Which Canon R5 II Color Matrix Should You Actually Use?
You just got your hands on the new Canon R5 Mark II. The excitement is real. But then you dive into the settings, and the overwhelm hits.
Canon has finally brought its cinema line of custom picture profiles to the R5 Mark II, and while that’s incredible, it’s also incredibly complex. You’re staring at options for gamut, color space, and the mysterious “Color Matrix,” and Canon’s own explanations feel like they leave you with more questions than answers.
I wanted to move past speculation and find a definitive, scientific answer to the question: what are these different color matrix settings actually doing to our image?
In this guide, we’ll break down the differences between the Neutral, Production Camera, and Video color matrices, so you can finally make an informed decision for your next project.
The Experiment: A Scientific Approach to Color
To get real answers, I knew I couldn’t just eyeball it. I borrowed a friend’s color checker and filmed it with each of the color matrix profiles. Back in the edit, I isolated the color checker and took a screenshot of its vectorscope. This method allows us to see precisely what each profile is doing to every single color channel, revealing the subtle yet critical differences between them.
Let’s dive into the results.
A Side-by-Side Showdown: The 3 Color Matrix Profiles Explained
Here’s a closer look at each color matrix and what the vectorscopes revealed.
1. Neutral: The Faithful Foundation
Canon’s Description: “Faithful color reproduction”.
The Verdict: This is absolutely true. Of the three options, the Neutral profile provides the most balanced vectorscope. This means that each color channel has roughly the same length and saturation, giving you a clean and honest representation of the colors in your scene. If you’re looking for a true-to-life starting point with no baked-in bias, this is it. It’s also the default setting on the camera’s preset picture profiles.
2. Production Camera: The Cinematic Choice
Canon’s Description: “Cinematic color reproduction”.
The Verdict: This is where things get interesting. While the overall saturation level is similar to Neutral , the shape of the vectorscope changes. This profile reduces the saturation in the blue, cyan, and green channels while adding more saturation to the magenta channel. Why does this matter? The added magenta saturation is incredibly pleasing on skin tones. For the last 6-8 months, this has been my personal go-to setting for all my videos. It gives a subtle, beautiful look straight out of the camera.
3. Video: The Broadcast Standard
Canon’s Description: “Color reproduction with contrast for broadcast TV”.
The Verdict: This one might not be for everyone. Out of all the options, the Video profile has the least saturation and the least contrast. You can see this clearly on the vectorscope, which is shorter than the others, indicating less saturation. While I’m not entirely sure why this is the standard for broadcast, it’s designed for that specific workflow. For my work, which is mainly for the internet, using this profile just means I’d have to add that saturation and contrast back in post.
The Final Recommendation: Which Setting Should You Choose?
Ultimately, the right choice depends on your personal needs and preferences.
Personally, I think the Production Camera setting creates the most pleasing image straight out of the camera, especially with its treatment of skin tones. However, I’m often tempted by Neutral because of how faithful it is. The fact that it doesn’t alter the saturation of any specific color channel means you have complete control to adjust colors to your liking in post-production. As a rule, I prefer to make those creative decisions myself rather than letting the camera make them for me.
Because of this, my official recommendation is to use the Neutral setting. It’s the most faithful to the colors in your scene, meaning you won’t be confused when you get your footage onto your computer and things look slightly different than they did in real life.
Your Actionable Takeaways
Here’s a simple guide to help you decide:
Choose NEUTRAL if: You want the most accurate, true-to-life colors and desire maximum flexibility to create your own look during the color grading process.
Choose PRODUCTION CAMERA if: You want a beautiful, cinematic look straight out of the camera with more flattering skin tones and are okay with having a slight color bias baked into your footage.
Choose VIDEO if: Your primary work is for broadcast television and you need to adhere to that specific standard.
Join the Conversation!
Now I want to hear from you. What do you think? Which color matrix have you been shooting with and why? I’d love to learn from your experience, so drop a comment below and let’s discuss.
