10Yetis - Online Video Company Insight - Upgrading from Canon DSLRs to the C100

Upgrading from Canon DSLRs to the Canon C100 mkII – Plus extra camera news

For a long time now we’ve been working on Canon DSLRs, we’ve been long-time fans of the 60D and the 600D. Both great cameras which for a time have made it accessible for almost anyone to film with, and gave a broadcast quality output.

The times they are a-changing, as always in the technology industry and Canon have been working on Cameras which give a great basis for video filming, rather than the DSLRs which largely lean towards photography. The newer range of cameras are the C range and we’re happy to announce we’ve taken delivery of a fantastic, beautiful, bouncing, Canon C100 mkII. (Disclaimer: It doesn’t actually bounce, do not attempt.)

The C100 comes equipped with everything we loved in the DSLRs but with bonus features that make us squeal with glee. There are XLR inputs for that much needed sound input, there’s the useful handle on top which makes it perfect for run and gun shooting which you may need for documentary filming. Even the on-board microphone gives great directional sound for when you don’t have time get a full on sound set up going.

The image output for the C100 is fantastic, the noise reduction is incredible when compared to the DSLRs partly because there is a greater usable range when using ISO. This means that we can get awesome footage even in low light, you can see a shot of this in the video below! There is the new option to set a shooting mode in camera as well. This allows you to shoot a flat picture profile which allows for greater adjustability when grading in the edit.

The other bonus about upgrading to this camera is that it has an EF mount which means that all the lenses we used on our 60 and 600Ds are transferable to the body. The good news as well is that we’ve decided to upgrade to an L-series lens, all shiny and new. The glass on these lenses is such great quality that the picture output is clearly crisper and gives an impressive image.

This leads on to our latest camera crush. The Blackmagic URSA Mini. This camera is seriously lust-worthy; it features an awesome 4.6K Super 35 sensor with 15 stops of dynamic range! This gives a better dynamic range than even 35mm would. There are also dual RAW and ProRes recorders which allows for a large capacity of high resolution recording.

The high quality of the camera means it is usable for any type of shooting, feature films, adverts, documentaries, music videos and online videos. The compact size makes it so easy to transport and there is an optional shoulder mount and rails to add any peripherals. There’s also a 5 inch 1080 HD touchscreen so you can see all the action and easily change settings. Though if you’re more of a viewfinder guy or girl then there is an add-on available.

Extra bonus is that this camera is available with an EF mount! This means that you can use all of your canon lenses, if you already own some! If not then it also has a PL mount available which matches Arri lenses, usually used with 35mm or 16mm film cameras. Not only that, but if you buy the camera it includes the software DaVinci Resolve which is perfect for editing and colour grading your footage. It can easily handle the RAW images from the camera, which leads to easy multi-layered editing as well as the industry standard colour grading tools.

If you want to by the Blackmagic URSA Mini 4K with the EF mount then it is retailing at £2,025. With the PL mount it is £2,395. If you’re looking at the higher quality 4.6K then it’s either £3,355 or £3,699. You may need extras on top of this such as the shoulder mount, and the electronic viewfinder, but as a complete kit it adds up to under £5,000 which is incredible for a kit of this standard.

We’re most excited about its extreme quality and portability. It’s definitely likely that we may invest in this camera soon, meaning the 4k quality videos might just be coming your way. We can’t wait to try this camera out.

Meanwhile, check out the awesome video below with Head of Video Kishi and Edit Assistant Rob discussing the changes we’ve gone through with our shooting set-up from the DSLRs to the c100.