Talk me out of buying the C300

M

mraaron895

Well-known member
So as it stands I'm a self employed 23 year old in the video world. My main source of income is booking and filming weddings, which I really enjoy! I've also made some big connections with companies and have worked with some major brands and labels. In a few days my FS100 will be sold and I'll need a replacement camera. When the C100 was first announced I was really interested. However I've only ever owned pro-sumer cameras, and feel like I've always struggled with their drawbacks. Now I can't afford an Alexa, and I'm not interested in the RED cameras or their workflow. The C300 has the form factor for moving quickly at weddings, and the professional connections and codec when I'm in a commercial environment.
I know 4K is kind of the talk of the town and lots of people have invested in the FS700, which coming from the FS100 I have no interest in. But the reality is that even when 4K televisions are in every living room in the world TV's will have to be 100+ inches for a viewer to take advantage of that resolution. Or sit a foot away with a magnifying glass on their 50inch TV.


So while this sounds like a rant, which it really isn't, I'm really trying to flush out my train of thought for the incredibly smart and talented people here on DVXUSER. Have you found that owning or using the C300 allows you more piece of mind and confidence when working in a professional environment? And is the C300 a camera you feel you can use for the next 5 years?

Please no responses about how its not the tool, its the operator. A skilled operator can use any tool wisely, but some tools are better to work with.
 
I live in Uganda, and while there is not a big film industry out here we do get a lot of film crews from numerous different channels coming out here to film stuff all the time. In the last 8 months I met 11 different International documentary crews. 3 of them were using Sony XDCams. 1 of them was using a mixture of DSLRs (5DMk2 and 7D). 1 of them was using a RED1 MX. 1 of them was using 2 Canon XF300 cameras. 5 of them were using C300's, all of them with the EF mount.

I'm pretty shocked about how popular that camera seems to be with TV documentary crews; these are guys working on Planet Doctors, various Discovery style travel shows, independent shows for UK production companies, and some BBC productions. All of the crews rave about the camera; its reliability especially (it works well in this humid hot and dusty environment). A couple of the C300 crews also had some Canon XF cameras with them as well, as B cameras.

It doesn't seem to be a popular camera on internet forums; but meanwhile working TV crews seem to love it.
 
I don't see any camera as a five year investment. I like the C300, I shoot with it a lot, but I'd be staggered if I'm still shooting on one in one year, let alone five.
 
mraaron895 said:
Have you found that owning or using the C300 allows you more piece of mind and confidence when working in a professional environment? And is the C300 a camera you feel you can use for the next 5 years?

Please no responses about how its not the tool, its the operator. A skilled operator can use any tool wisely, but some tools are better to work with.
Click to expand...

On the first part of your question, just as an example: Shooting a TVC this week just gone and used my C300 on the job - just didnt think about the camera at all on the shoot day ( I had done prep etc ). Just got on with the job. Camera never slowed me down. I trust it to do what its capable of when asked.

Is the C300 a camera I can use for the next 5 years? Hard to say - it depends on my clients. Most currently easily get into the C300 when I show the some images from bits and pieces Ive shot. On the other hand Ive got an Epic shoot booked for January. Just a matter of the Epic is appropriate in this instance with a bunch of over crank shots required. ( C300 not the cam for over crank).

Me personally - C300 is a magic little camera. Does what you want 9 out of every 10 times. I really enjoy using it. It loves it when I create plenty of lighting contrast - equally its ready to be stripped down and go light. Shot a couple of interviews on a - well what you guys would call a cattle ranch a few weeks ago - these people have bulls that are extremely high priced and highly prized around the world so, this was a good paying client. Had to shoot them in the middle of nowhere - cattle in the BG. I went light with the camera, slung the tripod - shots looked great.

Every two weeks I have at least one green screen shoot I use the C300 on. Always easy - but requires a little tweaking on the in cam settings.

For me: I get solid images every time in different environments, that always satisfies whoever Im shooting for. At the end of the day thats what I need.

If you genuinely:

1/ Think the C300 is going to give you that extra freedom to get on with creating

and

2/ Wont put you into hock and will pay for itself quick smart

then

Im not going to try and talk you out of it :)
 
@simonpwood
Thanks for the response, I like hearing that the camera can take some "abuse" that's what I'm looking for. It's also interesting that the camera has been so quickly accepted for documentary and independent productions who travel. It sounds like it's making a dent in the 2/3 inch cameras that have long been the camera de facto in that market.

@Liam Hall
I' be interested to hear where you think the C300 will fall short in the next 5 years? It's one of the few cameras that can meet broadcast quality standards today. Do you see TV production standards changing dramatically in the next few years?
 
@Noel Evans
Thank you for the information. Most of the projects I work on are in a fast paced environment with sometimes little ability for prep, as a lot of productions now a days are. Would you personally lean towards shooting with the C300 over RED if you were in a similar working situation?
 
Hi there,

Ive been in the video business since S VHS and the first Sony VX100. No camera will last 5 years not if you want to keep up to date. At present l have had the C300 since end of Feb and it is a truly great camera. A joy to use, fast flexible with just fab images if you get the correct exposure. Not on glitch or minor problem, and its low light qualities are beyond anything out there. Yes its 1920 x 1080 but my productions are never used more than 720.

Get the C300, use it, earn money on it, then if something better comes out in 8 months, trade in and move up. In general l have found it important to move early and not to hang on to cameras. Ok l bought my C300 for say £ 10,000 kitting out another £ 2000 i use the camera for 12 months trade it in and get say £ 7000, thats a lose of £ 5000.00 by 12 so the camera has cost £ 416.00 per month, less than a days worK! try hiring it per month for that! additionally you get in the UK tax off set for selling early so you with the tax refund its more like £ 350 per month.

If you can't earn the money from it then its a burden, my C300 paid for its self within 6 weeks, so when l trade it in for the next best thing to come along its a win win situation.

Hope that helps
 
mraaron895 said:
@Noel Evans
Thank you for the information. Most of the projects I work on are in a fast paced environment with sometimes little ability for prep, as a lot of productions now a days are. Would you personally lean towards shooting with the C300 over RED if you were in a similar working situation?
Click to expand...

Absolutely - without question.
 
@Andrew S
Thank's for the response. I completely agree with your thought process. I take my business seriously and have always felt that if I invest in the best equipment I can afford it will in turn attract the best quality clients (also the most paying).
 
I can´t think of any other camera better for weddings than the C300. Small, lightweight, built in NDs and ultra high sensitive (for those dark churches). Batteries are cheap and light and last very long. And you can use Canon EOS lenses which helps save money in glass.
I see two downsides however:
- overpriced
- bad ergonomics for handheld
 
@macgregor
Thanks for your input. The C100 was very tempting especially with it's price point. But the C300 just does what I want a camera to do. What more would you want the C300 to have in order to not consider it to be overpriced? Besides slomotion and 10bit output?
 
mraaron895 said:
@macgregor
Thanks for your input. The C100 was very tempting especially with it's price point. But the C300 just does what I want a camera to do. What more would you want the C300 to have in order to not consider it to be overpriced? Besides slomotion and 10bit output?
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Well those are two big points. Either that or a 50% discount on the price.
What´s stoping you from getting the C100? It might be even be better for you. Half the price of the C300. Eos mount anyway. Rear LCD (I find the lcd poition on the c300 not ideal in terms of balance), and since you're shooting weddings does it matter it´s 420? You´re going to end up doing a bluray with those same specs and I doubt you´ll be doing any secondary color corrections anway
 
@macgregor
While I do a lot of weddings I'm also really involved in bigger commercial productions. The C300 has the professional connections, codec and workflow all built in. I really want a camera that will fit in both environments without have to add on accessories.

I personally feel like if I was working with a professional camera instead of a DSLR or prosumer camera I'd be able to continue to advance my client market.
 
@macgregor
A good suggestion. But I don't think I could move as fast as I need to with the Scarlet or any RED camera. My workflow both in the field and in post needs to be quick.
 
Kegan said:
^ Agreed. Atomos Ninja on a Scarlet, recording to Prores is a great alternative!
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It is at least more future proof (prores or avid dnxhd for weddings, and 4K for commercials), probably easier to sell in a couple years, sensor can be upgraded... Downside is the lack of NDs.
 
Very true for the commercial world or set environment. But for the field and in uncontrollable situations without lighting? Or no light?
 
I should also say thank you to everyone who has replied. When making a purchase of this amount my goal is to ask as many questions as possible and try to disprove my pre-conceived theories.
 
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