It doesn’t take long for technology to trickle down, and it’s finally happening in 4K, as Canon reveals an entry-level DSLR with 4K capability.
If there’s a filmmaker inside aching to get out, and the only thing preventing you from making the next Oscar-winning production was the technology, that may not be such an obvious hurdle. While cameras are coming down in price gradually, making a movie shouldn’t be limited by price and ability, and these days, the technology is coming to more price points.
Case in point, Canon has an upcoming camera that might be worth checking out if you have a hankering to make a Hollywood production without a Hollywood budget.
Its amateur and enthusiast line of cameras is seeing updates this year, resulting in the Canon EOS 850D, a DSLR that will see a 24.1 megapixel APS-C sensor with support for 4K Ultra HD video capture and lenses through Canon’s long-running EF-S lens mount.
While the 4K capture technology has trickled down from larger Canon cameras, it’s not the only thing, with support for an external microphone through a 3.5mm port, eye detection auto-focus technology to track eyes in images, and more than a handful of focus point, with 45 to work with.
Canon is also including support for WiFi and Bluetooth, meaning images can be moved wirelessly for on-to-go editing, such as with an Android phone or an iPad.
Granted, there are differences between the Canon 850D and some of the larger and more expensive Canon models, and one of those is the low-light sensitivity, which maxes out at 25,600 at its limits, lower than the 102,400 many pros have come to expect out of cameras these days. Some cameras go even further, and while 25,600 is nothing to sneeze at, it’s not exactly a super high sensitivity these days.
The camera body will also be quite different, and likely reliant on plastic in the EOS 850D. Built for enthusiasts, there’s a chance the camera will survive a tumble or two, but don’t expect to hold up to the rigours of life in quite the same way as more expensive models.
However the point of the EOS 850D isn’t to be a rough and tumble camera, but more a model made for beginners. The previous model, the 800D, was focused on that same group, and while it had a little more in regards to low light sensitivity, it maxed its video capability at 1080p Full HD.
With 4K Ultra HD support and Full HD on board the Canon EOS 850D, it’s pretty clear Canon is eyeing the beginner filmmaker and amateur photography crowd, with prices expected around the thousand dollar mark, replacing the older and almost two year old 800D.
Canon hasn’t quite confirmed those expectations just yet, as the company allows dealers to set the price on cameras, and this one is a ways out. In fact, the Canon 850D isn’t expected until April 2020 in Australia, so we have some time before dealers release pricing, but if you’re looking for a 4K camera with flexibility and a comparatively flexible price, you may not have to wait too long.
