Well, it’s been two weeks of using the C100 in the real world and so far so good. I’m starting to get used to it and operating is becoming second nature. It is a very easy camera to use from a technical standpoint. It’s also stood up well to most of the situations I’ve thrown at it and I’m quite happy with the images I’ve gotten.
Filming for Vega Sport in California with the Canon C100
The first thing I had to do with the C100 is figure out a way to make the flip-out LCD screen and the disappointingly small viewfinder more functional. I needed different solutions for shooting eye-level hand held, low angle while holding the handle, and everything in between.
The first thing I did was go to my favorite local camera shop and look through their box of random parts. I came across a viewfinder eye-cup for an old Sony PD-170 – that’s a blast from the past. I did a little trimming around the opening and low and behold, it slipped around the C100’s eyepiece pretty well. It’s nice and snug and won’t easily come off unless you actually pull it off. It’s not a perfect solution, but it’s much more comfortable. It also blocks out almost all of the light. I used it in bright sun on the beach and it got the job done.
The Sony PD-170 rubber eyecup with a red chamois cover. Just because red looks cool.
Trim the a little of the rubber into the basic shape of the C100′s eyepiece. Cut just a little at a time to ensure it fits nice and snug.
Still wish the C100 had the C300′s eyepiece but at least this makes it usable for handheld work.
Now onto the LCD screen. There were certain times that using the LCD screen “as is” worked just fine. But in bright lighting situations, it became a bit of a challenge. I think the Zacuto Z-Finder that’s designed to clip over top of the C100’s LCD will be a great solution but it’s availability has been delayed. Not sure why, but I think it may have something to do with the fact that the LCD screen’s mount doesn’t have much tension. Any extra weight means it won’t really stay in position. It works pointed straight up and straight out. Anything in between, it just seems to sag and eventually drop down. Rather frustrating.
In the meantime, I did find the Hoodman EX Kit Pro. It turns the LCD screen into a viewfinder by attaching an eyepiece with a rubber mounting strap. You’ll need to do some minor trimming of the rubber to make it fit around the screen’s knuckle. Again, not a perfect solution, and definitely not the best quality optics, but it saved my bacon a few times. For example, when I was low on the sticks with my 70-200mm to get some long lens stuff, using the LCD made tracking focus much easier. It was also great not having to be on my knees to look through the small eyepiece. For the price, it serves the purpose of a temporary fix.
Hoodman EX Kit Pro
Hoodman EX Kit Pro
Hoodman EX Kit Pro
For tricky focusing, the EX Kit Pro works as a temporary C100 solution.
Hi Scott,
Nice to hear about someone else using the C100. I’ve just used one for the first time in anger on an assignment in Zambia, and am going to hire one again for a gig in Cambodia coming up. Exactly the same love / hate issues, the big gripe being the unusable-in-bright-daylight LCD. The hoodman looks like an interesting temp solution – just got a couple of questions if you don’t mind answering.
1) How quick & easy is it to get the loupe on / off once you’ve modded it for the C100 screen?
2) Does it provide any magnification or do you see the screen ‘as is’?
Cheers
Terry
Hi Terry,
The Hoodman loupe takes a bit of futzing to get it on and off – probably takes me 30 seconds or so. I am getting better and faster at it. The only thing that concerns me is putting the extra force on the screen hinge every time I’m taking it on and off. It did save my bacon many times on this shoot but I can’t see it being a long term solution. Yes, it does provide some magnification and it also has a diopter adjustment for your eyesight. The rubber sleeve that wraps around the LCD screen is a bit bulky which means the screen won’t lay flat and straight out – it’s slightly upright. Basically it works great for being above the camera and tilting it up to your eye. If the camera is higher, you can’t tilt it down. But, that’s more of a Canon design issue with the screen itself. In short, I would say it’s better than nothing right now. But, I’ll be keeping my eye out for something better.
Cheers!
Scot McDonald
Hi Scot,
This review of the C100 workarounds is very helpful. I have been looking at similar solutions for my new C100. One question, if you don’t mind. What microphone and wind-sock are you using?
Thanks,
Ed
Hi there Edward,
I’m using a Sennheiser ME-64 with a Rycote Softie. The 64 is a great camera mic. It’s not too long in its physical size and it also doesn’t have too long of a reach for its pickup pattern. It’s perfect for general b-reel as well as grabbing the occasional sound clip or short interview (if you don’t have a sound person) when you’re in fairly close. Because of its shorter reach, loud background noise will drop off somewhat which is great. I use a 64 on all my cameras and have been very happy with the results.
getting my c100 next week- will definitely have to try the viewfinder fix
Thank you for a great review of the C100, I recently bought one and ordered a Zacuto z-finder eyecup replacement kit, and a large microfiber foam cover, they work perfect! $20 total. The viewfinder is not as bad as many people have written about, I am glad for that! I also have a Hoodman loupe, and bought the extender, it works reasonably well too. Nice to have options compared to my DSLR’s. I do find the viewfinder much more comfortable for hand holding, and the screen better for tripod use, nice to have both.
Regards,
Malcolm