Canon announces $100 firmware update for stop-motion photography

[ReflexVE]

After reading along in the past years on new announcements here, finally setup to respond with a login

*** There is still so much simple innovation on the floor for Canon and others to take. (Yes look at some Magic Latern creativity)

1st I think post-camera purchase upgrades -should be part of the revenue machine for camera manufactures
as it helps users to utilize the expensive silicon - image processors in new creative ways

2nd this upgrade is truly interesting, in a way it is the first for a small focus group. (As a predecessor wrote)

But as a photographer I would rather have loved a simple "Focus stacking option with AEB" in the firmware - without loosing other features. (at least with RF lenses if so needed, but would boost this sales too so it must be for free)

3rd I do technically fully understand the lightyear step and hype about the upcoming EOR R5 Video capabilities, but a message to the Canon folks I think most of us buy the EOS R and EOS R5 and EOS 5DMkx family for a prime reason and this is photography !

So all the pre-announcements are annoying, almost useless and dis-respecting the heart core guys looking for photography specs and innovation. Makes me finally after almost 28y Canon spy at Leica, yes less lenses then but same cost as an EOS R System transition.

e.g. this means for photography I would like to see these points below in a pre-announcement to make us wait
a) need to confirm more Color Depth resolution in Photography
b) how to use DP- Dual Pixel information smartly for extending the Dynamic range (SINGLE SHOT HDR, no noise in post)
I don´t know why no one realizes that since EOS 5DMK4 you have always a sensor with DUAL Pixel = MEans you
call it 30MPixel but it is already a 60MPixel sensor, call the EOS R5 eventually a 45MP but your sensor is 90MP !!!
There is way more stuff which can be done with this information - than announced since 3years ago with DPAF.
c) how to improve the auto-exposure of the camera into field based regions which are automatically choosing the exposure values
d) overdue is also image pre-processing by dynamic range automatically and steer the Pixel Sensors with this "field area"
exposure correct by content.
.... just don´t get me going

Finally my biggest wish would have been also a Firmware thing, on the EOS R to remove the biggest complaint from 5DMK4 users
a fast navigation to focus points, not just touch based, but just create the 5D Mk4 limited range but by 3-clicks x or y direction
get to the 3x3 corners of an image at a fixed position (Emulation of the 5D Mk4 focus points) Why not , fast to the spot not
thinking no navigating - also possible with the steering weel.

so much food for thought today folks.

I like this post, it's at least trying to imagine a more expansive future. I'm a first time poster and have only been into photography as a new hobby for the past year and a half or so, but as a new user I'm blown away by the lack of learning in this space from other markets. I keep asking myself why I have to wait for Magic Lantern when there should just be a restricted app store on my device to allow me to install features and software, from Canon and approved third parties. Let Apple/Microsoft/Google/Adobe build thier own integrations, let Magic Lantern extend functionality, and let lens makers add profiles directly.

I get it that Canon and others believe that this would slow down the upgrade cycle as new features could be added via software. And it may for some users, however by taking a cut of add on app sales they could make up for that deficit pretty rapidly. Apps and extensions certainly haven't slowed down sales in other markets, I don't see any reason they would for cameras.

 

[davo]

We need to get the Magic Lantern crew working on the newer models of Canon cameras......

I had high hopes. They tried and tried and tried but had to give up years ago on the R. No more Magic Lantern it seems :-(

 

[mb66energy]

I had high hopes. They tried and tried and tried but had to give up years ago on the R. No more Magic Lantern it seems :-(

Maybe Canon should pay Magic Lantern people and give them cameras to try the firmware features and make a contract to sell full featured Magic Lantern firmware for - let's say - 20 $ / EUR per user (unlimited cameras).
This will never happen but would be a wonderful way to support the developers and the users.

 

[Franklyok]

For myself, I really want to see the R5 have the ability to shoot high speed video. As I've posted before, it it can do 4k@120, it should be able to do HD@480, and VGA at (if I did the math correctly) 1920 (or is that 3840?).

Motherboard wise yes, sensor readout wise no. Sensor tops out 120 fps, and no more, no matter what resolution. My 1 cent opinion. May be blobal shutter sensor will not be a botle neck. Again my my 1 cent opinion and hope... .

 

[Cochese]

Which suggests to me that if you bring some money to the table, Canon will work with you.

Good to know.

Considering this is both a hardware change and software change, yeah, sure.

 

[Ozarker]

I was thinking of playing around with some stop action stuff for my grandson just the other day. Can't I do it without this update? Probably. I won't send my camera in for this, but I'm no professional stop action dude. Good to know there is software out there though. I was wondering about that in particular. I learned something useful today.

 

[ReflexVE]

I had high hopes. They tried and tried and tried but had to give up years ago on the R. No more Magic Lantern it seems :-(

Everything Digic8 based they seem to have quit on.

 

[Graphic.Artifacts]

So, if I understand this release, the idea is that when you are shooting stills tethered over USB the firmware change allows a higher resolution preview window? And It does this at the expense of being able to preview over HDMI? Sounds like something they should be able to sort out without the negatives and roll into the R5/R6 firmware.

 

[Dantana]

I was thinking of playing around with some stop action stuff for my grandson just the other day. Can't I do it without this update? Probably. I won't send my camera in for this, but I'm no professional stop action dude. Good to know there is software out there though. I was wondering about that in particular. I learned something useful today.

I'd have to read more about it, but I think this is for use with a very specific stop motion software package. I don't see any reason wht the R couldn't be used for stop motion work. DSLR's have been used for years in that capacity.

I love my R, and as an animator, I'm happy someone is thinking of us. Though I don't work in stop motion, and I won't be having my camera modified.

 

[koenkooi]

So, if I understand this release, the idea is that when you are shooting stills tethered over USB the firmware change allows a higher resolution preview window? And It does this at the expense of being able to preview over HDMI? Sounds like something they should be able to sort out without the negatives and roll into the R5/R6 firmware.

In an ideal world, yes. But if implementing it the current way takes 3 person-weeks and doing it properly multiple person-months, the effort might not be worth it to Canon.
Or the middle ground: the proper implementation will show up in future models, but not in the R, to avoid angering the people who paid $100 already.

 

[Graphic.Artifacts]

In an ideal world, yes. But if implementing it the current way takes 3 person-weeks and doing it properly multiple person-months, the effort might not be worth it to Canon.
Or the middle ground: the proper implementation will show up in future models, but not in the R, to avoid angering the people who paid $100 already.

I was thinking more in terms of generally improving the tethered shooting experience. Probably not worth a lot of effort for the stop motion benefit since that’s a pretty small pool. I expect this was originally developed for the benefit of the software developer, Aardman or some other important customer. But, if you actually need it for stop/mo than I don’t see show you can complain about the cost no matter how it works out. $100 will barely cover Canon’s handling cost for the firmware install.

 

[Dynamics-4-U]

You nailed it...the only thing I would add is that Canon also needs to focus on advertising the video features of the R5 because that is where they were being slammed daily by pretty much every YouTubber out there. Sony and Panasonic is eating Canon's lunch in the mirrorless video department and Canon knows it. I haven't heard too many people say they went to Sony because of weather sealing, ergonomics, the menu system, color science, or even lenses.
[agree]

Most people jumped ship because YouTubbers told them that Canon's video features were doomed and their AF wasn't "innovative" enough. So yea, Canon is going to shout about their 8K video from the rooftops for as long as they can while knowing that anyone with common sense is going to take for granted that their photography specs will be fantastic as well. Even if I were strictly a stills shooter, enough R5 specs have been released for me to know its going to be a great stills camera.

[agree, maybe my writing style was a bit off on the to negative side yesterday ...

The EOS R5 with all the pre-relased info´s looks alread like it will become also a great "photography" Version (IBIS good to have finally, yes)
and
I would like to add Canon still is a hallmark for innovation coming from listening to the enduser, usability when they do things, NO DOUBT here
for me on the EOS R I would mention really for the field users
- 1st with protecting the sensor while you change lenses - this is truely Canon
- 1st with a nice true manual auto focus support
- 1st with realizing and integrating Lense functions with the additional programmable ring
and go back to the classic use of your 2nd hand on the lense anyhow ...
Great features, which we users tend to forget and overlook, as we get used to them without hassel so quickly]



I doubt it will have any of those features. They are easy to talk about and wish for but we are not talking about a $20K camera here. The only Canon that even has one of those features is the $11K Canon C300 MIII and it uses the dual pixel system to increase DR. Also your logic is a little fuzzy when you state that current cameras with DPAF are actually double their stated resolution. Just because it uses two pixels to focus does not mean it suddenly has double the number of pixels...it just means what it says...it's using the image information from two pixels to focus...that does not mean that they doubled the resolution it simply means they take a reading from two different pixels.
[thanks for this extension, I´m not into Video Camera line of Canon,
but I looked up the point about the pixels publications from Canon again on the web (please google )
and what I tried to say, DPAF is already there with 2 Photo diodes Per Pixel (if you refere to the glastop as a single pixel one would be right)
but we have the option and can already today Read out the 2x the image of Photodiode A) & B) of a Canon
if you use DPRAW Recording and the Canons Digital Photo Professional tools.
Most people use the Camera disabled DPRAW, you then get only the mix of Photodiode A)+B) in the Image on the SDCARD.
See Canon image below

Now ... just my point was if you imagine simply you have already a split Pixel with 2 Diodes, this equals 2 Pixels in reality
and if they have enough sense-amps (ADCs) for it, which they likely have for DPRAW recording and contrast recognition speed purpose
so then you can do
many more things with Photodiode A)+B) information, e.g. like HDR (or extending dynamic range) in one shot via Photodiode A) Sense ADC +2 AEB, and record Photodiode B) Sense ADC with -2AEB and merge then to one shot A) = +2AEB, B) -2AEB C= AEB (A+B)/2 for a HDR at 30MPixel without noise ...
if there is no one come to the idea yet it is my Copyright (C) if one wants to use this simple idea ...

]





Most if not all of the features you seem to think they will ever announce for the R5 would add substantially to the cost, would possibly require technology that is not yet ready for prime time, would definitely affect battery life, and for that slight increase in DR substantially slow the FPS. Even the C300 MIII with DP DR still only gets 16 stops of DR.

I have what I consider to be a more realistic wish list for the R5; the only parts that I'm mildly curious about in the R5 is if Canon raised their 1/200 flash sync speed, if it can do time lapses without an external intervalometer, and if it has some kind of grid or ruler guides in camera to show in the viewfinder 5:4 and 4:5 aspect ratios for Instagram; it would be really cool if you could just type in your desired aspect ratio and have grid lines in the viewfinder show that composition. Although none of these features is that big of a deal since I am used to working with the current limitations (ND filters/HSS/Bigger Flashes due to the sync speed limits, 3rd party shutter triggers for time lapses, crop space for aspect ratio changes), they would all be nice to haves that would make my workflow faster.

[I like those add requirements as well, simple to do no rocket science just get the job done ...]

 

[justaCanonuser]

We need to get the Magic Lantern crew working on the newer models of Canon cameras......

Last time I used ML firmware was their really useful LV hack of the EOS 50D about a decade back, which made that camera video capable - without sound, though.

 

[Rule556]

I had high hopes. They tried and tried and tried but had to give up years ago on the R. No more Magic Lantern it seems :-(

Ummm... The R has only been available since October 2018. Not exactly years ago...

 

[Asserfelt]

just which they would add 120 fps @ 1080p to the EOS R with AF then the EOS R would be balling.

 

[davo]

Ummm... The R has only been available since October 2018. Not exactly years ago...

How is more than a year...not...."years". It IS exactly years ago.