Its no secret that 2019 has been the year of the camera. It feels like a new camera has been either announced or released almost every month this year, and Canon looks like it is going to cap it all off this December by releasing the new C500 Mark II.
With the bevy of new DSLM cameras that have blurred the line between pro-sumer stills camera and professional video camera Canon’s Cinema EOS line has been given an increasingly intense run for its money. Canon looks to be re-asserting it’s status as King of the Heap by releasing the C500 Mark II. The new camera offers some truly impressive specs and a high degree of modularity at a very competitive price point (compared to other similarly capable and similarly modular camera systems).
Here is a list of official features that Canon has announced for the camera:
- 5.9K Full Frame CMOS Sensor, with support for Super 35mm and Super 16mm crop modes
- User Changeable Lens Mounts which gives users freedom to use the lenses they desire
- Newly developed DIGIC DV 7 Image Processor, which powerfully processes high-resolution image data
- Canon RAW Light and XF-AVC Recording
- Proxy Recording
- Compatibility with EF and PL* Lenses
- Anamorphic Lens Support
- Electronic Image Stabilization
- Modular Design with three available Expansion Units allows a high level of connectivity and interoperability
- 3” LCD Touch screen Monitor LM-V2
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF with support for Touch AF and Face Detection AF
- Canon Log 2 and 3 Support
- 4 Channel Audio Recording
- Support for Custom User LUTs
- 15 stops dynamic range
- Cinema RAW light internal
- Drone and gimbal size and weight
Let’s break down what some of these features mean.
- 5.9K Full Frame CMOS Sensor, with support for Super 35mm and Super 16mm crop modes
- User Changeable Lens Mounts which gives users freedom to use the lenses they desire
- Compatibility with EF and PL* Lenses
- Anamorphic Lens Support
1 CANON GR-V1 Camera Grip 2420C001 $239**
2 Thumb Rest**
3 Canon CM-V1 EF Cinema Lock Mount 3937C001 $2199*
4 Canon PM-V1 PL Mount Kit 3936C001 $1599*
5 Canon MO-4E B4 Mount Adapter for EF Lenses 1788C001 $1999*
5 Canon MO-4P B4 Mount Adapter for PL Lenses 1788C002 $1999*
6 Mic Holder Unit**
7 Canon LA-V2 LCD Attachment Unit 3942C001 $249**
8 Canon LM-V2 LCD Monitor 3941C001 $749**
9 Handle Unit**
10 Canon CL-V2 Clamp base for EVF-V70 2419C001 $349*
11 Canon EVF-V70 OLED Viewfinder 1753C001 $5999*
12 Canon EVF-V50 OLED Viewfinder 3938C001 $699*
13 Canon EU-V1 Expansion Unit 1 3939C001 $749*
14 Canon EU-V2 Expansion Unit 2 3940C001 $1599*
15 Canon RC-V100 REMOTE CONTROLLER 9660B001 $1999*
16 Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver 6363B001 $390*
17 Canon SU-15 Shoulder Support Unit 1752C001 $1499*
18 Canon SG-1 Shoulder-Style Grip Unit 1754C001 $1999*
* Optional Accessory
** Included with Canon C500 Mark II
- Newly developed DIGIC DV 7 Image Processor, which powerfully processes high-resolution image data
- Canon RAW Light and XF-AVC Recording
- Proxy Recording
- Canon Log 2 and 3 Support
- 15 stops dynamic range
- Cinema RAW light internal
- Modular Design with three available Expansion Units allows a high level of connectivity and interoperability
- 3” LCD Touch screen Monitor LM-V2
- 4 Channel Audio Recording
Oh! and also this camera supports IP streaming. You can pair the camera with a separately available transmitter or stream to your computer via Wi-Fi or Ethernet to allow an off-set producer or a nosy client to view your capture at rates of up to 1080p XF-AVC at 9 or 4 Mb/s.
Getting down to the nitty gritty, the Canon Cinema C500 Mark II is scheduled to be available in December 2019 for an estimated retail price of $15,999.00.
If you are are in the market for a camera system that can do everything from low budget docs to real cinema work and have a spare $16k burning a hole in your pocket the new Canon Cinema C500 Mark II is a pretty solid value proposition.
For more information, including accessory prices and availability, call or email us today!
