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
You are correct for all the other ISO settings. 200 has less noise than 100 -1 EC. 400 has less noise than 200 -1 EC and 100 -2 EC, so on and so forth.
But when you get to ISO 3200 it changes. ISO 3200 has the same noise as ISO 1600 -1 EC. But since 3200 throws away one full stop of highlights (1 stop less DR), it is bad.
ISO 1600 with -2EV is the exact same as using an ISO 6400 setting, if your camera had one. The only difference is that ISO 6400 would throw away 2 stops of highlights for no reason, so 1600 is superior.
Canon did really great with most of their ISO settings, but some of them were horribly botched.
Daniel,
Now I understand what you mean. We are talking about footroom, headroom and noise. ( http://www.qpcard.se/BizPart.aspx?tabId=75&tci=128 )
I remember there was a lengthy but interesting discussion here 3-4 months ago. ( http://community.the-digital-picture...px?PageIndex=1 )
- Johnny
Hi guys,
thanks for all the input.
lately i took some pictures at ISO 800. Some of them I was able to shoot with available light. Will post them. Do please tell me what you think of them.
Hopefully I can get better pictures with all your help. Thanks!!
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.34.93/dizon.JPG[/img]
shot at ISO 800 F2.8. Did some post processing in DPP. Brightened the image by about .6 and applied NR. It was taken at dusk.
what do you think??
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.34.93/theas.JPG[/img]
here's another one at ISO 800 F2.8. By the way both of the pictures were done in manual mode. No post processing wAS applied to this second photo.
Would you think it usable??
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