Canon EOS C70 vs Canon EOS 1DX Mark III

This article is a comparison of the specifications of the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) and Canon EOS 1DX Mark III (Amazon, B&H) for cinema work with currently available information and/or firmware as of this writing.

Who are these cameras aimed at?

These are two different cameras aimed at completely different markets. One is a DSLR whose primary purpose is to take photographs, and video is secondary. The other is a pure video camera.

The problem is, the 1D X Mark III shoots 5.5K RAW internally, at 60p. The C70 does 4K 120 fps in 10-bit 4:2:2. And they are close enough price-wise to confuse the best of us.

I’m assuming the primary target group would comprise of:

• Solo filmmakers
• Wedding videographers
• Wildlife journalists
• Documentary filmmakers
• Event videographers
• B-Roll camera crew

Comparison of sensors and video features

Here’s how the camera sensors compare for video:

Canon claims to have the improved and revolutionary DGO sensor for their new Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H). Once we do get our hands on the C70 we will know how that translates in real-world use. But we have extensive experience with the 1D X:

It’s an incredibly capable video camera, and is a joy to use.

What about 4K frame rates?

Next, the codecs and color information:

Here the Canon 1DX Mark III (Amazon, B&H) shines, with 5.5K internal RAW recording. On the other hand, if you don’t want RAW, then the C70 offers 10-bit 4:2:2 and a theoretically better sensor.

I would expect the Canon EOS 1DX Mark III (Amazon, B&H) to be better in low light. Having shot with it myself I can attest to its clean imagery in low light. I would be really surprised if the C70 can outclass it in that department.

This one’s too close to call, because there are features in both that, if critical, will seal the deal.

Focus and exposure aids, and ergonomics

The little things make all the difference:

The C70 has an in-built false color tool, something that will help professionals a lot. Both have focus peaking, however Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has a system where you can have two focus peaking presets allowing you to have two different peaking presets for different situations which is always helpful.

As far as size and weight are concerned:

Both cameras claim to be weather resistant. Overall, I’ll give it to the C70 for these reasons:

1. Swivel LCD screen
2. Focus and exposure aids
3. Video ports, XLR, Timecode, etc.

Lenses and Autofocus

Both the cameras have dual pixel autofocus, but with one major caveat:

The AF does not function with 5.5K RAW 60p/50p on the Canon 1D X Mark III. It only works till 30p.

However Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) claims it has a better autofocus with RF lenses. Now, this can be another empty line of jargon or it could be actually something substantial. We have to get a proper hands-on experience for us to figure that out.

Ultimately, though, the choice would boil down to your preference of EF or RF lenses.

Batteries and media cards

Here’s a look at the media

CFexpress cards are not cheap (comparing Sandisk Extreme Pro to be fair). For practical shoots, you will need multiple cards. This could really add to your budget for RAW shooting.

That might make it out of reach for most people.

What about battery life?

The battery life isn’t that different to worry about.

Audio Inputs

Here we find one stark difference between these two cameras. The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has 2 in-built Mini XLR inputs, while you will need a XLR to Mini XLR adapter. Clearly, this is what a lot of professionals need.

Which is cheaper to own?

Let’s just add up the costs:

A difference of about $2,000. Is it worth it?

Recap

First, a recap:

Before we take our final decision, we’ll let the cameras tell us what they offer that the others don’t:

My Verdict

I said I’ll try to provide a balanced overview, even though it’s hard. Here’s what I think:

I had great fun shooting with the Canon EOS 1DX Mark III (Amazon, B&H), but it simply cannot be a daily driver. It’s tremendous 5.5K RAW “advantage” comes with huge data rates and the lack of autofocus at 60p. The $2,000 extra for this will never be recouped through clients. Nobody working in this price bracket can afford to shoot 5.5K RAW, period.

In today’s economic climate, professionals need a camera that just gets any kind of job done. The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) is that camera. If you want a photography camera, just get the Canon EOS R6 (Amazon, B&H) for that extra $2,000 you saved!

The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) wins.