C500: Need immediate advice on c500/odyssey7 purchase. Please chime in.

L

lightstrum

Well-known member
Hi all. I have got a lot of good advice from this forum and am looking for opinions on the c500

I currently shoot with 1d c and have nice collection of Zeiss c/y and Canon/Tamron/Sigma lenses. I am getting into 4k in a big way and since I'm invested in Canon the current deal seems a logical progression.

I have been mulling over either Sony 55 or Red Dragon, but they are both a huge jump, and I'm keeping an eye on Blackmagic, but just don't like the way their cams look or feel or operate etc. I feel that Canon will continue to produce quality pro gear and any investment now will play well into the future.

So....right now I can, with all rebates purchase a c500, Odyssey7 4k and and an ef 24-70 f4 for about 18,700.

I am not ready to jump into Cine primes as I really like the Zeiss look.

The ef 24-70 f4 in this deal comes out to about $400 after double rebate/amex card and I would love to have it for the 1d c as lightest weight weather sealed zoom run and gun.

So the big question here is about the Odyssey. I played with one a few months ago and it seems like a great bit of gear. But, I can't figure out when or how it's actually going to work 4k on the c500. Has anybody figured this out?

Any other advice suggestions etc as this ends on Jan 4 and I need to pull the trigger.

Oh, another reason is I was thinking of getting another 1d c anyway for 2cam shooting.

I also like that with the odyssey all the raw options open up that 1d c and c300 don't have.

HELP!
 
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The C500 sure delivers a nice image: resolved detail, color, contrast is all there. It's not at the very top on dynamic range compared to Alexa or Dragon, but it isn't bad either.

The C500 rigs I've seen have been pretty bulky, due to external recorder and support. I feel it's a team camera, not for a one man show (similar to Alexa and maybe RED).

I do think the BMPC 4k S35 will deliver a stunning image for the price, but it might not be completely clean and artifact free. Still, hard to beat for scripted production work.

Damn, looking at all the cameras that comes and goes, both cheaper and more expensive, I sure become more impressed with the 1Dc and the package that it offers every day.

Personally for a second rig I'd pick up a C100 (again) this time with auto focus and maybe a Defy G5 gimbal. But I don't feel that I need to move everything into 4k just yet.
 
Well, I love the 1d c and was looking to get another. C500 with od7 is not as bulky as previous recorder combos and it makes a near quality Red/Alexa alternative that has a much cheaper buy in that lets me use all my current lenses, rigging etc. It is a tough call. I am in South America a lot and need strong pro gear, though others may not agree I simply can not trust Blackmagic in the sticks. Canon is everywhere in the world. I have no interest in c100.
 
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Better call Odyssey directly, I read through all the documentations they had on line a few months back since I was interested to get a good LCDVF. Seems like the basic Odyssey7Q do not come with the 4K codec,you need to buy codec pack for C500 4k/QHD RAW or the other more common 4K friendly codec. Also you need to purchase extra fast(custom?) SSD from them if you need it to work with them the price add up to twice the basic price.




Does the DC Sigma glass work well on the 1DC? I read you were trying it out somewhere in this forum.

OH 180K is a good buy for the C500


http://www.convergent-design.com/Products/Odyssey7Q.aspx#Options-51
 
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I just bought a c500 and 7q . With the rebates canon has going I felt it was too good of a Deal to pass up.

The 7q is an awesome monitor at the current price point and an even better deal with t he rebate program. And it's a 4k recorder! It is true that to enable canon raw 4k you need to buy a license but that license can be on daily basis or a blanket basis so you do have some flex there. I can't really comment on the 1dc choice because I stay away from dslrs if at all possible. The c500 is a great camera and while it does not have the dr of an Alexa, it suits my needs and hits the right price point . I do a lot of traveling and the canon cinema series cameras are the right size, quality to suit me needs perfectly.
 
The price is fantastic. And remember there are some productions who like to shoot in 2k as well. C500 shoots in 12bit in 2k mode.
 
If getting into 4K in a big way means that you have many clients demanding and paying for 4K production then I would say it depends. Around my neck of the woods the Red Epic is still king of the hill and the most in demand. That is what I would be competing against for commercial production. The Canon 500 and Odyssey 7Q does not have the same track record yet. Considering you have to pay for the codec I am not sure of the exact value of the package you are intersted in buying.
 
Yes, getting into 4k production in a big way means "for me" having the ability to shoot with 2 4k cameras at the same time. That I own. With an equipment package that is lightweight and serves both. I am in South America a lot. I am not chasing clients. I think it will take time for the 4k world to shake out, what intrigues me is that for not a lot more money in getting the C500 at this price you are buying the very established C300 with a future upgrade path. If I hadn't fallen in love with 1d c imaging and ease of use, I probably would be thinking differently. Now with the C500 I see a way to do 90% of what I do with it and 1d c. I can then put more resources into the editing stage which in 4k is a huge outlay. When I need a bigger gun it makes more sense to rent.

The toughest part here is nailing down the Odyessey Q7 cost and availability.
 
Some notes on the Odyseey7Q for use with the C500.

Currently the Odyssey7Q will record Canon RAW 4K files from 24-60fps. Eventually we will record all resolutions and frame rates, but right now our engineers are locking down the various flavors of a popular compressed video codec. Once that work is complete (which should be soon), the Odyssey7Q will also be able to accept the 4K Canon RAW, deBayer it and record it in 4K in the compressed video codec.

All of the above functionality is included in the Canon RAW recording option available for the Odyssey7Q. There is no penalty if the recording option is purchased today. As more functionality is made available, it will be provided to all clients who purchase the recording option via free firmware updates. Before purchasing the recording option, it can be demoed for free, but the recordings will have a blue line through the image.

The list purchase price for the Odyssey7Q is US$2295.
The Canon RAW recording option purchase price is US$1495.
Odyssey SSDs are US $395 (256G) and US $795 (512G).
You would need to check with your local Convergent Design dealer to determine rates in your location.
A list of dealers is available on our website.
 
Canon will allow us to take the $1000 C500/7Q Instant Rebate even though the 7Q is backordered.

We just have to have the 7Q on the C500 invoice for the $1000 Instant Rebate to be honored by Canon.
 
Note that it is an instant rebate of $3000 for the camera and $1000 for the recorder. So for the next two days Canon is effectively offering to buy you an Odyssey7Q if you buy a C500.
 
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