Canon Cinema EOS C50 [CR1]

[Bob Howland]

The EOS C50 of my dreams has the same sensor as EOS C100  with M mount and few M cine lenses.

With a price around 3000$

I don't think that would work. The C100 sensor is 24.6mm wide x 13.8mm high (Super 35). The M mount only handles 22.5mm wide x 15.0mm high. They're close though. What I find interesting about the M mount is that it has one more contact that EF mount. My guess/wish is that it is for power zoom controlled/monitored by the camera.

The PL mount and Super 35 sensor size seems to be popular partly because there are a large number of high quality, expensive and apparently highly prized legacy PL cine lenses.

I want something incorporating the best features of both the XF100/105/300/305 camcorders and the 5D3 still camera except with an M mount, an assortment of dedicated video lenses and something like the Metabones speed booster/adapter so that I can still use my EF still lenses and gain 1 (or 1-1/3) stops while I'm using them.

[rh81photo]

"For me, a dunce of a filmmaker. $6500 is too much money to spend just to show my family bad films on Vimeo. I’d really like a video camera that costs about half that with an EF mount. I could be in the minority on that one, but I much prefer to shoot video with a video camera as opposed to a DSLR."

It would be great to see an upgrade path for 5D Mark III users.

Serious video pros and amateurs alike need a $3000 camera, for the same reason serious photographers don't want to spend $6500 on a DSLR body. Cost is only not an issue for the bloated film industry. The consumer market is much larger and very sensitive to price.

I actually like the DSLR form factor for video, over a video camera - it has a few advantages. Yes a EF mount large sensor camcorder that sits above the top end consumer camcorder would be nice to handle, but you'd lose some abilities...

- Ability to do stills and video on one assignment without carrying 2 kits
- Swap between stills / video very quickly, almost simultaneously
- Stealth ability, with a DSLR you can blend in like a tourist. With a video camera people are more suspicious
- Small size... If you look at Sony's closest equivalent to a 'C50', the VG30 is a NEX in a huge ugly box

Canon should take the EOS M as a base, put that in a video optimised mirrorless form factor, add plenty of video features and a good focus assist, fix moire and have it priced just above the 5D Mark III. Job done.

I really like your ideas. together with you blogpost that would be a niche worth exploiting to my taste. but my guess is that Canon is not thinking that way.

I thought about how they could further strip the C100 down to justify a significant pricedrop without cannibalizing C100 sales. The 8bit 420 AVCHD is quite a limitation already and getting rid of 720 50p/60p (the C100 REALLY doesn't have that?? thats so hard to believe!) leaves almost nothing to cut down. basically they are approaching the video quality of a 500D/550D/600D/650D....and that at a pricepoint of 6500$ !!!

The only thing that they could leave out would be the EF-mount and go for a fixed lens. Something like a 24-105 f4 or the likes. They have this for their Pro Camcorders...to my taste, nobody wants this, but with a fixed lens they COULD differentiate between the rumored C50 and the C100.

to be clear: if they do that, to my taste they deserve to not sell a single unit of these C50's! On the other hand, it would be one of these conservative moves that Canon seems to like so much these days.

Tough!

What I would hope for: An even smaller and lighter version of the C100 with an EOS M mount but basically the same feature set. not going to happen,I know,  unless they don't use the S35 sensor but instead the 'good old' 18mp APS-C with dual digic5+ readout like in the 1DX. I'm thinking of a GH3 like formfactor.

Oh well, one can dream, right? 

[AndreeOnline]

It would be great to see an upgrade path for 5D Mark III users.

It's already here, and it's called the C100. For the time being.

If you care enough about video, and mk3's shortcomings get in the way (lack of resolved detail, no dedicated video features) the cost of a C100 ought to be a non issue.

I own both mk3 and C100 so I know their respective strengths. The C100 produces absolutely beautiful images. But having two cameras are not optimal for me. Like you Andrew, I wish the mk3 resolved more detail—at least as much as the 1Dc in S35 mode.

I don't buy the idea of a cheaper C-body camera. There's no room below the C100 for that. There is however plenty of room below the 1Dc.

A 5Dc or 3Dc that was priced between the mk3 and the 1Dx (probably closer to the latter) would be a very cool surprise come NAB. But it better deliver. I feel that Canon is a bit stuck with their more expensive models as it is difficult for Canon to outperform their top gear with cheaper models. But there is a slot free for a great C-line DSLR that doesn't have 4k, but delivers great 1080p along with stills functionality we're used to.

If they really want to innovate, they'd allow for a little nose after the EF-mount and integrate ND-filters. That's not going to happen, but the new xDc might.

[Policar]

I thought about how they could further strip the C100 down to justify a significant pricedrop without cannibalizing C100 sales. The 8bit 420 AVCHD is quite a limitation already and getting rid of 720 50p/60p (the C100 REALLY doesn't have that?? thats so hard to believe!) leaves almost nothing to cut down. basically they are approaching the video quality of a 500D/550D/600D/650D....and that at a pricepoint of 6500$ !!!

The C100's video is far beyond the 650D in my experience. I suggest processing your clips differently or respecting the superwhites if you're having DR issues. Can't help you with sharpness, the camera is already supremely sharp. Beyond that I can't suggest anything except metering and choosing your gamma carefully. From my perspective it out-performs (or at least is close enough to) the F3, which I prefer to anything below the Alexa.