The latest news on Canon’s Cinema EOS system, which was announced last year and accompanied by the C300, is the new C100, that similarly is aimed at giving professional independent videographers a powerful, yet compact digital video-camera.

 

Roger Machin, the product manager at Canon SA, explained that the new camera, which “combines impressive hardware specifications with a range of new automatic features,” is ideal for professionals who shoot without a crew, as well as for EOS videographers who are new to the Cinema EOS system.

 

Despite being an entry level video camera, much like that on the company’s higher end dSLR, the EOS 5D Mark III, the camera’s feature list is still extensive and exhaustive.

 

 

 

The camera boasts a 35mm 8.3 MP Bayer-filtered CMOS sensor, and according to the company, the imaging system enables the same processing as three-chip RGB systems. The company asserted that this will deliver “exceptional colour, wide dynamic range and proven low light performance.”

 

The CMOS sensor further records full HD (1920 x 1080) video to SD cards at 24 Mbps with 4:2:0 colour sampling, and uses the popular AVCHD codec. Uncompressed video can further be output directly to external recorders via an integrated HDMI terminal, complete with embedded timecode data.

 

Additionally, users of the dSLR EOS system, who may have invested in an arsenal of lenses, will no doubt be happy to note that the C100 also has an EF mount, which makes it compatible with more than sixty existing lenses. Another important feature on offer, particularly for videographers who desire to shoot in low light conditions, is an extensive ISO range of 320 to 20 000.

 

Canon elaborated that the camera boasts a new Wide Dynamic Range gamma setting, which makes it possible to shoot in demanding, high contrast situations, and achieve a dynamic range of up to 800%, without the need for extensive colour grading in post-production.

 

 Running on automatic

 

However, as befitting its target market of independent filmmakers, the EOS C100 offers full manual control, along with some new automatic features, which apparently take particular account of the needs of documentary makers and news videographers.

 

The first of these is a new One Shot AF button, which enables users to instantly check focus, with the central image area automatically checked prior to recording. 

 

Push Auto Iris evaluates exposure and makes any required adjustments before shooting, while new Auto White Balance uses the power of Canon’s DIGIC DV III image processor to detect and balance colour information – a feature which is intended to allow operators to focus on the story in front of them.

 

Additionally, users can fine-tune Gamma settings, with the camera displaying both ‘before’ and ‘after’ curves on-screen, while White Balance settings can be altered using the camera’s joystick lever. According to the company, support for continuous, automatic focus and iris adjustment will be added by a firmware update in 2013, providing fast, smooth performance when used with specified models in Canon’s range of EF Stepper Motor (STM) lenses.

 

Along with the ability to record to two SD cards, users will further be able to record to both cards simultaneously with Double Slot Recording or use Relay Recording to automatically switch across memory cards when the one in use becomes full.

 

In-camera down-conversion also allows operators to convert HD footage stored on one card to SD resolution on the other. A large, high quality 8.8 cm (3.5”) Vari-angle LCD is situated on the rear of the camera body.

 

 

 

As we have come to expect from Canon, particular attention appears to have been made to the camera’s ergonomics.

 

While an adjustable handgrip also offers DSLR-like ergonomics during handheld shooting, this can be removed altogether for shooting in tight spaces or as part of a multi-camera rig. Up to 15 assignable buttons also provide for user customisation, something which the company commented is intended to allow each user to optimise camera operation to suit their own requirements.

 

On the audio capture front, the EOS C100 supports Dolby Digital AC3 or 16-bit Linear PCM audio at 48 kHz – which is the high quality signal required for professional broadcast content. A stereo microphone is built into the camera’s detachable handle, alongside audio control dials and two XLR terminals which enable users to connect to external microphones and other sources.

 

 

Unsurprisingly, Canon further announced that, along with the C100’s compatibility with EF lenses and its EF Cinema Lens line-up, it would also be launching a new duo of compact lightweight cine zoom lenses, the CN-E15.5-47 mm T2.8 L S and CN-E30-105 mm T2.8 L S.