Magic Lantern; innovative software or an expensive brick maker?

[Frodosbigtoe]

New to Magic Lantern, can someone give me their experience with the software?

[gjones5252]

Magic lantern is an awesome additional software to your camera. It has some extremely useful features to your camera that are absolutely indespensible. I have used it one t3i,60d and 5d mark ii. I won't use it on my 5 d iii yet as its still in beta. There are a few gimmick settings but as usual you only have to use the ones you need. Haven't had a single problem. Read their website thoroughly as it will probably answer all your questions including the reliability as they(he) are very open. If you have a more specific question feel free to message me.

[gigabellone]

Magic Lantern is an awesome piece of software, it greatly extends the features list of the camera. Some of its features made some works a lot easier, like recording a stop motion movie: the ghost image overlay is mandatory in that case. I'm also into long exposure stills and time lapse videos, and the built in bulb timer/intervalometer and the countless video tweaking options made everything possible, and fun. You just can't do these things with the stock firmware.

I read in your signature that you have a 500d: try installing ML on that body first, get familiar with the software, and see if it fits you (i'm pretty sure it will).

[syder]

Unless you have, or know of people who've had their cameras bricked by ML (the OP suggests you hyaven't) can i suggest changing the title of this thread.

A lot of people are put off using their really useful software because of the (practically non-existent) threat of bricking their camera. So long as you are able to follow simple instructions there really is absolutely no problems with their stable releases. Their alpha/betas in my experience (about half a dozen cameras including 500ds 600ds 5dm2's 5dm3) are also fine.

[tron]

I use just a subset of MLs capabilities in my 5DMkII and I am happy. The thread title is misleading...

[RichardTHF]

Yeah, the Title is wrong change it as Magic Lantern is Fantastic, i have tried it on a 500D, 550D, 600D, 5D Mk2, and 7D and have had no problems what so ever, as far as i am aware there has never been a brick on any of there stable releases (or even Unstable Releases) //Rich

[Marsu42]

Unless you have, or know of people who've had their cameras bricked by ML (the OP suggests you hyaven't) can i suggest changing the title of this thread.

+1 ... this thread is just spreading FUD, ml is stable if a release is marked as such, and as every software there are bugs in the alpha and beta versions.

[paul13walnut5]

Lots and lots of happy users.  It's not for me, but that doesn't mean it's not for you.

There was reports that Philip Bloom bricked a 550D which was running ML, but I don't think anything was pinpointed to ML as being the cause (probably more like the wear and tear of timelapse on the camera)

Marsu42 is a great advocate of it and I think has written some of the code, if he says it's alright to use then I'd go with that.

[Marsu42]

Marsu42 is a great advocate of it and I think has written some of the code, if he says it's alright to use then I'd go with that.

Well, I added focus bracketing to get my name is on the dev list :-p ... all I can say is that ml has been running on my 60d for 1.5 years now w/o problems and the ml is also bare of any severe issues that cannot be resolved by removing the battery.

Ml might be rather video centered in its tradition, but I understand paul13walnut5 that you can also do video w/o ml just fine. I use the still shooting features that (only) ml has: untethered focus stacking and peaking for macro shots as well as the very convenient bracketing and bulb timer.

Also now in the latest dev builds:
* enhanced auto-iso (lock f in tv and t in av mode!)
* exposure lock (modify f/t/iso w/o changing exposure in m mode)
* exposure presets (quickly switch between two f/t/iso/wb settings) :-)

[PixelReaper]

Can someone post the correct download link for the 5D Mark II current final version of ML?  I am never sure which one to download, i.e. unified or other?

I have been considering using ML for the Bulb timer feature.  From what I understood, the software resides on your CF card, so you can even have one CF card dedicated to ML.  Can anyone confirm this?

Also do you lose any of the normal menu features when you install ML?

+1 to changing the unnecessarily dramatic name of this post.  Clearly ML is a great addition / option for some Canon shooters.

Thanks in advance

[Marsu42]

Can someone post the correct download link for the 5D Mark II current final version of ML?  I am never sure which one to download, i.e. unified or other?

5d2 is the unified branch and stable, and it's not really that hard to find :-p ... http://www.magiclantern.fm/download

From what I understood, the software resides on your CF card, so you can even have one CF card dedicated to ML.  Can anyone confirm this?

Correct. Just be sure never to have a card with the bootflag and without the ml files (autoexec.bin), so either flag+files or nothing.

Also do you lose any of the normal menu features when you install ML?

nope, ml has a seperate menu.

[tortilla]

Well, I added focus bracketing to get my name is on the dev list :-p ... all I can say is that ml has been running on my 60d for 1.5 years now w/o problems and the ml is also bare of any severe issues that cannot be resolved by removing the battery.

Hey, that's cool! That's a feature I miss most on canon cameras. I will give it a try when a stable version for the 7D will be released.

[preppyak]

Ml might be rather video centered in its tradition, but I understand paul13walnut5 that you can also do video w/o ml just fine. I use the still shooting features that (only) ml has: untethered focus stacking and peaking for macro shots as well as the very convenient bracketing and bulb timer.

Yep, not to mention it's worth it for the bulb timer and intervalometer alone for the night photography I do. Saves me the trouble and hassle of that.

The focus peaking and video features are a nice addition

[cliffwang]

Unless you have, or know of people who've had their cameras bricked by ML (the OP suggests you hyaven't) can i suggest changing the title of this thread.

A lot of people are put off using their really useful software because of the (practically non-existent) threat of bricking their camera. So long as you are able to follow simple instructions there really is absolutely no problems with their stable releases. Their alpha/betas in my experience (about half a dozen cameras including 500ds 600ds 5dm2's 5dm3) are also fine.

Agree!  If you have basic computer knowledge and know how ML works, you should know ML will never brick your camera.  We need to stop giving this kind wrong information.

[Rienzphotoz]

Unless you have, or know of people who've had their cameras bricked by ML (the OP suggests you hyaven't) can i suggest changing the title of this thread.

A lot of people are put off using their really useful software because of the (practically non-existent) threat of bricking their camera. So long as you are able to follow simple instructions there really is absolutely no problems with their stable releases. Their alpha/betas in my experience (about half a dozen cameras including 500ds 600ds 5dm2's 5dm3) are also fine.

Agree!  If you have basic computer knowledge and know how ML works, you should know ML will never brick your camera.  We need to stop giving this kind wrong information.

+1
I use ML in my 60D and never had any problems ... although I must admit that a lot of the features offered by ML are quite advanced for me, so I've never used some of its features ... but it is a fantastic piece of software.