Canon officially kicked-off their NAB 2016 announcements with the introduction of a new compact Super 35 Full HD pro camera – the ME200S-SH with some impressive low-light capabilities. The ME200S-SH is what Canon calls a “multi-purpose” professional camera, which seems to target a multitude of applications ranging from surveillance to wildlife documentaries, industrial applications, live and remote camera use on drones and cranes.
Despite the broad range of applications it can be used for, this camera much like the slightly larger, but very similarly designed ME20F-SH Full-Frame low-light monster that has a max ISO of 4 Million, the newer and more compact sibling – the ME200S-SH remains largely a niche product due to the fact it lacks internal recording capabilities or a battery compartment and requires an additional (and not very cheap) Canon RC-V100 remote control ($2,850 at B&H) to access and alter the major parameters and menus of the camera.
You can read more about the previously announced ME20F-SH and see footage here and here to get an idea of what the new ME200S-SH may be potentially capable of.
Canon claims 12 stops of dynamic range thanks to the 8.29 Megapixel Super 35 CMOS chip at the heart of the camera. The camera also features a locking EF mount, WideDR gamma and Canon Log, built-in infrared filter and ND filters, Dual Pixel CMOS AF and is capable of reaching ISO values of 204,800. The maximum frame rate is 1080/50 and 60p, with 720/60p is also available. Sadly, this is not a 4K camera.
Features and Highlights
- Super 35mm CMOS sensor with 8.29 megapixels
- Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus system
- Locking Canon EF Mount for wide gamut of EF lenses
- 1080/50 and 60p for slow-motion
- Canon Log to capture up to 12-stops of dynamic range
- Canon Wide DR
- ISO range of 320 – 204,800
- Motorized Glass ND (3 and 6 stops) and IR Cut Filters
- 2x, 4x, 8x Digital Teleconverter
- HD/3G-SDI & HDMI Connectors
- RS-422 Remote Control Terminal
- Canon RC-V100 allows full remote operation over the camera
I can see this camera being used as a B-cam to the more fully-fledged full-frame ME20F-SH or even a C300 Mark II where a super-low light shot is needed. As stated above, the camera does require an external recorder, V-mount or AB battery power via a DC IN XLR connector (there is no battery slot) and a remote control for full access to the camera controls. The locking EF mount is a nice touch and the Super 35 chip size brings a more standard field of view.
The ME200S-SH is priced at $4,999 in the US, £4,369 in the UK and 5,900 Euros in Europe. The camera is estimated to start shipping in towards end of August/early September. Pre-order via the links below:
Canon ME200S-SH – $4,999 (B&H / Adorama)
Canon RC-V100 Remote – $2,850 (B&H / Adorama)
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