Canon announced the Canon ME20F-SH, a high-end video camera with a full-frame sensor, and a nice and compact design. The new Canon camera can record at ISO 4,000,000! That’s a low light champion that can see in the dark. At the core of the ME20F-SH is a 2.26 megapixel CMOS sensor. Back in 2013 we had a development announcement for exactly this kind of sensor (this sensor may also be related). The new ME20F-SH will be available in December at $30,000. A new Canon milestone not foreseen by any of the rumor sites. And, hey!, it’s a Canon full-frame mirrorless camera.

A Canon Professional Network article about the new Canon ME20F-SH:

Supporting image capture in situations where it previously would not have been possible, the ME20F-SH is ideal for use within specialist applications such as TV productions of nighttime wildlife, deep sea/cave exploration, astronomy and surveillance. The ability to install the camera in a semi-permanent location, with remote control operability also means that for documentary and natural history filmmakers, long term projects and events can be captured with minimum staffing. Due to the specialist nature and demand for this product, the ME20F-SH will only be available to selected partners.

Canon press release:

MELVILLE N.Y., July 30, 2015 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today has introduced the Company’s first multi-purpose camera, the new ME20F-SH, which delivers exceptionally high sensitivity to capture Full HD video with a minimum subject illumination of less than 0.0005 lux¹ (at maximum 75 dB gain setting, equivalent to an ISO sensitivity of over 4,000,000). Nighttime surveillance and security, cinematic production, reality television, and nature/wildlife documentaries are just some of the ME20F-SH’s many possible usage applications. With the ability to capture color video in extreme low-light conditions and its simplistic and versatile design, the ME-20F-SH Multi-purpose Camera can be easily incorporated into existing infrastructures and systems to provide high-quality video capture even where subjects might not be seen with the naked eye.

Canon’s new multi-purpose camera employs an enhanced version of the 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor for Full HD video use that was originally developed by the Company in 2013². Its compact, modular body design allows easy custom configurations for diverse usage scenarios. While capturing video in extreme low-light conditions often requires the use of infrared illumination (a technique that only yields video in black and white), the ME20F-SH camera achieves impressive high-sensitivity performance enabling the capture of color Full HD video with reduced noise in low-light conditions without the need for infrared illumination.

Ultra-High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor Enables Color Video Capture in Extreme Low-Light Conditions

The ME20F-SH camera’s CMOS sensor has pixels measuring 19 μm square³, which is more than 5.5 times the surface area of the pixels on the CMOS sensor featured in select top-of-the-line interchangeable lens cameras⁴. Furthermore, the sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry make use of Canon proprietary technologies to achieve both reduced noise and exceptionally high sensitivity on subjects with a minimum illumination of less than 0.0005 lux. This multi-purpose camera allows users to discern subjects under even some of the dimmest lighting conditions, such as environments lit by artificial illumination or under a moonless night sky. Furthermore, similar to Canon’s Cinema EOS System of professional digital cinematography cameras, the ME20F-SH camera includes Canon Log and Wide DR, which make possible a wide dynamic range, delivering high-image-quality video results across a range of illumination environments, from low- to brightly lit conditions.

Canon’s Diverse Interchangeable EF Lens Lineup Enables Wide Range of Imaging Possibilities

The new ME20F-SH employs the same EF mount (Cinema Lock type) as Canon’s SLR cameras and Cinema EOS System-series of professional digital cameras, allowing users to make use of the Company’s extensive lineup of interchangeable EF lenses⁵. By letting users select the ideal lens based on their shooting or application requirements, taking into consideration such factors as angle of view and level of brightness, this multi-purpose camera facilitates a wide spectrum of imaging possibilities.

Supports various standard video-recording interfaces

Employing output-only 3G/HD-SDI and HDMI terminals, Canon’s ME20F-SH camera enables users working on location to output video via a single cable to a variety of peripheral equipment, including external recorders and monitors. Equipped with a φ2.5mm stereo mini-jack and a round 8-pin jack for RS-422, the multipurpose camera is capable of connecting with Canon’s RC-V100 Remote Controller (released in June 2014; sold separately)⁶. By allowing users to operate the camera or change settings from a remote location, the camera facilitates video capture from inaccessible locations as well as fixed-point surveillance. Furthermore, a φ3.5mm stereo mini-jack allows the camera to connect with an external microphone, enabling users working on location to output audio and video signals to connected peripheral equipment.

The Canon ME20F-SH is expected to be available in December 2015 at a suggested retail price of $30,000.

HD Video Pro posted an interview with Mr. Masaya Maeda, Canon’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Image Communication Products Operations. The interview was taken at NAB 2015.

Some excerpts:

HDVP: Why has Canon been slow in transitioning to 4K for your DSLRs?
Maeda: Because we’re slow (laughing). There are power consumption challenges, as well as heat issues, that we need to solve, so we’re investigating what we can do right now. The DSLR camera will have to be compact in size because, if it becomes larger, it turns into a C300.

…

HDVP: The mirrorless M-series is no longer available in the U.S., correct?
Maeda: When you look at the Canon sales companies, whether it’s in the U.S. or Europe, they have the right to choose which products they want to carry.
HDVP: So it’s a Canon USA decision?
Maeda: From a Canon Inc. perspective, we would like them to sell everything, but there are still a few stubborn people (laughing).

HDVP: We’ve seen the success of the Sony a7S and Samsung NX1 mirrorless cameras. Do you think there’s a market for a Canon mirrorless 4K camera that doesn’t fit in the Cinema EOS line?
Maeda: I think that’s a promising product, but we don’t like to imitate others, so I think it would be a slightly different product if we release something like that.

The interview has a pleasant tone and is fun to read. Mr. Maeda makes a lot of jokes, and in general seems to take everything with humor. However, he isn’t revealing too much of Canon’s future plans.