Canon cameras firmware hack

Hi

On my latest web-trawl I stumbled across a program called CHDK, which hacks Canon Digic II and III chips, to give additional functions to Canon cameras. Check it out here.

Apparently it allows:

a. Enhanced ways of recording images. Including RAW format as well as JPEG, video increased recording time.

b. Additional data displays on the LCD screen - histogram, battery life indicator, depth of focus, and many more.

c. Additional photographic settings. Longer exposure times (up to 65 seconds), faster shutter speeds (1/25,000 sec), automatic bracketing of exposure, etc.

d. The ability for the camera to run scripts allowing you to set the camera to perform a sequence of operations under the control of the program.

e. The ability to use the USB cable to take a picture remotely.

f. The ability to do a number of other more useful (and fun) things, such as act as a mini file browser for the memory card, let you play games on the LCD screen, etc.

Has anyone used this?

Does it allow manual control of an auto camera (like my Ixus)?

Cheers

Hal

I've tried it on my G7 and it seems to work fine, let's me take RAW shots now which is great, shows battery meter and has additional aperture/shutter speed control.

The functionality varies from camera to camera but from reading on the CHDK forum I think it will allow you some degree of manual control on a point and shoot. Give it a go, nothing to lose.

I have it installed on an A570IS; works well. I have to remember to load it every time I use the camera, as I haven't been able to get it to auto load. Do be aware that you need to use 2GB cards if you want to make it bootable.

Cheers,

Marli

I think I will give it a go.

Thanks for the tip about the 2Gb card - I didn't pick that up for the web-spiel

Cheers

Dave

Hi!

I use it on my Canon A620, the RAW is a very good addition. My A620 allows manual settings, so I do not know if you can achieve this with this add-on.

Cheers, Wolfgang

Hi

My Ixus (SD850) also has a manual setting, but it only allows manipulation of ISO / White Balance / EV. It does not allow alteration of shutter speed or aperture, I was hoping that the CHDK hack would allow this. I guess I will have to download it to find out.

Cheers

Hal

Hi all!

The CHDK firmware hack is truly a brilliant tool, and it works well. B)

Something to note, though, is that on some cameras, the "enhanced menu" button is assigned to the "print" button on the camera, and Canon does not implement this on their underwater housing, strangely enough . There are some workarounds, if anyone is interested they can ask me.

If anyone is worried about destroying their camera, this has never happened, and the system is designed to prevent this. If you don't like CHDK, or your camera is going in for service, you can just format your memory card with your computer, the hack disappears without trace. But remember, the hack lies on the memory card, so if you switch memory card you have to have CHDK on both cards.

However, you should be a little computer savvy and have some time on your hands to get to know this.

That being said, this system does so many cool things. Imagine, for instance, the possibilities of motion detection for shutter release! Just leave your camera on the reef for half an hour, and all the curious fish in the world will appear in your pictures. (This feature has almost become standard.)

And the system is user expandable, if you know how to write some code (BASIC). Scripting can control almost all of the camera, and many of the scripts out there enable things such as

• optical zoom during video
  
• HDR bracketing / exposure bracketing / focus bracketing
  
• setting focus values in cm from front of lens
  
• time-lapsing and raw shooting
  

The list is nearly endless.

@Hal

By the way, as for the Ixus SD850, I understand this camera is built from Canon without a variable aperture, only a ND-filter that can be turned on or off to simulate F2.8 / F8.0. (You can test this by shooting the same image in different lighting and see if the depth of field changes...) But I think control of shutter speed is enabled with CHDK.

All in all, it's well worth it to try it out.

Cheers,

Aasmund

Another really cool feature is "RAW AVERAGE". Probably not particularly valuable underwater, but you can shoot multiple exposures and average them into a single RAW file. With a few exposures averaged together you can elimates noise almost completely and get a very clean image.

Also allows for sophisticated Auto ISO, which is really cool.

It is a whole new world ... I love shooting RAW with my SD800.

Just a thought, and something I will try out in the near future:

jeremypayne, you're mentioning the average raw function. This function takes several raw shots, and then averages them into one image.

How will this work with backscatter? Will it remove it completely, or just slightly? The option was made to tackle digital noise from the sensor, but perhaps it will be easier to delete "mechanical noise" in the form of backscatter, which moves from image to image and is larger and less frequent... I will certainly test this feature soon.

Cheers,

Aasmund

Hi

Well I have downloaded and run this Firmware update, and I have a question.

At present I only intend to use the Histogram and the battery meter (start with baby steps - shutter priority and RAW later), but the display now has a bright red bar across the top displaying as follows:

Zoom: 5.8 Sync:0.0000

I want this bar gone, it is annoying and intrusive, and gives me no useful information. However I can't find out how to turn it off.

Any ideas anyone

Cheers

Hal

This has got to be the coolest thing I've seen in a while - a firmware hack that runs off of the memory card. Insert card w/ hacked firmware and shoot - want to go back to the OEM firmware? Change the card. This is great!

Here is some info from an article at PCmag.com I just read, and wiki:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2329392,00.asp

http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

Has anyone tried it? I think it would be awesome to make a "point and shoot" camera into one w/ manual controls.

Cheers

James

Hi James,

Yes, I'm using this hack for a long time ago in my cheap Canon Powershoot. It only works in Canon cameras, because of the microprocessor they use.

Is not just the add on of to put it on manual mode. Just a little list of new features you can access:

a. Enhanced ways of recording images - you can capture still pictures in RAW and DNG format (as well as JPEG), and for video images you can have increased recording time and length (1 hour or 2 GB), and a greatly increased range of compression options.

b. Additional data displays on the LCD screen - histogram, battery life indicator, depth of field, and many more.

c. Additional photographic settings that are not available on the camera by itself - longer exposure times (up to 65 seconds), faster shutter speeds (1/25,000 sec, and faster in some cases), automatic bracketing of exposure, etc.

d. The ability for the camera to run programs ('scripts', written in a micro-version of the BASIC language) stored on the memory card - these programs allow you to set the camera to perform a sequence of operations under the control of the program. For example, a camera can be programmed to take multiple pictures for focus bracketing, or take a picture when it detects that something in the field of view moves or changes brightness.

e. The ability to take a picture, or start a program on the memory card, by sending a signal into the USB port - you can use the USB cable to take a picture remotely.

f. The ability to do a number of other more useful (and fun) things, such as act as a mini file browser for the memory card, let you play games on the LCD screen, etc.

James

Didn't I show you the 570IS with the hack in PI? Works very well but the raw files require extra work to open as they don't officially exist.

James

Didn't I show you the 570IS with the hack in PI? Works very well but the raw files require extra work to open as they don't officially exist.

Well, I can update that information. There is a new version of the hack that already support some kind if standar CRW, called Digital Negative (DNG). You can find it at:

New Release with DNG support

And the thread where this is discussed:

CHDK Forum

I have loaded in my A720IS and now I can open the CRW files created by CHDK directly in photoshop, RawTherapee and other standar software.

Now if someone can figure out how to 'hack' y G9 so I can shoot in manual exposure but have flash run on TTL, I will have it made.

Now if someone can figure out how to 'hack' y G9 so I can shoot in manual exposure but have flash run on TTL, I will have it made.

I don't have the G9 to test it, but you can try the build for Canon G9 available to download at:

CHDK Download

Good Luck

Anyone know if this works with Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS (A.K.A. Canon PowerShot SD990 IS)?

I've seen conflicting info....

Thanks!

Cheers,

Phil

Anyone know if this works with Canon Digital IXUS 980 IS (A.K.A. Canon PowerShot SD990 IS)?

I've seen conflicting info....

Thanks!

 

Cheers,

Phil

According to the CHDK wiki, that camera is not supported yet.

I've been using the CHDK hack for quite some time with my Canon A630 and I love it. Some features that haven't been mentioned include the ability to remove the compression on the video functionality of the camera. This produces videos that I think are just as good as DV. There's also the real fancy separate R G B histogram that was only available on the high end "Mark" cameras.

I gave the time lapse functionality a try a couple of months back in the Bahamas. You can see the result here.

There's also a script that allows you to do unlimited DOF shots. Definitely on my to-do list for underwater shots.

Plus, for those of you doing long deco stops. They've added games you can play in the camera. Fortunate for me I'm busy catching plankton.

BTW - For those who didn't notice it on the CHDK site.. Someone has begun development on a Canon 40D CHDK hack. Video anyone? Read more about it here.

Been using this on my A620 for a while and its excellent. RAW mode for underwater is invaluable. Other small things make it so useful as well such as a proper battery level indicator, "zebra" mode for exposure help along with live histogram and so on.