Canon adds C-LOG to 5D Mark IV & introduces compact-servo 70-200mm lens

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posted Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 8:00 AM EST

To add to the video capabilities of their latest professional camera, Canon has announced that they are making their log profile, Canon LOG (C-LOG), available on the 5D Mark IV DSLR. Current EOS 5D Mark IV owners can have the C-LOG feature upgrade installed for $99 at any of the Canon service centers across the U.S. starting in July. You read that right: getting C-LOG installed is more than just a firmware update you can do at home. Due to software architecture in the camera, Canon needs to connect and use their service tools in order to upgrade it. The camera will also be available for sale (body only) with the feature upgrade pre-installed starting in July, with an estimated retail price of $3,599.

For those who might not know what C-LOG is or what its benefits are, Canon describes it:

"Canon Log uses the image sensor’s characteristics in a way that allows for a wide dynamic range, minimal loss of detail in shadows and highlight areas and an increased range of choices when color grading. Color grading options available with Canon Log include optimized color saturation, accurate colors with minor color bias, visual continuity and accurate skin tones."

In short, log profiles are the closest video shooters can get to shooting RAW outside of, well, shooting RAW. The upgrade to C-LOG will work with and complement several Canon EOS 5D Mark IV camera features including 4K shooting, Dual Pixel CMOS AF, high speed 119.9p shooting in HD and 59.94p shooting in Full HD. Additional features include Movie Servo AF allowing the camera to focus on a subject even when the shutter button is not used, the ability to register custom shooting modes in Canon Log and movie shooting in Canon Log on a compatible iOS or Android device using the free Canon Camera Connect app. For more information on the C-LOG upgrade, visit usa.canon.com/canonlog5d4.

Canon also announced the COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens (model name CN-E 70-200mm T4.4 L IS KAS S), which is a compact and lightweight 4K lens. A bridge between traditional Canon EF lenses and CN-E cinema lenses, the COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm can be ideal for filmmakers and documentary shooters who want the control and quality of cinema optics with the lightweight, compact design and features of Canon’s EF lenses.

The second in a new class of Canon lenses (the first being the COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm Zoom Lens), the COMPACT-SERVO 70-200mm Telephoto Zoom Lens is a cinema-style lens that includes a servo drive unit as a standard feature. Additionally, the lens incorporates Image Stabilization, Autofocus, and Auto Iris functionality, which are popular and useful features not often found in typical cinema lenses. The lens is also rated for 4K video capture, meaning it will retain sharpness even at such a high resolution. It features a nine-bladed iris aperture diaphragm which should provide a desirable "bokeh" effect in the out of focus areas of an image.

The lens comes equipped with a Servo Drive Unit, which provides seamless switching between servo and manual modes, which lend you motorized control of focus, zoom, and iris settings.

The 70-200mm lens is compatible with all EF super 35mm cameras as well as the Canon 1.4x III and 2x III external extenders. The Servo Drive Unit is compatible with broadcast style industry-standard lens controllers including Canon’s ZSD-300D zoom demand and FPD-400D focus demand. Additionally, the ZSG-C10 accessory grip (which retails for $499) will be compatible with the 70-200mm. The grip connects to the lens through a 20-pin cable, allowing a variety of lens functions to be controlled from the grip, including zooming via a rocker switch, one-shot AF and the starting and stopping of a recording. When the lens and grip are being used with the EOS C100 Mark II, EOS C300 Mark II and EOS C700 Cinema Cameras, users will also have the ability to control the zoom and iris from the camera’s grip unit.