Canon ME20F-SH Super Low Light Camera (EOS Mount)

ISO 4m Super Low Light Camera (EOS Mount)

£288/day
£864/week

A camera which can shoot the most unbelievable images in almost total darkness and as an image speaks 1000 words, watch the associated video on the video tab for the true capability of this camera to truly make sense.
Manufacturer

Canon

Mount

EF Mount

Sensor Size/Coverage

Full Frame, Super-35

Capture Resolution

HD

External HD recorder, tripod and lenses are required (EF mount) and a PL mount version is also available.

Canon has launched the ME20F-SH, a professional multi-purpose video camera capable of capturing full colour images in extremely low-light environments. Boasting an industry-leading unrivalled maximum ISO in excess of 4 million (+75dB), the ME20F-SH is designed to be as small as possible whilst delivering high quality professional grade Full HD footage.

Supporting image capture in situations where it previously would not have been possible, the ME20F-SH is ideal for use within specialist applications such as TV productions of nighttime wildlife, deep sea/cave exploration, astronomy and surveillance. The ability to install the camera in a semi-permanent location, with remote control operability also means that for documentary and natural history filmmakers, long term projects and events can be captured with minimum staffing. Due to the specialist nature and demand for this product, the ME20F-SH will only be available to selected partners.

FIRST CLASS INFRARED CAPABILITY

Capturing video in low-light conditions often requires the use of infrared illumination, a technique that traditionally only yields footage in black and white. The ME20F-SH however, achieves impressive high-sensitivity performance enabling the capture of colour Full HD video with reduced noise, even in low-light conditions and without the need for infrared illumination.

EXCEPTIONALLY HIGH SENSITIVITY

The ME20F-SH boasts full connectivity to third-party devices including recorders and monitors.
Designed to be used in situations where ambient light levels are extremely low, the ME20F-SH features a newly developed Full Frame 35mm with 2.26 MP CMOS sensor and a DIGIC DV4 processor. The sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry use Canon’s proprietary technologies to achieve both reduced noise and exceptionally high sensitivity, allowing you to capture subjects illuminated with less than 0.0005 lux. Similar to Canon’s Cinema EOS cameras, the ME20F-SH includes Canon Log and Wide DR settings, which enable a wide dynamic range (800%), delivering high-quality results across a variety of ambient lighting conditions, without the need for supplemental lighting.

CONNECTIVITY

The ME20F-SH offers several options with regard to connectivity to external third party devices for recording or remote viewing purposes, and is also compatible with Canon’s RC-V1001 for full remote control over the camera.

ENABLING A WIDE RANGE OF IMAGING POSSIBILITIES

The new ME20F-SH employs Canon’s EF mount with Cinema Lock, as found on the Cinema EOS C500, allowing users to take advantage of the company’s extensive lineup of interchangeable lenses2. By enabling operators to select the ideal lens based on their shooting or application requirements, taking into consideration such factors as angle of view and level of brightness, the multi-purpose camera facilitates a wide range of shooting possibilities.

ME20F-SH KEY FEATURES:

  • Ultra low-light performance at ISO 4 million.
  • High quality Full HD 1080p/1080i/720p output.
  • Flexible control with auto and custom settings.
  • Compatible with a wide range of EF lenses2.
  • Remote control of camera settings and built-in ND and IR cut filters possible.
  • Small and lightweight for ease of integration.

Compatible Memory Cards

The ME20-fsh camera has no integral record capability but is compatible with all external HD recorders, so the media used will need to be specific to the recorder used.

Sensor 35mm Full Size CMOS Sensor
Filter RGB Primary Colour Filter (Bayer array)
Effective pixels per sensor Approx. 2.25MP (2000 x 1128)
Minimum illumination 0.0005 lux or less( Gain 75dB, f/1.2, 29.97P, 50IRE)
Horizontal Resolution Depends on the lens used.
Lens:
Lens Mount Canon EF mount with Cinema Lock
ND filter Yes, 2 density (1/8, 3 stops or 1/64 , 6 stops) Manually selected electronic control
Focus control Manual Focus using lens or via RC-V100 Remote Control; One
Shot AF via assignable button
Iris control Manual; 1/2 stop increments. Push Auto Iris via assignable button.
Auto (combined function combining Iris, Gain, Shutter and ND filter operation)
Aperture range Depending on selected lens
Filter diameter Depending on selected lens
Image stabilization system Depending on selected lens
Digital Tele Converter Yes : X2/ X4 tele converter
Image Processor:
Type DIGIC DV 4
Sampling accuracy YbCbCr 422 via 3G/HD-SDI; RGB 444, YCbCr 444, YCbCr 422 via HDMI
Bit depth 10 bit (8 bit effective)
Recording:
Video storage media External Recording Device
Recording file format Depending on External Device
Recording frame rate 3G/HD-SDI Output: 1920×1080:
59.94P/59.94i/50P/50i/29.97P/25P/23.98P
1280×720: 59.94P/50P/29.97P/25P/23.98P
HDMI Output: 1920x 1080: 59.94P/59.94i/50P/50i/29.97PsF/25PsF
1280×720: 59.94P/50P
640×480: 59.94P
768×576: 50P
Custom Picture Options Canon Log, Wide DR, EOS Standard, Normal 1 –
Normal 4 . User customisable settings: Black, Black Gamma, Knee, Sharpness, Noise Reduction, White Balance
Auto Exposure Modes Shutter Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av) and Automatic Gain Control (AGC)
ND Filter Auto or Manual
System:
Inputs/ Outputs:
Audio in 3.5mm stereo mini jack, plug-in power mic supported
Headphone output 3.5mm Stereo mini jack
Video monitor output Yes, 3G/HD-SDI (BNC) OSD output compatible, HDMI.
HDMI Yes. Output only,
3G/HD-SDI output Yes, X2; Output 1 OSD compatible, Output 2 Clean output only.
Genlock Yes, input only, BNC
DC input Yes x2, 4-Pin XLR, 2-Pin connection. Input 11 – 17V
Lens Terminal Yes, 12-pin connector
Remote Control Terminal Yes, x2: Remote A: 2.5mm mini jack/Remote B:
Circular 8-pin . Both utilise Canon Unique Protocol.
Memory Card connector Yes, microSD card (for firmware update only, no recording capability)
Colour Bars Yes, SMPTE, EBU and ARIB depending on system frequency
Other:
User Assigned Functions Yes, 4 buttons.
Assignable items:One-Shot AF / Push Auto Iris / ABB /AE Shift + / AE Shift – / Bar
/ Set WB /Tele-converter / Infrared / External Rec / Custom Picture /
Camera Mode A/M. These items work with the RC-V100 remote controller.
Shooting Functions:
Exposure:
Exposure metering Backlight, Standard, Spotlight
Exposure compensation Yes: ±2.0, ±1.75, ±1.50, ±1.25, ±1.0,±0.75, ±0.50,
±0.25 or ±0
Auto Gain Control setting Yes , OFF (75dB) or value from 36dB to 75 dB (in 3
dB increments)
ISO Sensitivity Maximum in excess of ISO 4,000,000 equivalent at -75dB
Dynamic Range Canon Log/Wide DR mode: 800%/12 stops at +9.0dB (Approx. ISO2300)
Gain setting 0dB to -75dB in 3dB intervals.
Shutter Speed:
Control Modes Manual 1/4 stop increments, Auto (combined function combining
Iris, Gain, Shutter and ND filter operation)
Shutter speed 1/3 sec – 1/200 sec depending on recording mode and system frequency
Scan Reverse Yes
Infra-Red:
Infrared shooting mode Yes: IR Cut-out filter, electrically operated.
White Balance:
Auto Yes
Preset Daylight/Tungsten
Shockless WB Yes, via Custom Function Menu
Manual setting Set A, Set B (Default 5,500K)Kelvin ( 2000K – 15000K)
Audio:
Recording Linear PCM 48 kHz 16-bit digital conversion, 2 channels
General:
Optional Accessory RC-V100 remote Control Unit
Power Input DC: 11 – 17V via 4-pin XLR or 2pin connector
Dimensions 102mm x 116mm x 113mm (W xH x D) 4.0 x 4.6 x 4.4 inches
Weight (camera only) Approx. 1.1 kg (2.4 lbs)
Operating Temperature range Approx. 0 to 40°C, 85% (relative humidity),
Approx. -5 to 45°C, 60% (relative humidity)
Canon ME-20 F-SH 4 million ASA Super Low Light Camera
Full frame EF mount
Canon ME20F-SH Riser block
ARRI C300 Support Plate K2.66173.0
ARRI BPA-2 Bridge Plate Adapter C300 15mm supp K2.66172.0
15mm, Support Rod , 350mm
Power Cable D-Tap - XLR4 F
Battery Adapter 15mm Anton Bauer Clip with Quad D-Tap output
Arri LS-15 Lens Support
Protech (RM-C2) Focus/Iris/Zoom controller unit with tripod pan handle mount and 2m cable
RS Pan Bar trigger 
Odyssey 7Q recorder with 10.5 hours record capability available at additional cost.
Choice of 5 x Hawkwoods 98WH batts and 2 x Hawkwoods 2-way chargers
or 4 x Hawkwoods 150WH batts and 2 x Hawkwoods 2-way chargers
or 5 x Anton Bauer Dionic HC batteries with Anton Bauer TM-4 charger

You may also like…

VMI are proud sponsors of: