C300 Mark II Firmware Update: Side-by-Side 4K Comparisons of Canon Log, Canon Log 2 and Canon Log 3

[@stevenbailey5316]

Clean Clog 2 sounds great to me.

[@Pogomix]

I don't like the 709 conversion LUTs. The image actually looks better in LOG to me. Not sure what it is.

[@77dris]

I never use conversion LUTs because you will often just lose the dynamic range you were trying to save in the first place. Instead in Resolve I just adjust highlights and shadows to proper values based on the scene, trying not to clip (unless an area is supposed to be totally black or white). This gives more control. I often find LUTs to be "lazy".

[@TJIzzy]

Great test by Jon Carr; I see Salt Lake City all the time and he made it look awesome. Now I really want one of these cameras over my 1DX II haha.

[@DesoloZantas]

Hope to see these in the EOS R series

[@tevryan]

Nice video, thanks for posting. From this test, the new Clog2 actually looks worse to me. Maybe it's a KZbin compression artifact, but I see a LOT more macro blocking-like artifacts and some detail loss (look at the Toyota letters). Any thoughts about this? Did Canon just introduce in camera noise correction or are they actually processing the signal differently to try and reduce the noise?

[@UnratedAwesomeness]

Well, on the c300 2 I doubt there'd be macro blocking unless intentionally shooting in a compressed format. Shooting 10bit 422 at that wonderfully large bitrate will probably eliminate macro blocking. I think what's happening is that a little bit of noise is accidentally registered by KZbin's compression to be one solid colour. With the greater noise in the original C-log 2 footage, youtube recognizes it as motion because there are so many moving pixels, so you'll see that the footage has moments where its macro blocking, and moments where you can see the noise. Remember the camera is shooting at like 200-400mb/s and KZbin compresses clips to like max 25mb/s lol! Anyway cheers mate!

[@tevryan]

Thanks for the reply. That makes sense. Do you think they are using noise reduction processing to make the image look cleaner in C-log 2 or do you think it's something else?

[@UnratedAwesomeness]

It would be very dishonest for them do use NR and people would soon discover that and I think they'd lose many customers. As to what exactly they're doing, I'm not sure. But its possible that they're somehow raising the exposure in the shadows that allows them to be less noisy... or maybe they lower the highlights and allows you to protect that detail and expose higher to clean up the shadows. Not an expert but I hope I helped :)

[@tevryan]

Cool. Makes sense. Thanks.

[@carson294]

Would you still buy the C-300 M11 today? Or something else.

[@NathanYounghusband]

Very interesting. Thanks for the info about the different log profiles :)

[@tomshorski6399]

Very valuable comparison. Thanks !

[@itzboba69]

Love the video, real quick, question for the 5d mark iv c-log. How should I be exposing c-log on the 5d mark iv? Do I overexpose or underexpose that type of C-Log?

[@CanonUSA]

Hi Ronald. Setting View Assist to On in the Canon Log Settings menu can help. Canon Log is used to get wider dynamic range out of an image, but that usually results in an image displayed on the LCD that is somewhat darker than without Canon Log. View Assist will display the image with a clear-viewing characteristic, making it easier to check on the image details when setting up the shot. We hope this helps.

[@VyasAnand]

Always expose a bit the right using Canon and most log profiles

[@jacenk]

how can you use though post production luts in premiere? does seem to load in lumetri

[@CanonUSA]

Great question. Since Premiere was developed by Adobe, you may want to check with them directly as they might have better information on how to do this in their software. If there is anything else we can help you with, please let us know.

[@felipemarrou276]

can you apply a lut when shooting with the C300 MK2 while shooting clog2

[@jacenk]

you cant import luts to the camera while shooting but could import them onto a recorder during shooting

[@CanonUSA]

While recording, you can apply a LUT to video output from the REC OUT terminal, MON terminal or HDMI OUT terminal and to the image displayed on the LCD screen or viewfinder. When a LUT is applied, the displayed image will look as if a standard gamma curve and color space were used, making it easier to check the image on the display device used. To do this, open the [Assistance Functions] menu, select [LUT] > [Activate] and select [ON]. Then, select the desired output terminal, LCD or VF, and select the desired LUT. We hope this information is helpful.

[@avarmadillo]

Jon, very very helpful. I've been anxiously waiting for C-log 3. Let me ask you about exposing C-log 3. Where do you put middle gray on the IRE scale? I've shot C-log at 32 IRE middle gray, according to what Jem Schofield recommends. But my guess is middle gray should be exposed higher for C-log 3. Am I right?

[@brentramseyddp]

Hi, William. Expose CLog3 the same as you did original Canon Log. Middle gray should still read 32.8 IRE.

[@avarmadillo]

Thanks for the quick response. Do you expose C-Log 2 with a higher middle gray setting?

[@brentramseyddp]

Yes. Right around 40. The actual number is 39.2.

[@avarmadillo]

So I assume the flatter curve up top takes some of the worry about clipping highs, relatively speaking. When you're not in studio or a controlled situation how to you expose for these log gammas---use zebras to indicate your top exposure level, waveforms?? For instance, I will often shoot with my lowest exposure in C-log showing 15 IRE and top around 80. In studio it's no problem but out and about is a different kettle of fish.

[@brentramseyddp]

William, however you achieve correct exposure is a personal choice and there is no wrong way to do it. A lot of people are using false color monitors, as well. Reading your question makes me realize that we need an updated fact sheet on these log curves so there isn't any doubt. As for me, I prefer looking at a waveform monitor and/or a monitor with a LUT applied. To give you the log curve guideline for Canon Log: it has a black IRE output of 7.3%, 18% gray of 32.8%, and 90% white output of 62.74%. If you use zebras for instance -- the minimum level is 70. So you could set it for 70 -- 75, and when you see zebras, you could imagine that you are very close to clipping the whites. I have shot at 80 as you suggested, and the results were OK -- but I wouldn't go any higher.

[@randfee]

now why not add C-Log #2 to the R5 instead of Clog-3... or just add them both. I don't think there is more noise in the shadows if grade them back down to the same brightness. The noise should be there in Clog-2 as well, just less visible since these areas are darker. Even better, give us some kind of downsampled 12bit + 'RAW' in 4k and 1080p... who needs Clog?

[@mariap6271]

You have logs in 8k raw

[@randfee]

@@mariap6271 RAW is RAW... no profile. Sure you can apply a profile but there is no log-RAW.... Doesn't help much though if you want to film in lower resolution now, does it? So right now in order to get more dynamic range and control in 4k or 1080p one needs to use C-Log 1. I would appreciate if canon offered some kind of lower resolution "downsampled RAW" , like they did with pictures years ago (mRAW & sRAW) but for video, maintaining the response and dynamic range. That would be my preference

[@Cinematographer_brenton]

very cool

[@Gleebi]

Is there a direct link to the c log 2 to cinema gamut rec 709 on the Canon website? There's so many in not sure what to use

[@CanonUSA]

Hi Greg. The LUTs and input transforms that we do have available can be downloaded from our website at Canon.us/fbj6 Those available include C.Log 1, 2 and 3, BT.2020 and a few others. We hope this helps.

[@felipemarrou276]

did not work

[@CanonUSA]

Hi there! Our team of experts will be more than happy to help you with this. Please give them a call at 1-855-CINE-EOS (1-855-246-3367).

[@roirafael2462]

@@CanonUSA

[@roirafael2462]

​@@CanonUSA Can't access page

[@kinothurston3788]

Which lenses were used?

[@joncarr8073]

Canon Cine Primes 24,35,50,85 and the EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM

[@d.edwardsfreelanceeditorvi4212]

I serious need help. I am getting a lot of noise in my c100 mkii, especially in wide DR.. Anyone have suggestions?

[@CanonUSA]

Hi there. Our team of experts is happy to go over your EOS C100 Mark II with you one-on-one to help determine why you are seeing the noise. Please reach out to them directly at Canon.us/ContactYT We look forward to hearing from you.

[@JeffBodeanCinema]

Informative and wonderful video. But dude...lighten up on the bass eq on your voice. Sounds terrible on good speakers.

[@Brett.Hatfield]

this looks awful.