"We did shoot some 12-bit RAW footage, but as we shot 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 with the Canon EOS C300 Mark II, we also shot 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 on the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III," says Alex.
"We shoot with Canon Log 3 on the cinema camera, while the DSLR only has Canon Log, but the Log codecs give you so much control, it was easy to match the colours in post. It was a bigger challenge to match footage shot at different times of day. In the Kalahari, if you look one way, the sand is yellow; but if you turn 90 degrees, it looks a different colour. But I was confident that as long as we were shooting Log with pre-set white balance, we could match the cameras. The Canon EOS-1D X Mark III has a really good codec with generous exposure latitude, which was easy to grade."
When shooting in 4K, precise focus is critical, especially when shooting with longer and faster lenses at wider apertures at dawn and dusk – the best times for tracking wildlife.
The final film oozes quality, with atmospheric shots of the desert as well as amazing close-ups of the fast-moving animals in action – a challenge for any filmmaker to capture. Thanks to the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III's state-of-the-art technology, Alex was able to shoot in new ways, and he's confident that this is a DSLR professional filmmakers should take seriously.
"I'm sold on the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III," he says. "I still love my cinema cameras, but it makes an absolutely fantastic B-camera. It's going to be perfect for capturing cinematic B-roll and cutaway footage to help illustrate the stories we are filming with the Canon EOS C300 Mark II."