Cameras

Canon C300 Mk II price drop: now under $10K US

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Comments (19)
  1. Doug Ray says:

    I think they should just bite the bullet, make one camera, call it the C250 or something, put everything they’ve ever thought of in there, then build as many as they can, pile them high and charge $10k for it.

    They’d sell a bazillion of them.

  2. Bee says:

    I’m not in the market now but I am surprised the C300mII hasn’t made a bigger impact. It certainly has in particular spaces (docu, branded content), but seems like it hasn’t over all.
    Reason I’m surprised is because when it comes down to it, the image is seriously stunning. It’s a wonderful image. Maybe it’s the lack of 4k 60p? In this day and age, that did seem like an oversight to not include.

    1. Freelance cameraman China/HK says:

      Price, lack of 60p, lack of high frame rate, new battery, new recording media, larger than previous model, very plastic feeling, (most of the C300 screen lock is damage when you go for a rented one)

      Sony was not my favorite brand, but after moving to Sony with FS7 mark 2, I don’t look back to Canon. Even cheaper price don’t make the camera more appealing. If they were to give the C200 the right codec, it will be a must have, but they need 10 months to do so from now!

      The vari ND, so many lens option, cheap powering option, plenty of buttons, plenty of codec, high frame rate… all is there.

  3. Minu Park says:

    … hahaha….

    while Red camera is priced up, Canon priced it down…

    I feel bad for people who bought the camera. I guess c200 would be priced down very quickly as well…

  4. David M. Wexler says:

    I was just told point blank from the west coast rep that the C300 Mk2 would not get a RAW light upgrade. He was a little “mums the word” on the 2018 Codec for the C200….If the C300 MK2 got that upgrade I’d buy it now… Canon makes a lovely image no doubt and they lead in the auto focus realm. There cameras are always a step up in premium….

    1. Kyle says:

      Honestly, I just want some firmware love when it comes to 4k 60p and full sensor readout 2K 120p.

      If they can do that I’ll keep this as a B cam when Mark III comes out.

      If they can’t, I’m selling and switching systems.

      Ball’s in your court Canon!

    1. Elliot Smith says:

      John I’m deleting this post, we like to have a lively discussion below the line but we also want the site to be welcoming for everyone – please lose the swearing and casual misogyny in the future.

    2. Jason Brooks says:

      Thanks for your insight JD. Somehow your choice of rhetoric suggests to me that you may be harbouring some misogynistic tendencies in there.

      I can’t see any connection between BALLS, being a ‘MALE MAN’ (whatever the hell that is), and the RAW workflow.

      1. john doe says:

        You’re welcome JB!! The one thing canon gets right is color….and the thing that gets the c200 right is internal RAW. And touch screen auto focus. My attitude comes from dealing with sony cyan..misogynistic??? Nah …but if the c300 mark 2 gets internal raw ill buy you a cup of coffee….CHEERS!

  5. sirbarton says:

    I bought a C300 mark 1 after the first big price drop. It seemed like a good idea at the time. It’s still a great camera, but I would like a camera with 4K raw. I’m moving from more documentary style to narrative.

    I was interested in the mark 2, but I’m overall bummed with Canon and their constant games to cripple their cinema and stills cameras to maintain a hierarchy. When I compare to RED (which I never would have considered for doc work) I see a camera that is very expensive but lasts. An Epic from 5 or 6 years ago will look as good or better than anything Canon is selling at the moment with the same glass on each. I used to complain about RED and the cost of all their accessories, but it makes a little more sense to me these days.

    I’m looking hard at used RED cameras and really not interested in giving Canon any more of my money.

    Then there are the Sony options of which I really need to test. Used RED with and EF mount just seems like an easier step with my current collection of Canon glass.

    1. Erik Naso says:

      All manufacturers have the same hierarchy. Red is no different. Scarlet, Raven, Epic, Weapon etc. I can say without a doubt you will spend more on a Red than a Canon C300 or Sony FS7 when you add in all the accessories to get a working camera. Just make sure you can make money with that camera and have a little left over. Being camera poor isn’t a good thing.

  6. Photo says:

    I was just about to pull the trigger on the new FS7mkii and then this!! This sets me back in terms of research and decision making…

    Any thoughts on FS7mkii vs C300mkii?? I’ve read Canon has better color. But I’m coming from a FS5, so I’m comfortable…..is there a clear answer??

    1. Erik Naso says:

      I always advise to buy a camera that has the features you need and can afford. Traditionally Canon is known for their color science but I personally didn’t have issues at all with the FS7. I grade my images so not an issue. If you liked the FS5 then the FS7 will make you happy. Much better internal codec. Canon has that DPAF that is amazing. If you need AF in video then the C300 Mk II is a good option.

  7. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

    Wow, this is a really interesting development. I’m a stills photographer – Canon and Sony; mostly EF lenses but also some E mount lenses – but I’m about to buy my first dedicated video camera. Just a side gig right now, with a couple of ideas for personal projects that would be better on video than stills.

    Anyway, I’ve been planning on getting a C200 but this price drop has got me thinking about the C300M2, particularly if I could find a used one for around $8k (which, given the new price, seems possible).

    In my mind, the benefits of the C200 are:
    * Smaller than the C300M2
    * Raw & possibly a higher quality image
    * 59.94P at 4k
    * Touch screen for easier access to the DPAF

    The benefits of the C300M2 are:
    * Longer record times
    * Simpler workflow
    * Dual cards for simultaneous recording (something I always do on my 1DX)
    * 120 fps (albeit cropped 2k)

    I’m a bit nervous about raw on the C200. For at least one project, I’ll be in the field for a few days, so I’d probably need to buy several 256 Gb CFast cards and a couple of external SSDs. (Has anyone used this CFast card: http://a.co/4n67Au8?) For now and until Premiere supports the new raw format, I’d also need to transcode the raw into ProRes, which would be kind of a drag. I guess I could shoot proxies on the C200 and just batch transcode everything at night. On the other hand, I only ever shoot raw on my stills camera and that’s a workflow I’d like to continue with video.

    I’ve learnt that it’s best to assume to assume the camera you get out of the box is the one you’ve got to live with. However, I’m hoping that a firmware update for the C200 brings 8 bit 4:2:2. I’d be surprised if it was lower than 4:2:2 (which is what the 1DX2 supports) but I also doubt it’ll be 10 bit. On the other hand, if Canon have a C300 Mark III by then, perhaps they’d be more likely to add 10 bit 4:2:2 to a C200 update, perhaps limited by frame rate.

    I did look at Sony but I prefer Canon’s color engine, their interface (both physical button layout and menus), and definitely the DPAF. I’m sure Sony’s got better AF in the works – if it’s anything like the AF on the A9, it would be amazing – but I don’t want to wait for that.

    Hmm…choices, choices…

    As a someone new to the video world, I appreciate any comments.

    1. Erik Naso says:

      For me the recording codec is a big deal. Shooting in C Log will give you better results with a 4:2:2 color space. As with all new cameras you will run into bugs for a while. Shooting RAW Light is an expensive option on the C200 but might be better than adding a external recording. Load up on larger CFast cards if you go that route. As you mentioned the price on a used C100 MK II will also go own however the rebate might not lost after July 31st. Canon could pull it. Tough choices. Just the way they wanted it to be. 😀

      1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

        Hey Erik,

        What rebate are you referring to? I couldn’t find any press release from Canon but I’d assumed the C300 Mk II price drop was permanent. Do you think it might not be?

        “Shooting in C Log will give you better results with a 4:2:2 color space”

        Is this comment in reference to the MP4 recording mode of the C200? I’m thinking I’d be using that just for proxy creation or for something where I need long recording time but I’m not as concerned about the quality. That said, I’ve used the C100 Mark II and was quite impressed by its quality. Good example of specs not always telling the whole story!

        Thanks.

        1. Erik Naso says:

          It could be permanent however a Canon Rep. told me it was until July 31st. As for the 4:2:0 vs. 4:2:2 thingy. 4:2:0 can produce visible jagged edges around coloured objects. This is not good for shooting green screens or heavy grading.

  8. Bob Ross says:

    If you have a powerful post computer and the money for lots of CFast cards and hard drives, the C200 is the best camera out there right now for the price. I look at that camera strictly as a Raw cinema camera that also shoots proxies. I understand effeciency and codec are important, but when it comes to the absolute BEST image quality (which some of us care about above and beyond everything else) the C200 will be competing with Arri and Red’s $50k cameras.

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