Cameras

New Canon C200 firmware coming soon

Top Brands

Comments (38)
  1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

    Premeire Pro now supports Canon’s Cinema RAW Light format: https://www.adobe.com/produ…. One less reason to worry about the lack of 10 bit 4:2:2.

    1. CRAYONSEED says:

      I just came by to post this. You beat me to it…

      1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

        I saw this posted on the C200 Facebook forum: http://wallabysandwich.tumb

  2. james webber says:

    In a Youtube video “zacuto 2018 raw shootout” the canon rep/manager said canon might eventually buckle & release 10 bit 422 update however not soon. prograde cfast offers double the gb for almost the same price on b&h now.

  3. Mike McNeese says:

    If they offered 10-bit, it’d negate the C300mkII. If you need that, spend the extra couple grand and get a much better camera in the C300.

  4. Bob Ross says:

    Canon either needs to immediately release a C400 (an upgrade to the C300 MKII) which brings its features and form factor up to speed with the C200, or give the C200 its middle codec. Either would suffice. But their current lineup makes little sense with the cheaper camera offering higher quality options, a better body, better slow motion capabilities, better focusing tools, etc.

    When it comes to frustrating a customer base, man, nobody does it like Canon.

    1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

      Do you own a C200? I’m not asking to be snooty; I’m asking because I’m genuinely curious.

      Yes, it’s a bummer that Canon doesn’t have a C400 or C300 Mark III already. It means they’ve got products out of sync. I don’t think it’s realistic to expect them to release a middle codec for the C200. They’ve figured out the cost of development and production and how long they’ve got to sell one camera – in this case, the C300 Mark II – before replacing it with a new model. Given previous release schedules, it’s unlikely we’ll see a C300 Mark II replacement until next year. The C300 Mark II has a bunch of features the C200 doesn’t have but I don’t think anyone denies that putting 10 bit 4:2:2 in the C200 would have a serious dent on C300 Mark II sales.

      So the glass-is-half empty response is that Canon is awful and frustrates the customer base…

      …but as a C200 owner, I’ve got the opposite view. I’m delighted with the C200. It’s a cheap, high-quality camera with great color science, fantastic autofocus (which is more useful than I’d ever imaged it’d be) and internal raw. I love that Canon took the jump and put 12 bit 4K raw into an inexpensive camera, instead of keeping it for a more expensive model. Raw takes more storage space but we find it easier to work with in post: the ability to change color temperature, tint, color space & gamma directly in our NLE is useful.

      Raw from the C200 actually takes up much less space than material from our Amira (when using UHD & ProRes 4444 XQ, which is comparable to Canon raw) and it’s about the same as Arriraw from our Alexa Mini.

      This is why I’m asking if you’re using the C200: I think that most people – even people who aren’t used to dealing with raw – are finding that raw is much less of a hassle than they’d thought.

      That said, the C200 doesn’t make sense for some workflows, where you’re handing off material quickly, particularly for broadcast. The EVA1 is probably a better choice for that situation and I’m happy it’s not a situation I’m ever in.

      As for Canon, well, they – along with Sony and Panasonic – are going to continue to sometimes frustrate us when their product schedules don’t line up. It’s easy to avoid all of that: buy from Arri. You get long, predictable product lifecycles, regular firmware releases that add value to cameras that are several years old, good resale value and great quality and reliability. It’ll just cost you a bit more: our Alexa Minis cost ten times the price of our C200s.

      1. CRAYONSEED says:

        Well said.

  5. Alexander Halbwirth says:

    This firmware update will be available for download April 5, 2018.

    You will find out more here: https://www.usa.canon.com/i

    Look for firmware update – Spring 2018 Firmware Update

    Best thing for me is 24 bit Audio.

    Best regards lexx

    1. CRAYONSEED says:

      I think that if people weren’t focused on the codec, this would be regarded as a fantastic update. 24bit audio, digital teleconversion, 4x zoom, HLG support, psf support and it looks like it will now remember your frame rate when switching recording formats.

    2. Matthew Allard ACS says:

      Thanks Alexander.

  6. Anthony Bert says:

    Yawn.. Why point out other cameras that can do what Canon can’t? Just buy the other camera that does what you want and then go shoot something. Simple, isn’t it? I really don’t understand what people’s problem is with Canon… They make great cameras that just work with outstanding features, picture quality, great support and so do other brands. Camera have been great for many years now…

    Matthew while I really like your article and professional reviews, you know that asking the internet crowd if they are disappointed that the C200 does not have 10bit422 is always going to create these nonsensical debates. But then again, it might have been your intention.

    1. Matthew Allard ACS says:

      Canon could of avoided all of this by just coming out and saying that the XF-AVC codec would be 4.2.0 8-bit when they first announced the camera. Instead they tippy toed around the issue.

      People are free to say whatever they like in the comments section regarding this. Nobody has to read or react to the comments section, but it’s there so people can express their opinions and views.

  7. SpecialMan says:

    Of course 4:2:2 matters. Hardly a week goes by when some client calls to ask if I have a piece of video or a still in a completely different format from which it was shot.

  8. Dave Kratz says:

    I understand the demand for the 10bit codec option, but I’m actually disappointed it won’t have a 24p 10bit RAW option. That would make a 512gb Cfast record for nearly 2 hours in CRM, and would match their 60p raw option.
    As far as the current update, I rather like that the proxies will match the CRM – this means you will be able to go right into editing proxy content then easily finish with the full resolution raw files. That’s huge! There aren’t any cameras that shoot raw and simultaneously shoot proxies anywhere near this price… not to mention the size, weight, and flexibility of this camera.
    I do wish they would have implemented 10bit – even if it was just internal HD to match the original c300. Lots of productions are still filming with the c300 mark I, and it would have given the C200 a lot of versatility.
    It’s still the best camera out there IMHO.

  9. Michael Shaw says:

    If this hadn’t been well publicized already, I might have thought it was a low-grade April Fool’s joke. Does anyone know the ETA, though? I’ve been checking the Canon page once a day since they put out the C200 firmware update video.

    I pre-ordered the C200 the first day I could and have had it since three days after they started shipping. As much I would like to think I “need” an internal 4K 10bit 4:2:2 ~300mbps codec, it would simply be something that was nice to have that I would occasionally at this point. I didn’t really “need” it at the time I ordered, either.

    That said, my “wish” for Cannon as a compromise would be the ability to get this externally by some means, much like one could (and still can) with the C100 (and C100 Mark 2) into a little Atomos recorder which effectively made the C100 into quasi-C300 as far as the lens>sensor>recording codec chain for a price much less than the difference in the C100 and C300.

    The wait goes on…

    1. Matthew Allard ACS says:

      There is no actual release date yet, but I would expect it to probably be this month.

      1. Michael Shaw says:

        Thanks. I’m sure I’ll hear about it here from NS.com as soon as anywhere.

  10. Larry Templeton says:

    Canon is Canon’s biggest problem. Given what’s out there, from smartphones to Blackmagic, its hard to imagine dropping over $7K on a camera that doesn’t have internal 10-bit 4K 60p. We’re already in Q2 of 2018.

    I was going to say, bring out a C300III and several problems are instantly solved. But then I remembered the brand new C700– and even that camera still has weird codec issues with internal 4K at 60p.

    Maybe Canon would be better off naming their cameras after animals, so they can spread features out sans the brutal hierarchy they hold themselves to. ?

    1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

      “its hard to imagine dropping over $7K on a camera that doesn’t have internal 10-bit 4K 60p”

      Yes that would be hard to imagine so it’s a good thing the C200 has an internal 10-bit 4K 60p codec. Even better is the fact that the codec enables things like color temperature, color space and gamma to be changed in post and is supported by natively by all NLEs.

      1. Larry Templeton says:

        Please… ?

        1. CRAYONSEED says:

          Yeah, how is the 10 bit 4k/60 something to be dismissed in this camera? It’s higher fidelity than the broadcast codec people want so bad. The only cameras I know of that shoot 4k/60 in raw under $15k is the Blackmagic Ursa line and this (a ready to shoot RED Raven kit is $15k). That may not be something you personally need, but it shouldn’t be dismissed just for that. If you wanted to shoot raw, you’d probably think it was a bargain.

          If this was a budget RED that cut corners by not having ProRes and only shot raw, we wouldn’t be having this convo…

        2. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

          Please what? How many people really have a workflow that’d preclude raw (assuming the mp4 support isn’t good enough)? Dealing with raw is way easier than many people think. Sure, be annoyed because Canon doesn’t want include another codec in the camera to protect its business but your annoyance doesn’t limit the value of the camera.

  11. MisterWU says:

    Canon camera are good for rent because any dumb wannabe videomaker can get out of iti a decent image.
    But for serious filmmaking Canon lost the chance to get into the business. And the firmware politics are showing they don’t care about serious filmmaking.

    1. Matthew Allard ACS says:

      Plenty of people using Canon cameras for serious filmmaking.

    2. Michi Steiner says:

      As there is lots and lots of great and passionated video content created on canon cameras, your statement about canon not beeing fit for serious filmmaking is sadly not more than another example of unreflected, angry internet blabbering. Come on – five seconds of google search would proof you wrong. There surely are valuable reasons to criticize canon and I agree that this is a disappointing update. And yet, canon makes some great tools for serious motion picture work, the C200 included. I dont know what segment of this business you‘re in, but in mine the question of bit depth is of way lesser importance than many other camera related aspects.

  12. CRAYONSEED says:

    I understand folks’ point that they feel the C200 should be able to do anything the GH5 does; but that internal raw feature in a sub-$10k camera is a huge deal, and your GH5 would be a hell of a lot more expensive if it shot raw. Only Blackmagic and Canon offer that feature anywhere near this price bracket afaik.

    Look, I’d rather it have the broadcast codec too (if for no other reason than we can stop talking about this); but it seems strange to ignore all the other pro features this camera has, and focus only on this one thing that only people who have broadcast clients need (seriously, if you haven’t actually tried the mp4 from this camera and are only going by the on-paper specs, you don’t have the whole picture).

    I guess my main point is that this is a cinema camera, not a broadcast camera. If you need a broadcast camera, even Canon themselves are telling you to move on…

    1. CrocanLB says:

      Where to go in Canon’s line up for 10bit 4k60p?

      1. CRAYONSEED says:

        C200. You can shoot beautiful 4K/60 in 10-bit to CFast cards.

  13. Jason Rae says:

    Canon will soon not too be able to keep making these decisions for its customers. The second Sony catch’s up with better color science throughout their line they will be in a lot of trouble. I know they have a long way too go in other areas but seems like Panasonic and Sony are at least trying too listen. Why does my 2k gh5 have better external codecs than this expensive camera? With each iteration panny gets better with the colors. Sony is starting to make progress with ergonomics :). Canon will Son wonder where all the good times went if they don’t stop being so arrogant about their brand. I lived my c100s but had to move too 4k and I was tired of them crippling cameras to protect another above it. Look what Sony just did with the a73 putting all that tech in the camera from higher lines. I hope they wake up soon:).

    1. driver says:

      Why did you have to move to 4k, Hollywood is fine with 2.8k 🙂 The problem is technology is cheap today and anyone can be a filmmaker, so noobs are shaping our camera world, not the professionals, and that’s why Sony can sell something. The only reason Sony and Panasonic are cheap is they don’t have Canons image or ergonomics, and if they ever do, they will be equally expensive. I would rather shoot C100 mark II right now, than any Panasonic/Sony camera on the market, because specs don’t matter, everything is about the colors and ergonomics, and Canon is a king for that, so that’s why they can be the most expensive and still rule the market, exactly like Apple…

  14. Elmer Terry says:
    1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

      …or not. I could care less if the C200 has more codec support than it already has.

      1. CRAYONSEED says:

        Honestly if there were going to fix anything, I’d want some kind of TC support (maybe through ethernet)?

    2. read4liberty says:

      I just listened to lil dicky’s “professional rapper” so reading this was like a dope rap song!
      Great comment Dan, spot on.

    3. Joe Shelper says:

      Made me laugh out loud.

  15. Ben Ross says:

    We’re dumping our C200 after several months of use. This decision’s due not only to the lack of a middle codec, but also in great part to what that absence says about the company.

    They nerf’d this camera. It shoots 4k 12-bit and its next best internal codec is 8-bit 420. The only explanation for this decision is that Canon has become unconcerned with enabling its creators — they don’t care about me…or you. They don’t care if you make awesome stuff with their products, they just want you to buy new ones to fill in gaps of intentionally limited systems they distribute WAY too often. Why does Canon release a new cinema camera every year when they could release one game-changing camera every other? Simple — hype sells cameras. They prefer hype to performance. And they prefer your dollars to your empowerment. Do us all a favor and vote with your dollars — both Red and Sony are proving that they value their customers. Canon simply doesn’t. Don’t prop up bad business by purchasing needlessly throttled equipment. Go elsewhere.

    1. Fawn__Liebowitz says:

      What Red camera are you buying?

Leave a Reply to Joe Shelper Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *