Mercedes-Benz x C300 Mark ll | Alen Palander & Adam Madrzyk

Ever wonder what it’s like to drive across Canada in style? Like in a Mercedes-Benz G-Class? These two Torontonian-creators did. They captured and celebrated every moment and took Canon on the adventure! Check out how they brought their vision to life in the ‘Journey North’ campaign using the C300 Mark ll.

What was the deciding factor in choosing the C300 Mark II?

We’ve worked with the camera before and appreciate the versatility it offers. For this particular shoot, we knew we’d be on a constant move and so we needed a ready-to-go camera that was well equipped, as well as prepared to handle various environments and conditions. We knew the C300 Mark II would be a reliable and trustworthy camera that would help us in getting the shots we needed and very quickly.

What camera settings set the C300 Mark II apart for this campaign?

The C300 Mark II has various great settings; such as the built-in ND filters, as well as the track and autofocus that make the camera a practical choice when you’re doing run-and-gun filming, especially in rugged conditions, like driving in swamps. The fact that the camera also shoots in 4K allowed us to have the highest resolution and best quality possible!

What were your most used and favourite camera features for the ‘Journey North’ campaign?

The 12-bit mode that the camera offers in 2K as we wanted to capture as much colour information as possible, and of course the flexibility to downscale to 10-bit for slow motion sequences. The internal ND was also great. We didn’t have to use a matte box for ND filters, or use a variable ND filter threaded to the lens since it was already integrated in the camera.

The run-and-gun form factor is also great, and we were able to use the on-board monitor without having to build the camera from ground-up using different pieces. The autofocus and track focus were also memorable features. We were dealing with high-speed moving cars and the fact that the camera was able to keep focus was amazing. Canon’s Dual Pixel Autofocus technology is absolutely brilliant!

Alen Palander