Canon Reveals Their Next Pro Video Cam

[Michael Galvan]

Well, I am at CES right now and had a very interesting conversation with Canon reps today.

I was at the booth shooting some stuff with my XL H1S and of course, that sparked some conversation with their video reps (including some Sony video jokes, lol).

I brought up the question about the future of the pro line. The rep did mention that lately, the most asked question they get is whether the DSLR type sensors will be put into the pro video line.

But then he proceeded to tell me a few tidbit details about their plans!

Of course, they weren't too specific, but apparently what's confirmed is:

1. The model is due to be released by NAB this year. They stated that NAB is something to watch out for big time.
2. The model will be all solid state (but this should be no surprise). There is no more HDV from the company. The XL/XH and the HV40 are definitely the last models.

Here's where it gets interesting:

3. The model is based on a new 3CCD design, they will be sticking with CCD. He wouldn't say more when I asked about sensor size, etc. Just that they are newly designed. They also said that they are looking at the DSLR sensor/video cam thing but it would be some time away.

4. The model will be their new top of the line high-end camera. Very interestingly enough, they stated the camera is of a new design as well. It would have design cues of the XL series, but apparently a different type of beast.

They wouldn't say anymore, only that they saw the prototype model and that's it. Only that I should pay very close attention around NAB time.

Very exciting indeed, I will try to talk to them tomorrow and weasel out more if I can, but my production schedule at the show may not allow for it. I'll try though.

On another note, I played with the new VIXIA HF S21 model and it really is a fantastic camera (wow, what a beautiful LCD screen!). Canon was even so nice as to let me shoot whatever I wanted at their booth, so I have a little video of the new cam. Hopefully I can get more tomorrow and maybe post something.

Sure sounds like Canon is getting ready to play their cards in the pro market.

[Chris Hurd]

Read all about it in my article: Canon Reveals Their Next Pro Video Cam

The title of Michael's thread was "Canon CES 2010 news - very interesting" and I've since renamed it.

(Apologies to Michael, there was a bit of a delay involved while I finished up the article. I had started
writing it back in the middle of December, and then the holidays got in the way, and then CES happened,
from which I just returned this weekend).

This will be the official discussion thread.

[Christopher Drews]

Great article Chris.
But ouch Canon!
You had the SLR sensor that changed the industry but not the foresight to get it into whats next for video.
We want Form-Factor dammit!
A Pity...
Go 2011! Or Scarlet for 2010! ;)
-C

[Dom Stevenson]

This is an excellent article, even if it is largely speculative at this stage.

At a glance I'm rather underwhelmed by this camera (If Chris's predictions are correct). When the XHA1 turned up and - in my view - produced nicer images than the Z1 for less money, i was blown away and bought one. Since IMO the EX1 has been king of the heap for a couple of years now, i expected Canon to come up with something to knock it off its pedestal, but it's hard to see how this Camera will do anything of the sort.

Still, we don't actually know for sure, so better wait and see.

BTW, Am i right in thinking a camera that shoots to SDHC cards will not have overcranking ability?

[Michael Galvan]

Yes, well obviously its a little early to comment on what kind of overall image quality it will have. Who knows what the CCDs are capable of doing.

The only things that Canon were able to confirm at the show was that it was going to be solid state, a newly designed 3CCD sensor array, and an announcement time frame around NAB.

[Bill Strehl]

Thanks for writing such a well researched and in depth article. I too have been told by Canon reps that they don't want to jeopardize their pro lens market share by making something that would compete with other manufacturers camera products on the higher end.

[J.J. Kim]

finally bigger LCD that's on the top the handle, Thank God...
Should have planned to go to NAB this year.. (sigh).
Thanks for sharing the article/news, everyone!

JJ

[Robert M Wright]

If Canon does indeed go with CCD, rather than CMOS, in this camcorder, I hope they can achieve solid 800ish line recorded resolution for the 1080 line formats, like the HMC40 and most likely the NX cams, while keeping the cost down. 600ish line recorded resolution, with 1080 line formats, is just awfully weak at this point in time, employing AVCHD H264 compression (far more capable of encoding that level of image detail than HDV at almost the same bitrate).

HDV (and 600 or so lines of recorded resolution) represented a very practical approach to low cost HD image acquisition a few years ago, but really is just barely HD. Now it is quite practical though, to push a lot closer to achieving the full image detail potential of 1080 line video formats with low cost camcorders. Advances in hardware H264 encoding (smaller, more efficient, and lower costing chips) along with much more powerful mainstream CPUs beginning to make editing H264 encoded HD footage practical with desktop computers, are a large part of making low cost "higher" definition video acquisition practical. Another part of that though, are recent considerable advances in CMOS technology. While CMOS chips do indeed have disadvantages, as opposed to CCD chips, they have some very real advantages too. A big advantage is, they can be used to acquire highly detailed images, without generating nearly as much heat as CCDs, and that's just a huge consideration when it comes to designing a small, low cost, high definition camcorder that can reach well beyond recording 600ish line detail images.

[Jon Fairhurst]

According to the Canon pro-video reps at CES, their most asked question is when they will deliver an SLR sensor in a camcorder body.

[Nicholas de Kock]

I love my XHA1 cameras for their buttons, all the buttons are at the right place but by the time they decide to launch a new camera I'll own a Sony or Red Scarlet. Sorry Canon but you're taking too long.

[Michael Galvan]

Originally Posted by Jon Fairhurst

According to the Canon pro-video reps at CES, their most asked question is when they will deliver an SLR sensor in a camcorder body.

They told me this too.

But they also told me in addition "that it would be some time away."

[Michael Galvan]

Originally Posted by Nicholas de Kock

I love my XHA1 cameras for their buttons, all the buttons are at the right place but by the time they decide to launch a new camera I'll own a Sony or Red Scarlet. Sorry Canon but you're taking too long.

To be fair, Red Scarlet is a cam which in a lot of ways, has been a much longer wait. It was announced how long ago? And it keeps changing...

What I like from the "Big Companies" is that once its announced, its essentially real. These Canon cams haven't been announced yet, but when they are, they'll be ready to buy soon after.

[Robert M Wright]

There are some folks that are just (more than) thrilled with the idea of a large DSLR like imager in a camcorder (and quite vocal about it), but I think Chris pointed out the practical reasons it isn't going to happen anytime soon from Canon (or any of the other majors). It's just not very suitable for what the vast majority of folks buying their camcorders use them for.

Really, that sort of thing is basically what RED is about. It's not really mainstream. Largely, it's about achieving with digital cameras, what up until now pretty much required shooting film. Shooting film (or like film) is not really ideally suited for what most camcorders are actually used for (like ENG).

[Michael Galvan]

Yeah, I think that for outside narrative film production, a large sensor would make little practical sense.

Imagine trying to shoot ENG with that kind of shallow DOF... or a lot of event type work where you may need to be a distance away, or nature videography, etc.

There's a reason why there are 1st AC's in film ...

[James Miller]

Great article Chris,

After reading that I reckon we'll have to wait until 2012 before canon release a full frame CMOS dedicated video unit.

Unfortunately the world is due to end that year, so it may put a dampener on the release.