Tech Tools: Canon ME20F-SH helps film-makers see in the dark

The Canon ME20F-SH may not, at first glance, look like much. In fact, if anything, it looks a little like an old-fashioned box camera.

It’s not: it’s digital, with a 2-megapixel sensor and it’s intended to shoot high-definition video. However, the unassuming exterior hides something really interesting: a camera that can practically see in the dark.

While the 2-megapixel sensor may not blow you away, the ISO figure probably will. The ME20F-SH has an ISO of four million, which means it will shoot footage in very low light without the need for infrared and, according to Canon, with little noise on the image. It will be compatible with some of those EF full-frame lenses you have lying around too, so you can experiment with different focal lengths. The camera is aimed at the more serious film-maker and comes with an accompanying price tag of $30,000.