Canon announces firmware updates for Canon EOS Cinema and XF300 cameras

New Capabilities Include ACESproxy Output, Full RAW 120fps 4096 x 1080 Resolution and DCI-P3+ Color Gamut Support for the EOS C500 Camera, and 80,000 ISO Shooting for All Three Cinema EOS Camera Models

New firmware is scheduled to be available starting in November 2013 for the EOS C300 and EOS C100 camera and December 2013 for the EOS C500. In addition, the XF305 and XF300 series camcorders are scheduled to receive firmware updates in early 2014 that include GPS support and enhanced digital tele-converter capabilities.

Among the updates for the Canon Cinema EOS C500 Cinema Camera are: an ACESproxy (Academy Color Encoding System) output from the camera’s 3G-SDI monitor terminal for immediate on-set color correction (using a compatible ACES monitor with ASC CDL [The American Society of Cinematographers Color Decision List]) while primary footage is being recorded in RAW; support for the DCI-P3+ color gamut (a selectable function providing a wider range of color than DCI-P3); Canon proprietary Cinema Gamut for an even greater color gamut than industry standards ITU-R BT.709 (Rec. 709) and DCI-P3; and greater still than DCI-P3+. The firmware also includes an increase in ISO of up to 80,000 for capturing usable footage in darker conditions (including moonlight). The ISO increase also applies to the Canon EOS C300 Cinema Camera and the Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera, both of which also share additional firmware enhancements with the EOS C500 Cinema Camera, including a Peripheral Lens Correction feature to maintain even illumination from corner to corner of the image when using select EF lenses.



Canon EOS C500 Firmware Updates

• ACESproxy output from the camera’s 3G-SDI monitor terminal – Allows filmmakers to grade their footage (which is being recorded in RAW) immediately on-set using a compatible ACES monitor with ASC CDL. This provides an accurate representation of how the footage will look after being color graded in the DI suite when a project uses ACES.

• Support for DCI-P3+ color gamut (Cinema Raw Development) – DCI-P3 is the standard color gamut for digital movie projection. DCI-P3+ is an expanded gamut. This color space shares the same white point as DCI-P3, but encompasses a much greater range of color. By exceeding the DCI-P3 standard, the Canon EOS C500 camera offers filmmakers, in particular the cinematographer, an increase in saturated colors which can be faithfully reproduced, as well as a more accurate representation of the original subject color.

• Canon Proprietary Cinema Gamut– Cinema Gamut is the widest color space currently available for the EOS C500 Cinema Camera. Canon’s Cinema Gamut is wider than both Rec. 709 and DCI-P3+, allowing end users to faithfully record highly saturated color while retaining fine variations of both hue and saturation.

• Canon Log LUT (look-up-table) available over the HD-SDI monitor port – When the camera is recording in Canon Log format the image that is simultaneously outputted over the HD-SDI port to an external monitor can be viewed in its original color space without the apparent lack of contrast and color saturation, resultant of the Log format.

• 4096 x 1080 RAW resolution – In this new shooting mode, in full RAW recording, the vertically cropped center of the EOS C500 camera’s Super 35mm CMOS sensor can now record in 4096 x 1080 native resolution, up to 120fps.



Canon EOS C500, C300 and C100 Camera Firmware Updates

• Peripheral lens correction feature – This maintains even illumination from corner to corner of the image and virtually eliminates vignetting across the image. There are 14 Canon EF-Series photographic lenses that benefit from this feature including the EF300mm f/2.8L IS II USM, EF400mm f/2.8L IS II USM, the EF500mm and EF600mm f/4L IS II USM. The seven Canon CN-E Series Cinema Lenses[i] that benefit from this feature include the CN-E15.5-47mm and CN-E30-105mm T2.8L S compact Cinema zooms, the CN-E14mm T3.1L F, the CN-E24mm T1.5L F, the CN-E 50mm T1.3L F, the CN-E85mm T1.3L F, and the CN-E135mm T2.2L F Cinema prime lenses.

• ISO increased up to 80,000 – This provides the EOS C500, EOS C300 and EOS C100 cameras with greater light sensitivity than ever before. Great for documentaries and other forms of reality production, this ISO increase can help capture shots that may have been previously impossible to capture.

• Ability to shift the magnification location in the viewfinder – Allows users to manually move the magnification view area to one of 25 different locations using the joystick on the camera. With this feature, the camera operator can easily check focus even on subjects that are not located directly in the center of the frame.

• Record button lock – The lock setting on the Key Lock now makes it possible to lock all operations, including the RECORD button, to prevent accidental operation during takes.



Canon EOS C500 and C300 Camera Firmware Updates

• Multi-person log-in for the Canon Wi-Fi® remote application – This allows two users to log-in to a single camera, allowing for camera operation/control with one log-in and metadata to be inputted by the second log-in simultaneously. This is essential when time is critical and production tasks need to be completed immediately.

• Ability to assign ISO and iris adjustments to the control dial (or, on the EOS C300 camera, the dial on the removable side grip handle) – This gives operators the option to allocate whichever setting they prefer to either dial, allowing for specific changes at a moment’s notice.



Canon EOS C300 Camera; XF305 & X300 Camcorder Firmware Updates

• GPS Support – Provides accurate metadata on the location and time of each clip, including longitude, latitude, and altitude for the EOS C300 camera when used with Canon’s optional GP-E1 or GPS Receiver and for the XF305 and XF300 camcorders when used with Canon’s optional GP-E2 GPS Receiver. This is an especially handy feature for documentaries, ENG (Electronic News Gathering) and reality programming.


Canon EOS C300 Firmware Updates

• Wide DR gamma –With a high dynamic range that maintains highlight detail and preserves perfect gradations of color, this feature is designed to help achieve perfect color without adjustment. Optimized for display monitors, wide DR gamma is well-suited for productions that do not allow for lengthy postproduction processing and color grading, such as budget-conscious indie films, web series, or documentaries.

• 1440 x 1080 35Mbps for broadcast requirements –This highly utilized recording mode (at 60i or 50i) is designed to enable the EOS C300 camera to seamlessly align with the standard workflows used by many major broadcast news networks.

• Push auto iris/one-shot AF –These new additions make the EOS C300 camera increasingly attractive for solo, run-and-gun style cinéma vérité shooting. These features (which are already included in the EOS C100 camera), automatically adjust the exposure and/or focus to the most suitable setting at the push of a button. They also provide support for the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM standard zoom lens. The new peripheral lens correction feature further benefits the use of this lens by virtually eliminating vignetting and maintaining even illumination across the image.

•Automatic Exposure (AE) Shift/ Selecting the Metering Mode/ Flicker Reduction – AE Shift can be used to compensate the automatic exposure set by the camera when using the push auto iris function. Users can engage AE Shift in the camera menu to make slight adjustments to the image brightness helping compensate for scenes that are slightly over or underexposed. The new AE Shift capability provides 15 steps, from -2 to +2. The new firmware also enables three light metering mode options to be selected: Standard, Backlight or Spotlight. By selecting a light-metering mode to match one of three recording conditions, users will help ensure the EOS C300 camera obtains a suitable exposure level when the push auto iris function is used. When recording under artificial light, the camera’s monitor may flicker depending on the shutter speed. By setting Flicker Reduction to “Automatic” the EOS C300 camera will automatically detect and reduce flicker on the camera’s monitor.



Canon EOS C100 Camera Firmware Update

• Menu Navigation now possible through buttons on camera body – Previously menu navigation on the EOS C100 camera was only possible through the removable joystick – when the joystick was detached, menu navigation ceased. Allowing users to easily navigate menu options, even with the removable joystick grip detached, buttons on the rear of the camera body will be able to navigate menu options with this new firmware. The buttons on the rear of the camera under the built-in monitor can be assigned as follows: 1) Set, 2) Up, 3) Left, 4) Down, 5) Right.


XF305 and XF300 Camcorder Firmware Update

• Digital Tele-Converter – This update extends the choice of magnification settings with two great options from the current 1.5X to 3X and 6X.

Updated Nov 13: The entry "Canon Log LUT (look-up-table)" was updated with a change provided by Canon that switched the use of HD-SDI and 3G-SDI.