TechRadar Review Calls Godox C100 a Flawed Camera but a Working Light Meter
TechRadar says Godox's $45 C100 camera is hard to frame and weak on video, though its light meter works.
TechRadar said the design is the strongest part of the package. The rectangular camera measures 104 x 71.7 x 19.1mm, weighs 65g and drew comparisons to Star Trek from friends and strangers during testing. The transparent panel overlays mode information, battery level and framing lines, and the camera slips easily into a pocket for grab shots. But the review found that the viewfinder is hard to use once shooting begins. There is no comfortable way to hold the C100 while keeping both the subject and the frame lines in view, and the reviewer said his eyes flicked between them like a hunting autofocus system. Unless the camera is held close to the eyes, the frame lines do not correspond well to what is captured, TechRadar said.
Image quality was described as more or less decent for a camera of this type. The C100 uses a 2MP sensor and a fixed-focus plastic lens, so detail is only okay and dynamic range is poor, though colors can be punchy. TechRadar criticized the lack of image filters or film-style looks, saying the shots it produced were a bit boring in contrast to the camera's striking exterior. Video quality was very poor, with pronounced rolling shutter and some dropped frames, according to the review.
The light-meter function is where the C100 performs better. TechRadar said its readings were consistent with a dedicated light meter. The review added, however, that the C100 will not attach to an SLR's hot shoe, leaving the reviewer to ask who the product is for. TechRadar called the C100 a borderline inexplicable release, two devices wrapped in one unusual shell. It said it did not hate using the camera, but kept returning to questions about its purpose.
The C100's specs include Full HD 30fps video, a microSD card slot, a 2-inch OLED screen and USB-C connectivity. At $45 / £47 / about AU$64, TechRadar said it is cheaper than most cameras and most light meters, including many compact cameras such as the Camp Snap, and that discounts have already appeared on the original asking price. TechRadar's verdict listed the uniquely stylish design, the working light meter and image quality that could be worse as positives. It listed poor and janky video, no settings control or image filters, and a transparent viewfinder that is hard to use as negatives.