Canon U.S.A. Announces the Second-Generation EOS C100 Mark II With 1080P 60

This one came out of nowhere. Some interesting new features that definitely needed upgrading. Namely the viewfinder and the LCD but some users might be disappointed that the frame rates are still limited. I really don’t see why 1080p 90 fps is so hard for Canon to give up even when updating the processor to a Digic DV 4. At least we get 1080p 60 now.

After thinking about this if you add a Ninja Star to the C100 MKII you get a really compact C300 for the most part and that would only add about $300 This is a really good idea for anyone interested in getting the Mark II. ProRes 422 is just as good as the internal C300 codec and the Ninja Star is very small.

The big issue with the C100 was it needed a good monitor and if you also wanted a more robust codec it made sense to get a Ninja or even better the Ninja Blade. So if you take the monitoring aspect out of the equation you can save around $700 and basically have a C300 for $6K. Fuzzy math but might be a good alternative.

As I pour over all the spec I’ll update this post with more of my thoughts but for now I’m on the fence as to upgrading to the Mark II from my C100. However if you want a HD camera the C100 Mark II looks to be very solid at a very good price. Retail is $5499 and ships early December.

C100 Mark II Product Highlights

• Super 35mm 8.3MP CMOS Sensor + EF Mount
• 1920×1080 60/50i, 24/25p, PF30, PF23.98
• Built-In Dual Pixel CMOS AF Hardware
• Face-Detection AF (New feature introduced) With STM lenses
• AVCHD + MP4 Recording
• Dual SDHC/SDXC Media Card Slots. Can record in SD or MP4 in second slot.
• HDMI Output with Timecode & Canon Log plus 1080 60P
• DIGIC DV 4 ISO from 320 to 102,400
• Canon Log and Wide DR Gamma
• Two XLR Audio Connectors
• Built-In 2.4 GHz & 5 GHz WiFi Capability
• Canon DIGIC DV4 image processor. Improved image quality
• 3.5-inch 1.23 megapixel OLED display panel
• Large OLED 68-degree tilting 0.45-inch 1.23 megapixel color EVF (need to see this!)
• Built-in mono microphone on the camera body. When handle is off audio can be recorded
• Addition of wireless file-transfer capabilities and camera control via browser. No paid app required.
• Remote control of the camera is also enabled via a compatible smartphone, tablet, or laptop
• In Camera LUTS for C Log via HDMI monitoring.

Frame Rates

• AVCHD
• 1080p: 23.98/50/59.94
• 1080i: 50/59.94
• 1080PF: 25/29.97

• MP4
  1080p: 23.98, 25, 29.97, 50, 59.94
  720p: 23.98, 25, 29.97
  640 x 360: 23.98, 25, 29.97

Press Release.

Canon U.S.A. Announces the Second-Generation EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera

Features MP4 and AVCHD 1080/60p Recording, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Face-Detection Autofocus (AF), Redesigned Viewfinder and OLED Panel, Built-In Canon Log Look-Up Table, and Wireless File Transfer

MELVILLE, N.Y., October 21, 2014 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera, the latest edition to the Canon Cinema EOS line of professional Super 35mm 8.3 megapixel CMOS cameras and the second-generation version of the popular Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera.

Designed for economical film and video productions such as documentary and remote broadcast crews, wedding and event coverage, indie film productions, as well as film schools and business and government users, the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera, features advanced image processing, AVCHD and MP4 1920×1080/60p recording, uncompressed YCbCr output from HDMI, and many other new and enhanced capabilities for improved picture quality, operability, and convenient handling. Delivering a cinematic look with shallow depth of field and high sensitivity in low-light environments, the new EOS C100 Mark II camera weighs just 2.5 lbs. and is compatible with over 103 Canon EF Series lenses, including STM models which can deliver smooth and silent autofocus during filmmaking.

“Canon’s commitment to the advancement of tools for visual expression takes another major step forward with the introduction of the EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO of Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Drawing on input from Canon’s global community of Cinema EOS camera users and from digital filmmakers using Canon EF lenses – 100 million of which have now been produced worldwideⁱ – the Company has added new capabilities to the EOS C100 Mark II from its predecessor that powerfully leverage our considerable expertise in optics, imaging, and digital signal processing. The result is an improved, affordable Super 35mm CMOS digital camera that is designed to provide outstanding HD image quality, operational performance, ergonomics, and workflow convenience.”

Design Enhancements

Optimized for one-person operation, the new EOS C100 Mark II camera has a mobile core design enabling users to choose their preferred style of shooting. The existing design has been enhanced to include a large-size detachable eyecup for the camera’s large 68-degree tilting 0.45-inch 1.23 megapixel color EVF (electronic viewfinder). Clearly marked red trigger buttons on the camera body, top handle, grip, and a built-in mono microphone on the camera body — for times when the top handle is not attached — can be used to capture basic sound for audio notation or as an aid to audio syncing during post.

Another major redesign of the new EOS C100 Mark II over its predecessor is an innovatively hinged 3.5-inch 1.23 megapixel OLED display panel, delivering 100 percent field-of-view coverage, wide color range support, and improved viewing even in bright sunshine. The new hinge design — which folds the panel shut when stowed, protecting the OLED surface — opens 180 degrees to reveal function keys and a joystick. The panel can open even further to 270 degrees to deploy against the side of the camera to provide monitoring for directors and other production personnel. Additional design improvements on the camera body include 17 assignable recessed function buttons, dual SD card slots with a transparent cover, and a simplified battery insertion and removal release.

Visual Expression

Previously available only as an optional upgrade for earlier Cinema EOS models, Dual Pixel CMOS AF is a standard feature on the new EOS C100 Mark II, providing enhanced autofocusing capability. The Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology helps provide smooth and consistent autofocus, so that focus transitions are natural looking and subjects can remain in focus even as they move off center. In addition, the compatibility of Dual Pixel CMOS AF with Canon EF autofocus lenses combines outstanding optical tools with a wide range of creative options. It’s ideal for shooting sports, weddings and many more productions where focus pulling by a single operator is not feasible, such as when the video camera is attached to steadicams or drones. The EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera also includes Face-Detection AFⁱⁱ, a first in the Cinema EOS camera line, which utilizes contrast detection AF to maintain focus across most of the image plane, an advantage in one-person electronic news gathering (ENG) situations.

Imaging and Recording

Central to many of the new features of the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera is its advanced Canon DIGIC DV4 image processor. The Canon DIGIC DV4 image processor separates the RGB output from the camera’s 8.3 Megapixel CMOS imager into three individual 8 megapixel signals (as opposed to 2MB in the EOS C100) for noticeably improved image quality. The Canon DIGIC DV4 processor also includes a new debayering algorithm to help minimize moir‚ and reduce video noise even at high ISO speeds. (high-sensitivity recording on the camera ranges from ISO 320 to 80,000).

Another important benefit of the Canon DIGIC DV4 processor is Full HD recording in both the high-quality professional format AVCHD or the popular web-friendly MP4 format at a variety of bit rates (up to 28 Mbps and 35 Mbps, respectively), resolutions, and frame rates (up to the smooth look of 59.94p) to suit practically any production need.ⁱⁱⁱ For special-effect requirements, slow and fast motion MP4 recording at up to 1920×1080/60p can also be performed.

Users can choose from multiple formats that support MP4 or AVCHD to suit a wide variety of production, post, and output needs. The EOS C100 Mark II camera’s dual SD card slots can record in one or both formats simultaneously^iv for back-up, or convert AVCHD and MP4 files into smaller MP4 files for web upload.^v Extended clip times can be achieved by recording continuously from one card to the other without a break. In addition, a Data Import Utility application is included that can seamlessly join divided files to help reduce work during editing and to import video file data from an SD card inside the camera or a card reader.

As with the other cameras in Canon’s Cinema EOS line, the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera includes Canon Log as a recording choice, providing maximum dynamic range for post-production color grading. New, however, is the addition of a built-in LUT (look-up table), enabling users to view the camera’s live video signal in Wide DR (dynamic range) or the BT.709 (TV standard) color space on the OLED or any external monitor connected to the camera’s locking HDMI^® output (this feature can be turned off in the menu). Uncompressed video output (with time code data and 2:3 pull-down markers superimposed) can be output via HDMI to an external recorder.

Connectivity Innovations

The addition of wireless file-transfer capabilities further expands the versatility of the new EOS C100 Mark II camera for multiple production applications, including transferring time-critical news video or backing-up files. Utilizing dual 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies, the camera can transfer video files via FTP server for instant relay, or send MP4 video to the web browsers of laptops or tablets for viewing and storage (even on PC’s lacking playback software). Remote control of the camera is also enabled via a compatible smartphone, tablet, or laptop. The new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera also includes compatibility with the optional multi-functional Canon RC-V100 Remote Controller, which can be used to adjust image quality and other important operations from a distance, a handy feature for shooting from a jib arm, drone, or other inaccessible location.

In addition, the optional Canon GP-E2 EOS GPS Receiver can be connected to the EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera using a USB cable to record location and time information during shooting, a helpful feature for editing and archiving.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera is scheduled to be available at the end of December 2014 for an estimated retail price of $5,499.00.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $36 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents granted in 2013+ and is one of Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies in 2014. In 2014, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers’ Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the 11^th consecutive year. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. In 2014, the Canon Americas Headquarters secured LEED^® Gold certification, a recognition for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss and follow us on Twitter @CanonUSA. For media inquiries, please contact pr@cusa.canon.com.

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Filed in: C100
Tagged with: C100 Mark II