Jonny's idea of fun!
Jonny Petts. It’s a name violently ricocheting around the inside of quite a few Canon 500D owners heads out there and it’s no wonder either. Jonny, after all, is the man trying to bring manual controls (amongst other things) to the 500D!
In case you didn’t know, Jonny, has taken up the cause of trying to bring some of the functionality from not only the Canon 550D, but also from the Magic Lantern Canon 5DMKII Firmware, to the Canon 500D. The original post can be found here, but if you caught that, read on for the update.
Here’s what Jonny had to say about the progress thus far. . .If you understand all of it, you’re doing much better than me! 
So, as you know this isn’t going to be an easy or quick task. It took Trammel Hudson 100′s of hours to make the Magic Lantern 5DMKII Firmware.
Since we last spoke, two other people have joined the team, and having quite a lot of knowledge in this area, taken a lead position.
One of them, Tester 13, said “The Canon 500D dump is easy, as dissectfw decrypts flasher properly for 500d firmware. But the Canon 550D is different here as we either need a dump or clean flasher to figure out encryption tables. Maybe the encryption has totally changed. So it must be statistically checked if we still have XOR. It is hard to improve anything in Canon 500D as it is restricted by used sensor. And disassembling won’t help you here, as you need documentation for many Digic, ADC and other registers. In reality any real progress that we have in ML is related wither to PTP commands (easy to find and understand), screen video memory (same thing), or audio codec (functions could be spotted and used model is known). It is not surprising that the other fields are much harder. ” (Dont know how many of you will understand this, but hay ho!)
So we now have dumps of the Canon 500D and now need the Canon 550D dump. It is proving hard to get, but this is not my field. Tester 13 has tried using Trammel’s firmware unpacker but apparently it “doesn’t work due to different XOR tables. Even with a working unpacker Trammel couldn’t dump the 7D firmware for months.”
So Tester13 is currently the driving force in this operation, whilst I am just looking through the dump of the Canon 500D and gaining knowledge via. forums. I would like to stress I AM NO TRAMMEL HUDSON, I am just someone who is trying to orchestrate the creation of this firmware for the benefit of others.
Thank you,
Jonny
One thing that Jonny did ask me to make known, is that if you think you can contribute to this project and have anything that may be of assistance to him and Tester 13, please make yourself known in the comments so I can pass along your details. A combined effort is much more likely to see this effort succeed, you know, ‘many hands make light work’ and all that stuff.
Stay tuned for more news on Jonny’s progress. . .
More soon. . .
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[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by High Def Edition. High Def Edition said: New Blog Post: Canon 500D Firmware Hack – Progress Report 1 http://bit.ly/a2Sx0h [...]
I really hope this project will succeed. At least the manual video controls…
I’ve only got Java programming experience, but if I could be of any help just send me an e-mail!
Thanks Steven, I will pass your details onto Jonny.
Is this just for real or you are doing this just to get attention?
Fair comment Mircea, but I don’t rely on false information to drive traffic to my site.
If anything, speaking so openly and supporting the hacking of Canon products is ultimately in direct opposition with the stance of many bloggers out there who are very chummy with Canon. Although I would ultimately like to be on Canon’s christmas card list one day and be privy to pre-release testing and info complete with NDA’s and the whole she-bang, if that means I must ignore exciting developments like this that my readers will be interested in, I guess I’ll just have to do without.
Ever since I drew attention to my 7D Autofocus issues and now this hack, Canon Australia, who were always interested in sharing my work with their twitter followers, have pretty much ignored everything I’ve sent their way. . .
So whilst you’re entitled to your opinion, I take exception to it. If you had taken the time to take a look around the web, particularly the Cinema5D forums, you’d see this isn’t some farce intended to take advantage of people.
Do your research before you look the fool!
No hard feelings though, stick around, follow what’s going on. I can understand your skepticism somewhat, but now that you’re an approved commenter, I’d appreciate you don’t use that privilege to slag me off.
This is so amazing. I really hope Jonny gets 30FPS for 1080p to work. That would be so awesome!
I hope he does too, but notice that Tester 13 points out that most of the success with the Magic Lantern 5DMKII firmware was with Audio controls and writing information to the screen. Let’s hope they manage to get this 550D firmware dump decoded and that gives them the foundations they need. Fingers crossed!
I actually find 24P much more important for video. Also, 60fps would be very nice at 720P for some slow motion effects… I don’t know if 30fps at 1080P is possible since the 500D has only got 1 DIGIC chip instead of 2 on other cams, and the buffer is smaller.
I could care less about 24p, either 720 or 1080, or not, but what I want most is manual exposure control- without workarounds. Although, those extra frames would be nice! (60 fps too, as I want to try some slow motion shots, but don’t want to settle for jittery mess.)
True… i’m now getting the shallow depth-of-field only when shooting in extreme low light situations. But what do you mean with workarounds? Are there any?
Steven,
Are you aware of this workaround?
Set the iris manually in Manual exposure mode, then hold the Depth of Field Preview Button on the front left of the body whilst, as if you are going to disconnect the lens, you push in the lens release button and slightly twist the lens until you hear the mirror drop. That’s when the camera has lost contact with the lens, leaving it set at the f-stop you selected. You are now free to re-engage live view movie mode and since the camera cannot talk to the lens to tell it to stop down, it controls the exposure with only the shutter and ISO, leaving you with your desired f-stop!
This is the workaround I used for my 500D, when wanting that shallow depth of field outside during the day. Sure it’s going to push your shutter to 1/4000 in bright sun, but hey it’s better than a really deep, tacky looking depth of field.
No matter what people say, you must use the Depth of Field Preview button to do this trick. The 500D does not select the exact aperture in live view mode. Even in Stills exposure simulation mode on the 7D and 5D in Live View, the aperture is not stopped down to reflect what it should be. The 500D always selects a close but not exact f-stop, so set the aperture, hit the DOF Preview button, twist away and happy shooting!
Christian
Hey Christian,
Thanks for the tip, I didn’t know that. It seems to work fine, but unfortunately the lens stabilization stops working if you “disconnect” the lens from the body.
But thanks however!!
Let us know if you need any help and/or beta testers. Lot of anxious 500d users that are willing to help over here
WOW! If this will get done I wont have to be using manual M42 lenses to get control over the apreture!!! Keep the work going guys!
Haven’t you heard abaut aparture hack? you can control aparture on any lense. Read Christian’s comments in this article.
Well yeah but the manual lenses are just so much better than the stock kit lens I got with the 500D. I dont mind the lack of auto focus and I can set the aparture as I please and Im not worried about the lenses electronics being burned or anything.
Oh my god, please do it!!!
I REALLY appreciate the effort, you will be improving numerous videos with it… I believe there are still allot of us 500D folks out here.
I bought it a month before they released the info on the 550D, to late to return, to big a loss to sell… but I love it so much…
things I would love (but who cares what I want)
- 24p in 1080p (+4 frames seems more possible than 30fps)
- manual mode
- 24p in 720p
Has anyone hacked into the can and rewired a mic? brave work.
so again, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
waiting for some news !!
a very useful action to add is scripting ! as see in other hacked canon , now 30 fps on 1080p its seems not possible …
If you are brave enough to open up your camera and try to wire in a mic, you can get some help disassembling by looking for websites that modify the Canon cameras to shoot IR images. That should help you disassemble the camera. You will probably have to find a place on the body to drill a hole to mount a mic input jack. You could then disconnect the built-in mic and connect it to the mic input jack you install.
I just got my T1i so I don’t want to cut open my camera just yet. I have opened up cameras before, though… I installed an LCD flip switch in my Canon HV20 back when we used to build 35mm adapters…
Anyways, I hope some progress gets made on the firmware hack! Go Jonny Petts!
This would make my life beautiful.
Any news???
Hey ThomasNothing more as yet.
Since these things are measured in months, not weeks, updates could be a little while between.
Have you read the first update yet? It’s on the front page.
Thank you guys for all the hard work.
When you get the 550D dump please let the ML team know of it, this will help a lot to develop Magic lantern for the 550D which I believe is much more possible than for the 500D.
Best of luck guys.
There is a lot of code/data to wade through!
I thank you for the hard work, best of luck. Would there be any possible way to shoot video via viewfinder and not always the liveview? Its not always easy shooting a video through live mode, especially when your manually focusing on a moving object or a insect as you can’t see 100% if your focued on your subject. If thats not possible, its ok, just something I’d prefer, to shoot with viewfinder same as taking photos.
Also, be good to have 30fps at 1080p as I shoot wildlife and the camera is good that I can switch between video and photos easily without needing a seperate camera for video. 60fps would be nice and I definaly would like manual apature on video without the lens workaround method mentioned above.
As a wildlife photographer/filmer, I’d defiantly appreciate this. Hope you succeed.
It wouldn’t be possible to shoot video using the viewfinder. This is an SLR. You look through the viewfinder using a mirror that blocks the sensor. In order to shoot video, the mirror and shutter curtain need to be out of the way. The mirror blocks the viewfinder when up.
When you use Live View, the mirror is blocked and you cant use the view finder, its the same when you ake a photo using live view, but I thought like using live view when taking a photo, you could use the viewfinder on video if there was a way of turining live view of when shooting a video. I don’t see a reason why you have to use the live view when shooting a video always when you don’t have to when taking a photo.
You can’t record video with a mirror.
Thanks ok then, just a minor thing, actually ok with live view video recording on 500D as is now that I have been playing around with shooting videos latley.
Hey there hows the progress going.. I have a quick question you may be able to answer for me..
I just recently updated my 500d to the latest firmware 1.1.0 and since then, ive lost shutter function in live view mode from my wireless rc-remote controlled camremote! I cannot find the old firmware anywhere to revert back.. if that’s even possible!
I was thinking, if you guys are still working on this new firmware hack, is it possible to trigger focus in live view mode with half shutter? Just like normal shooting mode.. its so stupid them moving the focus to a seperate button! Made my wireless shutter project a big mess!
[...] Want to catch the first update on Jonny’s progress? Here it is! March 15th, 2010 | Tags: 24P, 500D, 550D, 5D MKII, 60P, Canon, Firmware, Hack, Magic Lantern, [...]
Has there been any word of this lately? There are still people that ain’t too ready to exhange the 500D to 550D…
Haha indeed. I’d much rather spend my money on lenses than another body.
YES I too agree!! I cant believe how cool manual mode is (twist lens hack).. I soooo wish we had it for real, this twisty hack has me worried and is just wrong
4 frames from heaven!
Hi,
I’ve used ida a very little but I know wha it’s like and what it’s for and I’m ready to help.
So if you want support I can help along
I will let Jonny know. Perhaps he can get you involved.
Thanks Goonie!
great to see that someone does this
so any news? has been a while since we heard anything now.
I believe in this project !!!!
Hope you can do it.
have a nice day Jonny
Yo, any progress on hacking up the T1i firmware? We be all waiting yo.
I realized how useful this can really be… I was using the “half unscrewed lens” trick, works well except it kills the VR on my lens… makes a HUGE difference, the VR feels like it was shot on a handheld stabilizer… God I hope this will work…
I tried the lens Hack, didn’t work for me, maybe because I used a fixed macro lens? (Sigma 105mm EX DG Macro) is the lens hack supposed to give you more or less apature depending on what you chose on AV mode before haf unscrewing the lens? Because I haven’t seen any differentce in how much or less is in focus on video mode when I chose a different apature (tried an f5.6 and a f45 and didn’t notice any difference from using the lens on movie mode normally.)
How about a hack to increase the continuous shooting speed of the 550 up to 6 or 10fps. Then we will have a near perfection in the class (sorry 500 owners)
Is it possible to hack an increase in continuous shooting up to 6 or 10 fps on the 550D. Obviously Canon will never do this, we would have a near perfect camera outclassing its bigger brothers eating into their sales.
yeah!! im happy listening this notice!! but… the answer is… when can we enjoy this firmware in our cameras?? im impatient… ARRGGHHHH!!! good work!!! =)
I have been using canon 500d for month now and hoping from beginning for extra firmware potential.
Realy hope this is gonna work.
Patience!
I would also like to have manuel iso and 24 frames in hd 1280*720 mode.
Manuel control on the sound is not a big issue because one can always
use another device for sound recordings if needed.
I would possible buy a 5D or 7D in the future…because of the external
microphone going from 500D to a 550D would also be nice but I have
to stay with my 500D until I get a more steady income.
I’m starting to think this is dead…
Yes Me too, unfortunately
I would be happy to chip around US$30 upon the hack completion! So, if a lot of 500D owners want the hack, put some money on the table as well. I desperately want the manual video controls and extra frame rates! Great work for your progress already 500D hackers. Cheers.
I pray, i wish.. God will give him all the ablities to hack the firmware of canon to shoot videos in Full-HD @ 30 FPS
Any word?
We are still hoping for the best !
Can we just have a feedback on how all of this is advancing, it would be cool…thanks
Any News? Please give some respons. I just found this page and thought “WOW, I hoped so much this will happen”
greetings!
Is this project still alive?
Hope it comes true.
Thanks to the hacker for helping thousands people with their camera
Sorry for my bad english
TAHNK YOUU!! and please show how is the progress going
I hope this work will be done.
Dear programmer, just remember that there are lots of people that use T1i and rely on you. You can make them very happy.
I too want to know if the project is still alive?
I sure hope it is, ’cause if you succeed, _alot_ of people will be grateful
My prayers are for the good hope…
Millions of 500D users like me waiting for this to happen…
PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! + !!
Any news ???
I have heard from Jonny. Sadly not much progress to report thus far, that’s why you haven’t heard anything.
More soon. . .I’ll get a post on it up in the next few days.
I understand that this is a side project and you have to pay the bills. If you get around to this before we all finally have to upgrade to the 7D (which will then result in 8D being release right after) ssooooooo many people will want to have your babies.
I know there isn’t much progress so far, but just an idea, how much in % is done? (Just so we know how much left is to do)
I don’t know the answer to that. I’d hazard a guess that it’s still a way off. . .it’s a complex thing. . .much harder now, than it was for Hudson with the 5DMKII.
The trouble is as time goes by, the demand for it will lessen as more fully featured camera’s become affordable.
Let’s hope Jonny has a breakthrough soon. . .
I’m planning on buying the 500D. I have experience in various assembly languages (z80, mips, x86) and programming languages (especially C). I’m willing to participate if I can be of any help!
As an aside: Will the code eventually be open sourced?
Hi,
Brilliant project. I really hope you have success with this firmware hack for the 500D (Just purchased one). Id love to hear how the process is going wouldnt mind even learning how to help code it (C# any use?).
High hopes
Hi,
please read this:
http://groups.google.com/group/ml-devel/browse_thread/thread/f87188ddff2cf50
Magic Lantern is being ported to the 550D/T2i !
Please, keep on working on this great project!!
best of luck, cheers!