Canon, OH CANON, thou hast left me underwhelmed

[Phillip Palacios]

Originally Posted by Les Wilson

It's this very "oh I feel so locked in" perception that fuels the very thing people are lamenting: Canon isn't producing the camera they want. The best way to get the message to Canon is to hit them in the spreadsheet: buy from the equipment maker that does.

If the right move is to sell it I will, but I'd probably keep it as a b-cam and stills / stop motion capacity.

I will gladly buy from a manufacturer that produces what I want, but at this price point that doesn't quite exist (yet) the FS100 is the closest to it but the form factor makes me think I might as well go Nikon with an external recorder, the F3 looks and functions much more like the compact pro cameras of the past HVX200, Z1u etc... but it's much more expensive.
The new Bolex Digital looks interesting, we'll see once more footage appears from it.

Wait and see.... of course the 5d3 could be enough of an evolution for me to keep on the canon DSLR, but I've not seen enough footage in the style I shoot to make a judgement call on it.
I think we've all been saying this since RED was first announced: "interesting times" a good reminder that while how the image is made is important, content is still king.

[Steve Smede]

Agreed!

Here's some modest specs for you:

Native EF mount with full aperture control
Super 35 sensor
60p in Full HD 1080p
Dual XLR inputs
16-bit 48KHz LPCM or Dolby Digital Stereo 48KHz
shutter speeds from 1/3 - 1/10000
interchangeable lens mount
frame rates of 60fps, 30fps, 15fps, 8fps, 4fps, 2fps and 1fps
body weight of less that 2 pounds
record to cheap but reliable 3rd party memory cards
selectable gamma modes
No Moire
HDMI Out w/ embedded time code for 4:2:2 uncompressed digital output
$5K

Sound impressive? It's actually been around more than a year now. Aside from the mount, this is the spec list for the Sony FS100.

I don't think Canon is going to announce anything along these lines at NAB, but I hope I'm wrong. I would love nothing more than to hear about a $5K big-chip pro camcorder from Canon that will natively mount my canon glass. It would be heaven. But I'm getting frustrated. This camera should have existed a year ago!

Now I hear JVC is coming out with 4K-for-$5K camera at the end of this month...

Geesh!

[Jacques Mersereau]

Now that Nikon has bonked Canon on the noggin with the D800 comes SONY with this C300 killer.

Sony Expands NXCAM Line With NEX-FS700U at DV Info Net

At NAB 2012 next month, Sony will shake the digital cinema market to its core. Sony’s answer to the C300 is a 4K Super 35mm update to the FS100. It will be available in June for a provisional $8000.

My source (based in Taiwan) says that the FS700 does 4K via 3G HD-SDI to an external recorder. The FS700 is said to include 3 internal ND filters yet retains the NEX E-mount. Looks like they found some space for those missing FS100 NDs after all!

The slow mo function of the FS100 has been ramped up to a massive 960fps. This is at a reduced resolution. Other slow motion options includes 120, 240 and 480. It isn’t clear whether the camera records internally to 1080p or the full 4K. It is possible internal 4K will come with a paid firmware update. Another question mark is over who will provide the external 4K recording box. As far as I know, one doesn’t even yet exist.

Gamma curves are as the F3. It also has a stills mode (4K is 8MP).

The Canon C300 in comparison to this seems inferior on paper and is more expensive. I wonder how Canon will react with the EOS 4K DSLR also due at NAB. This is one almighty battle. The mooted price of the FS700 is between the Canon 1D X and Canon C300, which is where the 4K EOS DSLR is also expected to fall.

The Canon C300 is a superbly cinema designed camera. But in my opinion it is let down by a price which is too high and specs which aren’t aggressive enough. It is a very expensive way to acquire 8bit 1080p! Sony is pushing hard into the cinema market, indeed the imaging market all-round. Sony recently took a 3 pronged approach to their overall global business, making the imaging division one of these.

[Jacques Mersereau]

Gee, I guess all my 'negative spin' on C300 pricing/value wasn't mine alone.
As someone on another list puts it, I don't want a camera that can see in the dark, I want a camera that can handle LIGHT and HIGHLIGHTS.

Sony, as we all know, can (and I hope will) thump anyone when it comes to producing a solid and price effective 35mm video cinema camera. Yes, there is still a long way from Area 51 to the market, but if anyone can shake up the video for cinema world, Sony can - without a doubt.

[Jacques Mersereau]

SONY NEX-FS700 4K@$8K is official:

Sony Expands NXCAM Line With NEX-FS700U at DV Info Net

Now, you're not going to record 4K on-board. Expect if you want that to pony up for fireware upgrades at more thousands AND a Gemini or other pricey external recorder. I would estimate $20K to record 4K.
Hmm, only a couple grand more than the C300 which can only do 8bit at 1080P.

Oh, did I mention the NEX-FS700 will do higher frame rates (more than 30P) as well?

Gee, one company might actually be listening to its customers.

Sorry Canon. Thou hast left me greatly underwhelmed, and for that I am sad.

[Peer Landa]

Well, the FS700 teaser definitely makes me look forward to NAB even more, (can't remember when so much high-end gear been pre-announced).

-- peer

[Chris Hurd]

FS700 is official -- see links in Jacques' posts above -- so this is no longer "Area 51" territory. It was not a long way from Area 51 to the market, after all.

In closing, I would like to suggest that it's much more healthy (for the OP and for the forum itself) to move on past how much a company has let you down, and focus instead on what gear you're going to choose next. If it's the FS700, that's great -- since the FS700 is brand new, we really need those discussions here. Whether it's that camera or any other, I look forward to seeing you move on up into your next big thing!