The settings of the Canon C300 mark2 Custom Picture have changed a fair bit from the original C300.
There are 3 settings which can be adjusted:
- Gamma
- Colour Space
- Colour Matrix
There are 8 Gamma settings, 4 colour space settings, 5 colour matrix settings (6 if you include off).
These can all be used in combination with each other, giving the user a huge choice of picture profiles.
In order to use these settings you must first switch the preset to "off".
Alternatively you can just go for one of the 7 presets.
Firstly here are the presets.
- Canon Log2: Cine Gamut
- Canon Log2: BT2020
- Canon Log2: DCI-P3
- Canon Log2: BT.709
- Canon Log
- BT2020
- BT.709
- Off
With the presets switched to off, you can now access the 3 settings yourself and use them in any combination:
| Gamma | Colour Space | Colour Matrix |
| Canon Log 2 | Cinema Gamut | Neutral |
| Canon Log | BT.2020 Gamut | Production Camera |
| Wide DR | DCI-P3 Gamut | Cinema EOS Original |
| EOS Standard | BT.709 Gamut | Video |
| Normal 1 (Standard) | EOS Standard | |
| Normal 2 (x4.0) | Off | |
| Normal 3 (BT.709) | ||
| Normal 4 (x5.0) |
Since any of these can be used together, there are hundreds of different combinations.
The first video that is well worth looking at is from Roger Price. Here each of the 8 Presets are run through (including off). This is followed by Gamma and Colour Space both being set to BT.709, while each of the colour matrices are changed.
Again, the video below is not mine, it was made by Barry Goyette and shows the look of the different Colour Matrices on skin tones. The images have had a LUT applied in post. As you can see, the Gamma and Colour Space doesn't change (they are always Canon LOG 2 and BT.2020 Gamut.)
Although the EOS standard Matrix and the EOS original Matrix probably give you more accurate colour rendition, I can't help but prefer the less vivid look of the Neutral look. I also quite like the "production camera" matrix, which designed to fit in with the colour profile of the Arri Alexa.
This doesn't come as a big surprise to me as the original C300 produces colours much more accurately using the EOS matrix. I discovered this when filming works of art that needed to be graded very accurately to look as they should. I guess accurate colours are not always the most beautiful, particularly with Canon when they work so hard to produce great looking skin tones.
As far as a good look for the C300 mark ii that comes straight out of the camera, I still have some more experimenting to do. I'll keep updating this page as I go. So far I have used and liked the BT2020 preset. It looks pretty good as is, and with a small amount of grading it can really look nice.