Three of Canon’s most popular cinema cameras, the EOS C500 mk II, C300 mk III and C70 are receiving firmware updates bringing improvements and new features to each camera.
EOS C70 – Firmware update available from Canon on June 30, 2021
The firmware update for Canon’s first RF-mount cinema camera, the EOS C70 adds a View Assist feature allowing for a WideDR/BT.709 LUT to be displayed over HDMI when shooting in Canon Log Gamma.
It also improves auto-focus with the addition of a “Whole Area” option to the Frame Size, increasing the AF area to cover 80% of the frame.
With this new option selected, the AF switches to “tracking” with single touch operation, or to “Face Detection” when a face is touched on the screen.
The update also expands EF lens support when using the EF-EOS R 0.71x adaptor adding 7 new lenses to the mix, all fully compatible with DPAF, optical corrections and metadata transmission.
The additional lenses are:
- EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
- EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM
- EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
- EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
- EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM
- EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
- EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM
EOS C500 mk II & C300 mk III – Firmware updates available from Canon on July 30, 2021
The firmware update is basically the same for both the C500 mk II and C300 mk III cameras adding the following new & improved features:
- BT.709 Standard Gamma, Custom Picture Name Support of 16 Letters
- BT.709 Standard/BT.709 option has been added under Gamma/Gamut. Standard BT.709 will be set to CP File “C6.”
- Custom Picture file can now have a maximum of 16 letters.
- XC Protocol Functionality – Canon’s new IP Protocol for streaming and camera control.
- Developed specifically for live production, the XC Protocol allows for camera control with the Canon Remote Controller RC-IP100 and easier development for 3rd party product collaboration.
- 12G-SDI Output Option for 2K/FHD
- Adds the option to limit the 12G-SDI output to 2K/FHD when recording in resolutions at 4K and above, allowing compatibility from the SDI Out port with 3G-SDI devices.
- MON. Out & HDMI Simultaneous Output
- Adds the ability to use both the Mon. Out & HDMI output simultaneously, bringing the total number of monitor outputs to three.
- Anamorphic 1.8x De-squeeze
- Adds 1.8x de-squeeze function to further increase compatibility with anamorphic lenses.
- “Look File” Feature
- Introduced with the EOS C70, this feature allows the user to load a 3D LUT file onto the camera and apply the look to the recorded image. This allows the user to apply the results of a color corrected image to be recorded in-camera with no additional post-production necessary.
- (C300 mk III only) 60p -> 24p/30p Pulldown Feature
- Allows for seamless switching of the frame rate aesthetic without interrupting the output signal to a production switcher. This allows you to change the frame rate “look” quickly with the press of a button with no blackout or glitch.
- (C500 mk II only) Anamorphic 4:3/6:5 Resolution Options When Sensor Mode is set to Full Frame Mode (Cinema RAW Light only)
- Adds these resolution modes to allow for more options and simplify the anamorphic post-production process.