I love the C300 mark II. At first when I head the announcement, as most people I was angry – oh, it’s so expensive, how dare they, look at the FS7, bla, blah… and other crap like that; it is not everyone’s cup of tea for sure, but the damn thing works out of the box and doesn’t require a book to read in order to get some decent stuff out of it as some Sony and Panasonic cameras do. It’s “expensive” for a reason, and that it is a high end professional tool with phenomenal colour science, industry’s best autofocus aids for video and one of the best 2K codecs in the business including 12bit RGB 444 on board. 4K is limited to 30, but I couldn’t care less.
I had a chance to shoot a little promo on the C300 mark II a while back, which you can see here. Since then I have been learning more and more about the features of the camera, as I went and shot with it without knowing much about the new features or how to use them properly. Luckily Jem Schofield and Canon have partnered up to give us some really informative video tutorials around the new features in the Canon C300 Mark II.
Canon C300 Mark II: New Features
Canon C300 Mark II: Custom Picture Menus
External recording options:
Browser Remote with the WFT-E6A:
Focus Assist Features
4K Monitoring with the Canon DP-V2410 4K Monitor:
Features
- Super 35mm CMOS Sensor
- 4K/24p and 30p
- 2K RGB 444 12bit and 10bit options
- Canon XF AVC H.264 Codec at 400+ MB/s
- 4K RAW output
- EF Lens Mount
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF Technology
- Rotating 4″ LCD Monitor
- 2x 3G-SDI Output, 2x XLR Inputs
- 2x CFast Card Slots
- Timecode I/O, Genlock In & Sync Out
- Canon Log 2 Gamma
I think the Canon C300 Mark II is one of the most solid investments that one can make today. I put it up there with the Varicam LT/35, the Amira, the Epic and the F55 in terms of the high-level work they can do. The C300 and now the C300 II are very well respected, especially in the UK, where the C300 II is now at 0% for 2 years , and costs body only £10K.
Now come to think of it, a camera that nobody talks or thinks about is the C500 – which can do most of the resolutions and frame rates the C300 II can but can only do so externally to an Odyssse7Q or O7Q+. Now that the C500 is about £7K in the UK and the C500 II looming at NAB, maybe the C500 will make a lot more sense to those who don’t want to shell out £10K for a C300 II?
NAB 2016 runs from 16th to 21st April this year and we’ll bring more updates and news as they get released.
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I’m sorry, but the fact that 4k is limited to 30fps is a complete and total deal breaker for so many types of productions. For a camera this expensive, it needs to be able to properly overcrank. Slow motion is a HUGE part of music videos, commercial production, heck even the documentary world uses it (b-roll is often full of slow motion). Come on Canon. This is flagship your camera. Give it some proper slow motion.
Just face that Canon is dead on that department. They shoot the foot in every new launch. I was used to use Canon now I swap to use Sony and Panasonic, better brands, better overall cameras, and less overpriced hardware that sucks like Canon do now days.
You’d be surprised if you work in the UK in broadcast. C300 original is everywhere and the c300 II is getting out there fast. But to each is own, certainly if Sony or Panasonic is your preference – that;s great. Today there is pretty much a camera for every taste and whim. I personally think that Canon have a much easier colour science to work with if you are not a colourist. I am not a colourist and always struggle to get solid colours out of a Sony camera, maybe its my lack of experience, being an idiot or the fact that Canon EOS’s colour science is just better. i don’t know but, not many people have the time budget or inclination to work hard on an image to get solid colours out of it. Slog2 and even 3 require quite a bit of work if not treated properly in camera, whereas the Canon log is way more forgiving and easier to grade (for non-colourists). my thoughts on the matter. Trust me when the announce the c500 II in 2 weeks at NAB at a much higher price point, everyone will get the pitchforks, but when the dust settles, it will be different.
If you need 4K/60fps + for commercials rent a Phantom Flex 4K/Dragon/Vari 35. For what it is the C300 II’s 4K is really an add-on rather than the main feature. Most cameras in the mid-tier lack any form of RGB 444 recording at any rate , which is obviously essential for green screen work and a major plus for high end commercials and features. It may be a deal breaker for you, that’s fine, but for 90% of people out there who work in broadcast 4K/30 is the least of their concern. They want a tool that works out of the box, top notch reliability, great images and solid colour. C300 II has them in spades.