Red has come up with its latest new offering, the Red Komodo-X, an upscaled version of the Red Komodo with a global shutter.
We did a comparison with its predecessor and got to know that although it has been updated and overhauled, it cannot be said with absolute certainty that it is worth the extra dough.
To get a better idea about its actual value, we decided to compare it with cameras which are in the segment of Red Komodo, hoping that it would show the vast difference in features that the price is showing.
Which brings me to this article, here we compare five cinema cameras which roughly have similar specifications and prices except the Red Komodo-X and the stalwart Canon EOS C300 Mark III.
Let’s just get right into it!
Here are the cameras compared:
- Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H)
- Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H)
- Canon EOS C300 Mark III
- Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF (Amazon, B&H)
- Red Komodo-X
The camera body
Here’s how much the base camera body costs:
| Camera | Price of Camera Body |
| Sony FX6 | $5,998 |
| Canon EOS C70 | $5,499 |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | $8,999 |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF | $6,385 |
| Red Komodo-X | $9,995 |
As you can see that here we have three cameras in the Red Komodo’s price range, and one which is in Red Komodo-X’s segment. There are gonna be some revelations tonight.
It would be in your best interest to feel out the after sales and service in your country or area prior to committing to any camera. No point buying a camera and then having to tear your hair out when you realize you have to ship your camera overseas for repair.
The price of the camera body is misleading, because some of the cameras on this list are ready to shoot, but others need a few accessories to get even. Read on, we’re going to look at this, too.
Remember, only one winner!
Comparison of sensors and video features
Sensor performance
Here’s how the camera sensors compare:
| Camera | Maximum Resolution | Sensor Size |
| Sony FX6 | 4096 x 2160 | 35.7 x 18.8 mm |
| Canon EOS C70 | 4096 x 2160 | 26.2 x 13.8 mm |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 4096 x 2160 | 26.2 x 13.8 mm |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF | 12,288 x 6480 | 27.03 x 14.25 mm |
| Red Komodo-X | 6144 x 3240 | 27.03 x 14.26 mm |
Only the Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) is a camera with a full frame sensor while the rest are Super 35 sensors.
Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K OLPF (Amazon, B&H) also has a significantly higher maximum resolution. The advantage is that you can crop your frame to Super 16 and still get 6K footage.
To know about the distinction read this:
Let’s dig deeper:
| Camera | Dynamic Range* | ISO Range^ | Built-in ND | Shutter |
| Sony FX6# | 15+ | 800, 12800 to 409,600 | Yes, 2-7 stops | Rolling |
| Canon EOS C70 | 16+ stops | 100-102,400 | Yes, 2, 4 and 6 (8 & 10)^ stops | Rolling |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 16+ | 320 to 80,000 | Yes, 2,4 and 6 stops | Rolling |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 14 | 125 to 3200 | Yes 2, 4 and 6 stops | Rollling |
| Red Komodo-X | 16.5+ | 250 to 12,800 | No | Global |
*You can’t compare these dynamic range numbers directly because almost all of them fudge the numbers. None of these cameras beat the Arri Alexa LF with 14+ stops of dynamic range – not where it matters anyway!
^8 and 10 through using two NDs at the same time (6+2) and (6+4). Canon calls this extended mode.
#The Sony FX6 has 15+ stops dynamic range with 10% crop.
The Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) is definitely the best camera for low light. It also has built-in ND filters. The USP of the Red Komodo-X is that it is the only camera with a global shutter, same as the Red Komodo which costs much less than this.
Frame rates
Let’s look at frame rates:
| Camera | Max fps at 4K | Max fps at 1080p |
| Sony FX6 | 3840 x 2160 @ 120 fps* | 1920 x 1080 @ 120 fps** |
| Canon EOS C70 | 4096 x 2160 @ 120 fps | 2048 x 1080 @ 180 fps^ |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 4096 x 2160 @ 120 fps | 2048 x 1080 @ 180 fps^ |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 4096 x 2160 @ 120 fps | 240 fps in S16 | N/A |
| Red Komodo-X | 4096 x 2160 @ 120 fps | 2048 x 1080 @ 240 fps |
*In XAVC-S/L mode only, in UHD, not 4K DCI. In XAVC-I the maximum frame rate is 60 fps.
**The FX6 can do higher frame rates but less than 1080p resolution.
^180 fps is in 2K/Super 16mm mode.
The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K (Amazon, B&H) and the Red Komodo-X seem to be the most versatile camera in this list for high frame rate recording. They also have the option of shooting at higher resolutions which make them a better package all-together.
You’ll also have to factor in the low light ability for HFR work. The more the frame rate, the more light you’ll need. Having a sensor with greater sensitivity is definitely an added advantage.
Codecs
| Camera | Internal RAW | External RAW* | Bit depth for RAW | Other Codecs |
| Sony FX6 | No RAW | ProRes RAW via HDMI | 16-bit^ | XAVC-I |
| Canon EOS C70 | Cinema RAW Light | No | 12-bit | XF-AVC, H.265/H.264 |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Cinema RAW Light | No | 12-bit | XF-AVC |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | BRAW | No | 12-bit | None |
| Red Komodo-X | Redcode RAW | No | 12-bit | Prores HQ (up to 4KProres HQ (up to 4444 XQ) |
^Disregard the 16-bit bit depth on the Sony FX6, it’s probably just 12-bit rewrapped. It’s unlikely you’ll get true 16-bit for this price.
Canon has added the Cinema Raw Light feature to the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) with a new firmware update which makes this camera a steal deal for young filmmakers.
The Red Komodo-X wins this one though because of the popularity of Redcode RAW and the options that it gives for ProRes.
What you get externally:
| Camera | Connection (BNC) | Best resolution and fps | Audio |
| Sony FX6 | 12G SDI x1, HDMI x1 | 4264 x 2408 @ 60fps | UHD @120 fps^ | 2x XLR |
| Canon EOS C70 | HDMI x 1 | 4096 x 2160p @ 60fps | 2x Mini XLR |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 12G-SDI x1, 3G-SDI x 1, HDMI x1 | 4096 x 2160p @ 60fps | 2x XLR |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 12G-SDI x1, 3G-SDI x 1 | 2160p @ 60fps | 2x XLR |
| Red Komodo-X | 12G SDI | 4096 x 2160p @ 60fps | 5-Pin port |
One of the important distinctions of a cinema camera is the availability of additional SDI/HDMI ports for monitoring and recording.
In this regard the Canon EOS C300 Mark III wins this for me, with XLR inputs and an HDMI port along with the SDI ports, if that’s what you need. The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K would have been decent except for the HDMI port.
Lenses
| Camera | Mounts | Price for PL mount |
| Sony FX6 | Sony E mount | $549* |
| Canon EOS C70 | Canon RF | $379^ |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Canon EF | $950* |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | PL (optional EF, F) | $0 |
| Red Komodo-X | Canon RF | $549* |
I don’t think you’ll be restricted by the lens mount, if your goal is to end up with PL glass you need to understand how the pricing changes. Some cameras have separate mounts you need to purchase and swap as needed, others don’t. For the latter you need adapters instead.
Overall, I feel the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K (Amazon, B&H) does best here by not overcharging unless you need additional mounts.
If you don’t need PL, then maybe autofocus is something you’re considering. In that case the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) is your best bet.
Autofocus performance
| Camera | Continuous Autofocus |
| Sony FX6 | Phase Detection AF with Eye Tracking |
| Canon EOS C70 | Dual Pixel CMOS AF |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Dual Pixel CMOS AF |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | None |
| Red Komodo-X | Phase Detect and Contrast |
The Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus by Canon wins hands down giving this round to the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) and the Canon C300 Mark III.
Monitoring and ergonomics
Weight and size
Let’s look at the weight and size:
| Camera | Volume (size) | Weight (Body Only) |
| Sony FX6 | 123 cubic inches | 890g |
| Canon EOS C70 | 147 cubic inches | 1.19 kg |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 232 cubic inches | 1.75 kg |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 315 cubic inches | 2.55 kg |
| Red Komodo-X | 78 cubic inches | 1.19 kg |
The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K (Amazon, B&H) is large and heavy, but you need to consider the weight and size of additional accessories the other cameras need to arrive at the same functionality.
Although, the Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) impresses with the number of features that it has packed in a relatively lighter body.
What about the LCD monitor? Some of the cameras have a monitor you can watch your footage on, and this is handy in a pinch. For serious monitoring, though, you need an external monitor that’s at least 5″, and none of the cameras have that.
All the cameras can be operated without a dedicated monitor or viewfinder.
| Camera | Monitor |
| Sony FX6 | 3.5” touchscreen |
| Canon EOS C70 | 3.5” touchscreen |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 4″ touchscreen |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 4″ touchscreen |
| Red Komodo-X | 2.9″ touchscreen |
The Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K (Amazon, B&H) has the biggest screen but the monitor on the Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) can swivel in any direction. Overall I’d give this to the FX6.
Media and Batteries
Media
Here’s a look at the media options:
| Camera | Card slots | Price (Price per GB) |
| Sony FX6 | 2x CFexpress Type A** / SD card | $1,399 ($0.72/GB) |
| Canon EOS C70 | 2 x SD UHS-II | $269.99 ($1.05/GB) |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 2 x CFexpress Type B + 1 x SD | $399 ($0.38/GB) |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 2x CFast* / SD UHS-II + USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 | $499 ($0.48) |
| Red Komodo-X | 1 x CFexpress Type B | $399 ($0.38)^ |
The Canon EOS C300 Mark III and the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K (Amazon, B&H) are the winners here.
| Camera | Best Internal Codec | Data rate* | Cost per 4 hours |
| Sony FX6* | XAVC-I | 75 MB/s | $94.92 |
| Canon EOS C70 | Cinema RAW Light | 81 MB/s | $149.50 |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Cinema RAW Light | 128 Mb/s | $85.50 |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | BRAW | 578 MB/s (361 MB/s)^ | $487.68 ($304.59) |
| Red Komodo-X | Redcode RAW | 175 MB/s | $307.61 |
^In 8:1 setting or MQ compression.
To be fair, I’m going to use the 8:1 and MQ compression settings to be on an even keel. You can see the Red Komodo-X’s insane value when shooting in compressed RAW.
What about battery life?
Batteries and Power
| Camera | Battery | Power Draw | Battery Voltage |
| Sony FX6 | Sony BP-U70 | 18 W | 19.5V |
| Canon EOS C70 | Canon BP-A30 | 14.6 W | 14.4V |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Canon BP-A60 | 31 W | 14.4V |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | V-mount | Gold Mount | 55 W | 12V |
| Red Komodo-X | Micro V-Lock | N/A | 14.4V |
Now all we have to do is find the battery life and cost of operation for 6 hours of a day’s worth of work.
Here are the numbers:
| Camera | Battery life^ | Watt hours | Cost | Cost of 6 hours of operation |
| Sony FX6 | 210 mins | 72 Wh | $320 | $549 |
| Canon EOS C70 | 130 mins | 45 Wh | $249.95 | $692 |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | 175 mins | 90 Wh | $429 | $882 |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 100 mins | 95 Wh | $200 | $720 |
| Red Komodo-X | N/A | 49 Wh | $275 | N/A |
Red has not specified the battery life anywhere, but we can expect it to be somewhere between the Red Komodo and the Red V-Raptor S35 (37 W – 80 W).
Time to sum up everything.
Which is cheaper to own?
Shall we? It’s important to add accessories to put all cameras on an even keel:
| Camera | Sony FX6 | Canon EOS C70 | Canon EOS C300 Mark III | Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | Red Komodo-X |
| Camera body | $5,998 | $5,499 | $8,999 | $6,385 | $9,995 |
| Cost of Media | $95 | $150 | $86 | $305 | $308 |
| Cost of Batteries | $549 | $692 | $882 | $720 | $800* |
| Lens Adapter | $549 | $379 | $950 | $0 | $549 |
| Total | $7,191 | $6,720 | $10,917 | $7,410 | $11,652 |
So, the Red Komodo-X comes down to be the most expensive of them all by a huge margin, even the Canon C300 Mark III, which is in the same segment is much cheaper.
The difference between the cheapest, the Canon EOS C70 and the Red Komodo-X is around $4,000 but there is no justification for the price.
The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) and the Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) hold their own against the heavyweights.
The choice will come down to usability and exactly what kind of work you’re doing.
Verdict
First, a recap:
| Feature | Winner |
| Sensor, ISO and Low Light | Sony FX6 |
| Built-in ND filters | Canon EOS C70 |
| Frame Rates | Tie |
| Codecs | Red Komodo-X |
| SDI and XLR | Canon EOS C300 Mark III |
| Variety of Lenses | Tie |
| Autofocus | Canon EOS C300 Mark III |
| Media | Blackmagic URSA 12K |
| Ergonomics | Tie |
| Battery life | Sony FX6 |
I interact with thousands of filmmakers every year, and I can tell you: practical cinematography in the real world doesn’t really warrant anything better than what any of these cameras are capable of producing. So the limitation will always be the cinematography and production values.
Before we take our final decision, we’ll let each camera tell us what it offers that the other doesn’t:
| Camera | USP | Major Cons |
| Sony FX6 | Small and lightweight, low light performance, AF, full frame sensor, E-mount lenses, 4K 120 fps externally, ND filter, XLR inputs, production ready ergonomics, worldwide availability and support | No RAW internally, no locking lens mount |
| Canon EOS C70 | Value for money, New lenses, ND filters, Autofocus | Lack of I/O options |
| Canon EOS C300 Mark III | I/O options, Autofocus, Lenses, Dynamic Range | Bulky |
| Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K | 12K, 8K to 4K modes, 4″ LCD, production ready ergonomics, BRAW in many varieties of compression levels, high frame rates | Low light performance, size and power draw |
| Red Komodo-X | Global shutter, High Framerates, Media, Nano batteries, Internal compressed RAW | No XLR for audio, power draw, no ND filter |
I promised one winner. If I had to pick one camera that can do everything, the from documentaries to film work to even weddings, the Canon EOS C300 Mark III is the king. For the value they offer though I would like to give this to the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) for shooting films and anything you want to broadcast in theatres and the Sony FX6 for everything else.
If I had to pick just one, the Sony FX6 (Amazon, B&H) would be my choice here.
If you really really need the best RAW and HFR, then I’d pick the Red Komodo-X, but then Red Komodo has the same RAW and the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro 12K also has HFR options for you. They also come much cheaper.
So, the Red Komodo-X is not the best deal, according to me.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.
