C500: I went ahead and did a C500 Fan Noise Quick Video Test - See Vimeo link & talk?

Fan noise in buildings with central heating/air can often be removed with a low frequency roll off filter at 75 Hz or similarly using a High Pass filter at 75 Hz or thereabouts which is what I do in Premiere. Have you tried this?

There are other more invasive techniques where you get a sound print of the fan noise and remove it with an app like iZotope's RX which can work like a treat as well. This kind of removal may be needed if the fan produces more of a white noise sound.
 
C-Mac said:
Thank you DLD. This is an example of EOS Standard straight out of the box with zero CC.

Best Regards,

Chris McGuinness
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At first, I thought this was off a doc or even a narrative. Then I realized, "Oh, wait, that Chris just testing the fan noise".

As a side note, just a few minute ago, I stumbled onto an Al Michaels and Bob Costas HBO appearance with Bill Simmons. And, while I was listening to the exchange as a sports fan, I was watching at it as a video/cinematography observer. And then I thought, "I liked of like that C500 clip more".

klk said:
Red 1 didn't have a fan issue, relative to the Epic MX or Scarlet MX (everything is relative). As an owner of not one, but two C500's I can tell you that the solution is: C300 Mk2 for me.
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Three times the price to shoot C300 MKII Raw though, isn't it?

BTW, when I recommended BB to look into A6300 heat solution, I did not imply that A6300 had the same problems for the same reasons. Nonetheless, the most feasible recommendation was virtually the same - wiring a PC fan to the cage. I then suggested to those liking the camera but having problems with the ~ 30 min shutdowns to just go to their local car audio store and ask the installers to wire up the system for them. The labor rates at those places are $70-$100/hr and the technicians essentially do the same job with the audio systems on a daily basis.
 
I waited a long time to upgrade my owner / operator camera, and I picked the C500 for its beautiful ability to make images I know my clients would love! Now this fan noise, due to the length my on camera interviews can go, would be a real problem if I can't cool the C500 enough to stop those internal fans from kicking in. It's the weekend and Monday, seems a long way off but I'm hoping some of my contacts can get me one of these external fan systems by Wednesday, next week! Then I will know if I can keep this lovely little camera.
 
Off topic, but I was watching a C500 (PL) on eBay in Poland that sold for $2,920 yesterday. Good condition.

Pretty low, right?
 
That's low alright, but off Ebay especially from a foreign country, you take the risk of no warranty, possibility it is "hot", etc.

Perhaps one should just take the fan off "auto" and keep it "on" so it doesn't kick in the middle of a take? 7 / 8 minute takes these days, in a world now spoiled by digital, are not uncommon even in narrative filmmaking. You don't want to piss off the director by not giving them fair warning about the limitations of the camera.
I wonder if by keepin the fan "on" somehow, the signal can be profiled and that would make it easier to process out digitally with a sound filter?
 
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You would be better off recording with the fan on, or doing a buzz track of the fan on, then in post you could work it out? but I really can't be giving a client this extra problem and charging for it.
Buying a used camera sight unseen, or without an inspection or 30 day return, is very risky. Much better to have a warranty and buy new which is what I did, but now I have to deal with this sound issue, that if it can't be solved with an after market accessory, I have to deal with Canon. I'm leasing this camera with a $1.00 dollar buy back at the end of the two year lease. I'm sure as hell going to be looking at getting into a C300 Mark II, if I can't solve the sound problem!
 
Thanks for the test. This makes it such a disappointment for my corporate work. B.Berry how are you finding it?

the fan does sound very loud to me.

thanks
 
Ollywood, I'm in a holding pattern until I see how the external fan system works, hopefully it will work and I can keep the C500, if it doesn't work I don't want the problems of the fan noise while I'm recording interviews on location or in the studio.
 
Thanks for the reply

the external fan is it messylooking or is it quite compact.

I am looking at buying a c500but if the fan like you have said is too loud then I guess I leave the purchase
 
They made these external fans for a C500 owner Matt Porwoll, they were made at the NYC AbleCine location, I'll put a link bellow that shows the system on a C500, from Matt Porwoll's blog he said this fan system worked while they were shooting on location in India! So we will see what happens soon. C-Mac, is building his own fan system similar to the one bellow.

http://mattporwoll.com/problems-solved/
 
Great news!!!

I ran my C500 for 1hr 40 mins in a preliminary external fan modification test and the C500 inner fans did not triggered on, neither did the temperature warning icon. I am in a 70-72 degree room. The modification fans make noise, but far less than the internal. I would estimate them at about 2x the C100 mk I fan noise and would have zero worries about shooting interviews with this level of noise.

I will run a more in depth test tomorrow... including running the camera next to our gas fire place to see how it responds in a warmer environment. I will also test the fan noise, for everyone's reference, as I did with the video posted at the beginning of this thread.

I will post my findings when complete. A very positive first test! Crossing fingers!!!

Best Regards,

Chris McGuinness
www.pulsecinema.com
 
Impressive reverse engineering guys, hopefully you can tame the noise in your C500s. It's still kind of a bummer that Canon would release a piece of gear, even years ago, that requires a home brewed solution like the "ice packs" for the Red MX1 did. Normally the Japanese would never release a product that isso compromised but I guess their thought when they conceived the camera was that it would be used in shooting narrative material with short takes. I too shoot LONG interviews with no breaks and having to buy a camera and then install my own fans in it would bug me. But on the other hand, you guys have all gained an amazing camera for very little money so it seems well worth it to get it to work for your situations. Rock on!
 
Kinok said:
Nooooooooooooo!
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IT MELTED!!!

LOL, I just want to get it close enough to feel like 85 degrees or so and see if the modification fans still keep it cool enough so that the internal fans and temperature warning don't trigger on.

Best Regards,

Chris
 
C-Mac, this is good news! Thank you for being so industrious with this C500 sound matter. I look forward to getting the modified external fan device, and rolling some long takes hopefully with the same results you have had. :) Once again C-Mac I thank you for posting your findings with the C500.

Broatch
 
C-Mac said:
I will run a more in depth test tomorrow... including running the camera next to our gas fire place to see how it responds in a warmer environment. I will also test the fan noise, for everyone's reference, as I did with the video posted at the beginning of this thread.

Best Regards,

Chris McGuinness
www.pulsecinema.com
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You might want to do what Dr. Wu suggested and that is to have the internal fans on all the time - either in tandem with the externals or by themselves - and compare their noise level to the original test where fans would come on and then completely turn off.
 
I will have one of these external fans on Wednesday, I will follow up with my tests on Thursday.

Broatch
 
interesting solution guys! i wonder if that external "kit" is being sold now by some one? btw there is maybe a way to improve that.... just put a rubber between every part u join.... its should reduce vibrations and as a result u could notice a little less noise .... it worked for my pc
 
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