FS7: I have 2 weeks to decide on either the FS7 or Canon C300 Mark II, Help me out to pick

Stephen Mick said:
What are you planning to shoot? Will you hire/rent out the camera? Give us a bit more info.
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I will use it for Filming Commercials, Documentaries, a few weddings, Short Films and some movies as well.

I am guessing that for movies we might just use our RED Epic but I am hoping if everything goes well, I will end up selling the Epic.

Thank you Stephen Mick
 
JoeJITSU said:
I will use it for Filming Commercials, Documentaries, a few weddings, Short Films and some movies as well.

I am guessing that for movies we might just use our RED Epic but I am hoping if everything goes well, I will end up selling the Epic.
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Hmmm… Others will likely have their own opinions, but I'd probably lean towards the C300 Mark II, myself. I've shot with the FS7, and owned the original C300. For me, I think the FS7 does well in a controlled environment, but I find it less suited for docs and events. (Again, others will disagree.) They're both fine cameras, and I think the FS7 probably provides a bit more flexibility/options in terms of frame rates and such. But I was never a huge fan of the Sony "look," while the EOS Cinema colors seem much more pleasing to a broader range of eyeballs.

It's a tough call, but if it were me, I'd go C300II.
 
If you need the camera in 2 weeks, then your choice has been made for you since the C300.2 won't ship until fall.

If you're just thinking about budgeting... well, I'm in much the same boat, making the same decision. The FS7 wins on features and price by a long shot, the C300.2 will likely win on reliability and salability and the usual suspects will repeat "skin tones" until you politely ask them to stop. Bottom line, the FS7 gives you more options, the C300.2 will probably rent out better.

Since I have a mess of Nikon glass, have a friend with a C100.2+Ninja that he'll let me rent, and don't have a ton of money, I'm probably going the FS7 route. Probably.
 
Stephen Mick said:
Hmmm… Others will likely have their own opinions, but I'd probably lean towards the C300 Mark II, myself. I've shot with the FS7, and owned the original C300. For me, I think the FS7 does well in a controlled environment, but I find it less suited for docs and events. (Again, others will disagree.) They're both fine cameras, and I think the FS7 probably provides a bit more flexibility/options in terms of frame rates and such. But I was never a huge fan of the Sony "look," while the EOS Cinema colors seem much more pleasing to a broader range of eyeballs.

It's a tough call, but if it were me, I'd go C300II.
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I hear you Mick,

We shot a lot of the "Manny" movie/Documentary (Manny Pacquiao) with 5D Mark II's, 7D's and Sony Ex1 and EX3's. I liked the footage of the Canon's though even though they were DSLR's
 
Rent an FS7 and see if its for you. I own one and love the camera but it isn't without some quirks and its definately a camera I have grown comfortable using but it isn't as user friendly as a C300Mk1. I can only assume the MK2 will be similar.

Honestly if you really want to get a feel for the FS7 I highly recommend the Doug Jensen FS7 guide. Its a good investment if you want to get the best out of the FS7.

For my personal choice to get an FS7 it was because it just fit my business model. I got mine in Nov and will have been earning with it almost a full year before the C300II hits the streets. Even if I was buying now the C300II is out of my budget. The cameras in budget (before Ursa Mini) were FS7 & C100II. I am in a position where I don't often shoot for other production companies so it doesn't matter what cam I use as long as I make pretty pictures and covers the needs of all my work. If the client demands a specific camera I just rent. That being said I have a line on production that is using the FS7 and looking for additional people shooting FS7. It's a capable camera despite its quirks. Now if you excuse me I have virgins to sacrifice to the Sony firmware gods. I will have the perfect camera!
 
JoeJITSU said:
I will use it for Filming Commercials, Documentaries, a few weddings, Short Films and some movies as well.

I am guessing that for movies we might just use our RED Epic but I am hoping if everything goes well, I will end up selling the Epic.

Thank you Stephen Mick
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Docs and weddings or anything "run & gun" the choice for me is the Fs7. No contest there. The monocular viewfinder on the Fs7 with its wide range of positioning and ease of positioning is crucial to run & gun shooting. No aftermarket VF setup for the C300 can compete. Better ergonomics make the Fs7 the winner for run & gun. Even without considering the servo zooms available for the Fs7 that are not available for the C300.

For the commercials, movies, and short films I'd stay on the Red.

As far as the look of the Fs7 vs the look of the C300- I am a pure shooter so the qualities of the look the camera produces isn't of much matter to me. I go with the camera that makes me the better shooter, the camera that most facilitates creative shots or facilitates shots period. The EOS cinema colors may be gangbusters but if the physics of the camera prevent me from obtaining a shot then it becomes awesome EOS cinema colors on a shot that doesn't exist.
 
Stephen Mick said:
Hmmm… Others will likely have their own opinions, but I'd probably lean towards the C300 Mark II, myself. I've shot with the FS7, and owned the original C300. For me, I think the FS7 does well in a controlled environment, but I find it less suited for docs and events. (Again, others will disagree.) They're both fine cameras, and I think the FS7 probably provides a bit more flexibility/options in terms of frame rates and such. But I was never a huge fan of the Sony "look," while the EOS Cinema colors seem much more pleasing to a broader range of eyeballs.

It's a tough call, but if it were me, I'd go C300II.
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Coming from the FS700, I can certainly say that Sony has improved the color science quite a bit with CineEI over the old "Sony Look. Here's some tests I did with the FS7 Cine EI natural colors (no color shifts) comparing it to a 60D. While the 60D will not have the Dynamic Range or bit depth of the C300, the color science / skin tones will be pretty similar I bet.

To me, CineEI color science / skin tones compares very favorably to Canon. Not saying Sony has better color rendition, but it's certainly just as "filmic" IMO. Remember, no colors were changed on either cameras. These are the natural colors. The Canon crowd tend to scream and scream about bad skin tones, terrible Sony colors, but that's just not really how it is anymore. Sorry.

Not sure if you saw the C300II movie Trick Shot, video city. CineEI definitely gets a more filmic look than that movie IMO.

Here's a full size .JPG link since DVXuser's .jpgs are pretty small.

http://www.builtbyugene.com/images_client/SonyCanonTests_01.jpg

SonyCanonTests_01.jpg
 
I think the whole "Sony look" thing is pretty much ancient history.
The truth is that the look out of Canon cameras has a touch more contrast and slightly more warmth for skin tones.
That's it.
It's not rocket science.
You can replicate it with a Sony output in seconds if you know anything about grading.
On top of that I prefer the slightly flatter image of a Sony image to retain highlights and have more info for a grade after.

I think the reality is that the C300II is more stable in terms of price/resale and reliability. However if you are ever going to shoot 4K, it lacks 60p.
That's a dealbreaker and just plain dumb on Canon's part. For a camera that is twice as expensive as the FS7? Makes no sense if that's the product your company is competing with.
 
To me a big advantage of the Sony is the ability to use Speed booster. An extra stop of light and the depth of field of a 5D. canon has better Autofocus. i think Sony can look just fine with a good matrix even in custom.
 
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