Magic Lantern Improves 5D Mark III Dynamic Range to 14 Stops

[Canon Rumors Guy]

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<p><strong>From Magic Lantern

</strong>The Magic Lantern team is letting the world know that they are at the beginning of a new function for the 5D Mark III and EOS 7D. Apparently they’ve figured out a way to boost dynamic range by 3 stops by using a new way of making a photograph by using ISO 100 for some of the vertical lines and ISO 1600 for the rest of it. Sounds wild to us, not sure how they’re doing that. There will be a process to combining the lines of 100/1600 ISO to give you the full resolution file.</p>
<p><strong>From Alex at ML</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><em>Works for both photos and raw videos on Canon EOS 5D Mark III. On Canon EOS 7D, photo only (since it can’t do raw video).</em></li>
<li><em>What are the benefits? more dynamic range (less shadow noise).</em></li>
<li><em>The functionality was not really in Canon firmware, but in the chip that samples the sensor. Canon firmware does not make any use of it (they just set both ISO “registers” to the same value). It was implemented on the hardware side though (and that’s why it works only on these 2 cameras, because only they have two ISO amplifiers).</em></li>
</ul>
<p><strong><a href="http://blog.planet5d.com/2013/07/magic-lantern-improves-canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-dynamic-range-to-14-stops-major-landmark/" target="_blank">Read more at Planet5D</a> | <a href="http://www.magiclantern.fm/" target="_blank">Visit Magic Lantern</a></strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong><span style="color: #ff0000;">c</span>r</strong></p>

 

[Daniel Flather]

Interesting.

 

[peederj]

Well now that we are aware of this technique, we should examine the DR claims of other video manufacturers to see if this is how they're doing it. The tell-tale would be aliasing effects on high-contrast diagonals.

Which shows you how important chart tests are, and how bizarre it is that there still isn't a site that does consistent and reproducible chart tests for the entire range of video cameras. At the cost of these things, we have a right to know.

 

[AAPhotog]

Well now that we are aware of this technique, we should examine the DR claims of other video manufacturers to see if this is how they're doing it. The tell-tale would be aliasing effects on high-contrast diagonals.

Which shows you how important chart tests are, and how bizarre it is that there still isn't a site that does consistent and reproducible chart tests for the entire range of video cameras. At the cost of these things, we have a right to know.

You do have a right to know. Set up the websites and conduct the tests!

 

[GDub]

Cool! AMAZING, actually. I've been using ML on my T2i for a while now and IT IS THE BOMB! I've been waiting for the first official "stable" release to install it on my 5DM3, but this feature will get me to load an alpha release when it's ported. I'm also looking forward to what they're fiddling with on the EOS M!

 

[crazyrunner33]

I'm looking forward to experimenting with the new technique in a day or two. I'm curious about how bad the aliasing will be in the highlights and shadows as a result of this method. I figure that if other manufactures were doing this, we would be able to spot it by looking at the highlights and shadows.

Edit: Turns out the Alexa does something similar.

 

[tron]

Until a fully featured ML version is compiled and distributed for 5D3 (with 1.2.1 firmware) it is purely theoretical...

 

[K-amps]

Seriously.... why doesn't Canon Hire Alex and his team.... Way back when I was done with a 350d and kit lens, I was not system dependant... I could have gone Nikon or Canon... ML brought me to the Canon camp. How many 5D2 users have stayed with Canon due to ML... it's amazing how ML has helped Canon.

 

[RGF]

Very interesting but would like to understand what 14 stops mean.

In the lowest (darkest) stop, how much data is there? 8 bits or 256 gray levels, 4 bits or 16 gray levels, ...?

 

[AAPhotog]

Very interesting but would like to understand what 14 stops mean.

In the lowest (darkest) stop, how much data is there? 8 bits or 256 gray levels, 4 bits or 16 gray levels, ...?

If it were bright enough out side that you had a choice of either under exposing 2 stops and seeing in the shadows and having the sky blown out, or exposing for the sky and the shadows were pitch black, but the difference was 2 stops(ie exposing at 400 iso would show the sky but no shadows/1600 would show the shadows but blown out sky), this hack would enable you to keep the detail in BOTH the shadows AND the sky at the same time

 

[AAPhotog]

Until a fully featured ML version is compiled and distributed for 5D3 (with 1.2.1 firmware) it is purely theoretical...

So you mean to tell me that this isn't practical without being able to use it with 1.2.1 firmware?
Well I must say as a 1.1.3 user, I appreciate and make use of their hard work on a day to day basis. So I could care less about being able to record through hdmi a horrible 1080 picture on another $800 device that is sold seperately.

 

[michi]

Wow, talk about keeping that 7D alive!

 

[gmrza]

Seriously.... why doesn't Canon Hire Alex and his team.... Way back when I was done with a 350d and kit lens, I was not system dependant... I could have gone Nikon or Canon... ML brought me to the Canon camp. How many 5D2 users have stayed with Canon due to ML... it's amazing how ML has helped Canon.

I suspect there may be more to this than immediately meets the eye, however, there is interesting possibility here for Canon to get a lot more mileage out of existing hardware.

There are however marketing issues - if this really works, we would probably see the 5DIII get more DR than a 1Dx. As for 7D users - if it works, it will be a good motivator for me not to look at a 7DII (not that I would, as having a 5DII and 5DIII mostly negates the need). For those with 7Ds, this may be the best investment protection yet. - Again, the proof of the pudding .....

 

[CharlieB]

Now thats a swift kick in the pants for 'ol Canon....

I'm sure FakeChuckWestfall will be amused.....

 

[Zv]

I had never even considered installing ML on any of my cameras .... Until now! This would be so flippin awesome for the 7D! Haha in your face all those who said it was dead! I knew it had one last trick up it's silicon sleeve! (Now I just hope it works!)

;D

 

[moogul]

Sounds interesting. But I have a dumb question (never used ML before). Where is the link to the actual firmware file for the DR "upgrade"?

ML's download site has the latest 7D firmware from Dec. 2012. I read the post and checked the .pdf... didn't see anything or links to the file in there.

 

[Etienne]

The ML team deserves our support. They are brilliant, and bringing really useful features to Canon users!

 

[crazyrunner33]

For the photography users out there, I highly suggest installing ML not just for this new DR feature, but to have ETTR and RAW histogram/zebras.

Sounds interesting. But I have a dumb question (never used ML before). Where is the link to the actual firmware file for the DR "upgrade"?

ML's download site has the latest 7D firmware from Dec. 2012. I read the post and checked the .pdf... didn't see anything or links to the file in there.

You'll probably have to wait until someone releases a build for the forum, keep an eye out on the New Ports forum.

 

[tron]

Until a fully featured ML version is compiled and distributed for 5D3 (with 1.2.1 firmware) it is purely theoretical...

So you mean to tell me that this isn't practical without being able to use it with 1.2.1 firmware?
Well I must say as a 1.1.3 user, I appreciate and make use of their hard work on a day to day basis. So I could care less about being able to record through hdmi a horrible 1080 picture on another $800 device that is sold seperately.

Relax! I meant that it is not available yet (irrespective of firmware level)

 

[ehouli]

Wow, talk about keeping that 7D alive!

Just when I sold mine expecting Mk II next year...

if This claim made by ML it's doable and won't damage anything in the cameras in the future, makes me wonder if Canon is doing only half the work or if they are not investing in the best people.