Canon announced today the Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera, the latest edition to the Canon Cinema EOS line of professional Super 35mm 8.3 megapixel CMOS cameras and the second-generation version of the Canon EOS C100 Digital Video Camera. Designed for economical film and video productions, the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera features advanced image processing, AVCHD and MP4 1920x1080/60p recording and uncompressed YCbCr output from HDMI. It weighs 2.5 lbs. and is compatible with over 103 Canon EF Series lenses, including STM models which can deliver smooth and silent autofocus during filmmaking.

Optimized for one-person operation, the new EOS C100 Mark II camera has a mobile core design enabling users to choose their preferred style of shooting. The existing design has been enhanced to include a large-size detachable eyecup for the camera's large 68-degree tilting 0.45-inch 1.23 megapixel color EVF (electronic viewfinder). Marked red trigger buttons on the camera body, top handle, grip, and a built-in mono microphone on the camera body - for times when the top handle is not attached - can be used to capture basic sound for audio notation or as an aid to audio syncing during post.

Another redesign of the new EOS C100 Mark II over its predecessor is a 3.5-inch 1.23 megapixel OLED display panel, delivering 100 percent field-of-view coverage, wide color range support, and improved viewing even in bright sunshine. The new hinge design — which folds the panel shut when stowed, protecting the OLED surface — opens 180 degrees to reveal function keys and a joystick. The panel can open even further to 270 degrees to deploy against the side of the camera to provide monitoring for directors and other production personnel. Additional design improvements on the camera body include 17 assignable recessed function buttons, dual SD card slots with a transparent cover, and a simplified battery insertion and removal release.

Previously available only as an optional upgrade for earlier Cinema EOS models, Dual Pixel CMOS AF is a standard feature on the new EOS C100 Mark II, providing enhanced autofocusing capability. The camera also includes Face-Detection AFii, a first in the Cinema EOS camera line, which utilizes contrast detection AF to maintain focus across most of the image plane, an advantage in one-person electronic news gathering (ENG) situations.

Central to many of the new features of the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera is its advanced Canon DIGIC DV4 image processor. The Canon DIGIC DV4 image processor separates the RGB output from the camera's 8.3 Megapixel CMOS imager into three individual 8 megapixel signals (as opposed to 2MB in the EOS C100) for improved image quality. The processor also includes a new debayering algorithm to help minimize moir‚ and reduce video noise even at high ISO speeds. (high-sensitivity recording on the camera ranges from ISO 320 to 80,000).

Another important benefit of the Canon DIGIC DV4 processor is Full HD recording in both the professional format AVCHD or the popular web-friendly MP4 format at a variety of bit rates (up to 28 Mbps and 35 Mbps, respectively), resolutions, and frame rates (up to the smooth look of 59.94p). For special-effect requirements, slow and fast motion MP4 recording at up to 1920x1080/60p can also be performed.

The EOS C100 Mark II camera's dual SD card slots can record in one or both formats simultaneously for back-up, or convert AVCHD and MP4 files into smaller MP4 files for web upload.

As with the other cameras in Canon's Cinema EOS line, the new EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera includes Canon Log as a recording choice. New, however, is the addition of a built-in LUT (look-up table), enabling users to view the camera's live video signal in Wide DR (dynamic range) or the BT.709 (TV standard) color space on the OLED or any external monitor connected to the camera's locking HDMI output (this feature can be turned off in the menu). Uncompressed video output (with time code data and 2:3 pull-down markers superimposed) can be output via HDMI to an external recorder.

Utilizing dual 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz frequencies, the camera can wirelessly transfer video files via FTP server or send MP4 video to the web browsers of laptops or tablets for viewing and storage (even on PC's lacking playback software).

The Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera is scheduled to be available at the end of December 2014 for an estimated retail price of $5,499.00.