and again and again) wasn't aggressive enough with the features IMO. I'm sure it will look great and be a tank, but so will a LOT of other options well below this price point.
 
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I'm sure it will look great and be a tank, but so will a LOT of other options well below this price point.

To me this is the biggest difference between the market the C300I entered versus the MkII. C300I was the only large sensor cam shooting a broadcast codec when released. The market is much different now with some cameras with equal or better features having been in use for a year.
 
Hate to say this, but much of the footage so far from the C300 II just look Meh...... Images just feel kind of thin, almost like everything is slightly over-exposed or something. Maybe people haven't figured out the new C-Log yet, which is a true log from what I understand.

I definitely feel like I'm getting a more cinematic look from the FS7...
Gene, this is the flat "English" look that many get from even F65 (and intentionally so). If you look at the new Film Riot sample posted on their YouTube channel, the C300 MKII looks rather 'filmic".

Not that you're not allowed to have a different opinion but this music clip is not the one to form it on.
 
I initially wanted the C300 Mk2 but Canon (again and again and again) wasn't aggressive enough with the features IMO.

having less features then almost any other cam around, feels like i would be "robbed" if i buy it. no 60p in 4k ? who does it now? and crop for slow motion on 1080p/2k..... its like a slap in the face. I believe that Canon fans were too loyal, and company throw any trick they want...
each time i see the new review i am shocked as 2 or 3rd plus that gets a new cam - is a new top handle, i am lost.... each time it is presented almost as a major difference between old and new model.. or... but wait! there is more, if u buy it now u also get a lighted buttons for free, and my manager will kills me , but, r u listening?, i ll add a two separate cables for audio and video for your monitor unit!

all that makes me feel sad....

they would better tell when the new c500 will see the light, to be hones i would better pay more but get more future proof features ..... then that "upgrade"

Regards
 
having less features then almost any other cam around, feels like i would be "robbed" if i buy it. no 60p in 4k ? who does it now? and crop for slow motion on 1080p/2k..... its like a slap in the face. I believe that Canon fans were too loyal, and company throw any trick they want...
each time i see the new review i am shocked as 2 or 3rd plus that gets a new cam - is a new top handle, i am lost.... each time it is presented almost as a major difference between old and new model.. or... but wait! there is more, if u buy it now u also get a lighted buttons for free, and my manager will kills me , but, r u listening?, i ll add a two separate cables for audio and video for your monitor unit!

all that makes me feel sad....

they would better tell when the new c500 will see the light, to be hones i would better pay more but get more future proof features ..... then that "upgrade"

Regards
Sorry you are feeling sad...but we have a ton of orders here in LA and same with the other dealers in the country so Canon must be doing something right. No camera is 100% perfect and in your post you talk about some of the "evolutionary" things that Canon improved upon. The "revolutionary" things that I think you are discounting are the 12 bit and 10 bit, 444 & 422 in 2K and 1080 (Alexa like), improved clean ISO (6400 is the new 3200) and the 15 stops of DR. Not having 60p in 4K is obviously not a problem for all the orders people have placed....and that "tier 1" requirement for The Discovery Channel only came out in the last month or so. I think the mix of orders are coming from current users, rentals houses (we've been getting a fair amount of calls in the last 2 weeks), and people who are switching out of other systems. The great thing about Canon is they just work.....no waiting for future promised upgrades, no issues, no real needing to buy other items to make it complete, and with the superior low-light capability, real day-to-day saving in lights, time, and money....on an on-going basis.

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
 
Mitch initially mistakenly thought it did 4K 60p externally and was later corrected in finding out it didn't, as far as I'm aware.
 
we have a ton of orders here in LA and same with the other dealers in the country so Canon must be doing something right. No camera is 100% perfect and in your post you talk about some of the "evolutionary" things that Canon improved upon. The "revolutionary" things that I think you are discounting are the 12 bit and 10 bit, 444 & 422 in 2K and 1080 (Alexa like), improved clean ISO (6400 is the new 3200) and the 15 stops of DR. Not having 60p in 4K is obviously not a problem for all the orders people have placed


Do you sell the Fs7, URSA Mini, Fs5, etc...as well or just the Canon?
 
The "revolutionary" things that I think you are discounting are the 12 bit and 10 bit, 444 & 422 in 2K and 1080 (Alexa like), improved clean ISO (6400 is the new 3200) and the 15 stops of DR.

I don't know if any of that can be called 'revolutionary'. The only thing Canon has on the cutting edge is their DPAF which looks fantastic for those situations where solid AF is key. Nothing out there beats it for AF but the rest of the the specs are merely a slight evolution or even par with cameras that have been out for a year. From examples seen I expected more out of the 120p given a crop instead of binning.
 
I totally appreciate the effort in putting that video up, though technically, nothing impressed me. I could get the same stuff with my C100MK2 (except for the HFR). It had a bunch of shots out of focus and soft. What I will say I thought was cool of them to do was shoot it in an "everyday" scenario. Walking around the city and such. Some other info like what mode they shot in and what lens(es) they used would have helped. Looking forward to more samples come about in the next few days.
 
Do you sell the Fs7, URSA Mini, Fs5, etc...as well or just the Canon?
You can check out our site:
EVSonline.com
We sell Sony, BlackMagic, JVC, Panasonic, AJA, lighting & grip, expendables, and a bunch of proper camera accessories. If our clients want something we don't carry, we figure out a way to get it to them or tee them up with one of our competitors. As you can see on my avatar, I've been doing this for a while. I personally like cameras (and accessories) that work, don't have issues, and perform well. Our business (TV & Film) is hard so anything that helps the cause I like, if it makes it more difficult, I don't like.

Jim Martin
EVSonline.com
 
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