It’s been a busy week for Canon. Just a few days ago they announced the long awaited 5D MK IV I wrote about it hereand now they’ve announced two more cameras: XC15 and their new flagship cinema camera, the C700.
I won’t spend too much time on the XC15 here as it’s not a camera I’m particularly interested in, although it offers some interesting features. Most people are probably familiar with the XC10, which is essentially a small, affordable C300 MK II with a fixed lens. It’s never been the right camera for me personally as I prefer to opt for glass when it comes to more professional style cameras, but I can see the XC10 being great for certain types of shooters. For example, event or ENG shooters may like this camera because it’s great value for money, has tons of features, 4K recording, Canon Color Science, and more – all in a very small package. What it lacks are primarily the features and features that narrative or commercial filmmakers are looking for.
Its biggest drawback for its target market is the lack of an XLR input, but the latest version (XC15) includes a new XLR audio package that can be connected to the camera using the same MA400 adapter as the C300 MK II. The camera also features new lenses, imaging profiles designed to match the C300 II, and other incremental improvements.
Here is the spec list:
- 1-inch CMOS sensor and DIGIC DV 5 processor
- Ultra HD 4K up to 29.97 fps
- Integrated f/2.8-5.6/8.9-89mm zoom lens
- XLR audio input and MA-400 microphone adapter
- 24p mode for 4K and 1080p videos
- New look and menu options
- Waveform monitor display
- Three new shutter speeds
- Highlight Priority HDR Gamma
- Rules assignable to files and metadata
Pricing for the XC15 has yet to be announced, but it’s likely to cost around $3,000.
For those XC10 shooters out there, if the lack of XLR connectivity has been an issue for you, I think the XC15 looks like a worthy upgrade. Other than that, the XC10 is still a solid camera suitable for capturing events, news, documentaries, and other running content. If readers are interested, I may write more articles about the XC15 in the future. But in the meantime, let’s take a look at today’s bigger news from Canon –
Canon C700
Canon has been rumored for months to release a higher-end cinema camera designed to compete with the likes of the Arri Amira and Sony F55. Now, with the release of C700, these rumors have finally become a reality.
Here are some specifications:
- Super 35mm CMOS sensor
- EF or PL installation
- Global shutter version available
- Rolling shutter has a dynamic range of up to 15 stops/Global shutter has a dynamic range of up to 14 stops
- Dual pixel CMOS autofocus
- 4K up to 60 fps, 2K/HD up to 240 fps
- Agent recording to SD card
- Selectable gamma and logarithmic curves
- XF-AVC and ProRes recording to CFast 2.0
- Intuitive user interface
- Raw recording options
- Body prices start at $28,000
Canon C700 – B & H $28,000
Like almost every other Canon camera released over the past few years, the C700 seems to suffer from the same problem – being priced too high for its on-paper specs. Sometimes Canon can get away with high prices because their cameras seem to deliver better images than you’d expect based on specs alone, but in this case, they do have their work cut out for them. Priced at $28,000 for the body (excluding EVF, RAW recorder, shoulder grip, etc.), this camera is priced very high. Depending on how you configure the camera, what accessories you choose, media, etc., all told, this camera can easily cost over $40,000.
The EVF alone costs $5999. Granted, this looks like a very good full 1080p viewfinder, but it still comes at a hefty price. You can always opt for a 3rd party EVF, but even then you’ll still need to spend $2000-$3000 on the camera. This only works with the viewfinder.
Canon EVF-V70 – B & H $5999
For a $12,000 camera like the C300 MK II, you can somewhat argue that the camera has fewer specs than a camera like the Sony FS7, which sells for $8,000. After all, Canon still has better color science than Sony (at least in my opinion), and its subjective image quality looks more cinematic and organic to many users. All of Sony’s cameras tend to have a “video look,” and the Canon somehow manages to avoid that. So even though the Sony FS7 offers more features than the C300 MK II and costs less, the C300 MK II remains controversial.
But considering the C700 costs a whopping $28,000 for the camera body alone, I’m not sure what argument can really be made…
I have no doubt that images from this camera will look spectacular, and Canon is at least trying to appeal to a certain type of professional photographer. The fact that you can choose between rolling shutter or global shutter (it’s not switchable, but available in two separate bodies) is a step in the right direction. The camera’s physical design also looks pretty solid, seemingly taking many of the best design ideas from Arri, Sony, and Panasonic and combining them into a nice-looking package. Not to mention, the addition of ProRes recording is great and will make the camera even more efficient when integrating it into your existing post pipeline.
Beyond that, what is Canon doing that no other company is doing? Nothing really… at least from where I stand. Sure, it offers 4K recording, 60fps, and tons of dynamic range, but what camera at $28,000 doesn’t offer these features?
As interesting as this sounds, this camera feels a little dated before it even hits the shelves. For example, the fact that you need the Codex recorder module to record RAW is pretty disappointing, considering how many other cameras in 2016 can record RAW internally. Shocking release this year. Canon has always had issues offering slow motion on its cameras, and while 60 fps is sufficient for most shooting scenarios, most shooters would prefer a higher frame rate from a camera in this price range.
Technically, the C700 can shoot internally at up to 240 fps, but this only applies to 2K or HD shooting, and it uses a crop mode on the sensor. The Codex recorder mod will allow you to record in RAW format up to 120fps, but again you’ll need the mod, which is sold separately and a price has not yet been provided.
On a more positive note, the Codex video recorder is mounted directly onto the C700 body, essentially becoming part of the camera. This will definitely make it easier to use and keep your device from needing extra cables when shooting.
Ultimately, I really have no idea who this camera was designed for. Canon’s market (albeit largely unintentionally) used to be low-budget filmmakers trying to capture film-style images on a digital SLR. They then moved into the mid-level broadcast market with great success with the C300 and C100. But when their previous flagship cinema camera (the C500) didn’t take off like they had hoped, they decided to expand rather than revisit their core user base. Rather than catering to filmmakers who would be best served by cameras in the $3,000 to $15,000 range, they decided to branch out and compete with cameras like the Arri Amira, Sony F55, and Panasonic Varicam LT.
I’ve shot with all three of the cameras I just mentioned, and I really don’t know how the C700 will compete with them. Of all the cameras in the $30-$50,000 range, the Arri Amira is hands down my choice because it offers the best image quality. The Sony F55 and Varicam LT are both excellent cameras that have their own strengths and have appealed to a specific type of user, so it’s going to be hard for the C700 to find its place in this already saturated market.
For Canon, I’d say the C700 is too little too late. If they offered the C700 at a lower price (well under $20,000) or included substantial features beyond what we’ve seen in the competition, we’d be talking. But trying to compete with the likes of the Arri Amira without offering lower cost or any significant feature advantage isn’t going to work for most of us.
Having said that, I do feel 100% confident that the C700 is going to be a great camera in many ways. It’s likely to capture gorgeous images, and in the right hands can certainly produce fantastic results. But so will many other cameras. I think Canon is going to have a hard time selling these as their once loyal user base feels largely abandoned by their efforts and the high end of the market is mostly taken care of by competitors…
On a related note, Canon just dropped the price of the C500 to $6,999. Just a few years ago, this camera cost $30,000:
Canon C500 – B & H $6999
I expect we’ll see the C700 price drop in the near future as well. All cameras will decrease in value. That’s the nature of the game, and no camera manufacturer is immune. That said, Canon often needs to drop prices faster and more aggressively than its competitors to make up for (in my opinion) overpricing on initial launch.
That’s it for now. Even though I have some doubts about the C700, I’m still very much looking forward to trying it. It looks like a cool camera and I might even consider buying one myself if the price wasn’t so high. But starting at $28,000? I’d rather keep my money.
For more content like this be sure to follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and twitter !
