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GPL Firmware For Canon 5D Mk II Adds Features For Filmmakers
tramm writes "I've released an extension for the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR's video mode to enable functions that are useful for independent film makers. While the camera produces a great movie out of the box, the audio is a severely limited. My code adds features that should have been in the software, like on-screen stereo audio meters, live audio monitoring, reduced audio noise and crop marks for different formats. An introductory video shows the new features in use and an audio evaluation compares it to the stock firmware with very good results. It's similar to the incredibly flexible CHDK software for Canon's point-and-shoot cameras, but targeted at the film makers using the 5D. The Magic Lantern firmware is GPLed and new features will be written to make the camera even more useful on set. There is a wiki for documentation and development."
Sounds complicated and admittedly, I know very little about this, but congrats anyway.
Laughter is the best medicine, except if you have a broken rib.
If somebody is going to hack together a custom firmware with all kinds of interesting features, and offer it to all of us for no money, it's really hard for me to get upset at them. Empty bravado is useless; but I'd take less humility and more software any day.
Why would anyone use this camera to make an independent film? It's an SLR still camera that only has a video mode thrown in as an afterthought (meant for taking a few minutes of video). You could get a real HD video camera, much better suited for filmmaking, for the same price.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Wow, sounds like you've added some great functionality. Interesting read.
I have a T1i- the little brother to the 5d Mark II. Any thought on firmware for this model?
Aside from not being full frame, it also only does 1080P video @ 20FPS... I understand that it *can* do 30 but Canon crippled it as to not encroach on the 5D market. Has anyone seen any "updated" firmware to crank the frames for the T1i? :)
This GPL'd firmware sounds cool and the 5D2 is a cool camera. However, people who are interested in getting one solely for video should also look at the Panasonic GH1: it has stepless aperture control (with the right lens) and is in general made for video, unlike the 5D2 which has half-afterthought video.
The reason I mention the GH1 is that it's really the first digital system camera that's 1) Made for video 2) Costs below 1500-2000 euros. It would be nice if the firmware hack people could do it for some other brands than Canon too though...
The models won't matter soon though: all of this points to high quality video soon being available from lots of companies for anyone with 1000 euros to spend. Essentially, anyone with a decent income can soon only blame themselves for their video footage sucking.
Two words: very impressive!
Now just give us 24 fps and maybe externally controllable aperture and focus (ability to focus the lens to specific distance).
If those are possible, if necessary, I'll bow towards your generic direction several times per day. ;)
That, and a reasonable contribution to your paypal account.
This wasn't automatically picked up by slashdot's "related story" thingy:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/05/06/2032216
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
Why not?
It's possible, they can do it, so why not do it? I, for one, welcome custom camera firmwares. The more the merrier - I know I had a reply on Slashdot before where I asked if there was a programmable camera; lo and behold, there is.. and there's some very fun projects coming out of it. Why let the camera maker dictate what you can do with the camera, when you know that it is physically capable of so much more? E.g. why limit exposure times to 2 seconds, when there's no physical reason you couldn't keep the shutter open for an hour? )
As for HD.. an HD camera, 1080i/p, is 1920x1080.
The 5D Mark 2 is 5616x3744. That's larger than 4K cinema. Let me put it differently.. that's larger than practically every single movie you see on 'the big screen' today (which are often finished at 2K, or post-effected at 2K and upressed to 3K).
Sure, a consumer might not exactly -need- 4K. I'm not so sure they need HD - non-'HD' youtube resolution seems to be just fine for most people. But, again, it's possible.. so why not?
RED, at one point, decided that movies could he shot all-digital and made their behemoths based around fairly expensive sensors... now Canon, Nikon, Kodak, SONY, etc. are realizing that their sensors are getting fast enough to do movies as well.. and they're taking full advantage of it.
Yup it's cool, but...
if you are a indie film maker, why are you using a DSLR instead of a HD video camera that will shoot better video for less money?
I'd rather have XLR mic in and record real audio than use a DSLR as a video camera.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
If you a 5D-II forum with a lot of activity, see http://www.cinema5d.com/search.php?search_id=newposts
As awesome as these hacks for the Canon cameras are, as a 40d owner I'm feeling a bit left out. I have the CHDK firmware for my S3IS which is awesome; multiple exposure bracketing, RAW support, and scripts galore. And now extra movie support functions for the 5d. There was a guy a while back who hacked the 40d to shoot video, but he ended up getting hired by Nikon and couldn't release his code. Anyone know of any efforts to hack these cameras as well?
Shameless plug for my photos on Flickr
Because there are no HD video cameras that shoot better video for less money? Indeed, to even be on par you'd need to spend quite a bit more.
Until you get close to the 6 figure range you won't get a sensor as large as the one in the 5D. Even if you forego sensor size and just want decent optics to resolve the kind of detail HD video is capable of showing you'll more than double the price of the 5D and attendant L lenses.
You are right that the audio is lacking, and while this firmware allows some control, it can't address the cause directly.
"Sacrifice for the good of The State" - The State
There is a XLR adapter for the EOS 5D Mark II. It's made by Beachtek.
According to the wikipedia page:
The 21 megapixel sensor is downsampled to HD resolution by only using every third line and 4:2:0 chroma subsampling[8], leading to concern about Moiré patterns in recorded video
Does the software address this? Or is it a non-issue?
I never undestood why don't manafactures already have all these features.
It's easier for them than for anyone else to develop this kind of things..
Chances are that HD video camera that costs less that a K7, 5D, or D90 has a much smaller sensor (so no controlled depth of field effects) and does not have interchangeable lenses.
Hi y'all If you're interested in the 5D mk ii, you should check out my blog and wiki - http://planet5d.com/ - the best 5D information on the planet! We have had several posts on this story since it was 'announced' several weeks ago (yesterday's formal announcement was the first 'release' of the software to the public - but we've been covering it before that).
Can anyone explain to me what exactly is the fascination with QuickTime MOV format?
Kodak's cameras record video in MOV. Apparently Canon's cameras also record video in MOV.
It's a PITA because Apple is so stingy about licensing the codecs for its QuickTime formats (no, I don't want to buy QuickTime Pro). It makes it a major inconvenience if I want to actually edit the clips. So, why do I have to put up with this?
Sorry if this seems like a rant. If there's some reason why MOV seems to be favoured, I'm honestly curious as to what it is.
Alexander Peter Kristopeit bought his basement from his mommy for one dollar.
Three words: Depth. Of. Field. Without these...
With Canon, we can.
Here be signatures
Well, the red beats this thing handily and it can be had for under twenty grand.
The thing is that when you do video you don't get the full sensor. These cameras->video tricks do a sort of reverse interleaving. The chips themselves don't run more than 10fps. So the camera uses line 1 for frame 1, line 2 for frame 2, line 3 for frame 3, line 1 for frame 4, and so on. The practical upshot is that the 5k sensor gets knocked down to a thousand lines of resolution rather quickly. But then, because you're literally moving boundaries each frame, these weird aliasing artifacts appear. The quickest way to see them on the 5D is to take the camera and pan it right/left quickly, you'll see the image going all wavy. Some of the effect is the rolling shutter but it exposes the how the software is actually making the image.
So, you can't move the camera unless you're very very careful. You might as well shoot slates and sync audio in post as deal with the onboard stuff. The camera can't record longer than five minute takes because of a provision under Japanese export law that would make it officially a video camera. None of these problems are insurmountable but they're certainly there.
That being said, I have a friend who's planning on shooting a feature this fall on one of these things. I think he's crazy, but it's the crazy people who change the world. :P
Not only does Canon let the consumer play around with the firmware they encourage it, as far as CHDK goes there are tons of parameters if its not working the way you want it to its your fault. I have taken shots of lightning where the motion detection script responds in 110ms. To take advantage of RAW (CRW file format) you have to be a borderline pro photographer and know how to convert them to DNG, preserving the 10 bit color, and then I use RawTherapee and possibly GIMP.
At the end of the day, you can run a XLR-usb interface, record the audio and then just sync the audio when you mix down the video. The lenses for SLR can be really useful and why pay twice if you already own the dlsr?
I own the 5D Mark II and I love it, especially since Canon recently released the firmware to enable ISO, Aperature and Shutter Speed control in video mode. I work on indie film and professional video and I can tell you that even though this isn't a "video" camera, the full-frame sensor and the Canon line of lenses, especially the high-end primes, are a wonderful combination. Such shallow depth of field, such great color reproduction, and great low light sensitivity.
Most prosumer / consumer HD cameras can't touch the sensor and lens combo that this camera does, unless you get above 10K$ for your camera. Naturally, in indie film we want to get the best bang for the money, so this camera has been a godsend. A lot of companies like Redrock and Zacuto are now selling full rail systems with matte boxes and follow focus equipment for this and other DSLR's enabling a DP to utilize a DSLR like a traditional video or film motion picture camera.
One of the biggest issues with this third-party firmware is it has to be reinstalled every time you power down and power up the camera. I hope Canon sees what the community is doing and adds these features directly or at least supports the development of 3rd party firmware. We're still missing 24/25P, and a real Zebra function would be incredible.
Abuse my rationalization of rhetoric as either metaphor or monotomy.
You can also make some videos with stills.
See: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2fNQppJqXw&feature=PlayList&p=F3C868A21F33E198&index=0
(do get the HD videos, they're MUCH better)
I recall the slashdot story saying that many of us can't see the Milky Way at night, but that's not true - we can see it on Youtube.
And we can even see beautiful sunrises from our basements ;).
FWIW those camera sensors and lenses are better then my eyes in terms of quality of picture.
Yup it's cool, but...
if you are a indie film maker, why are you using a DSLR instead of a HD video camera that will shoot better video for less money?
I don't think there is any "HD video camera that will shoot better video for less money". Do you know of any that costs $2,500 and has a sensor even close to as big and good-in-low-light as the Canon 5D Mark II? Or as many affordable lens choices?
I recently particpated in the 48 Hour Film Project in Washington, DC. A few of the submitted films were shot on the Canon 5D Mark II DSLR. The image quality was phenomenal, blowing away MiniDV and as good as some of the groups that had $10k+ of pro equipment.
Personally, I'm a Pentax guy, and really excited about the new Pentax K7 DSLR with HD video capability. Unlike the Canon 5D, it allows aperture control during filming... which should allow for some cool effects. And it only costs about $1,200 for a 14 megapixel weather-sealed camera with 720p and 1080i movie modes, half the price of the 5D.
I'd rather have XLR mic in and record real audio than use a DSLR as a video camera.
I'm not enough of an A/V aficionado to really appreciate the advantages of XLR, but it looks like this issue has already been addressed. There's an add-on unit ($375, it ain't cheap) to add XLR and all kind of other audio gizmos to the Canon 5D. I wouldn't be surprised if we see DSLRs with built-in XLR in a year or two.
My bicyles
There is a XLR adapter for the EOS 5D Mark II. It's made by Beachtek.
Yes indeed. And it http://www.adorama.com/VDBDXA5D.html">costs about $375, which ain't cheap but combined with the Canon 5D it's still under $3,000, or with the Pentax K7 under $1,700.
My bicyles
Yes, that was my 'more than double the price' option. And my 100k option beats a Red, handily.
People keep mentioning Red cameras but I doubt they've ever used one. As a former owner of an early Red 1 I can tell you it was nice, but only when it worked, which wasn't nearly often enough. If they (ever) launch their new models the same way you won't be hearing much from them any more. Or, if established players like Canon and Nikon seriously target their market, same deal.
"Sacrifice for the good of The State" - The State
The rolling shutter is no where near as slow as 1 line/frame. It scans the entire frame at about 120 Hz, which is still slow enough to show some of the "jello" effect. But the entire frame is still progressive scan.
Maybe you should reconsider terminology; the 5D mk II isn't just a DSLR. It's a DSLR that shoots amazing video.
Have you seen this? http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2326
And recall that as you view that movie, it's running at 1/4 resolution.
Saying, "I'd rather have XLR mic in and record real audio than use a DSLR as a video camera" is just being ill-informed about the capabilities of the 5D mk II. I'd rather use an adapter and record real video with the 5D mk II. My brother has one, and I've played a little with it (just a little): it is an amazing bit of technology. And Canon's glass is fantastic.
Put my fist through my alarm clock with its ding-dong death inside my ear. - The Blackjacks.
Yeah. If you'd like a body alone. Not sure how much film-making you'll do with that...
You want a lens? Maybe even two? Most RED lenses are in the 5-10,000 range. How about some power? A viewfinder? Storage? You'll be looking at over thirty grand, up to forty without breaking a sweat.
I seem to have stumbled into the Slashdot Classified Ads section. And I didn't even know that Slashdot had a Classified Ads section.
But given that its GPL code I will mute my criticism that this post is put up by the author, and not a more neutral review site.
"It's the height of ridiculousness to say for those 9 lines you get hundreds of millions."
Even an indie film maker would most likely use a separately synced/recorded audio track... I wouldn't bother with the camera's audio input.
love is just extroverted narcissism
Big advantage is that you can do something that that very few video cameras can do...Switch Lenses. and you can use ANY canon EOS lens with it to shoot video. If you are worried about the audio, you could also record audio with another source, although that does ad to cost.
And there arent video cameras that can take a 21MP full frame still image.
they say it is often more relevant then the comment above, all we know is its called the Sig!
The 5D2 has an external stereo mic jack.
IT CANT RECORD 4K. so the point is moot.
it records 1080p I can get a camera that can kick it's ass in video quality for $3100.00 on B&H photo.
that camera + a lens will easily cost that.
The greater depth of field of the GH1 is by no means a disadvantage. The idea that a camera like the GH1 is somehow crippled because it's DOF is wider is just an internets camera measurebator myth. The lenses needed for a sensor of the size of the GH1's are large enough to produce perfectly fine background blur, and you'll get more of your subject in focus thanks to the greater DOF. The larger sensor cameras shallower depth of field is in nearly every case a disadvantage, though one that they make up for thanks to having much larger sensors (and thus allowing you stop down the aperture and crank up the ISO).
These two posts at The Online Photographer make for instructive reading:
Are you adequate?
Look at the images here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=175113 and tell me the 5D2 looks better. The 5D2 images are ugly.
-- oldthinkers unbellyfeel ingsoc
And companies won't make products like that unless they're willing to abandon their business strategy and relinquish control. A company makes products for the company's sake. Its the same thing that governs the product's features (implemented, locked in and otherwise). If a company was willing to create a product for the product's sake, they would have no control of it because it would be so many different things to so many different users. How many companies do you know that are willing to take that risk? That's open source's niche and that's what makes it so amazing. Its a meritocracy.
Find a job you like and you will never work a day in your life.
If I was an indie film maker I'd rent the gear ; ). Why? If you buy all the equipment you need (lights, cameras, mics etc etc etc) you'll have a mortgage and you aren't going to ever pay for it before it's fully depreciated (aka obsolete) unless you have a smash hit on your hands, and most importantly, you can simply rent the best gear there is for less than the down payment on gear that's half as good and walk out of the project with no monthly payment.
Why settle? I know 2 indy film makers and they both rent their gear... They shoot their tests on hand held sony hd cams and do the real deal with rented professional stuff. They spend an average of a 1-4 weeks shooting a film and do 3-4 a year. That means for the other ~40 weeks that high falutin' gear would be sitting in storage aging, taking up space, and collecting dust.
I've had this conversation with them... They don't have any sound problems or any other type of issue when filming and don't need to hack their firmware to get stuff working right ; )
It's a simple matter of economics. You'll never get your money's worth by buying gear unless you are a film equipment rental operation.
If you aren't out to do professional work, why bother trying to get all fancy with it? Grab a $599 Sony HDR-CX100/R (likely cheaper than msrp) and be done with it.
Don't kid yourself. It's the size of the regexp AND how you use it that counts.
Will the Panasonic GH1 run free software firmware like the Canon 5D Mark II apparently can? If not, I don't see the advantage. The story says that these hackers added features Canon didn't; that's added value to me. That makes me want to consider a Canon 5D Mark II for a camera purchase. Thanks to their work, I am not dependent on Canon in the way I am dependent on a proprietor for other hardware which lacks free software firmware. Even if these hackers stop developing that firmware anyone willing to learn can pick up the job, or I can hire others to work on my behalf. And because the software isn't just free but copylefted under the GPL, I stand a better chance of benefitting from any distributed/conveyed derivative work based on this firmware. All of this future-proofing exists because of the freedoms of free software.
Digital Citizen
There are only 2 advantages to using XLR mic inputs.
1. XLR mics usually have a balanced output, helping with noise cancellation on long cable runs,
and giving twice the effective signal voltage of an unbalanced mic. This really is only an advantage with long runs of cable.
2. Condenser XLR mics can be powered from 48V phantom power which is possible due to haveing 2 signal conductors. Otherwise the mic must be run off a battery giving much less output.
I have at times had to use balanced XLR mics with
an unbalanced input, and whilst needing a little more gain, performance was virtually the same.
There are only 2 advantages to using XLR mic inputs.
1. XLR mics usually have a balanced output, helping with noise cancellation on long cable runs,
and giving twice the effective signal voltage of an unbalanced mic. This really is only an advantage with long runs of cable.
I've heard this issue before. How long is a "long run"?
2. Condenser XLR mics can be powered from 48V phantom power which is possible due to haveing 2 signal conductors. Otherwise the mic must be run off a battery giving much less output.
This one I hadn't heard. I've just read the wikipedia article on phantom power for condenser microphones. It doesn't seem like a great deal of current is required (10 mA max). Can this issue be alleviated by using lower-voltage DC power from batteries?
My bicyles
The DOF control with a large sensor is simply amazing. To get similar quality of video with such DOF control you need a 50000$ cam
My Aurora : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o91ZsGwJYyg
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Yeh, not a lot of power is required for phantom mics, but a the higher the voltage the higher the
output level. This has an obvious signal to noise benefit.
Having used such mikes powered by 1.5v batteries which they have provision for in the abscence of phantom,I was very surprised by the improvement when phantom powered.