FCP Plugin for 5D mark III’s new REC.709 color space

I’ve received the following info from Canon inc. Japan:

The movie color conversion matrix (RGB -> YUB) for the EOS-1D X and 5D mark III has been changed to BT.709 (sometimes referred to as REC.709) for Full HD and HD movies (On previous EOS products it was BT.601). SD movies remain as BT.601.

Therefore it is recommended that editors use the new version of the EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro (Ver. 1.3) that supports a BT.709 color conversion matrix when using Final Cut Pro 6.x/7.x for editing.
What does this actually mean?
BT.709 is a broadcast color space that uses RGB values of 16-235 (rather than 0-255 as per a still image). It is the standard colour space for HD footage.
The downside is that if not properly converted (i.e. converting 5D III footage to ProRes for editing) footage will be more susceptible to gamma issues with NLEs than the 5D mark II was. This will result in “crushed” blacks (dark areas without detail) and a darker gamma on a computer screen which uses a 0-255 color space. If transcoding with software other than the EOS-movie plugin (such as 5DToRGB) set the gamma to 1.22 to get the correct display of tones.

Basically so far Canon HDSLR’s did not conform to the BT.709 standard which is “recommended” for HD. While color spaces are mostly confusing and a cause of trouble for less broadcast experienced editors the fact that the 5D mark III now conforms to this standard makes it more easily acceptable for HD broadcasters.

Download the new EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 V1.3 here: LINK
More info on REC.709/BT.709: Wikipedia

The Canon 1D X is here, what’s the difference to 5D mk3?

It’s been a while since the 1D mark iv successor, the Canon EOS 1DX was announced, 5 months to be exact.

Now that the 5D mark III is out does an HDSLR filmmaker still need to spare a second thought on the 1DX?
Probably not, these two cameras are extremely similar in terms of HDSLR.

Here’s a list of features they share:
- 30 minute maximum clip length
- manual audio control during recording
- captive touch wheel for silent audio control
- 1080p24/25/30 and 720p50/60, non drop: 23.976,…
- enhanced all i-Frames codec with embedded timecode (recrun, freerun)
- DIGIC 5+ chip to eradicate the presence of moiré, false colour and other artefacts
- full frame sized (36 x 24 mm) sensor

And here’s what makes the 1D X different from the 5D mk3:
- 1D X has a higher lens port
- 1D X’s lowlight capability seems to be a bit better than the already great mark III’s. Vincent Laforet said: 5D mark III “comes second only to the Canon EOS 1Dx camera in low light performance”
- 1D X has 2x CF card slots, 5D mark III has 1x CF and 1x SD
- 1D X is twice the price
- 1D X is missing a headphone port (thanks FRP)

Is the image quality or sharpness any better on the Canon 1D X? There are no real life comparisons yet, I doubt it, but you’re welcome to disagree in the comments.

The 1D X has become available for pre-order here:

B&H – $6799

Adorama – $6799

Canon 1D X – all about the new HDSLR powerhorse!

We wished for a 5D mark 3 and what we got is a fullframe 1D that takes video in an HDSLR to a whole new level. In other words it’s a 5Dmk3 in a 1D shape. Nice!

The EOS-1D X takes all of the current features and puts them into one camera as well as improving various aspects of the movie shooting for both better usability and better incorporation into professional workflows.

See much more after the jump:

More…