Don’t want to read about why they chose the Canon C70? Check out the video below where Chris and Martin talk through why and how they use the Canon C70 to shoot “This Too Shall Pass” for DC Shoes:
In our line of work we field endless questions about what the “best” camera is. As creators ourselves, we love to spend time splitting hairs over which cameras have the highest resolution and frame rate, who has the best color science, what native I/O options are critical to have, and what lens mount a camera needs. Its fun to compare and contrast different cameras based on specs because who doesn’t love a spirited (and in good faith) argument about what is “best?” Of course in the end the real answer to the “best” camera conversation is, What Are You Shooting?
Recently we linked up with directors/ DPs/ shooters Chris Ray and Martin Fobes, two of the incredibly talented guys behind much of the content that DC Shoes puts out, to ask them why the Canon C70 was the “best” camera to shoot their latest documentary short “This Too Shall Pass.” The documentary brings to light mental health in skating, a taboo subject in that rough and tumble world, and the C70 helped to capture some really moving footage that brought the documentary together. Chris and Martin are RED shooters (they use both Gemini and Komodo) yet for this documentary they decided to go with C70 for a few reasons.
To start, the C70 is nearly an all in one package. Straight out of the box (as long as you have RF glass and an SD card) you can turn the camera on and shoot. As they talk about in the breakdown video, Chris and Martin wanted a camera package that they could throw a battery, lens and media into and shoot without delay. In the world of skating, setup time is non existent so a camera that can be ready to capture with just a flip of a switch is key.
Another key reason they talk about is recording media. Chris mentions that when shooting with RED he feels that he is always thinking about the GBs of data that are being eaten up as the camera rolls. The C70 produces a smaller file size meaning the an SD card, like the Anglebird 256GB V90 they talk about, can last for an entire day of shooting.
Lastly, and perhaps most important to Chris and Martin, the C70 has built in NDs. For anyone shooting anything outdoors, NDs are absolutely crucial. We would also agree that this is a huge selling point for using the C70 over most other cinema cameras currently on the market. Having the ability to cut a few stops with just a push of a button is game changing for many creatives.
As we mentioned at the top, these selling points for the C70 might not be relevant AT ALL to your needs for your shoot. There are a ton of reasons why you might want to use a RED, or a Sony or a BlackMagic for your shoot and they are all completely relevant! Each project is going to demand different things from the camera you use. As long as you know whats necessary to achieve the look you want for your project, you’ll be alright.