C200: The new Canon C200 with 4K

cpreston said:
Yeah, I'm just thinking it is worth mentioning what it is that people think makes the C200 better than the C300 II. A used C300 II costs the same as a C200, so it is basically a matter of comparing the specs that you need if you plan on buying a Canon camera in 2017. I bought a C300 II right before the C200 was announced and I don't regret my decision.
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A new camera like the C200 is always exciting. I was jones-ing for this thing when it first came out. I think a lot of people got mesmerized at first. After the honeymoon is over you start to see faults, a few people have said the same thing to me and end up going for the C300 MKII. I'd buy a C300 mkii over the C200 any day, but I'll probably end up getting a used C300. If the C200 had 10 bit I'd buy a new C200, and have a near perfect camera. That said, for now I'm buying a Mavic pro as a placebo to satisfy my insatiable gear lust.... should hold me over until I get the C300 MKII.
 
Michael Thames said:
...If the C200 had 10 bit I'd buy a new C200, and have a near perfect camera.
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C200 is 4K/UHD 50p version of C100 mark II. Canon with the "raw light" gives you 4K (UHD) 50p with 1Gbps - it is really good compression ratio (uncompressed UHD 50p in YCC422 10bit is about 8,3Gbps). A lot of people don't remember that UHD 25p at 410Mbps is OK, but at 50p you need a higher bitrate. So there is no need to record a 4K raw light externaly, bitrate is ok.

New H265 codec starts about 2020 at Europe and is only 50p (no 50i). So at five years we will see better TVs, UHD 50p will be a new standard. I see the C200 as a version of C100 - so there is protection of C300. Only problem with C200 is price, but it is Canon. And if you work only at HD, then there are C100 mark II and C300 mark II.

We will see a C400 with 4K/UHD 50p (UHD 50p about 700Mbps, 422, 10bit or even 444, 12bit). I think that C200 is a preparation for this step.
 
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Michael Thames said:
A new camera like the C200 is always exciting. I was jones-ing for this thing when it first came out. I think a lot of people got mesmerized at first. After the honeymoon is over you start to see faults, a few people have said the same thing to me and end up going for the C300 MKII. I'd buy a C300 mkii over the C200 any day, but I'll probably end up getting a used C300. If the C200 had 10 bit I'd buy a new C200, and have a near perfect camera. That said, for now I'm buying a Mavic pro as a placebo to satisfy my insatiable gear lust.... should hold me over until I get the C300 MKII.
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Michael no disrespect but why does a hobbyist want a c300 ii? Save your pennies!
 
rob norton said:
Michael no disrespect but why does a hobbyist want a c300 ii? Save your pennies!
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Several reasons. Through a chance meeting I was offered help by a woman who gets funding for PBS to fund a documentary I was considering about music in NM, and in particular the Flamenco guitar scene here. I've had interest from other profesional film makers to work together on this. This idea fits in well with my day job, and video and sound production is a growing passion for me these days with no end in sight.

Second is I plan on moving to Thailand in a year or so. Last time I was there I met a professional sound engineer who was also planning to move there. He got work in Thailand and asked me if I had some gear he could borrow for something he was working on there..... he also does video work. The thought occurred to me perhaps I could work with him as well. He told me the guy he was working with had an FS7. I joked and called it a poor mans C300. Having a C300 mkii would be an asset that might open some doors there. Not being a profession but shooting video with profesional equipment in public has opened up some possibilities and I've made some connections with people in high places. This would not have happen if I was shooting on a DSLR. I get slammed by other professionals when I say such things, but I have real personal experience with profesional looking gear opening up possibilities even though I'm not a professional as well in the audio world.

Even in the videos I do now of guitarists, I like the option to shoot in 4K to allow me to punch in on the image without loosing resolution. I do that now on the C100 and the image resolution suffers. Also, I learned that promoting my work through video is vitally important. When I started doing video 11 years ago to promote my guitars very few people were doing it, now everyone is doing it and the better my video and audio are the better for my business. I dislike the term "hobbyist" as video is vital to my work without video I wouldn't be in business. So, any camera gear I buy is a tax detection. So instead of buying a great camera, what should I be spending my pennies on?

From an artistic side yes perhaps I'm a "hobbyist", but every time I do a shoot I learn something, and that is more satisfying to me than if I were some kind of professional news camera man or were some 9 to 5 guy.

There is no way at this point in my life I would want to be a profesional in the film industry. I appreciate the amount of knowledge and skills you guys and girls have to perform your work under encredible pressure and produce flawless results. I have enough pressure in my life to consistently produce world class guitars. So I look to video as a relief and something fun and different and definitely don't want to do it profesional. I just want to enjoy it, and a C300 mkii would give me lots to enjoy.

Perhaps as a hobbyist you think I should just use DSLR's instead of my C100's, or get some cheap lights at Home Depot? Maybe if I was a teenager starting out I'd do that.
 
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Michael Thames said:
Do you have any additional info. 4K raw, or what? There is something very video-ish about that image. Very clear, but very video-ish.
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It's shot at 60p and shown at 60p. Anything shot and shown at that framerate looks like video / soap opera / news. It doesn't matter how much sharpness, dynamic range, or any other filmic attribute the camera has, if it's not shot at 24p it's going to look like video.
 
Jaime Valles said:
It's shot at 60p and shown at 60p. Anything shot and shown at that framerate looks like video / soap opera / news. It doesn't matter how much sharpness, dynamic range, or any other filmic attribute the camera has, if it's not shot at 24p it's going to look like video.
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Oh OK thanks! Didn't realize it was shot at 60p.......That's a relief.
 
One can surmise that the dynamic range is impressive because the windows aren't entirely blown off.

Of course, a shaky handheld footage does little for this or any camera.
 
Michael Thames said:
So we shouldn't expect 4K in a $7500 camera then? According to some it surpasses the C300 mkii. Maybe Canon is re-arranging the furniture.
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That I don't know, I was just remarking on your comment that the C200 was a "top of the line camera" when it is clearly not. The C700 is a top of the line camera.

BTW, get ready to deal with the current DJI GO 4 app bug in your new Mavic Pro, it's very frustrating, hope DJI fixes it soon. I have been NOT shooting with mine because it's not fun anymore. It was so much fun to shoot with when I first got it about a month ago, but the glitching and stuttering video feed is disconcerting when you are just learning how to fly.
 
puredrifting said:
That I don't know, I was just remarking on your comment that the C200 was a "top of the line camera" when it is clearly not. The C700 is a top of the line camera.

BTW, get ready to deal with the current DJI GO 4 app bug in your new Mavic Pro, it's very frustrating, hope DJI fixes it soon. I have been NOT shooting with mine because it's not fun anymore. It was so much fun to shoot with when I first got it about a month ago, but the glitching and stuttering video feed is disconcerting when you are just learning how to fly.
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I know it's not the top of the line for Canon, but I kinda think its a top of the line camera in the pecking order of expensive cameras, at least it is for me. Anyway, you know what I mean, for this price should have 4K and 10 bit.

Cancelled my Mavic order waiting for my CC to clear payment, maybe a blessing in disguise. Still considering it though. The Mavic case I ordered from Amazon arrived with a bunch of accessories, probably will end up getting it.

Ive been haunting the DJI Mavic forum in the last few days, but no mention of the Go 4 app having any problems, but I will do more investigating, I wasn't looking specifically for that. Does seem like a lot of issues with the Mavic though..... bummer.

It looks like a blast and here in Northern New Mexico there are a lot of wide open spaces, I can see how I will be spending less time working and more time screwing off..... not good.... ha!
 
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