Let’s take a look at what Canon’s newest Super 35mm cinema camera — the EOS C300 Mark III — means for the independent filmmaker.
Despite having no NAB crowds to shock and awe with a big stage show, Canon has still been able to turn some heads with the announcement of a new Canon EOS C300 Mark III. Billed as a “35mm Modular Workhorse,” this latest iteration of the brand’s digital cinema camera line promises to deliver high performance for Super 35mm filmmakers with features like a Dual Grain Output (DGO) imaging system and a modular and interchangeable-mount design.
So, without further ado, let’s dive in and take a look at this new C300 Mark III — and what it might offer to film and video professionals.
Meet the Canon EOS C300 Mark III
Building off the popularity of the C300 Mark II — which was a solid option for cinematic short films, run-and-gun documentaries and tons of commercial and corporate video appeal — the C300 Mark III looks to be a major step up with its 4K Super 35mm DGO sensor capable of recording 16-plus stops of dynamic range and up to 120fps in 4K DCI/UHD.
From the press brief and some early hands-on reviews, it appears that Canon really invested heavily in making the C300 Mark III as modular and flexible as possible for a wide range of accessories and uses:
The C300 Mark III is set to come with 13 accessories, including a 4.3-inch LCD monitor and a GR-V1 grip — along with a range of additional accessory options like a EVF-V70 electronic viewfinder, SU-15 shoulder support unit, and EU-V1 and EU-V2 expansion units.
The Canon EOS C300 Mark III Specs
Here are the officially announced specs for the Canon C300 Mark III:
- 4K DCI/UHD up to 120 fps
- 2K/HD up to 180 fps
- 4:2:2 10-bit XF-AVC recording
- 2 CFexpress media card slots
- Compatibility with EF and PL lenses (with optional mount kit) as well as anamorphic and spherical lenses
- Dual Pixel CMOS A (up to 120fps)
- 5-axis electronic image stabilization
- Support for Canon Log 2 and 3
- Four-channel recording that supports 4 XLR inputs with the use of the EU-V2 expansion unit
- User LUT allowing users to upload and apply custom LUTs
- The camera body is approximately 6 in (width) x 5.8 in (height) x 6.6 in (depth) with a bodyweight of approximately 3.9 lbs
Pricing and Availability
When the Canon C300 Mark II first came out, it was considered a moderately high-priced option for professional video projects at an initial price point just north of $15,000. However, Canon has made great strides in reducing prices to be more competitive with the rest of the digital cinema camera market, which is great news for indie filmmakers. The C300 Mark III is set to release at an estimated retail price of $10,999.
As for the release date, due to well-known and ongoing world health issues and concerns, productions across the globe have been delayed. Accordingly, at this time, Canon has only revealed that the C300 Mark III has been scheduled to be available “later in 2020.”
All images via Canon.