Canon enhances Cinema RAW for EOS C500 Mark II

Up until now, the EOS C500 Mark II was able to shoot 12-bit RAW video at up to 30 fps, and 10-bit at frame rates beyond that. Canon is now adding three new Cinema RAW Light formats which will provide 12-bit recording at all frame rates.

With the addition of Cinema RAW Light LT (light recording), ST (standard quality), and HQ (high quality) formats, the EOS C500 Mark II will now have four different RAW recording options, a first in the Cinema EOS lineup.  12-bit RAW at high frame rates provides a tremendous boost to Canon’s already-distinguished color science, with enough data provided to render over 68 billion colors.

Canon’s proprietary Cinema RAW Light format offers a significant reduction in file size without sacrificing image quality or grading and compositing headroom.  Available on all four current Cinema EOS models, the Cinema RAW Light format allows filmmakers to realize the widest dynamic range of the camera’s sensor in a file that’s approximately a third to a fifth of the size of a standard Cinema RAW file.

This firmware update for the Canon EOS C500 Mark II is scheduled for March 21, 2024.