We all knew it was eventually coming, and when Canon made it official, everyone rushed to find out what the new Canon EOS C300 Mark II was going to give us – and so far, it looks promising. What’s great about Canon is they listen to users. They listen and then methodically implement those ideas through software and hardware upgrades, giving us better tools to tell more prolific stories. At NAB 2015, Larry Thorpe, a senior fellow at Canon, echoed this sentiment in a press event showcasing the C300 Mark II and other products such as the XC10 4K camera.
With the C300 Mark II release coming this September, Canon is already out in the field educating groups on the camera’s finer details. We recently attended an event held at Band Pro in Burbank, California, where Canon market specialist Genaro Arroyo went into great detail about the Mark II’s present functionality and fielded questions and concerns from attendees. Here are ten things you should know about the EOS C300 Mark II. (Keep in mind, the camera is in “super-beta” mode, and while this is the most accurate information to date, it may change by the September release date.)
Ergonomics
Personally, I love the ergonomics of Canon’s cinema cameras. When they first introduced the EOS line there was some backlash about its build: “It’s not a box?! What are we going to do with this?” But the more people got their hands on the cameras, the less we heard about their shape. First off, the C300 Mark II is going to weigh more than the C300. Noticeably different? Probably not, but since Canon improved the camera’s sensor capabilities, there’s a lot more going on inside.
There’s also a new battery system that’s being implemented to handle the processing power. Yeah, you read that correctly; there will be a new battery system for the C300 Mark II. Will they cost more? Weigh more? There are no specs yet, but Canon built the battery system so the life is comparable to the C300 and other EOS cameras. This way, if you’re shooting with multiple body versions, the battery life will all be about the same.
Canon also gave us a more robust top handle. They added more metal to its development so it’s sturdier than the C300’s plastic version. The new build is held in place by socket screws which will take a tad longer to remove or install. The 4″ LED that comes with the camera is now an OLED EVF so images will have a vibrant, clean look. It boasts 1.23 million dots and provides 100 percent field of view with a 16:9 aspect ratio. It also has a 60-degree tilting angle. The two propriety cables running from the camera to the LED will come in two lengths: 19″ (48 cm) being the standard, and a 29″ (73 cm) option for longer runs. The programmable buttons on the camera are also backlighted now.
Lens Mount
Canon is giving us mounting options. Yay. We’re no longer stuck with an EF or PL off the shelf. You can now buy an EF version and instead of using third-party adapters to switch to PL, you can switch out the EF for PL right on the camera. You have two options: you can either have Canon or an authorized service center replace it for a fee (cost unknown), or you can do it yourself. While doing it yourself will void the warranty, at least they’re giving us the option. Keep in mind, if you do go from EF to PL or vice versa, you’ll probably need to update the software, too.
4K 10-bit 4:2:2 at 30fps
The Canon EOS C300 Mark II uses a CMOS Super 35mm sensor with 9.84 megapixels (4206×2340), 8.85 effective pixels while shooting cinema 4K (4096×2160) and 8.29 megapixels in 3820×2160 and lower. The upgraded sensor allows you to shoot 4K 10-bit YCC422 files up to 410Mbps and 30fps. If you’re looking for something above 30fps at 4K, the EOS C300 Mark II isn’t the answer. You’ll need to consider the EOS C500 if you want to shoot Canon as it offers 60p or 120p.
On the plus side, the camera provides 15 stops of dynamic range. In comparison, the Blackmagic Cinema Camera has 13, the RED EPIC 18, ARRI Alexa 14+, Sony F55 14 – but anything 13 and up is truly amazing.
Besides 4K, the EOS C300 Mark II has options for 2048×1080 and 1920×1080. You get 12-bit RGB444 at 29.97p, 23.98p 25p, or 24p and 10-bit RGB422 2K/FHD up to 120p. Canon is also using a new XF-AVC/H.264 codec for their MXF file wrapper, but you can also export RAW over 3G-SDI to an external recorder. Keep in mind, you can only export up to 30fps in RAW – nothing more.
Dual Recording
The EOS C300 could only record photos to its SD card, but now you can dual-record proxy video using its SD card slot. Canon is using dual-slot CFast 2.0 cards (which are different than CF cards) for its main internal recording, and gives the user options to record either 2048×1080 or 1920×1080 YCC420 8-bit proxy video or JPEG stills at the same resolution to SD. Definitely cool. If you want to record 4K images to an external recorder via 3G-SDI, you can still record 4K to CFast as a backup. While it’s not yet confirmed if you can record to all three mediums at the same time (4K CFast, 4K external, and SD), that’s something to look out for near the release.
Color Space
Canon made sure the EOS C300 Mark II was ACES approved, but what’s more interesting is their introduction of two new color spaces: Canon Log 2 and Wide DR (Flat). (If you’re not familiar with the original Canon Log Gamma, it isn’t a RAW recording option, but captures a high dynamic, flat image to the Canon XF codec, allowing more information to be passed along to color correction.) Canon now gives us Canon Log 1 and Canon Log 2. The difference? To put it simply, Canon Log 2 favors the highlights while Canon Log 1 favors the shadows. So you’ll have to decide which type of dynamic range you’ll want to shoot with. The introduction of Canon Log 2 has changed the native ISOs. In Canon Log 1, the original ISO was 850; it’s now dropped to 400. In Canon Log 2, it’s 800. If you’re wondering what has more grain/noise at specific ISOs, we’ll just have to wait for a full test when it comes out, as Canon didn’t have specifics yet.
While Canon Log 1 and 2 are flatter images, Wide DR (Flat) is more a quick-turnaround gamma. Let’s say you’re on a reality show and there isn’t much time to color or you don’t have the money for it, and you feel Rec. 709 is too saturated. Wide DR (Flat) is your in-between from Canon Log and Rec. 709. Like the name implies, it produces a slightly flatter image and leans more toward Log. Also, for those wondering, the Mark II can send Rec. 709 to an external monitor now. Yay.
Canon also gave the EOS C300 Mark II the Cinema Gamut like we see in the EOS 500. It’s the largest color space Canon offers. If you’re going to shoot Cinema Gamut, you have to know what you’re doing because the color space is so huge. If you’re thinking about it, be sure you have a conversation with post before you even start shooting, as it may stir a very big headache.
ISO, ND Filters, and Color Balance
Since we mentioned the new native ISOs, it’s probably a good time to mention that the ISOs range from 160 to 25600. When the sensitivity is expanded it can reach 100 and 102400. It has gain increments of -6dB, -2dB, 42dB and 54dB (when expanded). The ND filter provides up to 10 stops when the expansion is selected, 6 when it’s not. Canon has also increased the color balance on the camera, exploring ranges from 2000K to 15000K – which is great for underwater environments.
Focus
With what Canon calls Dual Pixel CMOS Auto Focus, there are a lot of neat things happening inside the EOS C300 Mark II in terms of autofocusing powering. When using EF lenses with auto focus, you have a lot of helpful options. There are different mode types: continuous, AF-boosted MF, or one shot. You can then select your focus to be either center or selectable. Center is self-explanatory, while selectable allows you to select an area of the frame to focus. Right now, the software allows you to select about 80 percent of the total image area. There’s also an option for Face AF (EF, STM lenses), which uses special facial recognition software to track and focus a face while it moves throughout the frame.
They’ve also added a feature to the Mark II that allows you to change the focus speed from one object to another. If you’ve worked with the Samsung NX500 or NX1, you’re already familiar with the existing technology: while you’re focused on one object and tap to another, the rate at which the focus changes is already set, and you can’t manipulate it in any way. But now you have the ability to change the speed, tracking sensitivity, and size/location of the focus area. Want it slower/faster or bigger/smaller? No problem.
In the new feature dubbed AF-boosted MF, the Dual Pixel technology will try not to overshoot the image when finding focus, allowing operators to adjust the focus ring themselves. You can kind of look at this mode as a helpful cheat: “OK, my camera is suggesting this amount of focus, but I actually want this type instead.”
Operators can also turn on the Dual Pixel Focus Guide option. It’s a visual aid that displays on your LED to help focus manual, cinema-style lenses. In this mode, three arrows appear around a box to show what direction to turn the focus ring to achieve the sharpest look. When it’s reached, the box and arrows turn green.
Audio
The EOS C300 Mark II has a built-in mono microphone for scratch audio and features two improved XLR inputs that record Linear PCM 16bit or 24bit; 48 kHz 4-ch.
Remote Control
The EOS cameras all have wireless and remote ability, but what’s new to the EOS C300 Mark II is the ability to touch focus right on the browser window. So if you have an iOS or Android device, you’ll be able to track a subject through the remote app – which is a nice feature if you’re using the camera for drone applications.
Menus
Canon redesigned the menu putting the “important” options near the top of the menu trees. This cuts down on time, but they also added a ‘Favorite’ section where you can assign specific menu items you access more frequently than others. This is an addition to the assignable buttons on the outside of the camera. There’s also a variety of peaking and histogram options, but what’s also nice is the ability to burn info right on the image. You can literally burn the settings of the camera to the image for reference, so be sure you have these selected appropriately to avoid any reshoots.
Be sure to check back for more Canon EOS C300 Mark II updates near its release date in September.
Shot with EOS C300 Mark II – Trick Shot
4 Comments
Trick Shot shooting reveals that behind the camera there is a very amateur director. He shows no knowledge whatsoever on, for example, one of the most basic rules of filmmaking: the “axis inversion”. For example, for a simple example of how not observing the “axis inversion” principle will give the viewer a confusing spatial orientation, imagine this film scenario: Red army warriors fighting blue army warriors. Red warriors charge from left to right. Blue warriors charge from right to left. If you keep the camera always in the same position, alternating blue and red warriors shots, red warriors will always charge from left to right and the blue warriors will always charge from right to left. However, if you place the camera on the opposite side of the action (axis inversion), just like that, without panning around the two armies, red warriors will charge from right to left instead and the blue warriors on the opposite direction from the initial frame. In other words, inverted axis in a abrupt cut, in this scenario, will show both armies charging in the same direction. This huge basic cinematic principle is clearly depicted in “Trick Shot”. When the couple enters the bar lounge, the girl sits on the stall at the left of the man, behind him. Subsequent shooting alternate the views of the seated couple, breaking the principles of axis inversion thus creating a confusing spatial orientation as if the two characters were changing seats now and there. There are many other naive filming direction misconceptions and in post production (horrible uneven colour grading between outside and inside interlaps) in this beautiful contrasty short produced with canon’s 300 MII.
The axis inversion, or 180 degree rule, isn’t an essential rule but a convention of the classical Hollywood narrative. Not all filmmakers need to abide by these rules, and deviation from them can create a diverse range of effects. Calling someone an amateur director because they did use a rule you deem as necessary (one which has been explicitly ignored in some of the best filmmaking of history, particularly in French cinema) is very amateur on your part Ricardo. You blue-ass Mr. Bean looking repugnant bitch.
M
It is a pretty shitty film though
It was well lit, i was watching where I couldn’t hear the audio so i cant comment on the story, but overall looks well shot. I taught filmmaking and yes the 180 rule is important but doesn’t make the director an “amateur”.. man some of these comments, seriously people get a life.