Pro video blog…Produced by Philip Johnston DoP/Editor

  • Single 8.3 megapixel 2160×3840 Super-35 CMOS sensor (4K resolution) with Digic DV III processor
  • Canon XF codec (50Mbps 4:2:2 1080p30 MPEG2 MXF) records to two Compact Flash card slots
  • Canon Log gamma, SDI, compact body, Custom Presets and menus similar to Canon XF series
  • Exposure and focus control are completely manual — there is no AE or AF on either camera
  • Sold as a system, incl. LCD monitor / XLR audio unit, side grip, top handle, batt. & charger
  • Availability: Jan. 2012; Price: appx. $16,000 USD (for C300) and $20,000 USD (C300 PL)

The rest of the Cinema EOS system includes Canon’s own high-end cinema zoom lenses… first their two zooms, the PL-mount versions of which were previously announced and exhibited earlier this year back in April at NAB2010. All resolve to 4K:

  • Canon Zoom Lens CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L S (wide zoom, EF version)
  • Canon Zoom Lens CN-E14.5-60mm T2.6 L SP (wide zoom, PL version)
  • Canon Zoom Lens CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L S (telephoto zoom, EF version)
  • Canon Zoom Lens CN-E30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP (telephoto zoom, PL version)

And three yet-to-be-released primes, all resolve to 4K but all are EF-mount only:

  • Canon Prime Lens CTZ-029 (24mm)
  • Canon Prime Lens CTZ-030 (50mm)
  • Canon Prime Lens CTZ-031 (85mm)
This is Canons dig at the Sony F3 and by all accounts it will have a major impact on the F3 sales but for us mere mortals this £10,000 camera is directed at broadcast cinematography like dramas etc.
HDW…It’s a wee bit of a letdown that Canon did not entertain the £5K market with a cut down version we were told there might be 2 versions but I was not expecting a £10K plus a dearer version.
My thanks to engadget for their fantastic coverage.   http://www.engadget.com
author

Having been working in the video business since 1988 I have amassed a great amount of knowledge of both the kit and production values over the last 30 years.

21 thoughts on ““EOS C300” 1st live picture £10,000 for non PL version ?

  1. Looks like they’ve borrowed from the DSLR form factor – Looks good.
    Jannard’s face must be red my now. Is that a wee unfair?

  2. This $16k camera is hi-end cinematography? Only 1080p, no RAW format? I’m sure it’s an excellent camera for broadcast, corporate and commercials, it’s but definitely not hi-end cinematography, it’s just overpriced. And it’s nothing new to the market, no revolution.

    I wonder if there are still people out there thining RED should be afraid.

  3. that’s why people use external recorder from 4k camera head…yes red should be worried

  4. You’ll probably turn out to be right on the button. I never thought I’d want Martin Scorses to bugger off, but enough of the big talk, tell us the details!

  5. Ok, so obviously people still think 1080p MPEG2 can compete 3k+ 16bit RAW

    I’m pretty sure even Jim expected more from Canon, given the big announcement.

  6. RED should have been worried about this camera 4 years ago. Well, not really.

    What external recorder records the 4k RAW sensor output of this camera? Does it even give out a 4k signal? I doubt that.

  7. I have to say I’m not so bothered by the manual controls. Though having to drop to 720 for 50fps is dissapointing. Got to love that codec though, bet sony release a 50mbps update for the F3 soon!

  8. Just realised, if those new EF lenses are all manual, we don’t need to worry about using them with dumb adaptors on our AF100’s and FS100’s 🙂 now, will they be cheaper than the PL versions???

  9. Final stinger: $20k, not $16k as some sites guessed. Sorry, got to pass on that one, 1080p50 too nice to do without. And it’s still 8 bit on-board? And my EOS lenses won’t have IS or AF?

    Thanks, Canon, for not devaluing my FS100. Now, Mr Jannard, what are you up to?

  10. Scarlet specs, price and availability are out.

    Now, is someone still that delusional thinking RED should be worried?

  11. The biggest and most pleasant surprise for me was that RED dumped the 2/3inch fixed lens non-sense.
    The next biggest surprise was that Canon think that their overpriced 8-bit, HD broadcast standard camera will make in-roads into RED, Alexa etc cinema territory. It’s really just an interchangeable lens large sensor XF305.
    What are the viewfinder specs of the C300. Vincent Laforet made the comment after shooting with the C300 – “We found ourselves using Zacuto EVFs with the camera and the new Marshall monitors with built in waveform graphs with excellent success.”
    Please no more broken HDMI cables!
    I think that a core group of Canon lens and 5D owners who were hoping for something better and attainable were comprehensively ignored. Maybe that was why the EOS 1DX (without headphone jack) was announced first.
    Overall though, I think for the money RED has won the day. I do have doubts about RED reliability though and who’s going to enjoy the headache of a cropped image when shooting 2K?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *