C300: Help me choose between the 1DC and C300

JoeJITSU

JoeJITSU

Veteran
The C300 just dropped in price till the end of September. Now the 1DC and C300 are the same price. Which do I choose?

I'll be using it for Documentaries, Weddings and for some Reality shows and infomercials.
 
JoeJITSU said:
The C300 just dropped in price till the end of September. Now the 1DC and C300 are the same price. Which do I choose?

I'll be using it for Documentaries, Weddings and for some Reality shows and infomercials.
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For that kind of fast paced work, I prefer a video camera over a DSLR. C300 gets my vote.
 
Definitely C300. I have a C100 and a GH4 but the C100 gets the nod for the sort of work you described.
 
Between the two for the work you just described: C300 without question. As much as it's lacking, it still has SDI, TC, XLR connections and a VF(more or less).
 
C300 all the way. Even with ergonomic issues that it has they are better than the 1DC. 1DC was not a solid performer at least with my client base.
 
And yet ANOTHER vote for C300, though I'm kinda with Spartacus in that two C100s are a big plus on certain kind of shoots (interviews, demonstrations, presentations, anything real-time - and this includes weddings where a backup wide or reverse angle will save much bacon). Add a Ninja Star and a Ninja Blade, and you're pretty much covered for Broadcast. I also prefer the smaller size and the ergonomics of the C100.

I know people who wax lyrical about their 1-DC, but it's not their main camera. I looked at it myself, but found its myriad of shooting options and gotchas with lenses (not all my glass is full-frame) a bit of a concern. I've also (with my editor hat on) had a chance to trawl through 1-DC rushes, and I see the same 'DSLR' look to it. It's beautiful for some types of video (whimsical thirty-somethings, nature in all its glory) but doesn't polish up as nice for the 'Shiny-shiny' world of my corporates.

You can shoot 4K and downsample to get great detail, but is that really how you want to work in post? :)
 
I was very interested in buying the 1DC but took one demo unit of C300 from Canon to test and then bought the C300. One of the reasons was the broadcast approved codec of the C300. Also the 1DC file size at 4K is huge and the project I had planned at that time meant that I would have had to carry many external hard disks.

The C300 as the previous posters have mentioned is a workhorse video camera with all the necessary things like waveform, XLR etc. 1DC has its strengths as well. Recently I shot a feature film and some of the shots were clicked in iconic locations in New Delhi. It was a hell of a problem to get permissions. So decided to shoot run-n-gun. People were suspicious when they saw the C300 but still I said it is a still camera and took it in. In such situations the 1DC will have an edge.

Shooting nature and wildlife - 1DC beats the permission issues and also doesn't warrant much attention, unless you slap a microphone on top.

I like the 1.3 crop of the APS-H sensor.

In the past I had filmed with a 1D Mark IV with a juicedLink and similar contraptions and/or dual sound would be good for 1DC. If you use a MixPreD then it works fine with the 1DC.

Both the C300 has a long life even after a new better variant is launched, because one can use it for documentaries or projects which doesn't require 4K. The 1DC due to its 4K will remain a feasible option for a long time. As a stills camera, it is amazing as well.

Editing wise, the C300 files are easy to cut using a macbook pro. The 4K files of the 1DC take a bit more time to edit.

The 1DC came in as a kind of disruptive technology with 4K in a DSLR. I know people shooting independent movies using the 1DC. In filmmaking there is no right or wrong path. Choose which ever you want based on your style.
 
MattDavis said:
I know people who wax lyrical about their 1-DC, but it's not their main camera. I looked at it myself, but found its myriad of shooting options and gotchas with lenses (not all my glass is full-frame) a bit of a concern. I've also (with my editor hat on) had a chance to trawl through 1-DC rushes, and I see the same 'DSLR' look to it. It's beautiful for some types of video (whimsical thirty-somethings, nature in all its glory) but doesn't polish up as nice for the 'Shiny-shiny' world of my corporates.
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Make no mistake... I think the 1Dc image superior in every way to a C300. I think the 1Dc is the perfect "corporate shoot camera" for identity/public image work, but I don't think the 1Dc is the perfect event camera where you need to roll for long periods of time. The built in NDs and "time efficient 1080p format" are the reasons why I'd recommend the C300.

The commercial stuff I do with my 1Dc is mostly corporate image stuff. It's perfect for that: you get both the stills and video (from which you can pull additional frames) and 4k is really great for documentary/narrative stuff with controlled clip lengths. The high resolution is perfect for products or complex environments where even fine detail is rendered beautifully.

So... recommendation here is not so much a camera vs camera one, but rather "the right tool for the job".
 
AndreeOnline said:
So... recommendation here is not so much a camera vs camera one, but rather "the right tool for the job".
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Good call, dude. Especially on the 'Corporate Image' type stuff (e.g. Lonely Sandwich).

The 1-DC rightly has lots of fans and has that special look, and that will be what some people need. Not me, not everyone, but some - and to an extent that will be self selecting. I would also point out that as a second or third camera in the portfolio of the Corporate shooter (especially a C300/C100 owner), it sits well as the 'wildcard & 4K side bet' camera. :)
 
Nix the 1DC from the list, for the productions you mentioned the c300 would be ideal.

Even though you didn't list it as an option, you might want to expand the list of considered cameras to include the c100. At this stage of the products life cycle and looking at "what you get" for your money, the c100 will deliver on all fronts and cost you less than half of the other 2 options. A safer investment at this point as we are likely to see the cinema line get refreshed this fall/winter.

IF you absolutely need the 4:2:2 then the c300 would fit the bill.
 
MattDavis said:
The 1-DC rightly has lots of fans and has that special look, and that will be what some people need. Not me, not everyone, but some - and to an extent that will be self selecting.
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Agreed. I'd say if you know what to do with the 1Dc, or if you know you need it for something special, by all means go for it. But if you're not sure—go with a more traditional camera.

I'll also echo what other people have already said: I would personally ACTUALLY buy a C100. Then two C100. Only as a third option I'd go for a C300. That's my bang-for-buck-reasoning. Let's coin that as 'BFBR' right there...



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Because you know... it's important to coin things on the internetz.
 
Unless you know you'll be getting enough broadcast work that is going to (A) REQUIRE the C300 and (B) pay for the difference in price, I'm not sure why anyone would buy a C300 over a C100 for double the price.
 
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