Canon EOS C100 review – an underestimated cinema camera

For this video specifically: All sponsoring income from this video will go to the “rainbow of hope” children’s home in Moldova.

The most affordable of Canon’s “cinema cameras” the EOS C100, has been around since late last year when I had a chance to test it in a real world environment (see video above).
In the light of recent camera announcements at NAB and the current C100 price drop I’d like to share my experience and tell you why I think the EOS C100 is one of the most important and underestimated cameras of 2013.

Everyone tells you that each project requires a different tool. Well that’s certainly true and sounds very professional, but if you’re interested to read about the C100 your budget probably limits your shooting style and choice of camera to only very few valid candidates currently available.

In this price range you are like so many others still looking and waiting for a camera that truly supports and helps you express your filmmaking ambition, be it documentary or fiction or anything in between.

Here’s a camera I can truly recommend. It has no big red labels screaming things like 4K, 12bit, or 3D for that matter (that was last year’s hype), in fact it has nothing too fancy about it: It’s HD, it does 30p max and has a mediocre file compression system. But don’t be fooled by technical specs, because this camera is superb within its boundaries and a surprisingly strong, well rounded tool from top to bottom.

Let me give you some examples:

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Deity Mira – Quality viewfinder for Canon C300 / 500

The Deity Mira viewfinder is an LCD loupe for the Canon EOS C300 and EOS C500 cameras offering a convenient, complementary solution for handheld and outdoor use.

Filmmaker Sebastien Devaut has been closely involved in the development of the Deity Mira which was created with the quality demands of professional camera operators in mind. The device is made of high quality materials, precisely milled aluminum and two custom made glass elements. After a long development period it is finally beginning to be shipped out.

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Canon EOS C300 – now $2000 off

The Canon C300 has just been significantly reduced in price. B&H sent out a notice announcing a $2000 pricedrop.

Even though there is competition for the C300 with the introduction of the C500 and low priced C100 the C300 fills an important slot with its internal All-I codec and SDI connection possibilities.

There’s more competition from Sony with their new PMW-F5 model that’s already in stock.

Both the PL version as well as the EF version of the EOS C300 are now $2000 off and available at B&H with 0% financing.

That makes the C300 priced at $13,999 right now.

Canon – late but not never: C300 fringing fix & new C camera?

Canon finally released an official fix to the colour fringing problem. So far affected cameras had to be sent in for service.

Canon’s large sensor video cameras including HDSLR’s were never perfect from the start, but eventually Canon always fixed something. You might remember that time when the Canon 5D mark II had no manual mode and we had to cope and lock down the automatic mode somehow (Good old times…). We observe that eventually Canon delivered manual mode.

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