Why These Boxes
My go to camera at the moment is the Canon C300 MkII. It only has one SDI output for monitoring but in a larger production I need more options for people on set to see what's on camera. The DP needs a monitor for lighting, the camera op needs an EVF, the AC needs an onboard monitor and lets not forget about a client monitor. My solution for this was to purchase a Wooden Camera C-Box. However, the more accessories added to a camera the more powering options are needed to make those things work which was why I also purchased a Wooden Camera D-Box. The two boxes go hand in hand.
Wooden Camera makes a D-box specifically for the C300 MkII, but I chose to purchase the more generic versions of these boxes. The cool thing about the C300 D-box is the LANC control board inside the D-Box that communicates with the camera so that any ARRI standard start/stop can be used in the 3pin Fischer ports. This makes adding a handle with an ARRI start/stop button much easier and broadens handle options. The down side is that this option is much more pricey than the more standard D-box I purchased.
I'm not sure how long I'll own a C300 MKII so I wanted a configuration that will work with other cameras when I decide to make a change. I also had Wooden Camera wire my boxes together. This eliminates an extra gold mount between the two saving space and weight. They did this free of charge!
Features
The D-box I purchased can be modified as needed. This way you don't have to send your box back to Wooden Camera to do the work. It seems like anytime I send something off I get a job and need that piece of gear. Since the D-box has a modular design there's no wasted time shipping your box in. The video tutorial below from WC's site shows how easy it is to change out power connectors.
The C-box cannot be modified, but it's not really something that is needed. It offers one HDSDI in and one HDMI in. There are three SDI outs and two HDMI outs. An interesting limitation is you can only use HDMI or SDI signal input. However, all the five outputs (2 HDMI and 3 HDSDI) work simultaneously. So the C-box does crossconvert the input signal.
Pricing
The D-box I purchased was $550 and the C-box was $599. On top of that I have a WC Gold Mount that powers my camera that cost $225. That's a total of $1,375 I have invested in power and signal distribution. That may seem a bit steep, but you want clean quality power and signal distribution at all times. I've been using these boxes for the past two years and have had no issues. I really think these boxes are worth their price.
Note
I was not commissioned by Wooden Camera to do this review. From time to time I review gear I've used and own. I hope this helps any of you working in the filmmaking world.