Canon’s Creative And Workflow Solutions at IBC 2014

Canon press release:

Canon showcased its full range of world-class film-making products – including its Cinema EOS Digital Cinema Cameras, HD camcorders and broadcast, cinematography and EF lenses, plus cutting-edge Full HD and 4K workflow solutions – at IBC 2014, one of the leading global trade shows for media and broadcast professionals held at the RAI exhibition and convention centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 12-16 September 2014.

Stand E.50 in Hall 11 of the RAI venue was home to Canon, and it drew large crowds of industry professionals who were eager to ‘Touch and Try’ the extensive range of Canon products including the XF205 HD camcorder and the CN7x17 KAS S – Canon’s first-ever cine-servo lens, which features a 17-120mm zoom, stunning 4K optical performance and a removable drive unit.

LATEST FIRMWARE DEMONSTRATIONS

At IBC 2014 Canon devoted specific areas of its stand to highlight the capabilities of its new firmware upgrades for its EOS C500 and EOS C300 Digital Cinema Cameras, DP-V3010 4K reference display and Cinema RAW Development (CRD) software, which are all designed to better integrate both the acquisition and management of 4K footage into all workflow situations.

The demonstrations included a live demo of the BT.2020 colour space for Ultra High Definition (UHD) video, which were supported via the new firmware for the EOS C500 camera and the DP-V3010 display. The ITU-R BT.2020 solution display featured the EOS C500 in combination with an Astro HB-7513 camera control unit and an Astro WM-3206 4K waveform monitor connected to the Canon DP-V3010 4K reference display.

The upcoming firmware for Canon’s DP-V3010 4K professional reference display was also showcased via two comparative screens to display the difference between ITU-R BT.709 and ITU-R BT.2020 to support content shot in BT.2020 and there were demos of colour grading with 4K displays.

Also shown in the dedicated Canon 4K workflow section of the IBC stand was the firmware upgrade (CRD v1.3) for Canon’s Cinema RAW Development software, which offers improved performance thanks to the Intel® Integrated Native Developer Experience RAW Media Accelerator, enabling fast de-bayering and drop-free playback of the resulting 4K footage (up to 24fps only) when using a laptop equipped with Intel ® Iris™ Pro Graphics.

This complete RAW workflow solution was demonstrated at IBC and Peter Yabsley, Professional Products Marketing Team Leader, Canon Europe, explained: “The collaboration between Canon and Intel is to optimise RAW processing and playback for Canon Cinema RAW using Intel’s latest SDK and on-chip graphics processing. They have an integrated GPU – Iris Pro Graphics – with their CPU chip which in a very small size and low power consumption can handle the processing of 4K RAW. What it means is that you have a system that can rapidly process the 4K RAW from a laptop and then, up to 24p, play that back without drop frames. So, if you’re talking about small productions, on-set for daily reviews, you can actually do a lot with your footage from a really small footprint – literally just from a laptop.”

SPECIAL SHOOTING PODS AND GALLERIES

The Canon stand at IBC 2014 incorporated four special ‘shooting pods’ that were dedicated to the Cinema EOS range, Canon’s XF- and XA-series HD camcorders, Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology and the EOS Movie capabilities of Canon’s HD DSLR range. This allowed all visitors the opportunity to see the capabilities of the full range of Canon cameras, lenses and technologies including 4K workflow.

There was also a special ‘low-light’ section where visitors could discover and view the incredible low-light performance of Canon’s XF camcorders and Cinema EOS cameras.

Broadcast professionals were also able to get ‘hands-on’ with over 100 Canon television and cinematography lenses with a vast array of focal lengths and types, from ENG broadcast lenses to EF Cinema and EF lenses.

BROADCAST LENSES AND CAMERAS

Canon’s range of broadcast solutions were on display in a special, raised shooting gallery which allowed visitors to sample the abilities of Canon’s box lenses – including the DIGISUPER 95 and the DIGISUPER 100AF – fitted to studio cameras. Alongside these were remote Pan-Tilt-Zoom cameras rigged to a control desk to show how Canon technology allows broadcast-quality Full HD cameras to be positioned anywhere in a closed environment – such as a sports stadium, for example – where remote pan/tilt operation is required.

THE PROFESSIONALS’ VIEWS

An impressive line-up of top film and broadcast industry professionals appeared on the Canon IBC presentation stage, from 12 to 15 September, to share their experiences of shooting film projects with Canon products.

Filmmaker and Canon Explorer Phil Coates revealed his experiences shooting with the Canon XF205 HD camcorder and told CPN: “It’s the front end of the camera that makes a big difference. Traditionally the limitation in smaller cameras is the actual lens but this is one of the first small cameras that you can take seriously thanks to the 20x zoom, the new processor, and also the image stabilisation. Having an imaging sensor that’s slightly bigger than 1/3-inch plus the optics really makes a difference.“

Fellow Canon Explorer Sébastien Devaud spoke about his work shooting HD movies with Canon EOS DSLRs, HD camcorders and Cinema EOS Digital Cinema Cameras and the quality of Canon cameras for 4K acquisition, whether for 4K or HD delivery.

Also appearing on the Canon IBC presentation stage was ENG cameraman and video editor Ming Yeung (Getty Images) who showcased his red carpet and film festival work with the 4K Canon EOS-1D C DSLR. In addition, filmmaker Simon Pitts presented on his experiences shooting with Canon Cinema EOS cameras and explained the genesis of his most recent film project ‘The Touch’, which has been supported by Canon as part of the Berlinale Talents programme.

In addition to all of this there were special screenings of an exclusive, new, filmed interview with Academy-Award winning cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle in which he discussed his use of Canon cameras for shooting many of his major movie projects.

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS AND POSSIBILITIES

Reflecting on this year’s IBC, Canon Europe’s Peter Yabsley said: “There are now even more products on offer from Canon, providing more solutions and creative possibilities for video than ever before. We have Cinema lenses, broadcast TV lenses, Cinema lenses designed for broadcast use, great new EF lenses for video use, the Cinema EOS range at all different levels – from Hollywood movies to practical day-to-day use; we’ve got XA camcorders, which are great practical tools especially for low-budget productions, and the XF-series as a kind of ‘workhorse’ traditional type of product. It’s a fantastic range of products that offers different strengths and benefits to every kind of filmmaker.”