Mushroom Creative tests the Canon EOS C400

As a busy agency and production house with roots entrenched in music and culture, Mushroom Creative juggles a mix of projects with rapid turnarounds where flexibility is key.

“One night, we’re in a stadium with 110,000 fans singing their lungs out at Ed Sheeran’s MCG show. The next morning, we’re chasing down Daniel Ricciardo through the streets of Melbourne for a Honda content series,” explains Senior Video Director Brian Purnell.

As a small team, all staff are hands on across pre-production, shooting and postproduction, and capable of delivering the full range of snackable content for your phone to feature length documentaries for the big screen.

Recent work includes AFL Grand Final Pre-Game Entertainment with Katy Perry, Boiler Room, Support Act’s Ausmusic-T-Shirt Day campaign, live show coverage for Dom Dolla, J Balvin, Peggy Gou and Fred Again.

A mission to tell unforgettable stories and form connection with an audience is central to their work. In Canon’s range, they’ve discovered intuitive camera systems that step out of the way and help facilitate that connection.

Recently, they tested the Canon EOS C400’s 6K Full Frame CMOS Sensor across the full gamut of use from brightly lit studio (filming promos for Ausmusic T-Shirt Day) to live music and ambient-lit audiences at night.

In festival videography, the artist on stage is always well lit. However, half the storytelling is in the crowd’s reactions, who are mostly in the dark, explains Brian.

Mushroom’s core kit includes the Canon EOS R5 Cs and workhorse EOS C70s — a mighty combination that covers the breadth of work they tackle.

“The R5 C is our go-to — it bridges the gap between cinema and stills, making it perfect for gimbal work or lightweight setups,” said Wahid. “The C70? Rock solid, with built-in NDs and cinema-grade quality.”

Beyond cameras, the Canon ecosystem makes life easier on set. The new RF 24-105mm f/2.8L IS USM has been ideal for gimbal work as the lens length stays constant while zooming, keeping balance steady, aperture fast, and covering many popular focal lengths without the need to change lenses.

Jumping from high-energy live events to remote locations with challenging lighting, durability and reliability are non-negotiable, and adaptability is key.

“In a world where artists and clients expect creators to be able to capture emotive stills, eye-catching video and then turn around edits overnight, we’ve had to evolve,” said Brian.

“The Canon EOS R5C has been integral in making that transition seamless. We need to be versatile and dynamic, like the equipment we are using.”

The inclusion of timecode has been a life saver in postproduction when multicamming 15 angles at a major live music event, and footage needs to be synced seamlessly and edited to tight deadlines.

“At the end of the day, Canon just helps us deliver polished, cohesive visuals at the standard we aim for,” said Hicham.

“It’s all about creating visuals that don’t just look great — they need to feel great,” said Brian. “Whether it’s the electrifying energy of a live crowd or the quiet intimacy of a behind-the-scenes moment, emotion is everything. For something to be unforgettable it needs to be truly felt and make a connection.”