The Canon C70 includes a number of features almost never included in a DSLR or mirrorless-style cameras, including dual mini-XLR inputs with phantom power and up to 10 stops of built-in ND filters for knocking down the amount of light hitting the sensor.
Over the past decade the Canon C Series digital cinema cameras have become a mainstay with documentary, broadcast, event and ministry filmmakers. During that time, they’ve created a well-established line for different applications, from the venerated C100, popular with documentary and ministry film teams, all the way up to the C500, which has seen action on a number of Hollywood blockbusters.
On the flip side of the coin, Canon DSLR-style cameras were almost single-handedly responsible for kicking off a revolution in independent digital filmmaking. A number of producers working today still prefer the smaller footprint afforded by these kinds of devices.
With the introduction of the EOS C70 Cinema Camera, Canon is introducing to an increasingly crowded market an entirely different kind of tool for content creators. In this First Impression article, we'll explore what makes this camera so unique to Canon’s lineup and how the C70 could meet the needs of church film ministries moving into the future.
Under the Hood
Powering the EOS C70 is a Super 35-sized 4K sensor with Canon's new Dual Gain Output (or DGO), designed to capture footage at a whopping 16+ stops of dynamic range. This new technology actually provides the sensor with two different simultaneous readings of the same frame, one at a higher exposure to capture detail in the shadow and one lower to retain information in the highlights.
The back of the C70 features a built in 3.5" touchscreen LCD flip panel for monitoring and controlling the camera, as well as an HDMI output for mounting a larger dedicated monitor.
The sensor is also capable of recording at frame rates up to 120 fps in 4K resolution and 180 fps in HD. The technology and specs of the sensor are identical to those found in Canon’s C300 Mark III, which represents a massive upgrade for a cinema camera at this price point. (Canon has since confirmed that it is the same sensor.)
Footage from the C70 can be recorded in 10-bit at 4:2:2 color depth, in XF-AVC and MP4, as well as in simultaneous 4K and HD proxy files via the camera’s dual SDXC card slots. It utilizes either Canon’s Log 2 or Log 3 gamma curves in order to protect as much of the dynamic range as possible. The camera also boasts Canon’s much-beloved Dual-Pixel CMOS Autofocus and Face Detection abilities.
The C70 is the first C Series camera that utilizes Canon's new RF mount native. Fortunately for cinematographers with a large collection of legacy EF glass, Canon also produces a series of EF-to-RF lens adapters for utilizing all of their existing EF and EF-S glass with this new camera.
The back of the C70 features a built in 3.5" touchscreen LCD flip panel for monitoring and controlling the camera, as well as an HDMI output for mounting a larger dedicated monitor. And like many dedicated cinema cameras, it includes a ton of dedicated buttons and dials for real-time adjustments of parameters like aperture, ISO, shutter and audio levels.
In addition, the Canon C70 includes a number of features almost never included in DSLR or mirrorless-style cameras, including dual mini-XLR inputs with phantom power and up to 10 stops of built-in ND filters for knocking down the amount of light hitting the sensor.
First Impressions
It’s more than a little likely some of the current owners of the Canon C300 Mark III were a bit miffed when the C70 was announced, as this new camera includes a whole lot of the best aspects of that higher-end camera built right in. For many content creators, the super-sized 1DX Mark III form factor will likely present a big plus over most of the other C Series Canon cinema cameras. This style of camera with better-than-best in class features is going to turn a lot of heads.
One of the biggest drawbacks will be the lack of any kind of internal or external RAW recording, but Canon’s clearly betting that a lot of film teams won’t see this as any kind of dealbreaker, especially if the team is responsible for putting out a high volume of quality content without burning through massive amounts of storage.
What will probably be a much bigger deal is the camera's DGO sensor boasting 16+ stops of dynamic range. With this kind of latitude successful run-and-gun filming is far more likely than with cameras incorporating older model sensors. The ability to capture 4K at 120 fps at 10-bit color depth will likely be more than enough for most cinematographers and producers.
Ministry Applications
On paper, the Canon C70 seems like a straight-up b-roll machine that could be a blast to capture documentary footage on, in almost any condition. With advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Face Tracking, along with built-in ND, its definitely set up to handle almost anything that can be thrown its direction with little to no notice. This camera almost screams ‘mission trips.’
On closer examination, the inclusion of an insanely high dynamic range and a robust 4:2:2 codec, as well as dual built-in mini-XLR connections, means the C70 could be genuinely effective in cinematic and interview scenarios. We also love seeing Canon stick with the far more affordable SDXC cards, making the on-ramp for far easier on filmmaker looking to upgrade to a camera at this level.
In a surprising, and somewhat puzzling move, Canon has included a dedicated BNC timecode port on the camera’s handle. While this limits the C70 to HDMI for external monitoring and recording, the timecode functionality does mean that it could likely be utilized effectively as a broadcast-style IMAG camera for weekend worship. The confusing part of this equation is the fact that the camera doesn’t also include a more professional standard 12G-SDI port, as well, for better incorporation into broadcast setups.
In Conclusion
As we mentioned at the top, this is simply a First Impression glimpse into what’s been publicly announced. It's rare when we're this unsure as to what a camera will actually be like in action, but we're extraordinarily curious whether the C70 will prove to be as revolutionary as it seems on initial blush.
We'll let you know more when we finally have a chance to thoroughly put the Canon EOS C70 Cinema Camera (List Price: $5,499) through its paces and see how it responds in real-world settings. But until that time, it’s safe to say the camera has our undivided attention between now and when we get our hands on it.
