Forget About Megapixels -This Canon Camera Can Film at ISO 4,000,000

[CtW]

Source: http://bokeh.digitalrev.com/article/canon-camera-can-film-at-iso-4-million

 

Canon has announced a new multi-purpose camera in the ME20F-SH. Dedicated to night owls, the camera is able to capture full HD colour video in pitch black conditions with an ISO of 4,000,000.

This unprecedented ISO is made possible with a full-frame 35mm CMOS sensor packing just 2.26 megapixels - well under industry standards. However, it also compensates by bumping the size of each pixel up to 19μm (5.5x larger than a high-end DSLR) allowing for more light capture.

^Footage from Canon's lowlight sensor test back when it debuted in 2013^

 

Such elevated ISOs will definitely aid documentary people who shoot in persistently dark conditions (such as high foliage environments, caverns, and deep sea) but it'll also prove a creative tool for filmmakers tired of chasing daylight or simply looking to try new things.

 

The ME20F-SH comes in December with a prosumer price of US $30,000.

Holy fuck-balls that is a high ISO. Given this camera's relatively low resolution of 2.26 megapixels, this thing is definitely designed to shoot Full HD video and nothing else.Given the high price of this camera, i can really only see it being used in films or documentaries. In those areas, particularly in wildlife documentaries, this thing can be a game changer. No longer will film makers need to use lights or night vision to be able to film wildlife or events at night. Now they can capture that stuff in a much more realistic way that should really improve the quality of the films that they produce.

[humpingpandas]

They sure prettied it up since the prototype.

 

[qwertywarrior]

2.26 megapixels but huge pixels

pretty cool non the less

[LAwLz]

That's so freaking cool. I would love to see some test footage. It might go that high but we don't know how good the quality will be at those higher ISO settings.

[PillowSmoke]

That's so freaking cool. I would love to see some test footage. It might go that high but we don't know how good the quality will be at those higher ISO settings.

 

I'd be down using a quarter of that. LIKE OMG 1 MILLION ISO THAT'S CRAZY.

[TopWargamer]

That's awesome. The Vimeo video... It's just freaking amazing. 

[richcali21]

I will take two please

[Techhog]

So... It's like what HTC was trying to do with Ultrapixels, except this actually works?

[Xsilent(X)]

[CtW]

So... It's like what HTC was trying to do with Ultrapixels, except this actually works?

Yes, however the pixels are significantly larger and there are less of them.

[Swndlr]

holy balls :wub: :wub: :wub:

$30k G_G

[Notional]

Honey, mind if I tape our "romantic escapades" tonight?

Sure, but only if we turn off all lights haha

Noooooo problem

[RH00D]

That's so freaking cool. I would love to see some test footage. It might go that high but we don't know how good the quality will be at those higher ISO settings.

 

I imagine it will the grainiest shit known to man. ISO is the sensors sensitivity to light. The more you increase it the more bright, and noisy, the image becomes. That`s why photographers always try to shoot at the lowest ISO achievable in a given circumstance.

 

Unless they have performed some kind of miracle to exponentially reduce the noise artifacts that come from increased ISO.

[SirSquid]

Can someone explain for a non camera guy what this means?

[TroubleKlef]

Can someone explain for a non camera guy what this means?

 

ISO is essentially the sensor's sensitivity to light. By having 4 million ISO, the camera is sensitive enough to record video conditions that our eyes would perceive as pitch black darkness. 

[martinrox1568]

So... It's like what HTC was trying to do with Ultrapixels, except this actually works?

 

No not at all. HTC's logic was that phones' sensors were way too small for 20+ megapixels and that the light particles were being split up into multiple pixels, so why bother. Honestly it was kind of a marketing campaign as an excuse to use a cheaper sensor. And it didn't work because they forgot phones need digital zoom and the second you blow the photo up to 2x the size it looked like crap. However in professional photography, camera sensors can be much bigger since they don't have to fit in a tiny phone so the megapixel thing doesn't apply. The reason that this sensor has such a small megapixel count has something to do with the extremely high iso, and the fact that at high iso a lot of noise appears. Also, since this is a professional camera, zoom lenses can be added and there is no need for digital zoom and considering 1080p is only 2.1mp this camera is more than sufficient

[That Norwegian Guy]

I'll let Canon have this round. Because even if Sony and Nikon could do this with twice the pixel density and probably achieve the same results, I'd rather keep them making normal cameras and also make sure Canon still has niches so maybe they can stage a comeback one day. Because competition is good, and there's not enough of it right now. They do need better sensor technology though, asap.

[LAwLz]

I imagine it will the grainiest shit known to man. ISO is the sensors sensitivity to light. The more you increase it the more bright, and noisy, the image becomes. That`s why photographers always try to shoot at the lowest ISO achievable in a given circumstance.

Unless they have performed some kind of miracle to exponentially reduce the noise artifacts that come from increased ISO.

I don't think it will look very good at those super high settings but it will probably be amazing compared to other cameras at high ISO.

You can reduce the noise by using better isolation and better post processing.

[Swndlr]

snip

Yeh, all $30K worth, RIP wallet, RIP savings, hello debt

[LePawel]

Good they have a lens... My HTC One version of this crap is absolutely useless when you have to zoom the slightest bit.

[pbenologa]

That's so freaking cool. I would love to see some test footage. It might go that high but we don't know how good the quality will be at those higher ISO settings.

I think this is the first i saw you being amazed at something ) Cause whenever i see you, it's always serious talk 

[dmegatool]

ISO is essentially the sensor's sensitivity to light. By having 4 million ISO, the camera is sensitive enough to record video conditions that our eyes would perceive as pitch black darkness. 

 

Well yeah, I'm able to see stars and a guy face illuminated by a candle. Not THAAAT pitch black