Canon filled a gap in its EOS Digital Cinema line-up with today’s introduction of the EOS C200, which utilizes a new 4K codec, Canon Cinema Raw Light, for recording raw data internally to a CFast card.
Canon EOS C200
The new lightweight raw codec is meant to support HDR acquisition and post-production with more manageable file sizes — Canon said Cinema Raw Light files should weigh in at somewhere between one-third and one-fifth of a Cinema Raw file. Cinema Raw Light supports 50p/60p 4K at 10-bit and 240/25p/30p 4K at 12-bit. 2K MP4 proxies (at 35 Mbps) can be recorded simultaneously to an SD card for offline editorial workflow. The camera has two SD card slot and a single CFast slot.
Canon Raw Light codec specs
Source: Canon USA
Workflow
Post-production of Cinema Raw Light is a work in progress but should be sorted out before long. Canon said Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve will support it natively, with support coming soon in Adobe Premiere Pro CC. Avid Media Composer and Apple Final Cut Pro X will be able to edit the footage via forthcoming Canon Raw Plugins, and the format will be compatible with Canon’s own Cinema Raw Development application, which will allow it to be transcoded to other formats including DPX and Apple ProRes, the company said.
Canon lays out the workflow options in this diagram.
Source: Canon USA
In addition to the new raw format, the C200 also supports UHD recording to long-GOP 150 Mbps MP4 files at up to 60p, but those files are limited to 8-bit 4:2:0. The camera can also output 8-bit 4:2:0 4K UHD at up to 60p to an external recorder over HDMI, or 10-bit 4:2:2 HD over SDI. Both outputs support the PQ EOTF, which enables HDR monitoring on-set.
The EOS C200 has a 4096×2160 Super 35mm CMOS sensor with 13 stops of dynamic range, Canon said, as well as a wide pixel pitch to enable low-light recording at up to 102,400 ISO with “extended sensitivity” turned on. Built-in ND filters offer five steps of filtration.
The C200 also features Dual Pixel CMOS auto-focus, which Canon said will improve focus speed during 4K recording and enable continuous autofocus (over about 80 percent of the image area) and face-detection with EF lenses. When used with Canon’s LM-V1 LCD monitor, the camera also supports touch focusing by tapping areas of the screen. A new auto-focus menu allows both the lens drive speed and subject-tracking to be fine-tuned.
Pricing, Configuration and Availability
Canon EOS C200 (left) vs C200B.
The C200 will be available in two different configurations, Canon said. The EOS C200 (estimated retail price: $7,499) is a “production-ready” package that includes a built-in OLED EVF along with an LCD monitor, camera grip and handle unit inside the box. The same system is available in a camera-only version, the EOS C200B (estimated retail price: $5,999), without the accessories or built-in EVF. It’s aimed at users that want a more compact and mobile camera unit for use on gimbals and drones. Both models are expected to ship in August.
Canon also announced official pricing for the previously unveiled Compact-Servo 70–200mm zoom lens shipping later this year. It will have an estimated retail price of $5,800.
Canon EOS Digital Cinema: www.usa.canon.com
