Up to the Mark? C100 Mark II review

When Canon introduced the hugely popular EOS C300 camera, many people saw it as the budget Arri Alexa, and when it released the C100, it was the budget C300 - using the same large sensor everyone loved, but losing the ability to record industry-standard 50Mbps video in the camera, although that was nothing the addition of an Atomos Ninja or similar recorder couldn’t address.

 

Canon XF200/XF205 free firmware reduces noise + adds live streaming

New firmware that improves the XF200’s and XF205’s noise ratio in low light and enables live streaming of content over IP networks is being released by Canon. It is also claimed to enhance the camera’s standard of performance and recording modes.

The first firmware update, available now for the XF200 and XF205, enables a new image quality setting that should reduce noise in the picture, even in low light. Users can choose their preferred image quality based on their shooting requirements, selecting from the current default setting, which prioritises resolution, or a new setting that gives priority to reducing noise.

New Canon EOS C300 Mark II - 4K/Ultra HD + 15 stops dynamic range

Canon has unveiled its upcoming EOS C300 Mark II, an improved version of its highly regarded C300. It will record digital cinema 4K (4096x2160) and broadcast Ultra HD (3840x2160) 10-bit 4:2:2 formats internally, or 10/12-bit 4:4:4 files in 2K (2048x1080) and HD (1920x1080). It also boasts 15 stops of dynamic range, slightly better than Arri’s Alexa. However, it will also cost more than many of its rivals (such as Sony’s FS7), at £11,299 + VAT (almost $17,000) when it is released in September.

Canon XC10 compact Ultra HD camera

Canon has announced a new lightweight video and digital stills camera, the XC10, which can record Ultra HD (3840x2160) video and will cost £1,600 (about $2,400) when it ships in June.

Although it is not part of the Cinema EOS range, it does offer some of their features, and is designed to be suitable as a B camera for larger productions. However, it is essentially competing with a couple of established 4K cameras, the Sony A7s, which offers wonderful low-light capabilities with a full-frame sensor for about the same price, and the popular Panasonic GH4, which is slightly cheaper.

Canon EOS C100 Mark II

Canon’s entry-level EOS C100 Mark II Super 35mm camera has received a major upgraded that is designed to offer: improved image quality; better in-camera recording quality; greater creative flexibility; easier operation; and wireless sharing. There is also an improved, tiltable electronic viewfinder and a new flip-out OLED display (just one of many improvements that recognise that the C100 is often used by lone shooters).

It is the first Cinema EOS camera to get integrated WiFi, for file transfer via FTP, and can record HD at up to 50/60p in both MP4 (at up to 35Mbps) and AVCHD (up to 28Mbps), or HD and SD, simultaneously to the two SD cards (and upload the lower bitrate version). There is also browser-based camera control via WiFi.

Canon firmware upgrades for 4K

Canon has announced several firmware upgrades for its EOS C500 and EOS C300 Digital Cinema Cameras, DP-V3010 4K reference display and Cinema Raw Development software, most of which will better integrate acquisition and management of 4K footage into every workflow situation (except the C300 of course, which doesn’t do 4K).

Principal amongst them is support for the recently defined ITU BT.2020 colour space for Ultra HD production. This will be most noticeable on the 30-inch DP-V3010 4K professional reference display. The BT.2020 input signals will be mapped to the native colour space of the DP-V3010 for output, to ensure that images are displayed with the widest possible colour gamut and the greatest possible accuracy. Of course, BT.2020 support starts with the camera, so the C500 will be able to create it too.

Canon XF200 + XF205 launched

Canon’s new XF205 and XF200 compact video cameras fit into the XF range between the existing XF100/XF105 and XF300/XF305, although as the XF200 models each have a single slightly-bigger-than one-third-inch CMOS sensor, they are nearer the 100/105 than the 300/305.