CANONEOS C500MARK II TEST
frame rates and the other allows you to change the fps. There is 50/60p in the full 5.9K with Cinema RAWLight, which goes up to 120fps in 2K or HD, but there is a significant crop and it’s manual focus only. High frame rates are one area where Canon isn’t breaking new ground, compared to even a mirrorless Panasonic S1H that can rattle through at 180fps. 7 It has that glorious sensor Make nomistake, the real triumph of this camera is that wonderfully large 5.9K sensor, and the technology Canon has found to get all the data from it and ontomemory cards. Thanks to the newDigic DV7 processor, you can record 5.9K Cinema Raw Light 12-bit from the full sensor, or DCI 4K XF- AVC 10-bit 4:2:2, direct to CFexpress memory cards. Cinema Raw Light isn’t full 16-bit Raw, which is only really needed when shooting special effects or green screen for blockbuster movies. Cinema Raw Light is a great codec that offers huge advantages over more conventional files, as it maximises the data from the sensor, fromwhich you can drag out more highlight and shadow detail, add the exact amount of sharpness
or gimbals any time soon, but it certainly takes the edge offwhen going handheld. However, the IBIS only works on XF-AVC and not when shooting Raw, because it’s a digital system rather than a stabilised sensor. 6 It handles like a conventional Canon C camera With a tall body that echoes the rest of the Canon Cinema range that sit below it, the C500Mark II is a well-sortedmachine that offers all the benefits of a full-blown cinema camera. It has built-in ND filters in two to ten stops, professional audio controls, and a battery that works for a long time. We got 90minutes out of the standard BP-A60. The ergonomic grip can be adjusted, and there are lots of assignable buttons all over the body. Every function can be accessed via a new on-screen display that offers all the complexities of a professional machine, but it’s actually relatively easy and logical to navigate. Typical of the camera, you can change settings via a large thumb-wheel on the left of the camera body or by using the joystick on the monitor, and change some settings via customisable buttons. It’s all
pleasingly intuitive. To help you get your shots right there are waveforms, zebras and false colour warnings – one area where the camera aces the C200. For High Dynamic Range shooting, it records in PQ/HLG, and tomaximise dynamic range for grading afterwards you can select Canon Log 2 and 3. There is full LUT support, and you can load your own, too (there is even a dedicated LUT button on the camera). There are also two buttons to facilitate high frame rate recording. Instead of having to dig through menus, one button turns on the high
ABOVE Lightweight and easy to handle, the C500 Mark II copes equally well hand-held, or tripod or gimbal mounted
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SPRING 2020 PRO MOVIEMAKER
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