Working from home, or in my case working in my garage, I talked to Larry from Canon about the newly announced Canon C300 Mark III, the brand new 25-250mm cinema zoom, and the new HDR Reference Display. We may not be in Las Vegas, but we can talk and dive into the details of these Canon announcements. 

Announced just weeks ago, the Canon C300 Mark III is Modular, 16 Stops of dynamic range, 4K Canon Raw Lite, with Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus as an option up to 120fps.

Just like the Canon C500 Mark II, the new Canon EOS C300 Mark III features a modular design and utilizes the same expansion packs. The Canon C300 Mark III has an estimated retail price of $10,999.00.

Let’s get to the sensor size found within the body of the Canon C300 Mark III. Super 35mm is a cinema industry standard with an astounding number of cinema lenses to mount onto the user-changeable lens mount. On the one hand, you have the Canon C500 Mark II and its 5.9K full-frame sensor as a very, and I mean very, excellent option. The Canon C300 Mark III is also an excellent option with industry-standard sensor sizing. You can not go wrong with either of these two cameras. 

With the Canon C300 Mark III and its newly developed 4K Super 35mm DGO imaging system, you get a camera capable of capturing high dynamic range content by reading out each pixel through two separate gains. One of those Gains prioritizes saturation in highlight areas while the other suppresses noise in the shadows. This new DGO imaging system is how the Canon C300 Mark III gives you up to 16+ stops of dynamic range, clean and rich shadows with vibrant highlights in up to 4K/60p.

In 2K recording mode, the Canon C300 Mark III camera features recording speeds up to 180p. Equipped with Canon’s latest video imaging processor, the DIGIC DV 7, the camera achieves more fluid and efficient recording of 4K and HDR and can process high-speed video recording, including 4K at up to 120p.

The C300 Mark III camera utilizes Cinema RAW Light, a very powerful and useful tool for helping to cut the data size of a file to about one-third to one-fifth of a similar Cinema RAW file, without losing grading flexibility. In addition to being able to record 4K and 2K RAW data internally without using an external recorder, the camera also supports XF-AVC (with a choice of Intra or LongGOP), offering flexible options in recording durations.

Like its big brother the Canon C500 Mark II, the Canon C300 Mark III camera is modular and customizable. Included with the camera are 13 accessories, such as a 4.3-inch LCD monitor and the GR-V1 grip. Users can also choose from a wide range of additional optional accessories that allow them to configure the C300 Mark III camera to a camera build best suited for the situation ahead. 

Optional accessories include the EVF-V70 electronic viewfinder, SU-15 shoulder support unit, and EU-V1 and EU-V2 expansion units. The EU-V1 expansion unit allows for gen-lock, sync out, remote use, and an ethernet connection, while the EU-V2 expansion unit features those functions plus a V-mount battery connection, two analog XLR audio ports and 24v DC Out. 

The EU-V2 that I tested on the Canon C500 Mark II is one of my favorite expansion units. Additionally, the mount kits (sold separately) allow users to exchange the EF mount with an EF cinema lock mount or PL mount.

Additional features of the Canon EOS C300 Mark III camera include: 

• 4K DCI/UHD up to 120 fps and 2K/HD up to 180 fps — with 4:2:2 10-bit XF-AVC recording
• 2 CFexpress media card slots
• Compatibility with EF and PL lenses (with optional mount kit) as well as anamorphic and spherical lenses
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF, up to 120fps 
• 5-axis electronic image stabilization, which can be utilized even without the use of a lens with IS functionally 
• Support for Canon Log 2 and 3 
• Four-channel recording that supports 4 XLR inputs with the use of the EU-V2 expansion unit
• User LUT allowing users to upload and apply custom LUTs
• The camera body is approximately 6 in (width) x 5.8 in (height) x 6.6 in (depth) with a bodyweight of approximately 3.9 lbs., making it compact and lightweight.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS C300 Mark III Cinema Camera is scheduled to be available later in 2020 for an estimated retail price of $10,999.00

Canon Cine-Servo 25-250mm

Canon USA Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions today announced the CINE-SERVO 25-250mm T2.95-3.95 (CN10x25 IAS S), a new CINE-SERVO cinema lens designed for use with 4K cameras. The new lens, which is available in both EF and PL mount, features 10x optical zoom, a built-in 1.5x extender, and a powerful and removable servo motor drive unit, providing broadcast-friendly shoulder operation for ENG/EFP and documentary style shooters.

The lightweight design of the lens (6.7 lbs.) is remarkable given the zoom range and feature set, especially when compared with other lenses of similar focal lengths. This outstanding model, as well as the Sumire Prime Lenses announced in 2019, have further strengthened Canon’s robust lineup of Cinema Lenses. 

Similar to the existing award-winning 17-120mm and 50-1000mm lenses, the CINE-SERVO 25-250mm offers outstanding 4K optical performance thanks to its ultra-low dispersion glass and a large-diameter aspherical lens. Combined with Canon’s unique optical design technology, these components work to help correct color fringing and limit chromatic aberration during operation. The lens features Canon’s renowned warm color science and an 11-blade aperture that produces a beautiful, smooth bokeh.

The new lens is ideal for cameras with a Super 35mm sensor. While the 10x zoom covers a focal range of 25-250mm, the built-in extender stretches that range to an impressive 375mm with an added benefit of allowing for full-frame sensor coverage with only a stop of difference in light loss. 

The servo drive unit included with the 25-250mm lens can be easily removed to allow for manual operation, and the gear pitch is compatible with standard cinema controls of zoom and focus. The EF mount version of the lens allows for the utilization of Canon’s proprietary Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which provides users with smooth AF operation and high-speed tracking performance, and the PL mount version supports Cooke/i Technology. In addition, like the 17-120mm, the 25-250mm lens also features a macro function to enable close-up shooting.

Pricing and Availability 

The Canon CINE-SERVO 25-250mm T2.95-3.95 (CN10x25 IAS S) is scheduled to be available later in 2020 for an estimated retail price of $29,999.00*. For more information, please visit usa.canon.com/cinemalenses