I was at Calumet in San Francisco and was renting a Nikon lens for the weekend to use with my 5D. The rental department manager told me the Canon representative was in the prior week and was talking to him about the 5D and explained that Canon was very surprised at the response the camera has gotten with the film making community. They rushed the video mode out to compete with the D90 and said the video firmware update is going to happen shortly to address some of the issues people are having with manual control.

The exciting thing is that the Canon rep said they are also working on a recording device that will capture a raw image via the HDMI port.

Take it with a grain of salt but it sounded pretty legit.

Jon, just to be clear.

Rumors have been floating around for a couple of weeks now that Canon is working on a video camera with an APS-C-sized sensor that would have an optional, external RAW recording device. Are you saying that this RAW device will also work with the Canon 5D Mark II?

I dunno.. why would Canon want its $2700 camera to compete with $1000 camera from the competitor? I hope the rumors are true though!

This thread isn't information, it's just another rumor; therefore it's been moved to Area 51. It's extremely difficult to believe that they're "working on a recording device that will capture a raw image via the HDMI port" when the HDMI port outputs a heavily compressed signal complete with overlays (with no way to remove them) during recording.

Also, the Convergent Design products were shown in the Canon USA booth last year at NAB; it's highly possible that the device referred to was one of theirs (a third-party Canon partner, not Canon itself).

This thread isn't information, it's just another rumor; therefore it's been moved to Area 51. It's extremely difficult to believe that they're "working on a recording device that will capture a raw image via the HDMI port" when the HDMI port outputs a heavily compressed signal complete with overlays (with no way to remove them) during recording.

uh, couldn't Canon change the HDMI output and function with the firmware upgrade?

No way to know for sure whether or not it's possible, but the best information we've received so far is not to expect any changes to the 5D Mk. II's video capability: http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/canon-eos-5d-mk-ii-hd/152702-eos-5d-mk-ii-firmware-update-video-not-coming.html

That's definitely something that can be changed in a firmware.
Just give me manual and i'll be happy, and so will anyone that sells used canon lenses!