After years of wondering if Canon would ever release a true large sensor video camera, the wait is finally over. However, it may not be what you were hoping for.
The C300 is Canon’s answer to the cinema world. The camera will be available in two main flavors, an EF mount version to use with Canon’s existing lens lineup and a PL mount version to use with high end cinema lenses. The main features to look at are its 4K sensor which records at 1080p, ISO up to 20,000, dual CF slots, pro inputs/outputs with XLR and HD-SDI, Canon’s XF codec recording format and built in ND filters all packed into a very small body. In fact, the small form factor was intended to allow professionals to use their existing DSLR rigs. According to Vincent Laforet, the footage from the C300 can easily mix with cameras like the RED Epic or Arri Alexa.
The biggest disappointment is the price. At $20,000, it prices itself in the budget of only high end productions. Still, if the features fit your needs, it can easily be something you could rent for your next film.
Here is Vincent Laforet’s short shot on the C300:
Behind the scenes of “Mobius”:
Check out Engadget’s interview with Vincent showing off a few of the features:
I find this camera pretty disappointing. Red is offering a camera which (for most people) is far superior and for the same price you can get it with a pretty substantial set of accessories and tools. It also does things with Canon lenses that Canon’s own camera doesn’t do (auto focus being the biggest one). Admittedly, for video you are going to be doing manual focus most of the time anyway, but to argue that auto focus is in no way useful would be silly.