AWARDS GEAR OF THE YEAR
Mirrorless
Sony A7S III Editor’s choice: Panasonic S5 DSLR Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Camcorder JVC HC500 Cinema camera Blackmagic Ursa Mini Pro 4.6K G2 Editor’s choice: Canon EOS C300 Mark III
CAMERAS It’s been a year like no other, both in terms of the global pandemic we’ve experienced and the sheer volume and quality of new camera releases. From full-frame cinema cameras like the Sony FX9 and Canon’s C500 Mark II, tomirrorless powerhouses such as the Panasonic S5, Sony
EDITOR’S CHOICE: CANON EOS C300 MARK III
Capable of shooting 10fps stills, it is an ideal hybrid camera for those who needmore than just the odd stills frame for thumbnails. It’s a great all-round camera, with impressive low-light performance, and even though you need the new CFexpress Type A cards to unlock the most data-hungry codecs, it also accepts fast SD cards, too. As for the DSLR category, it hasn’t really been a hotbed of innovation in recent years. Many professional filmmakers started out using DSLRs, but they’re highly unlikely to be used as a main camera nowadays. However, all of this changed last year after Canon unveiled the staggeringly good EOS-1D XMark III with spec that very few cameras canmatch. Originally launched as a camera to steal the thunder at the Tokyo Olympics, it’s the perfect stills camera for sports shooters, and it also boasts video spec that’s difficult to ignore. The rugged EOS-1D XMark III is our winner in the DSLR category this year. It offers deep-learning AF technology and 5.5K Raw video, and captures full-frame 4K/60p with Canon Log and H.265, or 5.5K Raw footage. Its 20.1-megapixel sensor is great in low light, with a maximum ISO of 102,400, which is expandable to 819,200. This DSLR delivers
The Canon EOS C300 Mark III is Editor’s Choice in the Cinema Camera category, as it uses a whole new body design, like the full-frame EOS C500 Mark II, but has a Super 35 4K DGO sensor and records in Cinema Raw Light. It offers high dynamic range and Dual Pixel CMOS AF, and delivers a high-resolution image with 16+ stops of latitude. It also has an impressive low-light capability, with improved low noise and ISO up to 102,400. There is five-axis electronic image stabilisation in the camera body, and intuitive touch focus operation with the 4.3-inch LCD monitor, as well as an improved focus control that recreates a natural focus pull. The EOS C300 Mark III also has an optional interchangeable lens mount, while dual card slots enable simultaneous internal recording of 4K Cinema Raw Light files (10/12-bit) or 4K XF-AVC files (4:2:2 10-bit) on to CFexpress cards. It’s a great do-everything camera.
A7S III, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K and FujifilmX-T4, there are somany great cameras packed with technology. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited camera for years, the Sony A7S III, finally hit the market, which came as a replacement for the A7S II that had proved a workhorse camera for somany. The new version is a huge leap ahead in spec and became an instant sell-out success. That’s why it’s the clear winner in the Mirrorless category. Although it lacks the internal Canon Raw Light recording and ultimate 8K resolution of the rival Canon EOS R5, it doesn’t have any overheating issues. It also has fast frame rates and internal 10-bit 4:2:2 recording in a range of flavours up to 4K/120p, all packed into a redesigned body with a flip-out screen. And the incredible in-body image stabilisation and impressive autofocus systemwork at all frame rates, right up to 240fps slow motion in HD.
16
PRO MOVIEMAKER
Powered by FlippingBook