Canon Cinema EOS

 

Canon Cinema EOS

canon eos c100 mark II
Canon created the Canon Cinema EOS for filmmakers in 2011. The first camera was the Canon EOS C-300. The Canon Cinema EOS cameras has a Super 35mm size sensor (crop factor 1.5). The Cinema EOS cameras has a mirrorless design with EVF (electronic view finder). Most earlier cameras has NOT the new Dual pixel autofocusing system, although some newer models has it. The cameras has a 8 Megapixel sensor.

There are special Cinema EOS lenses and usual EF lenses also can be used.
The Cinema EOS uses the EF mount.

Cinema EOS compared to other systems

What are the alternatives ? Sony, Red, Arri.
Compare to other systems Canon EOS has the following

Positives:

-Very good high ISO performance
-lots of buttons
-very reliable
-CF cards are cheap compare to some expensive storage in other systems

Negatives:

-High price
-No Pl mount (Most lenses used in cinema has Pl mount)
dynamic range is not the best (don’t like overexposing)

Canon Cinema EOS camcorders to date

Most cameras can record HD(1920*1080) output, at the moment only the C500 and the Canon 1D C record 4K video.
Canon EOS C100 – 4500 USD final sale at BH
Canon EOS C300 – 7,000 USD
Canon EOS C300 II – come soon 16,000 USD
Canon EOS C500 – 20,000 USD 4K capable (res. 4096×2160 at 60 fps)
Canon EOS C100 II – with Dual pixel focusing. – 5500 USD

As I see today Cinema EOS is not yet widely spread among filmmakers.

Canon C100

-The camera has nice ergonomics
-iso up to iso 80,000 (320 – 80,000), quite nice up to ISO 12,800
-built in ND filter app. 6 stops, but not variable
-No limit in recording time
-good battery
-vignetting correction (Canon calls peripherical illumination correction)

The C100 is a very nice camera, but has one drawback: the viewfinder is very small. The second version is much better, this problem is corrected and the ISO range is also better.

Canon C300 – discontinued

-The camera has nice ergonomics
-iso up to iso 20,000 (320 – 20,000)
-built in ND filter app. 6 stops, but not variable
-No limit in recording time
-good battery
-vignetting correction (Canon calls peripherical illumination correction)

Canon EOS 1D C it is a Dslr camera not a camcorder, 4K capable as well, without dual pixel focusing, but with a 36*24mm sensor, like the Canon 1D X. Currently sells for 10,000 USD, while the Canon 1D X costs 6000 USD.
Philip Bloom has a Canon 1Dc for example. See the video review below.

Canon Cinema EOS lenses

Before speaking the special Cinema Eos lenses, let’s speak about “normal” lenses used in Cinema Eos system. There are Stm lenses, USM lenses, and micromotor driven lenses. Stm lenses are designed specifically for video, these lenses are truly silent, more silent than USM lenses. Other good quality of these lenses, that these lenses make smooth transitions which is very nice for video. USM lenses are also very popular for example the Canon 24-105mm f/4 is is very popular. It is important that on Cinema Eos the lenses are not as wide as on Full frame Dslr cameras, as the crop factor is 1.5 x. (It is more like Aps-C). If we want wide angle lenses like the new Canon 10-18mm stm or Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 (with EOS mount) can have a good option.

In filmmaking they use T-values (transmission value) instead of f-stops. It is The same thing but based on physical measurement. It is more accurate for precise metering. These lenses have step-less aperture ring, which most EF lenses lacks. If we electronically control aperture only can use definite values like f/3.5-f/4-f/5.6 etc. In filming step-less version is preferred for example we want to make the scene dark, etc. When they make a film usually they use rails to move the camcorders, and external machines which turns the lens by gears. For this gears needed gears on the lens external surface as well. CN lenses has these gears, see below. It is possible to fix these gears for Non-CN lenses as well, but is more complicated, than it is fabricated with gears by default.

Canon Cinema EOS

Canon Cinema Prime lenses
CN-E 14mm T3.1 L F (2013)

Ultra wide angle cinema lens for EF mount HD/2K/4K cameras
11 blade iris
Markings of both side of the barrel

CN-E 24mm T1.5 L F (2011)

Wide angle Cine lens with Full frame coverage
for Ef mount HD/2K/4K cameras
Dust water resistant design

CN-E 35mm T1.5 L F

Wide angle cine lens for EF mount camearas
11 blade aperture diaphragm

CN-E 50mm T1.3 L F (2011)

Standard lens for Cinema EOS
Dust / water resistant design

CN-E 85mm T1.3 L F (2011)

Telephoto cinema prime lens with Full frame coverage

CN-E 135mm T2.2 L F (2013)

11 blade aperture diaphragm
Telephoto cine prime lens for EF mount HD/2K/4K cameras

Canon Cinema Zoom lenses
CN-E 14.5-60mm T2.6 L SP

Markings on both side of the barrel
Flourite lens element
Large aspherical lens element

CN-E 14.5-60mm T2.6 L S
CN-E 30-300mm T2.95-3.7 L SP
CN-E 30-300mm T2.95-3.7 LS
Canon Compact Zoom Cinema lenses
CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L SP
CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L S
CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L SP
CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L S

The Cinema lenses has longer focusing route this way allow smoother transitions, which is preferred for film.

Cinema EOS reviews

Not many reviews on Cinema EOS yet.

Comparison between Arri Alexa and the Canon C500 by Shane Hurlbut:

A very detailed review with lots of samples.

(Day ISO test, Back light test, Dynamic range)
Arri Alexa vs Canon C500 test

Part two:
(IR filtration, overexpose test, underexpose test, night iso test, night driving test)
Arri Alexa vs Canon C500 test II

Zacuto camera shootout in 2010

Here they tested the Dslrs against 35mm film.
Zacuto camera shootout

Steve Mims has a review about the C100 in Dvinfo.

 Posted by at 4:54 pm