CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

Both have similar specs, and with the FS5 RAW License, they can both record externally 4k RAW and ProRes Flavors. The C500 is a bit more expensive and heavier, no handle, CF cards instead of cheaper SD's.Sony would require adapter for my existing Canon lenses.
Is it a matter of taste and application or is there more to it I am not seeing?

Re: CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

Can't think of two cameras with a more different look. You need to test both cameras. To me, the FS5, while it has a nice feature set, it also has the Sony news look, very biased to blue/cyan/magenta which is designed for South Asian skin tones. To me, on Caucasian skin tones or Black skin tones, the Sony looks terrible. Yes, shooting SLog3, the footage can be made to look acceptable but not everyone has the time or clients to do major LUT/Color Grading, a lot of my work goes from camera, straight to client, they edit quickly and it goes to the web. YMMV depending on how you work and what your clients or you as an editor do with your footage. The C500 has Canon's typical red/warmish skin tones, which are much more flattering to Caucasian/Black skin tones. The FS5 also has Sony's convoluted and non-intuitive menu system, which you can get used to, but it is a mess compared to the relative simplicity of the Canon menus.

Those said, look up the threads, especially over on DVXUser, about the fan noise on the C500 for interviews. This, being a sound oriented person, is a deal breaker for me, I shoot a LOT of interviews in my work and fighting with and having to modify the camera to add fans to keep the internal fans from kicking on is a deal breaker for me. Might not be for you? If you can wait, many feel that the C300 MKII may drop to $9,999.00 around NAB and would be a much better option than either of these cameras, if you can afford it and can afford to wait a few months?

Re: CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

Thank you for your reply Dan. You are right in pointing out difference in aesthetics of both cameras, it is a important factor.
But what about the Codecs?

The C500 internal recording is the same as a old C300:
8 Bit MPEG-2 Long GOP, 50 Mbps (CBR) 4:2:2 HD, MXF (OP-1a) - CF Cards

external recording::
4K RAW - 1-60 fps
4K HRAW - 1-60, 62-120
2K RGB 4:4:4 - 1-60. 62-120
2K YCC 4:2:2 - 1-60, 62-120

The Sony FS5 records XAVC Long GOP HD and 4K internally - SD Cards
HD is 10 bit 422
4k is 8 bit 420

external recording (with a $500 upgrade):
4K RAW at 23.98/25/29.97/50/59.94p
2K RAW at 100-240fps as 23.98-59.94p
Simultaneous 4K/2K RAW and XAVC HD
4 Seconds of Cached 4K RAW 100/120 fps

The similarities are many to my eyes.
Can't wait for the C300MK2 to drop in price next year for tax reasons.

Re: CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

A lot of guys over on DVXUser have been snapping up used C500s for as little as about $4,500.00 and using the savings over a new one to buy a Convergent Design Odyssey 7Q+. The two together make a pretty nice system for not much money. But that fan noise issue breaks that deal for me. I've even been looking at the BMD Ursa Mini 4.6k. That camera is capable of some really nice images. But BMD is jusy not that proven, especially in pro situations with anxious clients, expensive talent and no opportunities for reshoots. I couldn't stake my career on a BMD camera. Plus it has the IR pollution issues to deal with, some of the ergonomics are a bit weird and it's a lousy low light camera, where as the C500 and C300 MKII are really great low light cameras for not being a Sony A7.

I checked out the FS5 over at Abel Cine a few weeks ago when I was there getting training on the Arri Alexa SXT. The FS5 seems really plasticky and almost too small to me. The FS7 looks like pro camera, the FS5, not as much. I love small cameras but you know, the client factor. You would laugh when you see my C100 built up for client shoots. Always at least a baseplate, rods, Ninja Blade on it because the C100 by itself is also pretty small and non-client impressing. it's dumb we have to think about that but to some clients, camera size and appearance matters. I work with a lot of marketing people and studio publicists and it matters to them.

Re: CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

Yes, size does matter, clients prefer bigger, operators prefer smaller.
Meanwhile, I'm still undecided.
How old is the C500 in technology terms compared to the Sony? Does it really matter at that level?
Also, is it possible to buy a C300/100 handle to operate the C500? I can't seem to find it on the market.

Re: CANON C500 or SONY FS5??
 

The fan noise problem can be worked out! I found this link to a person that had the problem solved:
Matt Porwoll | Cinematography » Problems Solved!
I bought maybe the last one of these external fan units and it works great.

You can buy a grip handle for a C100 or C300 that you can put on a relocator arm, and use with the C500, the C500 has the connection for the grip connector, just not for the actual grip. You could buy the grip from any AbleCine office.

There are some great deals on the C500 right now new and used ( two on DVXuser ) ) I went new for the financing and warranty, I bought the Odyssey Q7+ and just bought the full upgrade package for a $2,100 savings a GREAT DEAL! I never looked into the FS5 or FS7, I own a Sony F3 and still love that camera, but didn't really like the FS7 that much?

https://convergent-design.com/black-friday