This isn’t the first time we’ve seen a Canon C300 Mk II price drop. This time last year the Canon C300 Mk II had a big $4,000 US reduction. This morning it dropped another $2,000 bringing the C300 Mk II to $9,999 US from the original price of $15,999 US.
We reported last year some dealers around the world have struggled to sell stock. The C300 Mk II hasn’t made as much of an impact as the C300 Mk I did. It dominated the broadcast and production markets – I still use one for local broadcast. Today we have a lot of options making the S35 space more competitive.Traditionally Canon’s cameras are priced higher than the competition, and Sony with the FS7 has been a big hit with former Canon shooters that wanted more features and options at the same, and later lower, price point.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Probably nothing really. As cameras age they go down in price gradually.The C300 Mk II was introduced early April 2015. Two years isn’t that old but the market is moving fast. You know there’s always another camera ready to go, and you can bet a new C300 Mk III is around a corner. We’re just not sure what corner yet, or if it will take the form of the C700 body but with less functionality.
With the release of the C200, Canon is sure to add some of those features like the touchscreen and internal RAW recording to the new model. However when an upgraded C300 Mk III will arrive is a waiting game. For now the Mk II looks like it’s priced to compete with the Sony PXW-FS7M2 at $8,999 US. The FS7 Mk I is now $7,499 US, the same price as the C200. Lots of options including the Panasonic AU-EVA1 coming this fall for under $8,000 US (body only).
WHY GET A C200?
So you might be thinking getting a C300 Mk II now looks like a better option than the new C200 at $7,499 US and I think you might be onto something here. For $2,500 US more you get a much better codec and more framerate options – but no touchscreen for DPAF or the new audio inputs on the body. We don’t know exactly what the XF-AVC codec will be yet for the C200, but I doubt it will be 10-bit. More likely to be 8bit 4:2:0 with a higher bit rate. I hope I’m wrong. Also to get the C200 to be a higher-end camera you would need an external recorder and media to go with it plus batteries. That alone would put the C300 Mk II at its new price ahead since no recorder is needed for a broadcast-ready codec.
If you’re in the market you now have to take into account the new pricing and getting the most for your hard earned cash. Is the price drop on the C300 Mk II enough for you to pull the trigger? Let’s talk in the comments section below.
Sоurсе: newsshooter.com
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.
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.
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.
… 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…
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….
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!
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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??
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.
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.
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. 😀
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.
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.
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.