Canon EOS R6 Mark II Video Output Options
Encoded Video
The parameters of video that is encoded (i.e. recorded internally) varies depending on the shooting profile used.
Standard Shooting Profiles
| Parameter | Value(s) |
|---|---|
| Gamma curve | Various |
| Colour sampling | TCbCr 4:2:0 |
| Colour space | BT.709 |
| Bit depth | 8 bits |
| File format | MP4 |
| Compression | IPB Standard / IPB Light |
| Codec | H.264 |
Logarithmic Shooting Profile
| Parameter | Value(s) |
|---|---|
| Gamma curve | Logarithmic (C-Log3) |
| Colour sampling | TCbCr 4:2:2 |
| Colour space | BT.709 / BT.2020 / Cinema Gamut |
| Bit depth | 10 bits |
| File format | MP4 |
| Compression | IPB Standard / IPB Light |
| Codec | H.265 |
Raw Video
Video that is not encoded (i.e. raw video that is recorded externally) has the following parameters:
| Parameter | Value(s) |
|---|---|
| Gamma curve | n/a |
| Colour sampling | n/a |
| Colour space | n/a |
| Bit depth | 12 bits |
| File format | ? |
| Compression | ? |
| Codec | ? |
Note that the gamma curve, colour sampling and colour space are applied in
real-time by the recorder-monitor, but these are not baked into
the
output video. In post, one would use video editing software to select the
colour sampling and colour space and apply their own gamma curve.
Some Notes on Logarithmic Gamma Curves
A gamma curve redistributes information across the luminance range. Certain areas (e.g. shadows and highlights) are prioritised due to the limited bit depth. In 8- or 10-bit video, the total information is limited to 256 or 1,024 discrete levels, respectively. Most logarithmic gamma curves allocate more levels to shadows and highlights in order to maximize the dynamic range. However, this results in less mid-tone detail and a flat image that requires grading in post. Proper exposure is critical when shooting in log in order to align the captured image with the gamma curve's luminance distribution. This preserves shadow and highlight detail, while avoiding clipping and noise.
Some Notes on Filming in Raw
All analogue signals have a noise floor. In audio, it is the hiss that is always present in the background. In video, it is the grain that is always present in the image.
In linear video encoding, each stop of light (doubling of intensity) in a sensor's dynamic range corresponds to a proportional increase in signal value. For a 12- or 16-bit system, brighter stops (with larger signal values) are quantised using a greater number of digital levels. This enables finer gradations and therefore smoother transitions in highlights. Conversely, darker stops (with smaller signal values) are quantised with fewer levels (often equivalent to only a few bits of effective precision). This results in coarser gradations and therefore harsher transitions (banding) in shadows. To make things worse, these shadow regions are also closer to the sensor's noise floor where the electronic noise degrades image quality. This is why under-exposed video appears noisy and lacks detail. To mitigate these issues, it is generally recommended to slightly over-expose the image while avoiding clipping. The slight over-exposure shifts the entire signal range towards brighter stops where there are more digital levels and a better signal-to-noise ratio. This leads to better precision in the shadows when normalised in post-processing.