Canon previews wide-ranging Cinema EOS and PTZ firmware updates

Canon has forthcoming firmware updates for its Cinema EOS and PTZ cameras that add a whole load of new features in a bid to deliver streamlined workflows and improved performance.

Plenty of interesting new tweaks and features for users of two of Canon's most popular product ranges, the Cinema EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras and its increasingly capable PTZ lineup. Details below, but first off it's worth mentioning that the firmware updates for both are currently scheduled to be available by the end of July 2025. 

 EOS C400 and EOS C80 updates

 So, first the new stuff coming to the  EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras.

The Peripheral Border Display, also known as Display Level 2, will be enhanced to view the following at a glance: Sensor Mode and Resolution, Recording codec selected for each card slot, Custom Picture Gamma and color space, Digital Image Stabilization status, and the tilt and roll degrees of the electronic level.

The EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras will now support Distortion and Chromatic Aberration correction while playing back Cinema RAW Light clips on camera. This ensures productions can accurately review takes on-set without needing to offload the card to a computer first.

Both cameras will now be able to output CV Protocol to multiple devices for virtual productions. Lens metadata can be utilized by several different computers running our CV Metadata Extraction plugin, greatly enhancing usability in virtual set environments.

The number of look/LUT files that can be registered will increase from 20 to 256 for the EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras, along with the capability to pause Digital IS during recording (that really is one helluva expansion).

Also added for the EOS C400 camera is the ability to combine Tracking AF with manual focus control. While Tracking AF is enabled, a user can adjust focus manually by using the lens focus ring. Once manual focus control is completed, the camera will maintain focus and Tracking AF will resume automatically.

PTZ line upgrades

There is also a major upgrade to the Canon PTZ cameras with an impressive range of new capabilities added. The PTZ updates cover indoor and outdoor models such as the CR-N700, CR-N500, CR-N300, CR-N100, and CR-X300. More detail, and what is and what isn't included, below.

Live streaming just got even easier with improved SRT and RTMP support. For both SRT and RTMP, the cameras now feature auto reconnect to ensure minimal downtime in the event of a signal loss. SRT improvements also include the ability to automatically start transmission on camera power up. For the CR-N100 and CR-N300 cameras, this firmware provides improved support for teleconferencing systems with PTZ control over IP when the camera is in USB Camera Mode. 

Other updates to the cameras include new Area Zoom functionality to easily move to an area of interest by drawing a box on the user interface. For applications that require using different frame rates on the same production, the CR-N700 firmware adds the ability to seamlessly emulate the appearance of 60, 30, or 24 frames per second from the user interface or a controller. Future firmware updates themselves will also become easier to install, as this firmware adds the ability to check, download, and install new firmware from the camera’s web interface.

The built-in auto tracking application is also getting improvements. Tracking performance in both the free and the paid version of auto tracking has been improved to better track fast moving objects. The paid version of the auto tracking will include multi-subject tracking. This enables the ability to track multiple subjects at the same time. The update also includes face orientation composition assistance, which can automatically change the composition of the shot based on which direction the subject is facing. 

The RC-IP1000 controller will also receive a firmware update. In addition to creating compatibility with the new camera firmware features and Auto Tracking updates, preset registration and display have been improved. This firmware will also add compatibility with the EOS C80 cinema camera. Support for standard protocol over the serial ports has been added, as well as a host of other improvements to the controller. 

And finally, Canon’s Multi-Camera Control IOS Application is also receiving an update. The latest update will include support for all four of the indoor PTZ cameras and the CR-X300 outdoor camera.