C100: Philip Bloom reviews the Canon C100

To the guy who posted a link to an Ebay page - Your avitar says Canada, on the link it says the equipment is located in New Jersey.....sounds like grey market to me. If you were a legit Canon Cinema EOS dealer in the US, you'd post your company name and you could not sell the above package at that price (below cost).......
So, buyer beware....

Jim Martin
Filmtools.com
Canon Cinema EOS Dealer
 
Too me the C100 is that step into a serious camera out of the HDslr world. Looking back they should have released it a lot sooner and closer to the C300. But most would agree that they didn't want to affect the C300 sales and to me it's quite understandable. But if one was stepping out of the HDslr world the C100 is probably the best choice on the market. Out of the box is has everything you need to shoot high quality images to todays HD standards. Ergonomically its the camera to beat. By the time you get an HDslr set up to shoot like you can with the C100 out of the box you've basically spent about the same money, but lack the same image.
The EVF really doesn't bother me. If I need better viewing I'll use the z-finder or an external evf. But on the go run and gun I can use the EVF just fine (I have an xf105 so I'm used to it I guess). The lack of 60p doesn't bother me anymore as the 60i drop into a 24 or 30p timeline works just fine. It's sharper than Dslr 720/60p. If you're a slow-mo junkie than buy the FS700. I'm not a slow-mo junkie so all is well with the 60i.

Out of all the cameras I've owned that record video, the C100 is by far my favorite. It's just that easy to use and get great images from. All of the major functions and access to them in outside on the body. And if you need that extra bump out of AVCHD, just pop the affordable ninja on it and you're good to go. If it were such a bad camera, it wouldn't be jumping off the shelves at camera stores. And the reason I go with Canon is reliability and "IF" you need repair there are Canon support centers everywhere. I've had at least a dozen canon digital cameras and only had one repair done which was a loose firewire socket which was fixed in a day. Like it or not, Canon gets the shot...

Many will argue that the Blackmagic camera is the step out of the HDslr world. Image wise, maybe. It does have a nice image (minus the moire). But for the one man band or the jack of all traits shooter I can't recommend the BMC. Reason is that if you shoot a indie narrative one day but next week you have a corporate shoot that is fast paced, the camera takes you back to HDslr add-ons. You will be adding so much clutter to your camera to make it operate such as external sound and ND, battery power and image monitoring. Once rigged it's really not a fast paced camera anymore. Once rigged, it's not really a cheap camera anymore as well. The C100 can do corporate, event, and run and gun bare bones and stay light and quick. I've had both cameras and it's the main reason I went with the C100. The ability to approach ALL jobs with a really easy to use camera that delivers a great image. The great thing is that both cameras are available and affordable so one can pick and choose based on how the job is to be shot.

The C300 is just a little pricy for most. I'd love to have one as the XF codec is awesome! It's the camera for Cowpunk for sure as he seems to shoot tons for broadcast, so it's justified. But the great thing is that the C300 is rentable everywhere!
By the way, if you own or plan on using the C300/100, make sure to take a look at Cowpunks camera profiles! The guy really knows the Canon menus....
 
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MattDavis said:
Guys, try it. Try it. Constant AF? It's wading through custard (or your choice of non-Newtonian fluid). Like most AF systems, it develops a huge infatuation with the most inappropriate plane of focus.

I invested in 'the right kind of lens' for this mode to work, and I'm happy to say that it's a great 'Dad-Cam' lens - really works great on my 550D/T2i, if you can deal with the fact that it is TOTALLY auto - it is the most non-parfocal lens I have ever worked with, and if you want AF, you have completely and utterly denied your right to manual focus.

Go ahead. Try it. :laugh:
Click to expand...

im not referring to constant auto focus. No thanks. Leave that to consumer users. The one shot push to focus feature is useful.
 
Erik Naso said:
im not referring to constant auto focus. No thanks. Leave that to consumer users. The one shot push to focus feature is useful.
Click to expand...
I agree. It's cool that canon gave the option though. I think that if you need a large sensor cam with AF then the upcoming 70d looks interesting. And if ML gets that puppy shooting raw, I might just have to pick one up for that situation where full AF could come in handy.

I'd really like to see Canon take a XF300 body type, shrink it a bit and then throw a 2/3rd's sensor in it with the XF codec and make it lens interchangeable like the XL1. I would buy that...
 
Post disclaimer, I am a FS700 owner.

I have been working as AC on an American Eagle shoot the last
week. The C300 is one of several cameras being used. I have to
say, I don't get all the hype about it's ergonomics. One screw
in the top handle means no matter how much you tighten it,
it wobbles alarmingly, reminds me a little of the FS100 'handle' in
that regard. The stock handle on the FS700 is MUCH better.
I guess the body is small and shaped like a DSLR so former DSLR
users may like that. It always has rods on it so the smallHD external
monitor can be attached, which means that even without the shoulder
mount rig being attached it doesn't handle particularly well.
In fact, it is usually on a tripod unless we attach the Zacuto shoulder
mount rig with front handles.

Image looks great (not sure that it is all that much better than the FS700
though) but got to give it it's props here, really nice looking (and of course
it's all Canon L glass so that doesn't hurt matters). To shoot slo mo we have to
drop down to 720p which is a pain in a fashion shoot as slo mo is useful. Now
the slo mo looks pretty good, but I have to make a special entry in the camera log
so the DIT can make an entry to note each clip that is 720p. But as the person who
handles this camera the most over the past 5 days (and next two) I have to say, I
really don't see it as being that special ergonomically. Image wise, yeah it's really
good. Not sure but I think the C100 as well as having much of the C300's image
characteristics (which are really good) also handles much the same (which despite
the hype, I find to be very average.....much like any other non shoulder mount
handycam.). Maybe my opinion would be different if they shot with it 'stripped
down' more often. But the DP's favorite lens is the 70-200 F2.8 so it usually is
rigged up.
 
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The C100 has been by far my favorite camera to shoot with.

But I needed higher frame rates, so I sold it and got the FS-700. And I hated having to do that. Sadly, Canon gave me no other real choice.
 
alaskacameradude said:
Post disclaimer, I am a FS700 owner.

I have been working as AC on an American Eagle shoot the last
week. The C300 is one of several cameras being used. I have to
say, I don't get all the hype about it's ergonomics. One screw
in the top handle means no matter how much you tighten it,
it wobbles alarmingly, reminds me a little of the FS100 'handle' in
that regard. The stock handle on the FS700 is MUCH better.
I guess the body is small and shaped like a DSLR so former DSLR
users may like that. It always has rods on it so the smallHD external
monitor can be attached, which means that even without the shoulder
mount rig being attached it doesn't handle particularly well.
In fact, it is usually on a tripod unless we attach the Zacuto shoulder
mount rig with front handles.
Click to expand...

Check that top handle connection - it shouldn't wobble at all. Mine is rock solid every time. With a baseplate on, the ergonomics of using the camera hand-held are a bit moot. I always use mine 'naked' with only stock parts when I'm shooting handheld. Take off the extra gak and you'll understand.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Check that top handle connection - it shouldn't wobble at all. Mine is rock solid every time.
Click to expand...

I find the top handle on the 2 C300's at my work are always a little flimsy. They don't inspire confidence. I am trying to push them into getting a 3rd party handle like the Genus one for the C series but so far it hasn't worked.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Check that top handle connection - it shouldn't wobble at all. Mine is rock solid every time. With a baseplate on, the ergonomics of using the camera hand-held are a bit moot. I always use mine 'naked' with only stock parts when I'm shooting handheld. Take off the extra gak and you'll understand.
Click to expand...

Not only did I check it, but both C300 DPs verified that 'C300 handles just do that' when they
are rigged up, and the RED DP agreed. Having one screw/point of contact for the top handle,
is kind of 'chintzy' on a camera at this price point in my opinion.

As for taking the rigging off, I stripped off the shoulder mount a few times. It was better,
but still not that great in my opinion. You obviously disagree, which is fine. Maybe I had
too high expectations from all the talk about the camera. Don't get me wrong, it's a
great camera, just a bit overhyped in my opinion.
 
I use a C300 and the top handle is firm. Have never seen a top handle loose in my own camera as well as with another piece.

The C300 is designed for barebones shooting. Discard all the contraptions and see how nicely it balances in the hand.
 
indiawilds said:
I use a C300 and the top handle is firm. Have never seen a top handle loose in my own camera as well as with another piece.

The C300 is designed for barebones shooting. Discard all the contraptions and see how nicely it balances in the hand.
Click to expand...

I don't want to get into a 'he said she said'
but I 100% stand by what I said. The handle
on both C300s are not only loose, but all
three DPs (who are well known NY city DPs)
told me this is what they see on C300s...(they
did say these we're worse than usual). In fact it
actually broke today on the shoot when the DP
tried to tighten it up (the screw is what broke.)
It may work fine for you, but on a big shoot,
I think a 3rd party handle is needed.
 
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alaskacameradude said:
I don't want to get into a 'he said she said'
but I 100% stand by what I said. The handle
actually broke today on the shoot when the DP
tried to tighten it up (the screw is what broke.)
Click to expand...
Could you post some photos of that?
The C300 being the longest on the market might be an indicator for the durability of Canon's C series.
There is one report (with photos) of a cracked C100 housing around cold shoe so far and one report of a lens mount with too much play.
Sad for the owners, still I hope they just got lemons...

Edit: the lens mount play seems to be normal...
 
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alaskacameradude said:
Not only did I check it, but both C300 DPs verified that 'C300 handles just do that' when they
are rigged up, and the RED DP agreed. Having one screw/point of contact for the top handle,
is kind of 'chintzy' on a camera at this price point in my opinion.

As for taking the rigging off, I stripped off the shoulder mount a few times. It was better,
but still not that great in my opinion. You obviously disagree, which is fine. Maybe I had
too high expectations from all the talk about the camera. Don't get me wrong, it's a
great camera, just a bit overhyped in my opinion.
Click to expand...

"Overhyped" . Unlike the Red cameras! Huh.
 
Don't get your knickers in a twist alaskacameradude - we're just relaying our own experiences. Anyway, perhaps what has happened is that the small screws on the male shoe side of the handle have come lose a bit and need to be tightened with a screwdriver? Too bad it's been a problem for you - if they're rental cams they're likely not kept in as good of condition as an owner/op's.
 
greenheron said:
"Overhyped" . Unlike the Red cameras! Huh.
Click to expand...

There's not many cameras out today that haven't been overhyped, in my opinion. How many times have we heard "game-changer" in the past several years? I don't know about you, but my game is still the same: do good work with the tools I have available.
 
cowpunk52 said:
There's not many cameras out today that haven't been overhyped, in my opinion. How many times have we heard "game-changer" in the past several years? I don't know about you, but my game is still the same: do good work with the tools I have available.
Click to expand...
Exactly. Most times we won't know which camera's are "game changers" until a few months/years down the line anyway. It takes a marketing department a few minutes to write a press release saying something is game changing but takes many hours of use by the working camera ops before they will say it's revolutionised anything.
 
cowpunk52 said:
Don't get your knickers in a twist alaskacameradude - we're just relaying our own experiences. Anyway, perhaps what has happened is that the small screws on the male shoe side of the handle have come lose a bit and need to be tightened with a screwdriver? Too bad it's been a problem for you - if they're rental cams they're likely not kept in as good of condition as an owner/op's.
Click to expand...

Maybe because these guys like the 70-200 F2.8 which is
a big lens? My main beef is just that there is only only one
screw, not even a locating pin. Just seems like a bad design
to me, much like the FS100 'handle'. Probably works fine
with a prime or small zoom.
 
Happens all the time on my C100 : After couple of hours shooting handheld, I realize the handle is a little bit loose. Then I have to screw back on the wheel. Not a big deal if you do it in time. It has to be kind of habit. If you don't, I don't even want to know what could happen...
 
zavatta said:
Happens all the time on my C100 : After couple of hours shooting handheld, I realize the handle is a little bit loose. Then I have to screw back on the wheel. Not a big deal if you do it in time. It has to be kind of habit. If you don't, I don't even want to know what could happen...
Click to expand...

That's it, the exact same behavior. On this cam,
the 'wheel' on the tightening screw actually broke
just this morning.
 
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