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The Canon 1D C review


Andrew Reid
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[media]http://vimeo.com/64879501[/media]

Iscorama anamorphic on the 1D C and my test footage at Vimeo

I shot with the Canon 1D C and Canon C100 Cinema EOS cameras recently with SlashCam in Berlin. The 1D C is the most Jekyll and Hyde camera I've ever used and a difficult camera to review. The 1D C is a marriage of beautiful 4K images and an unwilling partner who hasn't shifted an inch to accommodate it.

[url=http://www.eoshd.com/content/10179/the-canon-1d-c-review]Read the full article here[/url]
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EOSHD Pro Color 5 for Sony cameras EOSHD Z LOG for Nikon CamerasEOSHD C-LOG and Film Profiles for All Canon DSLRs

I don't understand how Hurlbut is using the C500 and 1DC as primary cameras and Alexa as B cam (for the outdoor exteriors) on his latest shoot, Need for Speed. Is he for real? Does he truly prefer the image, or does Canon money really go that far?

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I don't understand how Hurlbut is using the C500 and 1DC as primary cameras and Alexa as B cam (for the outdoor exteriors) on his latest shoot, Need for Speed. Is he for real? Does he truly prefer the image, or does Canon money really go that far?

 

I think it is mostly marketing, but the image is good if you can work around the terrible ergonomics and rolling shutter problems. Clearly Hurlbut would be better off with a F55 on Need For Speed but it is up to him to decide. I doubt the 1D C gets much to do on the set apart from as a POV cam.

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Highlight roll-offs look terrible to me.  I'm guessing I need to look at this stuff in full res detail to truly appreciate it, but the 720 version looks like it still washes out a ton of detail(a la 5D3 style).

 

I wish you would compare it more to the BMCC, rather than the BMPC, since the former actually exists.

 

Also, the 4K 8-bit files shouldn't be bottleneck off your read speeds (are you using thunderbolt for your array?). I can stream the BMCC raw files (which are bigger) off a 7200 sata drive.

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I have a feeling that Canon and the gang are purposefully creating products that are less than ideal in order for us to make repeated subsequent purchases.  The American car industry would factor in "planned obsolecense" in their car designs to force consumers to upgrade their cars.  I have a feeling that EVERY manufacturer is toying with us.  They are like a drug dealer that gives you just a small enough hit to become addicted, and come back begging for more.

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Why anyone is still paying heed to Canon for video is beyond me. I'm eagerly watching and waiting, with my eyes mostly on Blackmagic and Sony. Honestly, if Blackmagic would take a few camera body/interface design cues from Sony, I'd be sold. the FS/F cams from sony are the best form factor IMO. Blackmagic's is like a DSLR minimalist box to the point of no ergonomics, which defeats the point of that shape in the first place . . . which is to have hand grips side and bottom. Blackmagic has also gone to the extreme end of the spectrum by putting all tho interface in that touch screen. Some physical interface would be better, and can still be done minimally, even just physical interfaces for iris, iso, white balance, shutter angle . . . these things deserve wheels or buttons. 

 

That is I think one reason folks are still attracted to cameras like the C-100, even if Blackmagic delivers better image . . . these are professionals that don't like messing with touch screens. Sony is getting a lot of stuff right, but the prices are still too high, and the interface a little overwhelming. Blackmagic is well on their way to an ideal 4K RAW cinema camera with the Production Cam . . . but ND and a shorter FFD mount are "musts".

 

So I watch . . . and wait. I don't upgrade camera bodies often, so when I do, I'm picky. I'm hoping either the next 4K RAW BMCam has ND and a short FFD . . . or that Sony drops price on their cameras.

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i own the 1dc since january and did shot with it all over the planet from carnival in venice to havana (sometimes alongside with a red epic which makes them a great allround team for all situations). 

in all terms it is simply the best available DSLR so far, with brilliant video resolution, unbeatable lowlight performance, and only topped in photo resolution by the d800.

i love it and would definitely not exchange it against a 5D3, GH3 or BMC! 

the form factor is perfect for shooting fast and shooting with fun (and also shooting photos), way better than the odd bmc/c100/c300/c500/alexa form factors that are no joy without rigs.

most cons listed here are (at least for me) irrelevant or can be worked around.

I even don't find it expensive, as right now I don't know any camera that delivers such beautiful 4k images (and can use all canon/nikon/zeiss full frame glass) for less than app 8200 euros+tax.

of course I would be happy if canon comes up with even more features and improvements for even less money, so that I would not have to buy any new camera the next 15 years, but  that's not realistic.

I think if canon bashing is taken too far, the risk is you are not heard at all.

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After having a C100 with a Ninja 2 for about a month now, I was pretty pissed Post-NAB.  It's a hard camera to stay faithful to when something better seems to be coming along nearly every week.  (come on... raw 2k on a 5D2?...lmfao.) 

 

Alas, it is what it is. 

 

I will say that if I had to go by what Vimeo and Youtube were exhibiting from a C100, I'd be pretty dissapointed.  With a Ninja 2 though and C-Log, it can get pretty damned cinematic I'm happy to say.  ($7500 later.) 

 

Andrew!

 

Aside from A/B'ing a C100 with a 1DC on this shoot, it'd be cool to get your thoughts on the C100?  Ergonomically I love mine, and with a Ninja 2 the image is very nice and can be pushed rather far...  The grain is very filmlike as well.  (to my eyes.) 

 

At (currently) $5500, it's "still" ridiculously high-priced, but it's available.  One of the reasons I pulled the trigger on it considering with a Ninja 2, the image was supposedly better than the C300. 

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i think canon meant for this to be for their photographers wanting to get into more serious video. think about it, canon has mostly a photographer customer base. canon would like to sell them more cameras and get them to try video, but knows that it still has to be a stills camera at heart, or the photogs would just think "oh it's a video camera".

 

so on one hand canon wants to create a cinema market for their products, and on another hand canon wants to transition photogs over. the end results are the c300 and 1dc. really too bad

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I have a feeling that Canon and the gang are purposefully creating products that are less than ideal in order for us to make repeated subsequent purchases.  The American car industry would factor in "planned obsolecense" in their car designs to force consumers to upgrade their cars.  I have a feeling that EVERY manufacturer is toying with us.  They are like a drug dealer that gives you just a small enough hit to become addicted, and come back begging for more.

 

I think there's some substance in this theory.

 

1080p has been dragged out for so long now and there's no way a camera like the 5D Mark III needs to cost as much as it does, let alone the 1D C.

 

I am sure Canon have great stuff in the pipeline. How much more crap do we have to buy before they give it us...

 

I want to shoot good images now not in 5 years.

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Andrew!

 

Aside from A/B'ing a C100 with a 1DC on this shoot, it'd be cool to get your thoughts on the C100?  Ergonomically I love mine, and with a Ninja 2 the image is very nice and can be pushed rather far...  The grain is very filmlike as well.  (to my eyes.) 

 

I felt the ergonomics of the C100 were better than my FS100 but missed the E-mount, Speed Booster and 1080/60p. It felt smaller and more like a DSLR than I had expected. However there are too many buttons and not enough dials. To search for that ISO button then use that horribly small joystick on the handgrip, and to use that el cheapo wheel on the handgrip for other important stuff like aperture really threw me at first. The ND dial is also very cheap feeling considering the price of the camera. I felt the image was good but not very exciting and not a big enough leap from cameras like the FS100 or GH3 to justify the extra investment.

 

I toyed for a bit with selling my FS100 and replacing it with a C100 as I do like the built in ND and feel of the camera but then I don't think I'll be shooting with either once the Blackmagic Production Camera comes out.

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Wow this place really is canon bashing central. If you don't like their cameras, simple.. buy something else!

 

Whatever camera, your footage will look way better if you learn how to use it well. Learning to frame and expose correctly etc will make a lot more difference to your images than wasting time slagging off on forums & blogs.

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Wow this place really is canon bashing central. If you don't like their cameras, simple.. buy something else!

 

Whatever camera, your footage will look way better if you learn how to use it well. Learning to frame and expose correctly etc will make a lot more difference to your images than wasting time slagging off on forums & blogs.

 

It isn't about 'Canon bashing' at all, it is about making an informed decision on a $12,000 camera.

 

If you don't like the bad news, using that straw man argument of being creative with a camera is as relevant as talking about camera technical capabilities on an actor's forum.

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