What 3rd party firmware exists? Canon: Firmware update for 5D to match 5DII? Why not!

I have been look at http://www.DXOmark.com and have come to wonder why on earth the 5D firmware has not been revamped to take advantage of all the software progress that went into the 5DII. Look at the various sensitivity curves of noise, Dynamic range, color sensitivity etc, the 5DII follows the 5D closely except that the math for the 5DII extends it's operation to much higher ISO levels.

Considering the larger pixel size of the Nikon D3 and D700 compared to the D3x is reflected in higher performance of the lesser D700 and the D3 compared to their flagship, I'd expect that the 5D with large pixels would trounce the 5DII in color sensitivity. Why not? They haven't upgraded the firmware, I expect!

I wish we had open platforms for 3rd part firmware development! Imagine what one might be able to do! Surely the 5DII is as good as it is not only because of better electronics and silicon. I would bet that more advanced software is a major reason and it is simply not made available to the 5D! I'd pay for it, just like we pay for good lenses!

Asher

Hi, Asher,

Asher Kelman said:

I have been look at http://www.DXOmark.com and have come to wonder why on earth the 5D firmware has not been revamped to take advantage of all the software progress that went into the 5DII.

Click to expand...

As you know, it is in general not "the Canon way" to enlarge or advance the features of specific camera models by firmware revision (although there has been some softening of this in recent times). "Might cannibalize the market for . . ."

I've been fighting this ever since the 300D (which had some features disabled just before release, many of which fortunately could be restored by a Russian firmware "hack"!). I pleaded with Canon to offer an upgrade (even as a "paid for upgrade") but with no success.

Did that situation accelerate my decision to buy a 20D? Yes, to some extent (even though I did have many of the features in operation).

What software hacks do we know about. Let's list them!

Doug_Kerr said:

I've been fighting this ever since the 300D (which had some features disabled just before release, many of which fortunately could be restored by a Russian firmware "hack"!). I pleaded with Canon to offer an upgrade (even as a "paid for upgrade") but with no success.

Did that situation accelerate my decision to buy a 20D? Yes, to some extent (even though I did have many of the features in operation).

Click to expand...

I seem to remember that someone hacked a G series Canon consumer camera and added back suppressed features. we should collect these and see what it shows us!

What I've found so far is CHDK, a software hack package that offers a wide range of upgrades.


"Welcome to the CHDK Wiki A wiki dedicated to the CHDK firmware add-on for Canon's Digic II, Digic III and Digic IV cameras! Unleash the POWER in your "PowerShot!"

We are currently supporting over 47 Canon Cameras and about 96 different Firmware Versions in total!
We are currently editing over 377 articles, and you can help!
If you have any questions that are not answered in the FAQ section,please visit the Forum or visit us in IRC. New: Follow CHDK News on TWITTER. Got a bug? Visit the Bugtracker
If you feel the need to express your thanks and gratitude to all CHDK contributors, please click here → THANKS!

This wiki is under heavy DEVELOPMENT, and many sections are out of date. If you find something wrong or want to add information - go ahead and do it, after all - it's a wiki !
Overview of CHDK and what it can do for you & your Canon camera

Quick facts:

• CHDK is free software – CHDK released under the GPL, allowing you to use it for free, and also create your own modifications.
• CHDK is a firmware ADDON – CHDK does not replace the original firmware, and does not make any permanent changes to the camera. Instead, it is loaded from the SD card, either at startup or using the built in menu.
• CHDK – stands for Canon Hack Development Kit;
• CHDK is experimental and comes with no warranty – Be sure to read the FAQ for discussion of possible risks and impact on your Canon warranty coverage.

Major CHDK features

• RAW - CHDK can record raw files, giving you access to every bit of data the sensor saw, without compression or processing. Raw files can be manipulated on the camera, or processed on your PC. CHDK also has experimental support for the open DNG raw standard.
  
  
• Override Camera parameters - Exposures from 2048s to 1/60,000s with flash sync. Full manual or priority control over exposure, aperture, ISO and focus.
  
  
• Bracketing - Bracketing is supported for exposure, aperture, ISO, and even focus.
  
  
• Video Overrides - Control the quality or bitrate of video, or change it on the fly.
  
  
• Scripting - Control CHDK and camera features using ubasic and Lua scripts. Enables time lapse, motion detection, advanced bracketing, and much more. Many user-written scripts are available on the forum and wiki.
  
  
• Motion detection - Trigger exposure in response to motion, fast enough to catch lightning.
  
  
• Edge overlay - Detect the edges in a scene, and display them later. Ideal for timelapses, stop-motion, stereography and much more.
  
  
• Live Histogram - CHDK includes a customizable, live histogram display, like those typically found on more expensive cameras.
  
  
• Zebra-Mode - Displays under and overexposure areas live on the screen.
  
  
• GRIDS - Create custom grids and display whichever one suits your shooting conditions.
  
  
• Multi-Lingual Interface - CHDK supports about 22 languages, and adding more languages is simple.
  
  
• DOF Calculator - Display detailed DOF information on the screen.
  
  
• Customizable OSD - Improved display of battery status, free space, camera parameters, and much more. Fully customizable with an on-screen editor.
  
  
  
• Filebrowser - Manage files without a PC.
  
  
• Textreader - Display text files on your camera.
  
• Games - Play Reversi, Sokoban, Mastermind or 4-in-a-Row on your camera.
  
  
• USB remote - Simple DIY remote allows you to control your camera remotely.
  
  
• Benchmark - Compare the performance of your SD cards.
  
  
• User Menu - Edit your own customizable User-Menu for fast access to often used features.
  
  

.Read more here and download, herre.

Digital Rebel DSLR with another hack: and to give your Canon 300D Rebel ISO 3200 setting, mirror lockup etc like the 10 D, there's a firmware hack for you reported by Bob Atrkins

Asher

and for the 5DII, a $150,000 HD video camera disguised as the 5D update there's "Magic Lantern"

What other ultra-low light sensitive lens interchangeable HD camera is there for $2,800?

"Magic Lantern is an enhancement atop of Canon's firmware that makes your 5D Mark II into the 5D Mark Free. It adds new features like onscreen audio meters and zebra stripes, as well as disables the audio AGC. It is an open (GPL) framework for developing extensions to the official software, tailored for film making needs. It does not replace the existing firmware, but instead runs along side of it. There is no need to "uninstall" it -- simply power cycle the camera to reboot to the stock Canon firmware."

Asher