Canon C100: A Desperate Measure for Desperate Times?

Since the release of the 5D Mark III, Canon has been taking a drubbing on video camera blogs (mine included).  Bottom line: the revamped 5D may be a great option for still photography, but it's a lame duck for HD video.  Since that release, Sony have swarmed.  It seems like every week, Sony has announced another camera crammed with the features users want, for prices we can justify.  Right now, Sony has an exceptional option for every type of user, from the flagship $65k F65, right down to the GoPro-killer $200 AS10 (that incredibly shoots 120fps at 720p).  Love them or hate them, you have to agree: Sony currently dominates the video camera playing field.

Attempting to answer those of us calling them out, today Canon announced a more affordable version of the vastly overpriced C300: the C100.  Smaller, lighter, yet with the same Super35mm sensor, the C100 trumpets that Canon isn't out of the fight just yet.  The problem for them is, the C100 -- like the C300 -- is also overpriced at $8,000.  Consider that it only shoots at 24 Mbps with a 4:2:0 color space, and you've got to ask: "Why the hell would I buy this camera instead of the identically priced / spec superior / 4K ready FS700?"  The truth is...you won't.

Sure, the C100 does output uncompressed HDMI that will allow you to record 4:2:2 with an external recorder, but the FS700 will do the same with 4K and it lets you shoot 240fps at 1080p.  The Canon apologists will crow that the grain on this camera (and it's bigger brother the C300) is exceptionally film like, but if the recent Revenge of the Zacuto Shootout is any indication, the C300 isn't measuring up to the hype.

You should also take into account the FS700 sports an E-Mount, possibly the most versatile lens mount system on the market.  With the E-Mount you can add a Metabones adaptor, and your Canon glass is re-born to be electronically controlled by a Sony product.  With eyes to the future of a revamped/redesigned C300, Canon added a rear viewfinder on the C100, doing away with the lousy handle mounted design on the C300.  This tells me that perhaps Canon is finally listening to more of what us users want, but if they seriously want to sway buyers like myself, then they better start lowering their prices.  If they don't, they better prepare to lower their expectations of how many cameras they're going to sell.