How to avenge the price of the Canon 1D C and make the camera pay for itself

[Andrew Reid]

There's such an embarrassment of riches at low prices at the moment for filmmakers, to spend $12,000 on a camera body has to be somewhat more than just an artistic decision. It has to pay its way...

Here are 5 ways to become a Canon 1D C owner without taking a huge gamble on your finances!

[HurtinMinorKey]

I can't figure out if you were laughing maniacally while writing this piece, or not.

[riccardocovino]

Same for me.

With 14k$ you get a Scarlet starter kit, which gives you:

Scarlet

external high res exceptionally good monitor

64 GB SSD memory

2 batteries

canon mount

 

which means:

5k at 12 fps

4K at 30 fps

HD at 60 fps

16 bit RAW footage.

 

buy an equivalent external monitor for the canon, extra battery, CF and you have same price of scarlet kit but obtaining a ridicuolus 8 bit MJPEG.. how they think to be competitive?

[/p/]

"The Canon 1D C, buying an overpriced camera and trying to justify it: A how-to guide."

[moebius22]

I wonder how many start up videoographers who buy a new expensive camera on credit actually pay it off in the time frame they thought? Going into debt isn't cool, I learned the hard way in this economy.

[Paul Watt]

Every producer I know wants to know one question:  Do you have a RED?  

The versatility of RED raw and the established workflow seems to be taking over the mid-level market.  I don't think dropping 15G on a 1DC makes any sense at all when, as was stated above, you could put together a pretty decent (and somewhat upgradeable) Scarlet system.  

[hmcindie]

A lot of production houses do buy regular cams like the EX-1, PWM-200, Canon xf305 etc. If you compare the price of the 1d-c to them, then it's not really that bad. For example, Freddie Wong bought the EX-1 to do all their stuff a couple of years ago. Would you buy that cam nowadays for narrative filmmaking? But FWong put that cam to use and really made a fanbase for himself over the youtube those couple of years.

 

I suggest though not buying the 1D-C but renting it if the need arrives. The price will come down.

 

Also a Scarlet/1D-C won't immediately make anyones cinematography better. When CorridorDigital switched from the FS100 to the Red Scarlet, it didn't make their films look 50% better. They are slightly sharper but the lighting hasn't really improved at all except maybe for the couple of newest ones. So put some of that moolah into lighting. It's just a better way to get some production value.

[ScreensPro]

Just a note on stock...... 4K stock is pretty plentiful. All the usual money shots will have been shot a hundred times over on RED One and Epic/Scarlet (and timelapse), so you are left with niche locations and studio shots that likely wont make you rich quick.

 

It is never a bad thing to collect footage in the highest quality/resolution you can... But unless you know the video stock industry well and know what sells.... I wouldn't think of it as a good income source.

[Andrew Reid]

On a film production the job of the DP is not to file tax returns or chase clients for new business.

 

The job of a lone operator is 50% business and not all artists have that skill.

 

If you have though, the 1D C could be a good investment. I know people who have taken out a loan for more to get something leisurely like a camper van which depreciates and costs money to run and doesn't make you any money. At least this could make you some money.

[NOC40]

Has anyone managed to get a Canon "4K" frame grab through QC at a stills stock library? I very, very much doubt it will be sharp enough.

[Bruno]

Breaking your budget to get a 5Dmk3 is one thing, but this is totally different. If you don't have a project lined up that will pay for the 1DC straight away when you buy it, then don't.

[ScreensPro]

On a film production the job of the DP is not to file tax returns or chase clients for new business.

 

The job of a lone operator is 50% business and not all artists have that skill.

 

That's the choice/burden of any freelancer or business owner though.

 

I could kick back and earn a fat salary working on other people's projects and ideas.... and sometimes i have to, to pay the bills.... But generally i work on my own projects and accept that i will have to spend valuable time doing business stuff. The payoff is worth it though, as i get to make artistic choices without dealing with a client.

 

On the initial topic, if i were to get in debt over a camera, the 1D-C would be low on the list. I admire the camera, but it is about the least future proof 4K camera that will ever be released.

 

The F5 seems like the better bet and the system could be built up slowly, hiring the 4K recorder when needed, then buying it when 4K is mainstream. F55 even more so, if you have the business model to do it.

[richg101]

again, people are forgetting that this is fundamentally a stills camera - and an industry standard one at that! look at it this way:-

You're a photographer working the wedding, events, and school photography circuit who was looking at the 1DX as your main camera body. Or you own a small portrait studio and need a workhorse camera body that wont let you down, you look at the 1DX. Now because you initially needed the 1DX, this expense can be knocked off the total cost of the 1DC. Now, it works out you are getting 4k capture, and the best s35 full hd there is in a hdslr form factor, for your extra £4k. A lot of pro photographers also take photos in their spare time. Landscape shots dont make as much money as a weekly wedding gig, but they do them for enjoyment. Based on the quality of the high ISO movies I have seen coming from the 1dc If I were a wedding photographer I think I might just get away with grabbing frames from 4k clips. shoot a load of footage for a short 5-10min wedding movie and grabbing still frames alongside my still photographs to supply the package of still photos.

The issue here is that people are not factoring in that the 1dc can be used in a pro stills shoot. you cannot use any other camera (efficient workflow) for both pro stills and pro video FACT!

[FilmMan]

This is why I bought the 1DC.  The camera isn't for everyone. 

1.  Image  - it is better than what people think - knowing how to use it is very important - I'm slowly getting better(which isn't saying much for me as I'll first admit, I'm $hitty).  Although, you'd be surprised at the images it can compare too.

2.  Form Factor.

3.  Photography potential

4.  Batteries

5.  Quiet as a mouse

6.  Stealthness

7.  Solid, solid build - quality

8.  and so on

 

I wish Canon would give better specs such as 10 bit.  The camera is really alot better than people realize.  The IQ ranks above most cameras.   I'm not supporting Canon or not supporting them - I'm neutral. I am hoping they up from 8 bit color to 10 bit with a firmware update.  They have room to push this camera further.  I wasn't happy with the price, but the alternatives for me were more costly.  Everyone has there likes and dislikes with cameras.  Everyone buys for different reasons.   Life is short.  Enjoy.  Cheers.

[HurtinMinorKey]

I like the intent of this article. But it could use some more facts. For example, does anyone actually have knowledge of the rates for 4K(or any) stock footage?

[ike007]

IMO, the best way to pay for the EOS 1DC is to get paid 20 grands a pop. ;)

of course when you are on that league, you would not touch a camera like this with a 20 meters long pole.

....maybe as a crash camera or on a car mount.

 

This is a camera for rental houses.

[/p/]

I like how people think that because the 1D C can shoot 4k and you could frame grab stills think it's viable to just shoot video willy nilly during a wedding or any other event where time is valuable and expect to create both decent images and a decent video. Assuming you can afford a 1D C you probably have a standard of high quality work to be able to afford such a camera.. At what point do you think "shit, this camera can shoot 4k now I'll just shoot a whole 5-10 minute video in-between shooting all the stills" And do they shoot the whole video handheld or what?

 

This amazing photographer with the 1D C that has decided to create both an album of high quality stills and a 5-10 minute high quality video with some sort of story for the event must be not only extremely talented but also time efficient. 

 

Not to say that it can''t be done.. But to think that the extra $4,000 is worth it because you can "shoot 4k video and frame grab stills" isn't exactly as straight forward as people are implying. And just because it can doesn't make it easy to utilize in practice.. And if it's not viable to do then it's not worth doing which means it would be pointless to "just spend an extra $4,000 because it shoots 4k".

[Will Turner]

Why the hell would you want a 1DC? I can shoot amazing video with a GH2 and amazing photographs with a 550D.

 

Am I missing something here.. have people suddenly started caring? The last I heard, most people are still wowed by a DVD.  :lol:

[tacolamp]

I rented a 1DC for some short films this week. I was deciding between it and the BMCC. What won out for me was form factor, batteries, and lenses. I was going to have to rent extra lenses with the BMCC but my 5D ones were close enough on the 1DC. 

 

The form factor really is quite impressive. It feels exactly like shooting with a regular DSLR just with the added bonus that its 4K.

[jcs]

One advantage the 1DC has is out-of-the-box nice looking images. I use the 5D3 as a reference to re-tune the FS700+MB output (can match pretty closely). So, the 1DC can save time, and time is money.