21 ways the Canon 1D C trumps the Sony A7S

[Shield3]

1.  4k internal recording.  No $2k external Atomos device you need to buy just for 4k footage.  All in camera.

2.  Better colors / better skin tones.  I don't think anyone would disagree with me here.

3.  Better camera menus - things are laid out logically whereas Sony has key menu items all over the place, like APS-C mode etc.

4.  Far better preset modes.  I can set a preset with the Canon to shoot 1/50 shutter, C-log on, etc. with every setting and it will remember (and auto-update if you choose) with the 1dc.  The Sony "memory" cannot even toggle/save APS-C mode on or off.

5.  Three separate crop modes for video.  I can shoot full frame, 1.3 APS-H, or 1.6 S35 mode.  The Sony only allows FF or 1.5x crop.

6.  12 FPS continuous burst for stills. 14FPS in jpg high speed mode.  Don't know what the a7s is, but let's not compare those two.

7.  The 1dc will actually track a moving subject in stills mode (very well I might add).  The a7s?  I wouldn't even dare to.

8.  Native EF mount.  Far larger selection of native glass.

9.  No adapters required for EF lenses.  If I had a dollar for every time I had to disconnect / reconnect lenses with my a7s due to the Metabones IV adapter I'd be able to buy more glass.  The Metabones IV STILL doesn't work properly with some 3rd party lenses, like the fantastic Sigma 150-600 C.  As of July 2015.  Also no light leak / reflections from adapters when using native lenses.

10.  Better battery life.  No contest here.

11.  1dc handles far better than the a7s - even with the Sony grip.  This is personal preference, but as an adult male, I love the handling of the 1d* series bodies.

12.  Unlimited recording time - I picked up two 256GB 1200x CF cards and I can record over an hour of 4k straight (1:04:54). This is per card.  Over 5 hours (almost 6) of s35 1080p footage.  This 1dc does NOT shut off at the 29:59 mark like the a7s.

13.  Compatible with all my Canon flashes / adapters / teleconverters without the need for adapters.

14.  My 50 1.2 and 85 1.2 II will go full wide open (1.2) without fooling around and mounting the lens in "green" mode.

15.  Has a native portrait / gripped mode without the extra expense of a grip.

16.  61 pt. AF with 41 cross-type PDAF vs. Sony's slow AF.

17.  Far customizable settings; I can limit the fast/slow burst to whatever speed I want and limit the amount of consecutive shots. 

18.  Bright pentaprism optical viewfinder - still the best option for tracking and shooting sports.  No EVF lag.

19.  Canon Professional Services - Many locations available in the USA and worldwide.  Sony has a handful of service centers in the entire world.

20.  Weathersealing/ build quality.  The 1dc is a rugged body that can shoot anywhere.

21.  Native ISO for log mode.  Canon's is ISO 400 while the Sony is 3200.  That's 3 full stops of ND you'll need to carry with you.

Just thought I'd give my .02 - I had the a7s for about 9 months and it's a lovely little camera, but I just got fed up with the Metabones adapter errors.  Plus I know the a7s II is right around the corner and should address some of these shortcomings.  Both are excellent cameras - I picked up a ~34k shutter count 1dc with 2 batteries last month for $4300 shipped so I'm thrilled to have this level of a hybrid shooter.

 

Shawn

 

[eleison]

Nobody cares anymore.  Just like the audio format wars of the late 90's/early 2000's; the more convenient technology has won.  The 1dc was too expensive when it was first introduced and now it has lost the momentum.  Cheaper, more convenient technology like the a7s has won the hearts and minds of the majority.  MP3's used to be scoffed at by "professional audio engineers".  Not anymore... Instead of talking about superior "lossless" audio, audio people now talk about and use music formats formats that are downloadable, stream-able, and convenient.  A lot of that is MP3 base formats (aka the "worse" audio format).

The 1dc is the mini-disc of it's time...  It's situated in a niche that only a small segment of people care for.  The real innovation is happening in the prosumer field - a larger and more profitable segment.  As time moves forward, this field will get better and better (e.g, a7rII) while the 1dc niche will continue to die.  Just like mp3 encoding.. The bit rate got higher, and the quality improved... and it continued to improve until nobody cared anymore about the alternatives.

[Shield3]

Nobody cares anymore.  Just like the audio format wars of the late 90's/early 2000's; the more convenient technology has won.  The 1dc was too expensive when it was first introduced and now it has lost the momentum.  Cheaper, more convenient technology like the a7s has won the hearts and minds of the majority.  MP3's used to be scoffed at by "professional audio engineers".  Not anymore... Instead of talking about superior "lossless" audio, audio people now talk about and use music formats formats that are downloadable, streamable, and convenient.  A lot of that is MP3 base formats (aka the "worse" audio format).

The 1dc is the mini-disc of it's time...  It's situated in a niche that only a small segment of people care for.  The real innovation is happening in the prosumer field - a larger and more profitable segment.

Probably the worst analogy I've read on here for a long time.  Is it "convenient" to lug that hard-to-see $2k Atomos device (in broad daylight) around with the a7s to shoot 4k?  Methinks no.  Some of us want to shoot in 4k.  The 1dc was only available en masse beginning in early 2013 - it's not from 10 years ago.  Still easily trumps any of these other "new" cameras as far as image quality, colors, low light, native mount (lens choice) and easily as a sports shooter.  Sorry, but it's still the best "all arounder" that exists on the market.  Nothing beats it at both...yet.  Yes the 12k initial price was absurd, but you can find these used in the 4300-5300 USD price range.

#22 - Being a native EF mount, it has built in peripheral illumination correction and chromatic aberration correction for EF lenses.  Light fall off can be tricky to fix in post.  Can't get this with the a7s + any adapter + EF lenses.

#23 - 18 megapixel vs. 12.  Huge difference.

[AaronChicago]

I've never used either but i love the 1DC's image.

[eleison]

Dude, do you even know what a mini-disc is/was?????  :-)  Regardless, just enjoy your camera.  You don't need to post why you think your camera is better than most.  It just makes it seem like you are fishing for validation on your purchase.  The fact is very few people care about the 1dc and even fewer want to buy one.  Just the way things are...

[Mattias Burling]

Dude, do you even know what a mini-disc is/was?????  :-)  Regardless, just enjoy your camera.  You don't need to post why you think your camera is better than most.  It just makes it seem like you are fishing for validation on your purchase.  The fact is very few people care about the 1dc and even fewer want to buy one.  Just the way things are...

I think many of us would love to buy one. Just that we might not afford it.

I know I would rather have the 1dc over a Sony A7rii or A7s any day of the week.  

[eleison]

I think many of us would love to buy one. Just that we might not afford it.

I know I would rather have the 1dc over a Sony A7rii or A7s any day of the week.  

When the 1dc first came out and it was priced around 12K, people said it was too expensive but they would buy one if it was around 4k..  It's now around that price used, but yet people still say it's too expensive. I would assume when the prices come down even further, people would still say it's too expensive because sony/panasonic, etc. has a camera that is similarly spec'd, but cheaper..   Oh well, I could be wrong.  Who cares????

Also, $4k really isn't that expensive for a professional.  But then most of us buy cameras that are located in the "prosumer" segment.... because most of us are advance amateurs... and if we aren't, what is $4k as compared to a films total budget, peanuts????  $4k is nothing for a professional who makes his living taking video.  They probably already bought one or is renting one.  Like most people, I am not in that segment therefore I don't really care about the 1dc.  If you have a 1dc, just enjoy it.

[AaronChicago]

When the 1dc first came out and it was priced around 12K, people said it was too expensive but they would buy one if it was around 4k..  It's now around that price used, but yet people still say it's too expensive. I would assume when the prices come down even further, people would still say it's too expensive because sony/panasonic, etc. has a camera that is similarly spec'd, but cheaper..   Oh well, I could be wrong.  Who cares????

Also, $4k really isn't that expensive for a professional.  But then most of us buy cameras that are located in the "prosumer" segment.... because most of us are advance amateurs... and if we aren't, what is $4k as compared to a films total budget, peanuts????  $4k is nothing for a professional who makes his living taking video.  They probably already bought one or is renting one.  Like most people, I am not in that segment therefore I don't really care about the 1dc.  If you have a 1dc, just enjoy it.

where do you see it for $4,000?

[eleison]

where do you see it for $4,000?

$4,000.. $4,500...  $6,000...  does it matter?  whatever it is, the majority of people don't care enough to buy one.

[Inazuma]

Apart from lack of 4k, how does the cheaper Canon C100 MkII compare?

[Shield3]

Dude, do you even know what a mini-disc is/was?????  :-)  Regardless, just enjoy your camera.  You don't need to post why you think your camera is better than most.  It just makes it seem like you are fishing for validation on your purchase.  The fact is very few people care about the 1dc and even fewer want to buy one.  Just the way things are...

I'm in my 40's so of course I remember the mini-disc.  That was obsoleted by mp3's.  How is a 4k internal, 12 FPS sports shooter obsolete?  There's nothing that can compare with it.  That's why your analogy fails.  Yes there are better video cameras (built in ND / SDI / XLR inputs) but how do any of those compare shooting stills?  Please explain how a cumbersome A7s + grip + EF adapter + $2k Atomos Shogun suddenly makes a 1dc obsolete?

I could care less about validation - I am thrilled with the 1dc, and I paid $300 or so over a used 1dx pricing for it.  The reason I created this list, if you recall, Andrew came up with a list of 25 ways the A7s trumps the 1dc.  This of course, was before he actually OWNED the 1dc and took a look at the footage.  I think based on the response on this forum and in this thread MANY care about the 1dc.

All I'm saying is they're getting even cheaper in the used market;  might make far greater sense than a7s (shortly to be replaced with the a7s mark II) + the Atomos Shogun if you care about 4k.

When the 1dc first came out and it was priced around 12K, people said it was too expensive but they would buy one if it was around 4k..  It's now around that price used, but yet people still say it's too expensive. I would assume when the prices come down even further, people would still say it's too expensive because sony/panasonic, etc. has a camera that is similarly spec'd, but cheaper..   Oh well, I could be wrong.  Who cares????

 

Please tell me a camera that shoots 4k internally @ 1.3x crop and does Full frame 12 FPS stills.  Any company.  Looking for these "magic" similarly spec'd cameras, as you put it.  The closest is the GH4 (2.2x crop 4k).  Let's go shoot shallow DOF video, or low light video, or any type of sports and see who wins.  I know there is a speed booster for it, but still no AF!  I like to "pull" focus via AF before I hit the record button.

Sure sounds like I've got you all riled up with your silly betamax type analogies.  They aren't working by the way, sorry.

[ricardo_sousa11]

I could name just as much as the NX1 destroys the 1DC.

[DBounce]

This camera is $8k new at bh. Should this not be compared to something in the same price range? Sorry, but I'll take an FS7 all day long over this awkward format.

Let's be fair, can't compared used prices to new. Maybe you should include five finger discount price?

[AaronChicago]

$4,000.. $4,500...  $6,000...  does it matter?  whatever it is, the majority of people don't care enough to buy one.

i've been looking around to find one as a companion to my C100. $4,000 would be the price I'd pay for it used.

[Shield3]

I could name just as much as the NX1 destroys the 1DC.

In image quality, either stills or 4k video?  No.  Low light?  No.  Color/skin tones?  No.  AF tracking / sports shooting?  No.  Price?  Yes.  But, it destroys the 1dc.  Look, I like the NX1 and can't wait to see how it pans out later on - some very cool technologies built in for sure.  But I'm in the here and now.

This camera is $8k new at bh. Should this not be compared to something in the same price range? Sorry, but I'll take an FS7 all day long over this awkward format.

Let's be fair, can't compared used prices to new. Maybe you should include five finger discount price?

The FS7 is a hell of a video camera.  People will certainly know you're shooting video with that thing.  Not too great at stills either, and the footage I've seen looks very...digital.  But to each his own.

[Jimmy]

If the 1080p/60fps on the 1DC was better, it would be my main camera. 

Skin tones/colour are superb... But my business dictates that I need slo-mo

[ricardo_sousa11]

In image quality, either stills or 4k video?  No.  Low light?  No.  Color/skin tones?  No.  AF tracking / sports shooting?  No.  Price?  Yes.  But, it destroys the 1dc.  Look, I like the NX1 and can't wait to see how it pans out later on - some very cool technologies built in for sure.  But I'm in the here and now.

The FS7 is a hell of a video camera.  People will certainly know you're shooting video with that thing.  Not too great at stills either, and the footage I've seen looks very...digital.  But to each his own.

The Nx1 has higher resolution stills (although 1.5x crop), 15fps burst, 120fps, incredible 4k (which I doubt would be much worst, considering its downsampled from 6.5k), incredible dif. in file size, Super Amoled screen, EVF, and costs what ?! 4 times less ?! The 1Dc is a great camera, but just like others, I dont think it justifies for the price, FS7 would be a wiser choice.

[jax_rox]

To be fair - as has been pointed out - the 1Dc is $8k new, the A7s is $2.5k new. I could take almost any camera that's nearly 4x as expensive as the A7s and talk about how much better it is than the A7s. Even the FS7.

Regardless, it's crazy that you can get quality that rivals (or betters) an $8k camera in a $2.5k body. A lot of what you've said is subjective opinion. But anyway, I'll bite for a few of these: 

 

8.  Native EF mount.  Far larger selection of native glass.

This is a personal preference. You like the EF mount, and the glass that comes with it so for you, you are more likely to choose a Canon over another camera. I could just as easily talk about how a Nikon is better because it has a native Nikon mount and there's a lot of Nikon glass available. Or I could say that because I prefer the Sony E mount glass, I prefer the Sony as I can use glass that is of equal or better quality to Canon L, but is smaller

 

9.  No adapters required for EF lenses.  If I had a dollar for every time I had to disconnect / reconnect lenses with my a7s due to the Metabones IV adapter I'd be able to buy more glass.  The Metabones IV STILL doesn't work properly with some 3rd party lenses, like the fantastic Sigma 150-600 C.  As of July 2015.  Also no light leak / reflections from adapters when using native lenses.

You can't really say this a plus or negative for either camera. See my points mentioned above. In addition, the small FFD on the Sony means you can adapt pretty much any lens you want to to the camera, including PL glass.

You like your Canon glass - that's great. The fact that the Sony can even work with the Canon glass at all is great. This point is like me complaining that when I try and mount my Sony lenses via a third party adapter on a Canon EOS-M, it doesn't work very well, and every now and then I have to disconnect/reconnect. Surely the first thing you would say to me is 'if you want something that's going to work all the time, you're better off buying native glass. You can't buy a Canon and then complain when it doesn't work very well with Sony lenses.' The reverse is true as well.

 

13.  Compatible with all my Canon flashes / adapters / teleconverters without the need for adapters. 

And my A7s is compatible with all my Sony flashes/adapters/teleconverters without the need for adapters

 

14.  My 50 1.2 and 85 1.2 II will go full wide open (1.2) without fooling around and mounting the lens in "green" mode.

And I can use any of my Sony E mount lenses full wide open without fooling around and mounting in some random mode too  

 

15.  Has a native portrait / gripped mode without the extra expense of a grip.

That's the body design of the 1D series. Is it better than the 5D as well because the 5D isn't designed in this way? It's strange to talk about the 'extra expense' of a grip, because an A7s + grip is still cheaper than even a second-hand 1Dc. In fact, a Sony A7s + grip + Canon adapter is cheaper than a second hand 1Dc.

With the A7s, I can take my grip off as well. I have the choice of shooting with the grip/portrait mode, or small, lightweight mode.

 

18.  Bright pentaprism optical viewfinder - still the best option for tracking and shooting sports.  No EVF lag.

And I like my EVF with zebras, peaking etc. for shooting video. Horses for courses.

 

19.  Canon Professional Services - Many locations available in the USA and worldwide.  Sony has a handful of service centers in the entire world.

I'll take your word for this one - but I find it unlikely that Sony have dramatically less service centres. 

 

21.  Native ISO for log mode.  Canon's is ISO 400 while the Sony is 3200.  That's 3 full stops of ND you'll need to carry with you. 

But the Sony beats it in low light performance

 

I'm glad you like both cameras, but c'mon pretty much every single one of these is a personal preference thing.

[Mattias Burling]

There is no camera Vs camera list done by anyone that's not personal preference. I don't know why people don't realize this and spare themselves getting worked up for nothing. 

A Gopro is much better than an A7s. The A7s kills a BMPCC. A Bmpcc murders a NX1. An NX1 rapes a Gopro.

And the list goes on and on. There is no camera in the world that's "better" than another camera. It just doesn't exist. 

DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK!   

[DBounce]

There is no camera Vs camera list done by anyone that's not personal preference. I don't know why people don't realize this and spare themselves getting worked up for nothing. 

A Gopro is much better than an A7s. The A7s kills a BMPCC. A Bmpcc murders a NX1. An NX1 rapes a Gopro.

And the list goes on and on. There is no camera in the world that's "better" than another camera. It just doesn't exist. 

DEPENDING ON WHO YOU ASK!   

 Yes but compare apples to apples... This camera is $8k compared to $2.5. Why not compare it to the Ursa Mini, the Kinefinity Max, the FS7 or Cion?

One thing is true of the Canon... The resale value sucks... Spend $8k today and it's immediately worth $4k tomorrow. I'll pass. But to those that are so desperate to get one, they're in stock new... Knock yourself out.