Canon 2012 NAB teaser

[Nigel Barker]

Originally Posted by Glen Vandermolen

\Maybe that's why there's been such shell-shock over the C300 price.

There was only sticker shock among those film maker wannabees who expected an Alexa for $5K. The C300 is selling like hot cakes to video professionals.

[Glen Vandermolen]

Originally Posted by Nigel Barker

There was only sticker shock among those film maker wannabees who expected an Alexa for $5K. The C300 is selling like hot cakes to video professionals.

I'm a 20+ year video professional. $16K is still a lot of $$$ to me. Not saying it isn't worth it.

[Thomas Wong]

$16k is quite a lot for those camcorder features when compare to mk3 which can do pretty close quality to c300 in 1/5 price

[Glen Vandermolen]

Let me clarify my position a bit.

I'm not saying the C300 isn't worth the price. It has a great codec, a broadcast quality codec, which all professional videographers love. It gets us more work if we have a camera with this ability. Plus, that amazing 4K sensor.

Speaking for myself, I was expecting (hoping?) for something like an XF305 with an interchangeable lens system and a large sensor. I figured - wrongly - that all Canon had to do was basically take an XF305, remove the lens and sensor block, and add the large sensor and lens mount. You know, a lens mount and sensor like that from a $2,000 7D, only aimed for the video market. Heck, they don't even need to supply a lens, we'll take care of that.
Since the XF305 retails for about $7,200, I figured maybe $2-4,000 more in price? After all, it doesn't even come with a lens. I'm sure that alone adds quite a bit to the 305's price.
I was just a bit shocked when the C300 is over twice the price of an XF305. Not just me, but other camera owners I know thought the same.

Obviously, I have no idea how difficult it is for Canon to produce the C300. $16,995 worth of difficulty, apparently.

Jan with Panasonic has supposedly stated they could have built the AF100 with P2 capability - AVC-intra 100 - but that would have added about $2,000 to the final price. I say - build it!!! Even for $4,000 more it'd still be a hell of a bargain.

I just wanted to illustrate why some professionals might have had sticker shock with the C300.

[Jim Giberti]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

That is exactly the camera I am hoping for and why I have not rushed out to buy a 5DMkIII. As to if we will get it I am currently rather cynical. After all, Canon might see it robbing sales from the C300.

However, if Canon don't fill this customer need soon the others surely will.

It is pretty much the ideal evolution for the genre (DSLR filmmakers).

Everyone is aware that the DOF revolution started with the P&S Mini 35 and created an entire industry of spinning glass lens adapters.

Three years ago that industry had an Extinction Level Event with the introduction of the 5DII

Canon has the best/broadest lens line in the world with the EF and Canon shooters are always upgrading their glass.

They've already produced a beautiful small form camera and image with XF100/105.

The DSLR industry is primed and waiting for the perfect union of the XF image, codec and control and the 5D sensor and mount. It would be the crowning achievement in their new brand of EOS filmmaking.

They would sell like nothing else on the market if they hit a similar, comparative price point.

[Andy Wilkinson]

Maybe bad news guys and gals. The RUMOR today is that the Canon C-DSLR won't now be available for sale until Q4 2012 or Q1 2013. Read into all that what you will but I stress its just web chatter for now. I guess this is a typical cycle time from NAB announcements to product availability for these things but I'll let others who know the typical pattern confirm that.

....So, lots of time for Sony and Panasonic to launch a FS200, AF200 etc. in the £4000-6000 area then....please...roll on NAB!

Also, as an aside, there are some web reports today that Nikon is increasing the price of the D800 by £200 (i.e. it will now be closer to the price of the 5DMkIII) and the D4 by £500. I believe this is much more solid info and includes D800s and D4s on backorder - its via the dpreview forums and Nikon forums.

I won't speculate on that one, but I have my thoughts if it turns out to be true.

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

Originally Posted by David Heath

Missing off that list is the "C500". A C300 but with 4k ability - but not something that can really be called a DSLR. Is NAB really the place to announce what is fundamentally a DSLR?

I was hoping for a C500 also, but Canon showed a 4K DSLR teaser photo, so I have to comply my prediction with that. I still believe is a wrong decision and they should design their 4K effort as a normal video camera.

[Jon Fairhurst]

Originally Posted by Andy Wilkinson

The RUMOR today is that the Canon C-DSLR won't now be available for sale until Q4 2012 or Q1 2013.

That rumor has some basis in fact. Back when the 4K DSLR was announced, Canon USA said that it wouldn't be announced in detail until the end of the year or later. Because of the Canon event on April 15th, some people jumped the gun and assumed that it would be the 4K DSLR announcement.

I think there's no way that Canon would have cut eight months off the expected 4K DSLR schedule since November.

The next announcements (not necessarily at NAB) are more likely to be a next gen crop DSLR and a sister to (or daughter of?) the C300. I have no idea of the schedules though.

[Jim Giberti]

My boy is top editor/producer in London and we were talking on the phone today about projects. They have to shoot BBC standard and so don't have any experience with the 5DII but he told me (unsolicited) that their Canon Rep was by last week and told him that Canon was releasing the 5D concept in a "proper" (they talk like that) camera body.

So, all the more reason I say, full sensor, EF lens, XF codec, 1080p.

[Mark Kenfield]

Now THAT would be exciting. A Vistavision-sized sensor, with 'proper' 1080p output (no line-skipping/moire headaches) would really get my toes curling (especially if it can put out an image like the C300's).

Just remember to include LOG recording Canon!

[Nigel Barker]

I think some people have forgotten quite how much a professional broadcast camcorder costs. The only other hand held self contained camcorder on the BBC approved list is the XF300/305. The only other low priced camcorders with interchangeable lenses are the Sony EX3 & Panasonic AF101 which with the addition of a nanoFlash cost about 2/3 the price of a C300 which is a far superior camera. Start looking at shoulder mount broadcast cameras like the Panasonic HPX3700 & they cost three times the price of the C300.

Canon can't make the C300 fast enough to meet the demand so clearly the price is no disincentive to purchase.

[Chris Hurd]

It really wasn't all that long ago when a basic VariCam HD package went for $80,000.

And there are enough members here in the "I remember when" age bracket that will recall the Beta SP kits that routinely sold for $40,000 and that's standard definition video, folks... recording analog to tape.

[Glen Vandermolen]

I haven't forgotten. I used to own a Sony BVW-400.

[Emmanuel Plakiotis]

It turns out that the invitation was literally for a screening.

BUT

... there will be an announcement a couple of days later:

HD Magazine - HD Mag - Canon's NextEvolution

[Chris Hurd]

It's not a couple of days later; it's the very next day, Mon. the 16th. DV Info Net has received the same invitation.

And those that have been following this thread, have known all along that the Sun. event was a screening.