While we've already got some basic information on the C300 Mark II (gathered from the original announcement and our interview at NAB), there's still plenty left to learn about the camera in terms of how the new technology crammed inside of it will benefit filmmakers. And perhaps the biggest question of all is whether or not the Mark II will impact the industry in the same way its predecessor did. The original C300, despite specs that may have seemed underwhelming, became one of the most popular professional cameras in recent memory thanks to a combination of reliability, ease of use, low light ability, and most importantly, image quality. Will the Mark II live up to that legacy?

To help answer that question (and many more), the folks at Zacuto brought in Jon Sagud from Canon to talk in-depth about the new camera. Of course, the video also shows off Zacuto's next generation Recoil rigs and the Gratical EVF, but more importantly Jon provides all sorts of technical insights into how the camera was redesigned in accordance with all of the feedback Canon has received over the past few years. Here's a brief sampling of the topics they cover in the video:

  • How users can change the lens mounts on the camera (hint: by sending it in to Canon)
  • How the dual pixel autofocus works and why it's great for one-man band shooters
  • The camera's many small (but not insignificant) ergonomic upgrades
  • How the dual Digic DV5 processors push the camera's sensitivity to new levels 
  • How the camera achieves "future proofing" by meeting ACES and Rec 2020 color standards
  • And much more

Now onto the subject of footage. Of course, most of us have seen Trick Shot, the promotional short film released at NAB that was shot on the C300 Mark II. However, that film had a fairly extreme grade on it, and it came from an early version of the camera, so it might not have been particularly representative of what we can expect from the Mark II when it begins shipping in October. In the past few weeks though, Canon has been getting pre-production versions of the camera into the hands of a few shooters, and the footage making its way onto the web is promising.

For instance, here's a new reel of footage from Yoshishiro Enatsu that puts the Mark II through its paces:

And here's another corresponding video from Enatsu that shows off the camera's auto focusing features:

From Brett Danton:

Lastly, here's one more promotional short film from Canon's marketing channel:

All in all, the C300 Mark II is looking more and more promising as we get closer to the shipping date. Like its predecessor, the Mark II doesn't have the most impressive specs and features, but it seems like a sure bet that it will be warmly adopted by the same professionals that loved the original.

Source: Zacuto

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Cinematography & Cameras