Hi Johnny,
read your post. I am interested in that firmware hack you mentioned.
just to clarify, won't it "mess" with my internal firmware?? What if I decide not to use it anymore, will my camera functions still be normal???
Hi Johnny,
read your post. I am interested in that firmware hack you mentioned.
just to clarify, won't it "mess" with my internal firmware?? What if I decide not to use it anymore, will my camera functions still be normal???
Originally Posted by jks_photo
No. It doesn't overwrite any of the internal firmware.
Yes. There are no guarantees, but I think it's very safe and you will be able to revert back to the Canon firmware with no problems.
For what it's worth, ISO 3200 is worse than ISO 1600 pushed 1 stop. It has the exact same amount of noise, but it has one stop of blown highlights. If you shoot raw, I advice to always use ISO 1600 with -1 EC instead of ISO 3200. My 5D2 has ISO 25,600, but ISO 1600 with -4 EC results in a far better picture than actually using the ISO 25,600 setting.
Hi jks_photo,
As Daniel Browning already has written, I think this is safe. If you are afraid of your camera or if it still is under warranty you must think about it. My 400D has a 5 years warranty but I consider the hack very safe to use anyway. Read carefully what other members are saying before you make your desicion. The link I gave you has another link to a forum thread that discusses this in detail. You can find it here: http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,3290.0.html 17 pages with information. The community still consider this hack as "under development". New features can be added easily. You download a .fir file from here http://code.google.com/p/400d/downloads/list and replace it with the one already in the cf-card when new features are added. The latest file is dated 2009.09.13
In the initial process I think the hack is loading a small command line to the CMOS in your camera. That is all. This command line is "pointing" to the cf-card where the hack is. You can then boot the camera from the card. As soon as you format your card or uses a card without the hack the camera behaves like before. The question is if you can get rid of the command line that is in your cameras firmware if you are performing a flash using Canon´s latest firmware v1.1.1. Some in the community say yes, some are uncertain.This is not a problem for me, I am going to use this hack as long as the camera is working. I already have 40.000+ clicks on it and when the shutter stop working it´s time for an upgrade anyway.
About the 3200 ISO extension: The community says this is a native extension. Not a ISO 1600 underexposed 1 stop. I guess I have to take their word for it.
About the spotmetering extension: Works like a charm.
About the added focus frame patterns: This is in my opinion the most useful extension in the hack. I can set the focus points like you do in the 1-series and the 7D. I really like that option. You can use a zone setting, vertical setting, horizontal setting etc. A very nice feature when shooting moving subjects or when you want you to get the composition right.
Think about it before you make your desicion. I personally love it.
Best wishes,
Johnny
Yes, it is a native extension. But that's my point: like all Canon cameras, the native extensions are bad. It's far better to avoid the native extensions and use ISO 1600 underexposed instead.
Hi Daniel,
Can you explain what you mean by that? I know that you loose headroom and dynamic range as you climb up the ISO ladder but I have never heard that underexposure will give youless noise. I thought it was the opposite. I have never done a comparison though. I have sometimes set my camera to -2EV at ISO1600 simply because I needed the shutter speed. But the images needed a lot of work to become usable.
- Johnny
Wow, I just loaded the chdk firmware and it's fantastic! I love the more precise ISO increments as well as the handy focus patterns. Really brings new life to that camera. I knew they were working on implementing different things on the 40D, but I never thought to check on a chdk firmware for my XTi. Thanks for bringing it to my attention!
Hi Sean,
I think new hacks will come for the 5D and 40D but that may take a while. I really like the new features that came with the hack. Will use my 400D as long as the shutter keep working.
- Johnny
I usually run in manual mode, setting a relatively low aperture (maybe a half stop or so from the maximum aperture - typically f/4.5 on my 24-105). For the shutter I either keep it at 1/250th if there is little ambient, or try to lower to what I can handhold comfortably - usually 1/60s or higher for semi telephoto. Then I use a flash in the hotshoe and bounce it off of whatever I can - cupboards, ceiling, walls, doors, etc. I use the flash exposure compensation to run the exposure up and down a bit if needed. I find this works better than diffusers, unless there is nothing to bounce off of. I usually shoot at ISO200 to get a bit more from the flash without needing full power.
I rarely use a fast prime wide open without flash indoors for family shots as they move too fast. For babies that lie still I do open up the aperture, ramp up the ISO and shoot at the highest shutter speed I can manage.
This is for my typically running around after the kids type shots. For something like a wedding, etc. that is indoors it is a whole different story (tending more towards higher ISO and no flash).
One thing I often wonder is if you are better to gain a shutter speed and underexpose to get more sharpness (at the expense of noise), or likewise go up an ISO stop. What is sharper looking in a print - faster shutter and higher ISO, or lower shutter speed/lower ISO?
I always choose fast shutter+high ISO over slow shutter+low ISO.
Unless the motion blur is an intentional part of the image, I find it more displeasing than the increase in noise. But you have to keep several things in mind. One is the final display size. If you want to make a 20x30 print or have it be sharp on a 100% crop, let's say you need need 1/500. But if it's just for a 1024x683 web image, then you can get away with 1/125 and the motion blur will still be invisible.
Another consideration is that if the motion blur is simple and consistent (e.g. camera shake in one direction) and you oversample enough, you can correct it in post processing. It's easier if you have a specular highlight that matches the motion blur you want to reverse.
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