There were a ton of exciting new cameras released this year, including the RED Komodo, Sony A7S III, Panasonic BGH1, URSA Mini Pro 12K and Fujifilm XS10. I plan to share more thoughts on these cameras in the future, but today I want to focus on the most intriguing new camera of the year (to me) – the Canon C70.
If you’ve been following my site for a while, you probably know that I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Canons.
While I did enjoy the Canon C100 when I owned it, it was really the only Canon camera that met my needs from both a feature and cost perspective. Many of their other products are too expensive (at least on paper) for what they have to offer, or are just technically inadequate.
But if I’ve learned anything from using the C100, specs alone don’t tell you the full picture of Canon.
Say what you want about how Canon undercuts the performance of its own cameras to preserve the rest of its lineup, but also recognize where they shine; image quality, color science, dynamic range, and usability/reliability.
These are usually the variables that attract me the most, certainly not just technical capabilities, such as high-resolution recording. Maybe that’s why I’m not that excited about Canon’s other relatively new product, the EOS R5…
While Canon is finally breaking some new ground with the R5 by offering 8K full-frame recording, it doesn’t make the camera any more attractive to me. I’m perfectly fine using HD or 2K for personal projects and 4K for client work. 8K is unnecessary almost all of the time, and if anything may slow down post production unnecessarily.
This is not a criticism of the R5, I haven’t shot with it and am convinced that it produces great images. But like many of Canon’s other cameras, it was a bit inadequate for my creative needs, and I didn’t need another digital SLR.
That said, when Canon recently announced the C70, I had a very different reaction.
Order Canon C70 at B & H
The C70 is of course the latest in Canon’s C-series, and is like the C200’s smaller brother, although it’s more expensive at $5,499.
Below are the specifications –
- Super 35 dual gain output (DGO) sensor
- Super 16mm crop mode
- 4K 120p, 2K crop 180p HDR capture
- Canon Log 2, 3, PQ and HLG recording
- RF lens mount/EF mount with adapter
- Total dynamic range exceeds 16 stops
- Built-in ND filter/auto ISO and gain
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF and EOS iTR AF X
- 1 BNC timecode/2 mini XLR audio inputs
- Dual SD card slots, LUT/long GOP support
This may not be the flashiest spec sheet on the market, but it certainly ticks a lot of boxes for me – which is, in a sense, the most important variable.
Like many of you who read this blog, I am a multi-talented person. This means using tools that are incredibly versatile. The C70 seems to be just such a tool.
The camera body seems to sit somewhere between a more traditional Canon movie camera and one of its digital SLR cameras. For those of us who alternate between small narrative productions and large corporate shoots, this is surprising.
It may not be as small as other mirrorless cameras like the Sony A7S III, but that’s probably a good thing.
Aside from a few specific scenarios where I really need the smallest footprint possible, most of the time I prefer something a little more modest. I like to use a camera that’s big enough to provide some stability when shooting handheld, but not so big that it’s uncomfortable when shooting for long periods of time. The C70 fits right into that range.
The sensor in this camera also comes a long way in terms of versatility. Time will tell if it actually delivers more than 16 stops of DR, but even at 14 stops, that’s more than enough for almost any type of production, from natural light guerrilla shoots to larger budget commercials.
Super 35mm is also the right format for those of us who need to juggle multiple project types simultaneously. Full frame is overkill for most projects, and although the S35 is currently popular in the filmmaking community, it remains my personal preference most of the time.
Sometimes I like to dabble in Super 16mm, not only when shooting on film, but also when shooting digital – most often with my original Blackmagic Pocket Camera or Micro-Cinema Camera.
Naturally, I was delighted to discover that the Canon C70 has a Super 16mm crop mode. This way I could use my Super 16mm lens on my camera and punch a hole in my S35mm to simulate the Super 16mm look. I know this isn’t the biggest selling point for most filmmakers, but for myself it’s weird!
Another important consideration for me is the built-in ND filter. After using them on cameras like the C100 and URSA Mini Pro 4.6K, it’s a bit frustrating to work without them now. The C70’s built-in ND makes it even more attractive. I wish more cameras came with built-in ND, but I’m surprised more manufacturers don’t make it a priority.
Integrating the new R-mount is also a great option, as it allows you to use all of the new Canon mirrorless R-series lenses, as well as any EF lens with an adapter. Canon even offers a 0.71x step-up adapter to convert your full-frame EF lenses to Super 35mm R lenses.
The C70 records H264 and H265 internally at 10 bits at speeds up to 260 Mb/s, which is great. Even the C200 doesn’t do this, although the C200 can record RAW internally, while the C70 can’t.
While I’d love to see a compressed RAW recording option, it’s really not a big issue for me. If I really need RAW, I’ll just use an external burner, and 99% of the time I’ll be happy with the 10-bit internal burn option.
I also really like the camera’s ability to record both full-resolution and proxy archives to an SD card. For some jobs this will be a lifesaver and greatly improve post-production workflow.
The C70’s ability to display custom LUTs is especially important considering the amount of time I spend creating and using color grading LUTs.
Does this camera have everything in the book? Of course not.
It maxes out at 4K, doesn’t record RAW, doesn’t shoot full frame, and lacks some other features that filmmakers have requested.
But when buying a camera, you have to decide which features are really important to you. With the C70, most of the features it’s missing aren’t important to me, and maybe they won’t be to you either.
But what it offers is very unique, not only in terms of functionality but also in terms of applications.
For the versatile filmmaker looking for the most versatile camera, I think the C70 will be hard to beat. Not many other cameras offer this level of performance and versatility out of the box, without accessories.
Cameras like the RED Komodo are exciting for a different reason – because they’re professional. For example, Komodo would undoubtedly be an amazing tool for low-budget narrative/commercial filmmakers who need pristine, high-resolution recordings on a budget.
But for those who need one tool to do it all, the C70 may do the trick.
I’m not sure if I will end up buying this camera as I now have a few other cameras that serve my needs well. But if I didn’t have anything and was looking for a camera to suit my needs, the C70 would be a major contender. If it costs less than $3,000, it will be sold out, but maybe we’ll get to that price point in the future with the rumored C50.
I will post an update on the C70 once I have a chance to actually shoot with the camera in the field.
What do you think? Is the Canon C70 the right camera for your needs?
