Need Feedback on C100 purchase at DVinfo.net

Alex Jackson · April 13th, 2014, 02:58 PM

Hello. I am looking to buy a C100 for various functions to include commercials, weddings and some sporting events. Can anyone give me their thoughts on using the C100 for sporting events (Basketball) and possibly outdoor filming? Thanks in advance

Alex

Matt Davis · April 13th, 2014, 03:22 PM

Stand by for a flurry of comments...

1: Outdoors? Look for the Zacuto C100 Z-Finder, there may be other solutions. Check out the C100 replacement eyecup (I've used my old Z-Finder rubber eyecup for now) but that means using the internal EVF, which is pretty dreadful. I've known worse, but it should have been so much better. Don't try the C300, otherwise you'll be working out which family member to sell in order to fund it over the C100.

In fairness, I use the EVF with the Z-Finder and haven't been irritated enough to move on from that. The dual pixel AF is going to help a lot with that.

2: Sporting events? Ho, ho. I have a couple of EX1s for that, even if they are only 25p/50i not 50p. There are occasions where a shallow depth of field and lovely photo glass are an absolute hinderance and what you want is a long-reach parfocal zoom with servo, onto a sensor that gives you a fighting chance to follow focus. Sony PMW300, Canon XF300 - though I'd prefer a half inch sensor over 1/3".

There are options to put a B4 lens on an S35 sensor, but these are expensive adaptors and don't fit the C100. Besides, the lenses that work and look nice tend to be more than a C300...

Nicholas de Kock · April 13th, 2014, 03:23 PM

For sports you need slow motion & the C100 doesn't have slow motion.

Matt Davis · April 13th, 2014, 03:35 PM

Apart from the 50i/60i trick.

Alex Jackson · April 13th, 2014, 04:33 PM

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Is there another camera that you could recommend that would be in the price range. The lack of motion may be a deal killer.

Matt Davis · April 14th, 2014, 02:12 AM

You could look at the Sony FS100. Has 1080p50/60 for slomo. Slight issue with the highlight handling, needing a lot of fiddling around with its picture profiles if you want to push dynamic range. Ergonomics are legendary, but not in a good way.

FS700 has better ergonomics (buttons you can press), NDs, better sensor, CineGammas, legendary slomo, 4K 12 bit raw, etc from the FS700 but at more than double the price.

Panasonic AF101A mended a few of the crucial failings of the 101, with NDs, 50/60p recording, punch-in focus, but I've found its highlight handling to be even more aggressive than the FS100. If your videos contain a high proportion of stressed and slightly shiny males beyond middle age with 'male pattern baldness', you will be plagued by the 'Porange Doughnut' syndrome - clipping on skin highlights.

But with a brief of a camera for 'weddings' and 'sport', it's a bit like looking for a car that can transport passengers in comfort and deliver livestock to the market. 'Where would you like your compromise, sir?' :-)

Noa Put · April 14th, 2014, 04:12 AM

Much depends on what lenses you allready have invested to as that can dictate the brand of camerabody you want to buy, if that is not the case yet you might consider a sony nex-ea50, it's half the price of a c100 (excl lens) and has a formfactor and functionality that will help you with a wider variety of shoots, with the money you save you could get a second camerabody, like the sony a7s if you need very good low light performance or a few extra lenses.

Robert Turchick · April 14th, 2014, 10:02 AM

Been using the C100 (with AF upgrade) outdoors with the Z-Finder for aviation related projects. It works incredibly well even with my 300mm f2.8 II and 500mm f4 II lenses. I handhold and the IS and AF do their jobs! slo mo would be nice but isn't a deal breaker for me. The image quality and dynamic range are spectacular. I had an XF300 which worked really well too.

April 13th, 2014, 02:58 PM	#1
Alex Jackson Tourist Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 2	Need Feedback on C100 purchase Hello. I am looking to buy a C100 for various functions to include commercials, weddings and some sporting events. Can anyone give me their thoughts on using the C100 for sporting events (Basketball) and possibly outdoor filming? Thanks in advance Alex

April 13th, 2014, 03:22 PM	#2
Matt Davis Trustee Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 1,562	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase Stand by for a flurry of comments... 1: Outdoors? Look for the Zacuto C100 Z-Finder, there may be other solutions. Check out the C100 replacement eyecup (I've used my old Z-Finder rubber eyecup for now) but that means using the internal EVF, which is pretty dreadful. I've known worse, but it should have been so much better. Don't try the C300, otherwise you'll be working out which family member to sell in order to fund it over the C100. In fairness, I use the EVF with the Z-Finder and haven't been irritated enough to move on from that. The dual pixel AF is going to help a lot with that. 2: Sporting events? Ho, ho. I have a couple of EX1s for that, even if they are only 25p/50i not 50p. There are occasions where a shallow depth of field and lovely photo glass are an absolute hinderance and what you want is a long-reach parfocal zoom with servo, onto a sensor that gives you a fighting chance to follow focus. Sony PMW300, Canon XF300 - though I'd prefer a half inch sensor over 1/3". There are options to put a B4 lens on an S35 sensor, but these are expensive adaptors and don't fit the C100. Besides, the lenses that work and look nice tend to be more than a C300... __________________ Director/Editor - MDMA Ltd: Write, Shoot, Edit, Publish - mattdavis.pro EX1 x2, C100 --> FCPX & PPro6

April 13th, 2014, 03:23 PM	#3
Nicholas de Kock Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: KLD, South Africa Posts: 983	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase For sports you need slow motion & the C100 doesn't have slow motion.

April 13th, 2014, 03:35 PM	#4
Matt Davis Trustee Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 1,562	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase Apart from the 50i/60i trick. __________________ Director/Editor - MDMA Ltd: Write, Shoot, Edit, Publish - mattdavis.pro EX1 x2, C100 --> FCPX & PPro6

April 13th, 2014, 04:33 PM	#5
Alex Jackson Tourist Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 2	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase Thanks for the feedback everyone. Is there another camera that you could recommend that would be in the price range. The lack of motion may be a deal killer.

April 14th, 2014, 02:12 AM	#6
Matt Davis Trustee Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Berkshire, UK Posts: 1,562	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase You could look at the Sony FS100. Has 1080p50/60 for slomo. Slight issue with the highlight handling, needing a lot of fiddling around with its picture profiles if you want to push dynamic range. Ergonomics are legendary, but not in a good way. FS700 has better ergonomics (buttons you can press), NDs, better sensor, CineGammas, legendary slomo, 4K 12 bit raw, etc from the FS700 but at more than double the price. Panasonic AF101A mended a few of the crucial failings of the 101, with NDs, 50/60p recording, punch-in focus, but I've found its highlight handling to be even more aggressive than the FS100. If your videos contain a high proportion of stressed and slightly shiny males beyond middle age with 'male pattern baldness', you will be plagued by the 'Porange Doughnut' syndrome - clipping on skin highlights. But with a brief of a camera for 'weddings' and 'sport', it's a bit like looking for a car that can transport passengers in comfort and deliver livestock to the market. 'Where would you like your compromise, sir?' :-) __________________ Director/Editor - MDMA Ltd: Write, Shoot, Edit, Publish - mattdavis.pro EX1 x2, C100 --> FCPX & PPro6

April 14th, 2014, 04:12 AM	#7
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,509	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase Much depends on what lenses you allready have invested to as that can dictate the brand of camerabody you want to buy, if that is not the case yet you might consider a sony nex-ea50, it's half the price of a c100 (excl lens) and has a formfactor and functionality that will help you with a wider variety of shoots, with the money you save you could get a second camerabody, like the sony a7s if you need very good low light performance or a few extra lenses.

April 14th, 2014, 10:02 AM	#8
Robert Turchick Trustee Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 1,389	Re: Need Feedback on C100 purchase Been using the C100 (with AF upgrade) outdoors with the Z-Finder for aviation related projects. It works incredibly well even with my 300mm f2.8 II and 500mm f4 II lenses. I handhold and the IS and AF do their jobs! slo mo would be nice but isn't a deal breaker for me. The image quality and dynamic range are spectacular. I had an XF300 which worked really well too. __________________ The older I get, the better I was!