Canon EOS C70 vs the Blackmagic URSA Mini Pro G2

In this article we’ll compare the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) to the popular Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) to see which is the better investment for filmmakers.

I’ll compare the specifications of the two with available information, to see which one makes the most sense for high-quality professional videography. Hopefully you’ll be able to get a clearer picture of which camera is suited for which applications. If this is not your cup of tea, stop reading.

Image quality

Here’s some early sample footage from the Canon EOS C70:

If you’ve found my content useful support me and watch my film A Count Of Ten today.

CLICK FOR STREAMING OPTIONS

And here’s official footage from the URSA Mini Pro:

Both look good for this price point and market. Both cameras are probably better than 99.99% of filmmakers, so there’s nothing to complain about.

Comparison of sensors and video features

Here’s how the camera sensors compare:

The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has the larger sensor horizontally, though the URSA Mini Pro G2 gives you 4.6K.

The Blackmagic Design URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) really isn’t a low light camera at all. This puts it at a serious disadvantage wherever lighting cannot be controlled – which is the vast majority of videography work.

Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has the same Dual Gain Architecture of the C300 Mark III and is great in low light. That and the extra ND give it a slight edge here.

What about frame rates?

Here the Ursa Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) fares much better. If you want HFR, the choice is clear.

The G2 also wins in codecs offered:

You get “RAW”. In Quotes because BRAW isn’t truly RAW in the way other RAW cameras deliver RAW. Even so, having Prores beats H.264 or H.265.

On the whole, it’s tough to call. If videography is your business, the lack of low light in the URSA Mini Pro is hard to overlook. If fictional work is your business, the URSA Mini Pro looks a lot better.

We’ll explore further.

Lenses

The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has a Canon RF mount. The URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) can be purchased with an EF, PL, F or B4 mount.

You could add an adapter to the Canon EOS C70 to make it compatible to another mount, or just use RF lenses natively. The RF system hasn’t been fleshed out yet, but Canon has released enough lenses to get professionals excited.

For a deeper understanding of the best lenses for the Canon EOS C70, head on to the article below:

What really tilts the game in Canon’s favor is this:

Having world-beating dual pixel auto focus is a tremendous advantage in any shooting situation. You can always chose to focus manually, but having this option can get you shots you otherwise wouldn’t bother trying. That, and the additional option of using RF lenses, gives this round to the Canon C70.

Focus, monitoring and ergonomics

The Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) has been designed as a cinema camera in a mirrorless body. So naturally it is lighter and more compact than the URSA Mini Pro G2. (Amazon, B&H):

What about the monitor?

The URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) is a beast, though you do get some benefits like full XLR inputs, a bigger monitor, a viewfinder (separate purchase), SDI ports, etc.

What you get externally:

The URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) is clearly a camera designed to have mostly-everything in the box. The Canon EOS C70 is not as convenient, especially when you consider the fact the ports are on the same side as the buttons and the direction the LCD swivels in.

For ergonomics, I give it to the URSA Mini Pro G2.

Batteries and media cards

Here’s a look at the media options:

The URSA Mini Pro wins here. If you don’t have the money, or if your cards run out, you can always still keep shooting with cheaper SSDs.

What about battery life?

It is quite a difference of almost $400. It may not make or break your decision but it is a variable that you will definitely need to consider. Also, you’ll be adding more weight to extra batteries to an already heavy G2.

The URSA Mini Pro G2 (Amazon, B&H) has XLR for DC input. The Canon EOS C70 has 24V DC IN for DC input.

The URSA Mini Pro G2 would need a top handle, but you do get one with the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) in the box.

Which is cheaper to own?

Shall we?

There is a difference of around $1,353 among the two.

Some filmmakers might justify this price difference with the availability of BRAW, XLR inputs, higher frame rates, etc. Let’s see how everything comes together.

Verdict

First, a recap:

Before we take our final decision, we’ll let each camera tell us what it offers that the other doesn’t:

A word about service and support

Depending on which country or territory you’re in, service could be stellar or non-existent. Blackmagic Design doesn’t have the service network of Canon worldwide.

I can speak for my country, India. Canon has a solid sales and service reputation, with offices. Lots of people sell Blackmagic cameras, but don’t ask about repairs.

For me, the Canon EOS C70 (Amazon, B&H) wins for these important reasons that put food on the table:

1. Low light performance
2. Size and battery life
3. Service and support
4. Lightweight and low travel costs
5. Better lenses and autofocus for run and gun work