The Canon EOS C300 Mark III and the Canon EOS C500 Mark II are Cinema EOS stablemates offering the latest technology to give stunning visual results. With large sensors for incredible low-light performance as well as a beautifully shallow depth of field, easy HDR workflows, a wide dynamic range, and internal and external RAW video capture, they make obvious choices for high-level productions across broadcast, commercial and documentary.
Industry-leading codecs, built-in image stabilisation supporting 5-axis camera shake correction and the advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF are further commonalities, while each camera has its own distinct sensor technology – a 4K Super 35mm DGO sensor in the Canon EOS C300 Mark III and a 5.9K full-frame sensor in the Canon EOS C500 Mark II.
Director of photography and long-time Canon user Ben Sherlock has worked with both cameras since their release, gaining a deep understanding of their shooting strengths. Specialising in documentaries with a cinematic and adventurous edge, Ben has filmed in more than 70 countries, including extreme environments and conflict zones, and worked on TV programmes for BBC Studios and National Geographic. He recently used both camera bodies on a survival and bushcraft project, shooting in woodland in high contrast and low-light conditions. Here he shares his experiences with the two cinema cameras and explains how they match up in the field.