Magic Lantern for T2i/550D - Feature Set And User Manual
 

Not yet in beta, but getting into the reliable realm. Here is the posted user manual which shows the feature set being worked on. AGC defeat, adjustable zebras, menu control, on screen meters, bitrate control (!), turn off Canon audio filters, selectable audio gain, source select for the L and R channels (including internal mic to the left and external mic jack as a balanced signal to the right - wow!)

550D/UserGuide - Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki

Great news. Time for another donation...

Here is a posted sample on Vimeo:

I'm a little confused. I tried Magic Lantern and I flagged my 16GB SDHC Class 6 card as bootable by using bootCF (write labels method), but when I stuck it in my camera it didn't appear to a) do the firmware upgrade or b) allow me to boot off it. Did I miss a step? Or is it a card incompatibility of some sort?

Did you run it from a command line command prompt? As I understand it, this is required.

Yeah, and it confirmed whether I wanted to write labels, which I accepted. Afterwards I ran the command again and it confirmed the label was there. But when I stuck it in my camera, I couldn't really get anything to happen. I couldn't do a firmware upgrade, and I couldn't boot off it. I had to take out to start my camera again.

can't get menu
 

i copied the ml files to the card. i used bootcf. the cam boots to ml, i see the audio bars at top, other ml info bottom, but i can't get the menu - i press the trash button and nothing happens.

are there detailed install instructions for 109 somewhere?

At the top of the magic lantern page linked above: "This version is NOT YET RELEASED, so please DON'T open issues about it." The one you have is very much limited compared to what the demonstrated version will do.

yes, joel, i read that. i was merely asking where you got the install instructions for 1.0.9 that you used. the page i saw had details for 1.0.8 and only a short paragraph above for 1.0.9.

Sort of Confused
 

Hey gang, is there a site with step-by-step instructions for prepping the CF card to be bootable and properly setting up ML? I saw a link before, but can't find it now and all of the wiki manuals, etc aren't clear to me or maybe I'm looking at the wrong stuff.

I tried the first ML (and donated) on the T2i and got it to boot manually, but not automatically so I ditched it. Of course version 1 basically just did audio meters, but this build seems to do pretty much everything. How cool?

I'm excited to give this a shot.

Thanks.

Hi David,

Maybe I misunderstood. I just know that the 1.0.9 version has no on-screen menu - everything is done from the config settings before you load the firmware.

These are helpful links to T2i, 550D Magic Lantern.

550D - Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki

Using Cards Larger than 4gb - Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki

Magic Lantern for the T2i is changing hourly. I have loaded and successfully used a version which includes the bit rate change capability. My cards are on slower side, so in heavily detailed scenes. It can kill the recording at the higher bit rates.

Joel is correct. Craig, are you running 1.0.8 or 9? There is still work being done by a few parties to port all these functions over to 1.0.9.

I am personally waiting until the s/w is ported to 9 and has been reported as stable by a few folks.

Maybe waiting for 1.0.9 is a good idea.

In my late night searches I came across a pretty good step-by-step site...though I'll need to figure out a way to make a bootable card on the Mac (or dust off the 8 year old Dell laptop and hope it boots!), but the site below details the steps clearly.

Dangerous Derk Productions | British Independant film makers since 1994

On a side note: I donated to Tramm H last time around but it looks like someone else is doing the T2i work. Do we know if that is the case? I feel like these hacks really allow me to extend the use of this camera into additional paid situations without needing to jump on the next round of Panny/Sony DSLR-based cams, essentially saving thousands... at least for now.

Thanks

Hi Thane,

I am using 1.0.8.
Oddly enough, I used the exact same files and procedures to use on my friends camera and it worked. This time we were using his 8GB SDHC card. I tried my 16GB SDHC card on his camera and it didn't.

Then I tried his 8GB SDHC on my camera and it worked beautifully. So yeah, I guess it's the card. Strange though, I thought it was only 32GB Class 10 cards which were having problems, this one is a class 6 even. I guess I'll just have to buy another SDHC card.

Wow all this new info coming out about ML is making me more excited about holding onto my T2i and not upgrading to the 7d for more money....I have yet to try running it, I have a Mac and am a little confused on how to get the card bootable (16gb SDHC class 6). I have firmware 1.0.8 on my t2i, do you guys recommend updating to the newest firmware and waiting until all the new ML features port over?

Is there any information on step by step how to get ML using a Mac...I guess I have to do more research.

They just released the latest update for the T2i firmware 1.0.9 (ML 0.2.0)

Just installed and everything seems to be working great! It now includes everything that 1.0.8 did, and they say they won't be updating the 1.0.8 branch anymore.

Magic lantern for 60D?
 

Are there any hacks planned for the 60D? I'm jealous of these T2i features, especially zebras!

EDIT: just found this:

http://groups.google.com/group/ml-de...ca6b6552775b69

Anyone brave enough to try it?

Can safely say that I have no experience with any hacks or magic lantern and just followed the instructions that comes with the download and with a MAC have ML up and running on the newest firmware from Canon....pretty sweet so far. 16gb transcend class 6 card...loving the zebras as well as no AGC...still trying to figure out the rack focus stuff....No issues after running it for a few hours....will go out and shoot some stuff tomorrow learn the settings and have the intermediate ISOs which is amazing...just waiting on dialing in white balance via TEMP and it will be complete....hope for no issues of course

I'm wondering why not everybody has done this hack it truly opens the camera up to a entire new level...Maybe I am speaking too soon and it will beat me in the end, but loving it right now and never had any warrenty or canon service plan so we'lll see...60D hack coming soon too

ML Qscale tests these are the data rates that I got after going through he Qscales.... unfortunately the camera would stop recording after only a few seconds at -14 thru -16....I would say its really only safe to record as high as -13 as of now...still testing stuff

-1: 8.8 Mb/s
-2: 9.6 Mb/s
-3: 11.8 Mb/s
-4: 13.9 Mb/s
-5: 15.0 Mb/s
-6: 17.1 Mb/s
-7: 21.0 Mb/s
-8: 24.3 Mb/s
-9: 29.6 Mb/s
-10: 35.3 Mb/s
-11: 42.0 Mb/s
-12: 48.0 Mb/s
-13: 56.3 Mb/s
-14: 64.2 Mb/s (flashes overheating icon and stops recording after 2 seconds)
-15: 67.5 Mb/s (flashes overheating icon and stops recording after 2 seconds)
-16: 86.7 Mb/s (flashes overheating icon and stops recording after 2 seconds)

I was reading in the ML manual that you can change the refresh rate for the zebras. Default is 1000 milliseconds. Has anyone tried a faster refresh and noticed any negative side effects (heat, speed, stability, etc)? I'll probably get used to it, it's just weird having ghost zebras after the image moves.

Not that I should be complaining. The fact that there are zebras on the T2i of any kinda in video mode is amazing and a tribute to the ingenuity of the ML folks.

quick question RE ML

ive never used it before, I've read through all the instructions and I'm unsure about one thing.

Do I need to have the ML files on each SD that I use in order to continually use ML?

EG if i install as the instructions specify, the use a fresh SD card that doesnt have ML files, will ML still work?

OR do i have to have the ML files on each SD card,

If its the latter, what happens when I need to format a card? will it not lose all the ML files? or if i only do a low level format will all the ML files in the route folder still be there?

What is the dif between low level format and full format?

Sorry if these are obvious / dumb questions, I've never used ML before, but want to cos it looks great

(manual audio, incremental iso and wb kelvin temps, the 3 things - IMHO - that 550d sorley lacks. the rest of ML features are a bonus.

Thanks in advance

James

Yes. On each card.

Where's the I download?
 

I want to try Magic Lantern, and I found the download for MLversion 2, and EOS Card.exe but how do I download the update builds? Audio fix, ISO, Kelvin etc.,
The links just keep taking me to htm downloads with dead links on them. Do I need to be registered there or something? thanks

OK, go Magic Lantern installed last night.
Wow, love it.

One question though...
I keep reading posts about adjustable Kelvin Temp, but I don;t see it anywhere in the GUI menus.
Am I missing something?

I have firmware 1.09-ml-2010D, which was from JAN 20th I believe.

Ian thanks for the link.

I have a quick question. My camera has been s=locking up here and there using both builds (the original one from the 20th and the latest build from today) on different cards.

Witht he latest update, after I tried to record, the camera instantly stopped with an 07 WARNING, telling me that the camera can't record and to turn off the camera or take out the battery.

I took out the battery and rebooted fine. Then I turned the White Balance back to AUTO and was able to record fine. The problem might have been the WB Tungsten setting. Gonna test a bit further.

If I want to totally remove ML form my camera how do I do so?

I saw the video about making the card non-bootable using software, and am clear on that.
But how to I remove the Bootflag from the camera.

Then I assume I can reinstall the 1.09 Canon Firmware.

Just to say in terms of workflow all you need to do is use Erase > All images on card rather than reformatting every time. Keeps all the Magic Lantern stuff in place.

Anyone know if the 60D version will be developed, or is at a standstill because the programmers do not have a 60D? (Maybe 60D users can contribute...)

Here's a silly question - does the video actually look any better at the higher bit rates? You'd think it would, but the proof is in the pudding.

Newest update, released today is hands down the best one so far! Far less glitchy and my camera hasn't shutdown or had an remove battery errors yet (before I would get that error on first record after power up). New displays show custom iso on, aperture, shutter speed, all on screen. Loving it!!

Update is middle of page posted by Alex Magic Lantern 0.2.0 RC1 for 550D firmware 1.0.9 - Magic Lantern firmware development | Google Groups

Loving Magic Lantern - audio, histogram, zebras are a big win
 

I downloaded the lastest version and used it for the first time on a shoot today. Being able to actually see the audio levels the camera is recording is a huge deal. I use a Juiced Link adapter so that I can plug in nice XLR mics. Now that I've installed ML and am able to turn off the camera's audio Auto Gain Control, I was able to put the Juiced Link into a mode where it can just work as a preamp and not have to send a tone signal on the right channel so as to try to disable the camera's internal auto gain. The audio that I recorded using ML today was way better than any audio I have ever recorded using the Juiced Link before.

This, along with being able to see a histogram and zebras while shooting, is a huge deal. I have a T2i and 7D. I used to really prefer to shoot on the 7D, but now that I've got Magic Lantern installed on the T2i I'll be shooting video with it almost exclusively. I wish Canon would issue a firmware update that enables these types of features - but I'm sure not holding my breath.

Big ups to Tramm and the others who have developed Magic Lantern - great job you guys, thank you so much.

Ml
 

Hey, I just install ML and so far looks very good...

I have one question thou... don't know how to select iso lower without having to got all the way to the end and start again. Its there a way to do this? If I'm trying to choose proper iso and wants to got back one step...is very slow to go around..for live events and more.

Any ideas?

Thanks

This is the first line in the user guide - "GUI menus: press the ERASE button to display them, SET/DISP to change values"

Set goes higher, Disp goes lower

sorry
 

sorry... I missed that.

Thanks a lot for your help George.

I have a question about Magic Lantern. I have not used it and not sure if I want to, because one of the things mentioned in the user manual is that it "can destroy your camera". Also, isn't this just in the testing stages at this point or what? I don't want to add this feature if it's going to create problems and I'm not sure what to do. Can people give advice on it or not? I really would like to have the zebra and historgram features, that's for sure.

Russ, I feel exactly the same. To my opinion, it is dangerous to install any software that is not backed by Canon. What happens if something goes wrong? Canon will wash there hands and your guarantee goes out of the window...

Stelios

Magic Latern
 

I agree at all, due that is not the official Canon Firmware for me it's a big risk!!!I also would like to have the Audio control, Zebra,and the AGC,but I hope that Canon in the next firmware will give us all.
I also read that if you want you can unistall the Magic Latern due that is on the SD card and not inside the Camera.Is it true?
Sombody know if how its possible?
Gianni

Of course it's risky, bet I'm already using it about one month and had no problems and there's even any bad words in global internet, so seems like, that none of canon cameras was burned. Before ML was not very stable, but now with every new update its working perfect. I don't like only one thing, that every time, when turning on you camera, all your ML settings are restarted and you must to set them again.

Ml
 

Thanks Denis,
but, do you confirm that you have not prblem at all and that you have to install the ML on every SD u use otherwise you have not the Firmware, or if I put inside the camera one SD without the ML what happen?
Did you try to record at the max quality is possible without any problem?You never need to switch off and turn off the battery to avoid problem?
Thanks
Gianni