After a long wait, the much anticipated successor the highly popular broadcast industry workhorse the C300, today Canon officially announced the C300 Mark II. The new camera from Canon features 4K internal recording in a newly developed 4K 10bit 4:2:2 codec called XF-AVC capable of bit rates of up to 410Mb/s.

There are so many upgrades, improvements and flat out new features, so I'll try to keep it short and to the point. First things first – the new Canon C300 Mark II has a brand new 8.85MP Super 35 CMOS 4K sensor capable if the phenomenal 15 stops of dynamic range giving cinematographers the ability to capture stunning 4K images with high detail and vivid tonality.

Next, a new 4K codec called XF-AVC, which comes in a 10bit 422 and 12bit 444 flavour up to 410Mb/s bit rates giving post-production houses and colourists a lot of information to work with. Directors of photography and camera operators can also benefit from a 2K (2048 x 1080p) and Full HD recording up to 60 frames per second, as well as a new 2K crop option which bumps up the high speed frame rates up to 120 frames per second. Not too shabby at all.

4K recording is on dual Cfast 2.0 cards and available in standard frame rates – 23.98/24/25/29.97. Sadly no 4K/60p, but for slow-motion, camera ops can go to 2K and get up to 120fps. Both 4K DCI (4096 x 2160) and Broadcast UHD or UltraHD as its sometimes referred to (3840 x 2160) are available.

The Canon C300 mark II will be available in EF mount only upon shipping, however, Canon will be offering an interchangeable PL mount (sold separately) which can be changed at a Service centre.

A newly redesigned top handle features a removable XLR unit for a more flexible and stripped down approach when flown on hand-held gimbals or drones.

The ISO sensitivity has been bumped up to the staggering 102,400 giving you the ability to shoot in the dark (although more applicable benefit would be clean ISO's of 3200 and above to a reasonable level). The built-in ND filters have also been updated to 2, 4, 6, and 8 and 10 stops in expansion mode. 

Canon C300 Mark II Key Highlights

  • Super 35 mm 8.85-megapixel sensor

  • 4K recording using a new format (XF-AVC) achieved

  • Horizontal resolution: 1000 TV lines at the 2K resolution; 1800

  • TV lines at the 4K resolution

  • Canon Log 2 gamma (dynamic range with 15 stops)

  • Low and high ISO sensitivity supported (ISO160 and

  • ISO102,400) (TBD)

  • Lower rolling shutter distortion (compared with EOS C300)

  • 2K/HD processing based on Over Sampling HD Processing

  • LCD panel visibility enhanced (by backlight improvements)

  • SDI outputs x 2 incorporated (4K RAW or HD outputs selectable)

  • Power-driven ND filter equipped - 2, 4 and 6 stops, 8 and 10 stops (in expansion mode)

  • Mount replacement enabled

  • (EF mount (with lock) or PL mount)

  • Internal monaural microphone incorporated

  • DAF supported within a range equivalent to approx. 80% of the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the screen

  • Face detection while DAF is being executed also supported

  • DAF + face detection possible from Browser Remote

  • Focus speed adjustment enabled

  • Dual Pixel Focus Guide to assist manual focusing

  • XF-AVC H.264 recording supported

  • 4K YCbCr4:2:2 10-bit 30P/25P/24P internal recording supported

  • 4K 30P/25P/24P RAW outputs supported

  • 2K/HD RGB444 internal recording supported

  • Audio 16-bit/24-bit recording supported

  • Wide color gamut(BT.2020, Cinema Gamut and DCI-P3) supported

  • Simultaneous recording on CFast cards (2.0) and

  • SD card supported

  • HDMI Rec trigger linkage supported

  • Two slots for CFast cards, one slot for SD card



Introducing the Canon EOS C300 Mark II




Walkaround of the Canon EOS C300 Mark II




Due to high demand and expected innitial limited supply to avoild long wait times pre-order the C300 Mark II here for a fully refundable deposit of only £100 including VAT. Expected to start shipping September 2015.

Not only that, but Canon just announced another 4K camera – the XC10. This time in the XF range, the fixed lens camera features a 10x zoom lens optimised for 4K capture, 1” sensor, removable hand grip and EVF, and a form factor small enough to fly on a drone or a hand-held gimbal stabiliser like the DJI Ronin / Movi M5 for example.

 

Broadcast professionals as well as those productions requiring 50Mb 422 footage will be glad to learn that the XC10 can record in Full HD on affordable SDXC cards, while 4K footage requires Cfast 2.0 compliant memory card for blistering Ultra HD 3840 x 2160p 8bit 422 MXF recording up to 30 frames per second.

12 megapixel 4K still photograph extraction is possible thanks to the high-quality processing via the new DIGIC 5 engine and the 8.29MP 4K 1 inch CMOS sensor. Sensitivity is maxed out at the impressive 20,000 ISO leaving professionals the option to capture beautiful images in low-light situations.

 

Canon XC10 Highlights & Features

  •  1.0-inch CMOS sensor optimised for both movies and stills. 

  • Record 4K footage internally at up to 305Mbps/4:2:2/8-bit or Full HD at up to 50Mbps/4:2:2/8-bit with Canon’s XF-AVC H.264 codec. 

  • Capture 12 Megapixel stills or 8.29 Megapixel 4K movie frame grabs. 

  • Supports Canon Log (with 12 stops of DR) and Wide DR Gamma. 

  • Record 4K internally to a CFast 2.0 card or Full HD/Photos to an SD card. 

  • Up to ISO 20,000 for excellent low light performance and a built-in ND filter for bright light. 

  • High-resolution 10x 27.3-273mm f/2.8-5.6 optical zoom lens (35mm equivalent in stills mode: 25-250mm) with optical image stabilizer. 

  • Compact, ergonomic design with vari-angle LCD, loupe viewfinder and rotating grip. 

  • Catch all the action with slow (HD) and fast motion recording (up to 4K). 

  • WiFi remote control via browser or smart device.


Introducing the Canon XC10




4K RECORDING FOR ALL

Sporting stellar image quality, traditionally associated with larger cameras, as well as the flexibility and ease-of-use of traditional compact camcorders, the new 4K Canon XC10 feautres an advanced imaging engine is a powerful combination of a specially developed 1.0-inch CMOS sensor and Canon’s new DIGIC DV5 processor that gives both enthusiasts, budding filmmakers and experienced professionals the blistering speed and quality they demand to capture 4K video, at a wide range of variable bit rates.

Able to fit seamlessly into workflows, or productions with existing Cinema EOS cameras like the C300 or the C100 Mark II, the Canon XC10 can record UltraHD 4K (3840x2160) footage to an internal CFast 2.0 card at bit rates up to 305Mbps, or Full HD (1920x1080) footage to an SD card at up to 50Mbps, with pro-standard 8bit 4:2:2 colour sampling for high-resolution performance.

The XC10 delivers rich colour tonality, synonymous with Cinema EOS cameras, with a high ISO of up to 20,000, ensuring excellent results in low-light conditions, and a 12-stop Wide Dynamic Range, providing vivid detail in both highlights and shadows.

Shooters have the freedom to capture a diverse range of scenes in professional 4K quality using a specially-developed 10x optical zoom lens, complete with Canon’s class-leading image stabilisation technology. With a versatile 27.3-273mm focal range (35mm equivalent, in video mode) videographers can easily switch between capturing sweeping scenes to intimate close-ups, with a single lens.

Camera professionals and enthusiasts alike can change between movie recording and still image shooting, capturing high-quality 12MP images, or extracting 8.29MP stills from 4K video footage.

UNCOMPROMISING DESIGN, OPTIMISED FOR EASY SHOOTING

The XC10 redefines the boundaries of advanced compact camcorder design, with a body that’s instantly intuitive to use. Once in your hand, you’ll find a rotating grip that supports a variety of shooting styles, as well as essential feature controls at your fingertips, including a manual zoom and focusing ring.

Designed to match any shooting preference, the camcorder features a 7.66cm vari-angle touch LCD, with 100% field coverage, providing direct access to the menu system through a simple set of cross keys, while an included optical loupe viewfinder, that fits the LCD, offers a more traditional shooting experience.

FOSTERING CREATIVITY WITH EXPERT WORKFLOWS

Professional videographers can easily integrate the XC10 into existing production kits and workflows, thanks to its portfolio of professional standard codecs and recording modes. Canon’s new XF-AVC H.264 codec supports recording in both 4K and Full HD quality, enabling easy integration into industry-standard Non-Linear Edit systems.

Canon Log Gamma also enables maximum freedom in post-production editing and processing and seamless quality matching with content shot on Cinema EOS cameras. Additionally, videographers can freely shoot in 4K, and later down convert to Full HD, to create a higher quality end product, and enable greater flexibility in the editing process.

A selection of slow and fast motion recording modes – including up to 1200x fast motion in 4K/Full HD, and up to 1/4x slow motion in HD – as well as interval shooting provide further creative opportunities.

The XC10 is also WiFi compatible; enabling remote control of key features via a browser, smartphone or tablet – securing its position as an essential part of any Cinema EOS video shooter’s toolkit.

The Canon XC10 is available to pre-order and is expected to be available around June 2015 and cost in the range of £1,599 + VAT.