Canon EOS C50 Receives Netflix's Seal of Approval

The Fujifilm GFX Eterna 55 isn’t the only recently released video camera to receive important industry certification. The Canon EOS C50, released last year, is now Netflix-approved.

As reported by Y.M. Cinema, the Canon EOS C50 has joined a lengthy list of Canon cameras that are officially approved for Netflix projects. The new Canon EOS C50 joins the Canon EOS C300 (Mark II and Mark III), EOS C500 (original and Mark II), EOS C700 series, EOS C70, EOS R5 C, EOS C400, and EOS C80 on Netflix’s list.

For new cameras to be added to the list, they must be analyzed, evaluated, and approved by Netflix’s team of camera technologists. There are many approved cameras from other manufacturers on the list, including models from Arri, Panasonic, RED, Panavision, Sony, Blackmagic, and DJI. Interestingly, the IMAX-certified GFX Eterna 55 is not on the list, and neither are any other Fujifilm cameras.

Netflix considers a camera’s resolution, codec, bit depth, data rate, color space, transfer function, and timecode capability when evaluating cameras. Netflix notes that not all cameras that meet all the capture requirements are approved, as these are minimum requirements rather than sufficient features. Other attributes, including “dynamic range, form factor, stability, and workflow compatibility,” are also considered.

The Canon EOS C50, and the R5 C and C70, are notable models on Netflix’s approved camera list given their more SLR-style form factor, rather than the more traditional cinema body shape of most approved Canon EOS cameras. When Canon announced the C50 last September, it noted that the C50 is its smallest and lightest EOS Cinema camera. Looking at the list of approved Sony cameras, the FX3 is the only one with a SLR-style form factor.

PetaPixel‘s Jordan Drake, and his auteur twin brother, Gordon, were very impressed with the Canon EOS C50. Calling it a “pro camera for pro filmmakers,” Jordan Drake wrote that filmmakers who can take advantage of the C50’s advanced features while living within the camera’s limitations would be rewarded with a “great shooting experienced and outstanding footage.”

Just a few months later, Canon released its outstanding EOS R6 Mark III camera, which features the same 32-megapixel sensor as the C50 but eschews some of the C50’s advanced video features. However, the R6 III also has an EVF and IBIS, which could prove beneficial for many hybrid users, even if the R6 III isn’t Netflix-approved like its cinema-oriented sibling.

While the Canon EOS C50 is still fresh on the scene and Netflix productions can take months or even years to release, there is little doubt that the C50 will be an important part of some upcoming Netflix projects. As the Sony FX3’s success and popularity have shown, filmmakers love having a smaller cinema body like the Canon EOS C50.

Image credits: Canon, Netflix. Header photo created using an asset licensed via Depositphotos.