What are the main considerations when it comes to choosing the best kit for corporate video and photography? Whether you're a small business startup or an established global corporation, versatility is key. Nowadays, you might have to go from shooting corporate headshots to streaming a product launch event for social media, all before lunch. Selecting a two-camera setup or a hybrid solution that enables effortless switching from stills to video, therefore, is becoming ever more important.
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The best kit for shooting corporate video and photos
Cinematographer Otto Beck, based in Prague, Czech Republic, has tracked the changing requirements of corporate video production for more than a decade now. A graduate of the New York Film Academy, Otto's skills and attention to detail have seen him produce business videos for major brands, and his company, HayotFilms, lists Amazon, Microsoft and Nestlé among its clients.
"We do a lot of talking heads and interviews, alongside internal comms and behind-the-scenes videos that show how the business works," he explains. "We have also had to adapt to the global health situation over the past two years, so we also now do a lot of livestreaming – including for the Academy Awards® and the Golden Globes®."
Do you own Canon kit?
This year also saw Otto bolster his corporate video camera equipment – adding a Canon EOS C70 and Canon EOS R5 combo to his kitbag, which already included a Canon EOS C200 and Canon EOS R. Here, and in the video below, he explains what these new tools bring to his corporate video production, as well as offering advice for businesses looking to produce their own corporate videos, while John Maurice and Jack Adair from Canon Europe share their technical insight and suggest alternative cameras to consider.
Canon EOS C70: the best corporate video A-camera
"When Covid-19 arrived, and people stopped travelling, we got so many requests asking for help with corporate video shoots in the Czech Republic. Our job was to film only and supply unedited footage in 4:2:2 10-bit," explains Otto. "So we had to figure out whether we were going to rent a different camera or shoot Cinema RAW Light on the Canon EOS C200. Obviously with RAW you have to convert everything, so it's a lot of extra work.
"While the Canon EOS C200 is a great camera that we still use occasionally, the Canon EOS C70 is much smaller and is able to record 10-bit 4:2:2 at up to 120fps in 4K, as well as giving better image quality and a higher dynamic range," Otto continues. "The EOS R5 can also do 10-bit 4K at 120fps, which is great for slow motion when we shoot B-roll."
Canon EOS C70
The Canon EOS C70 is the first Cinema EOS camera to feature an RF lens mount, making it easy to share lenses with EOS R System cameras. "With the optional Mount Adapter EF-EOS R 0.71x, you can also attach EF lenses," adds Canon Europe Product Marketing Specialist, Jack Adair. "So whether you're investing in newer RF lenses or you already have EF glass, it gives you a lot more versatility with your lens options."
Audio clarity is just as important as image quality when it comes to delivering a clear corporate message. The EOS C70 comes with four-channel audio recording and two mini XLR inputs. "That means that if you're recording anything, from a single person interview to a corporate roundtable discussion, you can do it all with one camera," Jack explains.
Canon EOS R5: the high-quality hybrid camera for business B-roll
With its full-frame sensor, 12-bit 8K RAW video and 45MP stills capabilities, the Canon EOS R5 is a great choice for B-camera duties. Otto uses it to capture a secondary angle during talking head interviews, as well as shooting B-roll footage of businesses at work.
"Ever since the Canon EOS 5D Mark II (now succeeded by the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV) came out, people saw the potential for shooting high-quality video in a small form factor," says John. "It's now easier than ever to shoot video as a single camera operator, due to the emergence of Dual Pixel CMOS AF with deep-learning AI, which makes it simple for even the inexperienced to keep a subject in focus.
Canon EOS R5
"If you've got an EOS R5 or an EOS R6 then you can immediately take a few photos as well," John continues. "So, you might have your video interview all set up, but you can quickly switch straight into stills mode to take some behind-the-scenes shots."
Canon XF605: the all-in-one A-camera for corporate video
If you're a small, medium-sized or startup business, then a professional camcorder such as the Canon XF605 is an attractive solution for corporate video creation. "The XF605's big benefit is that it's ready to go," says Jack. "If there's a live event running where you need to adapt quickly, as long as you've got a card and a battery in the camera, then you're able to just pick it up and start shooting."
Like the Canon EOS R5, the XF605 also features Canon's Dual Pixel CMOS AF for easy, intelligent focus tracking. "This version of our industry-leading autofocus uses EOS iTR AF X, which introduces intelligent face and head tracking," Jack explains. "This maintains focus on the subject even when they turn their head."
Canon XF605
With its wealth of connection options, including Wi-Fi, USB-C, HDMI and 12G-SDI, it's simple to integrate the Canon XF605 into a multi-camera setup for recording and streaming. It also has the ability to shoot in Canon Log 3, which when combined with other cameras also set to record in Log 3, ensures matching footage that makes post-production workflow more streamlined and efficient.
"If you're shooting something that's going to be shown later, be it an interview, a meeting or a product demo, and you want to give it that really cinematic look, Canon Log lets you take it into grading and editing and make it look beautiful," says Jack. "If you need a faster turnaround, then Wide DR, HLG or PQ format will give you a really nice image straight out of the camera."
Canon EOS R6: the full-frame A or B-camera for smaller businesses
As a more budget-friendly hybrid camera option than the Canon EOS R5, the 20.1MP Canon EOS R6 offers the same level of performance with more manageable video and photo file sizes.
"With the EOS R6 you have very powerful stills and video functionality in a full-frame body," says John. "You know the production quality is going to be high, even when you're struggling with the lighting, because you've got a large sensor and excellent sensitivity."
Canon EOS R6
The EOS R6 can record high-quality 10-bit 4:2:2 video at 4K resolution. "This effectively gives you another shot if you're using Full HD as your final output, as you're able to punch into the full-frame in post," adds John.
"Another useful feature, if you're a corporation that wants to produce more video content for social media, is that the EOS R6 and EOS R5 support vertical video shooting. So they will let the workflow editing software know that the footage was filmed vertically, and the timeline will be transformed to a vertical one."
Best Canon lenses for corporate video and photography
Otto relies on a trinity of professional L-series lenses for the majority of his corporate productions: the Canon RF 15-35MM F2.8L IS USM, the Canon RF 24-70MM F2.8L IS USM and the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM (via the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R). The Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is also available, should you want to work with the full complement of native RF f/2.8 L-series zooms.
"In most cases, we use the Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM on the EOS C70, because it's the A-camera, and we have to go with the best shot," Otto says. "The 24-70mm coverage gives a lot of flexibility to go closer or wider, in order to get that good shot.
Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM
"We mostly use the EOS R5 with a Canon RF 85mm F2 MACRO IS STM lens or Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM via the Mount Adapter EF-EOS R," he explains. Telephoto lenses are perfect for tight headshots filmed from secondary positions – when shooting talking head content, for example. Having both lenses allows Otto to position a third camera for an even wider range of possible angles.
"We also use the EOS R5 on a gimbal with the Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM when we want to show a location," Otto continues. "We normally balance the gimbal for 24 or 25mm and then, because the camera and lens are so lightweight, we can zoom wider or closer, and we don't have to change anything."
The main RF lens range now offers coverage from 14mm to 800mm and is designed to meet the requirements of both photography and video recording. "They are true hybrid lenses, with smooth silent focusing and smooth aperture control," says John. "And they enable creative teams to be flexible and provide whatever a company asks them to – be that capturing events, livestreaming, corporate headshots or internal communications."