In a raft of new announcements this afternoon, Canon has unveiled the EOS 1D C, the latest addition to its Cinema EOS system, supporting 4K video capture.

The camera, which Canon is aiming at the motion picture, television and high-resolution production industries, supports in-camera 4K (4096 x 2160) video recording with 4:2:2 colour sampling, "offering greater creative freedom for video professionals... [and] delivering outstanding video quality, advanced low light performance and film-like dynamic range" in a DSLR-sized body, it claims.

The 1D C offers variable resolutions and frame rates, capturing 4K video using eight-bit Motion JPEG compression at 24p, while Full HD (1920 x 1080) is available at frame rates up to 1080/60p. The camera supports internal recording to Compactflash cards at all resolutions up to and including 4K, or video (excluding 4K) can be output to external recorders via an integrated HDMI terminal using an uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2 signal.

It also features Canon's Log Gamma technology, "which facilitates the capture of high-quality video rich in exposure latitude and dynamic range", says the company, saying it's "ideal for video professionals who want to retain the maximum amount of information without huge file sizes... [achieving] a dynamic range uniquely comparable to film, minimising shadow-detail loss and highlight-detail loss to provide greater grading freedom for colourists in post-production".

Based on the core specifications of the EOS 1D X - dubbed the "filmmaker's DSLR" when it was launched last October - the new camera has the same 18.1-megapixel resolution. During 4K capture, however, pixels are cropped to an area equivalent to an APS-H sensor, "preventing the need to resize or scale the image, ensuring maximum image quality". Additionally, a Super 35mm crop in Full HD recording caters for cinematographers who typically work in the Super 35mm field of view.

"The sensor provides high-quality performance in all conditions, delivering advanced creative blurring and light capturing abilities when used in combination with EF Cinema prime lenses," says Canon. "Its size enables professionals to achieve an extremely shallow depth of field with beautiful background blur, and sensitivity up to ISO 25,600 provides excellent quality and reduced noise in low-light situations."

The 1D C supports 24, 25, 30, 50 and 60p frame rates in Full HD resolution shooting, while "industry-standard timecode and codec support and a choice of compression methods provides compatibility with established workflow processes, facilitating easy editing and grading immediately after shooting".

The camera, which will be available from October, priced £10,000, ships with a suite of software that includes tools to output 4K/Motion JPEG and Full HD/60p video to an external monitor "with no loss of image quality".

And there's more...

Canon claims the 1D C's 4K capture mode is compatible with more than 60 EF lenses. In addition, it has introduced two new zooms to its EF Cinema lens range - the CN-E15.5-47mm T2.8 L and the CN-E30-105mm T2.8 L - joining the seven in the series already announced. The new additions support 4K resolution, "and will be smaller, lighter and more compact", says Canon, adding that they will be available in either EF and PL mounts "at competitive prices, offering premium performance to a wider range of users". Their size, weight and wide-angle focal lengths make them ideal for handheld shooting, it continues.

Prototypes of the new cinema zoom lenses will be on display at the NAB 2012 tradeshow for the broadcast industry in Las Vegas next week. The lenses themselves will go on sale in September. Prices have yet to be specified.

The Canon EOS C500 aimed at high-end moviemakers is slated for the end of the year

They will be shown alongside another prototype announced this afternoon; the launch the EOS C500, the second camera in Canon's Cinema EOS range of interchangeable-lens professional camcorders. Aimed at the motion picture industry, it will deliver uncompressed 4K raw capture, and 4:4:4 sampling during 2K capture.

It follows the announcement of the first camera in the range last November, the EOS C300, and is based on that design, and is likewise available with Canon's EF mount and the industry-standard PL mount. Again, it is compatible with Canon's Log Gamma technology. "Furthermore, 12-bit RGB 4:4:4 signal during 2K (2048 x 1080 pixels) video output will deliver rich colour and high compatibility with image processes such as chroma key compositing. Support for frame rates up to 120p in both 4K and 2K resolution will provide enhanced creative flexibility, enabling high-speed (slow motion) video capture in high resolution."

Canon aims to make the C500 available towards the end of the year, priced £20,000.

Meanwhile, the EOS 1D X hit another delay. Originally slated to go on sale last month, Canon now says it will come out from mid-June, while the EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM lens will be available from early July.