Filmatura M-Lite REVO is a new DIY conversion kit to transform the Canon EOS M into a box-style cinema camera. It features active cooling, improved power options with an NP-F battery and USB-C, a 12V DC barrel output, and a full-size HDMI port. With Magic Lantern running on the EOS M, the modified camera can shoot raw video (10-14 bit) at resolutions between 2K and 5.2K, though with certain limitations in frame rate and potential cropping. The M-Lite REVO will be available on February 18 for $299.95.
Today, the new M-Lite REVO was released – a DIY kit that can turn a Canon EOS M camera into a riggable box-style camera. It builds on the legacy of the first M-Lite kit, released in 2023, while improving the body, build quality, connectivity, and more. Let’s take a quick look at the details.
Why the EOS M?
As we have not posted much on the topic here at CineD yet, I thought I would first briefly explain the camera choice. Why does the M-Lite team bother to design a box-style rehousing kit for an “entry-level” mirrorless camera that is almost 13 years old from Canon?
The answer is that this little camera (by the way, Canon’s first-ever mirrorless camera) still runs the same software found in Canon’s DSLRs of that time. This means the EOS M can be enhanced with custom software called Magic Lantern. To my understanding, the newer EOS M series models came with different software, which made Magic Lantern very problematic or impossible to adapt.
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Magic Lantern (ML) is third-party software (installed only at your own risk) that runs off a memory card and unlocks some very interesting features. One of those features is the ability to shoot up to 14-bit raw video in various resolutions, aspect ratios, and framerates from 2K up to 5.2K. Additionally, thanks to the EF-M lens mount, it is possible to use a variety of vintage and SLR lenses through adapters.
There are a few versions of ML, which I will not go into detail about in this article. Of course, using ML to shoot raw video requires a bit of learning, but it is quite fun once you get into it. If you are interested in learning more about it, there is a lot of content on YouTube on this topic, and there is a helpful forum as well. Long story short, thanks to Magic Lantern, the old EOS M got a second life and became a very interesting budget cinema camera.
M-Lite REVO
While it is, of course, possible to only use the Canon EOS M with ML to shoot raw video, there are a few shortcomings. Apart from the obvious limitations, such as rigging, connectivity, and power, there is also a heat dissipation issue. Because the EOS M has a tiny closed body, the camera gets hot quickly when shooting raw video as Magic Lantern pushes the camera’s CPU to the limit. The M-Lite kits include a built-in Noctua fan that helps keep the camera brain cool.
The company Filmatura, based in the Czech Republic, launched the first M-Lite DIY kit back in 2023 in collaboration with IMCE (AltCine), and its popularity mirrored the excitement around the EOS M filmmaking community. The new M-Lite REVO features a redesigned body with better CNC-machined mounting points, a custom-made carbon-fiber composite shell, and improved connectivity.
On the back, M-Lite REVO includes an NP-F battery plate, 12V DC barrel output, USB-C PD input, full-size HDMI output, and a 3.5mm jack input. On the sides are multiple mounting threads, cooling vents, and the original EOS M control panel. The camera’s display is on top, and an option to use an angled adapter is available. At the bottom are mounting threads for baseplates and a large opening to provide access to the SD card slot.
Filmatura builds every camera kit by hand in small batches in their workshop in the Czech Republic. According to the M-Lite REVO creator Tom Kamín, this helps to reduce the carbon footprint and to be environmentally responsible.
M-Lite REVO key features & specs
- Custom-made carbon fiber composite shell
- Professional grade inputs & outputs, including full-size HDMI and 3.5mm mic input
- USB-C charging input
- 12V DC barrel accessory power output (optional low-profile D-tap output available)
- Silent internal active cooling system
- Multiple pro-grade ¼-20” attachment points
- Fully integrated power distribution system compatible with Sony NP-F style batteries.
- Core to a growing array of custom accessories.
New accessories for M-Lite and M-Lite REVO
Additionally, Filmatura introduces new custom-designed and manufactured CNC-machined accessories, as well as a growing number of 3D-printed options for the M-Lite REVO and the original M-Lite. These aim to expand the camera’s rigging, power, and usability.
There are new handles, cheese plates for alternative power solutions, NATO rails, and an expanded top plate, for instance. Furthermore, angled screen adapters to improve ergonomics, or the D-Tap PowerPlate to add greater power flexibility are being added to the accessories portfolio.
Price and availability
The first batch of M-Lite REVO will be available on February 18, 2025, via the new Filmatura webpage. The whole DIY kit costs $299.95, including the camera housing and all the components and tools required for the conversion.
The only other thing required is, obviously, the Canon EOS M camera to use as the “brain” of the camera. These are currently available used online for around $150 to $300. That makes the resulting camera quite a bargain, in my opinion (if you get comfortable with ML).
Filmatura prepared an easy-to-follow video manual on how to do the conversion. As the creator of the M-Lite series, Tom, says, the conversion is quite straightforward and requires no drilling or soldering. It is also non-destructive, so the EOS M can be reassembled into the original housing again if required. There is a community group on Facebook around the M-Lite conversion kits, so feel free to join if you are interested.
What do you think about the new M-Lite REVO? Would you DIY your own cinema camera? Were you familiar with the EOS M and raw video capability? Let us know in the comments section underneath the article.
