Canon U.S.A. Announces Free Firmware And Application Software Upgrades for Select Cinema EOS System Cameras

From Canon:

New Upgrades, Including Support for Industry-Standard ACES, Look to Help Deliver Greater Production Workflow Efficiency

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 3, 2013 – Canon U.S.A., Inc. a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today new firmware and application software upgrades for the Company's Cinema EOS System lineup of cameras. New ACES compatibility software for the Cinema EOS C500 and Cinema EOS C500 PL Digital Cameras will be available as a free download expected in June 2013. Additional Cinema EOS firmware upgrades, including a new 1,440 x 1,080 pixel recording mode at 35Mbps for the Cinema EOS C300 and Cinema EOS C300 PL Digital Cameras, are expected to be available as free downloads starting in October 2013, all from the www.usa.canon.com.

In response to strong demand from professionals working in the fields of motion picture, commercial and television production, the firmware and application software upgrades will offer enhanced color management efficiency and camera functionality, contributing to improved video production workflow efficiency.

ACES Compatibility for Greater Production Workflow Efficiency (EOS C500/EOS C500 PL)
Cinema EOS C500 and Cinema EOS C500 PL camera users will be able to download a new version of Canon's Cinema RAW Development Software for working with 4K RAW data. The new version provides support for the Academy Color Encoding System (ACES) color management standard, as defined by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and standardized by the Society of Motion Picture & Television Engineers (SMPTE). Compatibility with ACES helps make efficient workflows possible, enabling color management using a uniform color space - even when handling video captured using multiple cameras with different color characteristics.

Automatic Functions (EOS C300) and New Recording Mode (EOS C300/EOS C300 PL)
A new firmware upgrade for the Cinema EOS C300 Digital Camera adds Push Auto Iris and One-Shot Autofocus (AF), two outstanding automatic functions incorporated in the Cinema EOS C100 Digital Camera (released in November 2012). These functions enable users to automatically adjust lens aperture and focusing through a simple one-touch operation, which can be particularly useful for cinematographers and videographers shooting without the support of an assistant.

In addition, a firmware upgrade for the Cinema EOS C300 and Cinema EOS C300 PL Digital Cameras adds a 1,440 x 1,080 pixel recording mode at 35Mbps, a resolution widely used in terrestrial digital television broadcasting. This new mode will expand the versatility of the XF codec and can be a useful addition for broadcast applications where the reduced bandwidth requires less transmission time while still maintaining a high level of image quality.

Shifting Display Location during Magnified Focus Assist (EOS C100, EOS C300/EOS C300 PL, EOS C500/EOS C500 PL)
Firmware upgrades for the EOS C500 and EOS C500 PL, EOS C300, EOS C300 PL, and EOS C100 Digital Camera models enable the Magnified Focus Assist function's magnified view area within the viewfinder and LCD monitor to be shifted to locations other than the center of the screen, allowing users to confirm focus across the entire display area.

B&H carries Canon Cinema EOS Cameras.