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Turn Your Point-and-Shoot into a Super-Camera
Posted by Adam Pash at 2:00 AM on May 7, 2008
If you're using a consumer grade point-and-shoot Canon digital camera, you've got hardware in hand that can support advanced features way beyond what shipped in the box. With the help of a free, open source project called CHDK, you can get features like RAW shooting mode, live RGB histograms, motion-detection, time-lapse, and even games on your existing camera. Let's transform your point-and-shoot into a super camera just by adding a little special sauce to its firmware.
What is CHDK?
The Canon Hacker's Development Kit, aka CHDK, is a firmware enhancement that supports an impressive array of Canon digital cameras. I emphasise the enhancement aspect of CHDK because the tool is non-permanent and non-destructive, meaning that you load it onto your camera whenever you want to use it; CHDK makes no changes to your camera, and turning it off is simply a matter of restarting your camera. Installing CHDK involves copying a couple of files onto your camera's memory card; permanently removing it from your camera entails deleting those files. It's simple and powerful (sort of like hacking your router firmware) but even easier.What Can CHDK Do For Me?
Now that you're convinced that CHDK is easy to install and use, let's consider what makes it worth doing so. From the CHDK wiki: (Pictures below of CHDK in action also from the CHDK wiki, since I have only one camera and it's the one running CHDK.)
Enhanced Image Capture: CHDK supports RAW format for pictures (in addition to JPEG), longer recording time and length for videos (up to 1 hour or 2GBs), and several new compression options.- Additional Information On-Screen: With CHDK, you can customise your on-screen display to your heart's content, including worthwhile information like remaining battery life, histogram, depth of focus, and more.
- Additional Photographic Settings: CHDK takes many of the features already available on your camera and gives you way more options, including longer exposure times (up to 65 seconds), faster shutter speeds (1/25,000 sec or faster), automatic bracketing of your photos, and more.
Support for Small Programs/Scripts: CHDK can run small scripts that will allow your camera to perform a set of actions based on the conditions of the script. Tonnes of scripts are available, and they provide functionality like motion-sensing photography (which reportedly works for lightning strikes) and unlimited interval time-lapse photography (see video below).
Even better, CHDK is being actively developed, which means that new features are always on the horizon. There are actually several versions of CHDK in development, but the version we're going to focus on is called the Allbest build—a build that incorporates many of the best features available in other builds (get it?).
What You'll Need
To use CHDK, all you need is a supported Canon digital camera and an SD memory card. If you've already got a supported camera then it only follows that you've got the memory card, so you're already well on your way. Install CHDK
Even if your camera is listed as supported, you must know your camera's firmware version before you're ready to install CHDK. Here's how.
Determine Your Firmware's Version Number:
In order to determine your camera's firmware version, you need to create an empty file on your computer calledver.req (not ver.req.txt), and copy this file to the root directory of your SD card. On Windows, for example, you could right-click your desktop, select New -> Text File, and then rename the untitled.txt file to ver.req. (Windows Explorer should be set to show extensions.) Alternately you could create an empty text file in Notepad, click File -> Save as, name the file ver.req, and save it as type All files. If your digital camera supports disk mode (i.e., if it shows up on your computer with a drive letter or as a mounted drive), all you need to do is create the empty ver.req file and copy it over to the very first level of the drive. If your camera does not support disk mode, your best bet is to stick your SD card in a reader and then copy ver.req to the card. Finally, if your camera doesn't work in disk mode and you don't have an SD card reader, a program called the uploader is available. (Search for it on the linked page.) This program is supposed to address this problem. (I haven't tested it, but it's supposed to upload files to cameras that do not appear as a disk.)
After you've copied the ver.req file to your camera, determining your firmware version is simple. Just turn your camera on (in review mode, not in camera mode), press and hold Function/Set (FUNC. SET on my camera), then press and hold the Display (DISP) button. Your camera should flash information on the screen, including text that looks something like this:
Firmware Ver GM1.01B
The 1.01B part is your firmware version.
Download and Install the Appropriate CHDK Files:
Now that you've got your camera's firmware version, you're ready to see if it can run CHDK and then go ahead with the installation. If you want to go with the Allbest build on your camera, head to the download page and find the build that matches both your camera and your firmware version. For example, my camera is a Canon SD1000, firmware version 1.01B, so the file zip file of Allbest I download looks like this:allbest-ixus70_sd1000-101b-50.zip
You may also want to check out the firmware comparisons page to see which CHDK builds will support your camera's firmware version. If your camera is supported but your current firmware is not, you can download an official firmware update from Canon so that you're using one that is.
Once you've downloaded the proper build, you'll unzip a folder containing at least two files—one called BOOTDISK.BIN and another called PS.FIR. All you have to do now is copy those to files to the root of your camera's SD card, again either by dragging them to the top level of your camera in disk mode, through a card reader, or using a program like the uploader mentioned above (though there are special steps for Mac users).
Now that you've installed CHDK, all that's left is to fire it up and try it out. As I said, CHDK is non-destructive to your current firmware, so if you just turn on your camera you won't notice anything different. You have to run CHDK each time you want to use it. Here's how:
Run CHDK on Your Camera
Again, turn your camera on in review mode. Now hit the Menu button and head all the way to the bottom of the menu options, where you should now find a Firm Update... option (if this isn't there, either CHDK isn't correctly installed or you didn't start in review mode). Hit SET on Firm Update and you'll be asked to confirm a firmware update. Select OK and your camera will load CHDK, you'll see a splash screen telling you that you're using CHDK, and then you'll likely see a few more bits of info on your onscreen display. You're now running CHDK.
How to Use CHDK
Before you start using CHDK's many features, you'll need to understand the new key settings and shortcuts for operating with CHDK. The important thing to know is that even with CHDK running, your camera works the same as always under normal conditions. Your buttons do the same thing as always, with the exception of one—either the direct print button or the user selectable button. This will put your camera into what the CHDK documentation refers to as ALT mode. When you're in ALT mode, your camera's keys take on new meaning. Here's a rundown of the most important (you can see more on the CHDK wiki): - Toggle RAW: ALT mode + (+/-) key for A-series cameras; ALT mode + FUNC for S-series; ALT mode + ERASE for G-series
- Open Main Menu: ALT mode + MENU
- Toggle Histogram: ALT mode, then Half-press shutter + Up
- Toggle CHDK On-Screen Display: ALT mode, then half-press shutter + Right
The best way to get to know CHDK is to play around with the menu to get a feel for what it has to offer. (Be sure to check out Games under Miscellaneous stuff for a quick round of Reversi.) If you've never used some of the more advanced functionality on other cameras, it may seem daunting at first, but with a little effort you'll likely learn to love your camera's new features. And don't worry, if you ever tweak CHDK to a point that you're not happy with it but you don't know how to undo what you've done, you can just reset all of the options. If CHDK ever freezes and you can't turn it off, just pop out your camera's batteries and restart. Everything will be back to normal.
Extra Scripts and Other Goodies
Now that you're running CHDK, you may want to test out its scripting capabilities. As I mentioned, CHDK runs scripts written in a shorthand version of BASIC called UBASIC. If you're interested in coding scripts, you can get started here and here. Most of us, however, just want to use scripts.To do so, first you need to find and download a script. There are tonnes of user submitted scripts to choose from, so just find one you like—such as a motion detection, unlimited interval shooting, or high-speed shutter and flash sync script—and download it to your computer. Installing the script for CHDK to use is a simple matter of moving it to your SD card in the CHDK/SCRIPTS/ folder.
To activate a script, open the Script menu (ALT mode + FUNC on my camera), navigate to the scripts folder, and select the script. To execute the script (i.e., to run it), just press the Shutter in ALT mode.
Automatically Running CHDK
Once you've gotten comfortable with CHDK, you may want it to load automatically whenever you turn on your camera. The CHDK wiki explains how.I'm new to CHDK, so if you've been playing around with it since we first posted about it or longer, share your experience in the comments.
Adam Pash is a senior editor for Lifehacker who enjoys a good firmware upgrade, from hacking routers to digital cameras. His special feature Hack Attack appears every Wednesday on Lifehacker AU.
Tags: camera hacks | cameras | digital cameras | digital photography | feature | firmware | hack attack | hardware | photography | top | upgrade
Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
WMC
Posted May 7, 2008 11:37 AM
MaxGhost: 'dumped' doesn't mean there's no support for that model of camera. 'Dumping' refers to getting the Canon firmware off the camera so that the developers can work out how to make it work with CHDK.
In other words, if your camera has just been 'dumped', it means you can expect that it will work with CHDK in the near future. For example, my camera (the Ixus 60 / SD600) was dumped in April, and a version of CHDK that works with the camera was uploaded a few days ago.
Don Cotton
Posted June 30, 2008 4:24 AM
I have four SD1000 cameras so I can take pics for lenticular 3D. Three of the cams have different firmware versions so I am interested in updating them all. Unfortunately the links to the Canon firmware upgrade link to the SD100 cam and will not upload to my SD1000 cams. The Canon website contends that there are no firmware upgrades for the SD1000. So I'm stuck with using three different versions of CHDK. If you could help me find the current firmware upgrade for the SD1000 I would be ecstatic. Thanks.
Kepper
Posted 2:57 AM 7/5/08
Does anyone know what minimum Canon product family is supported for this? For example, I have a Powershot A85, which is an older camera. Is there some version of the Powershot that has extra electronics installed to allow firmware upgrades? I hope i'm not confusing anyone.
Thanks.
Kepper
chucklebuck
Posted 2:54 AM 7/5/08
I have a Powershot A560. I've played around with this some and it definitely has a ton of features, a great many of which I don't have the knowledge to make full use of. I haven't gotten the super high speed shutter to work right yet (at least not that I can tell), but I'm going to keep trying to see what I come up with. One great feature is something they call a "zebra map" that lets you see what parts of your framed shot are likely to be over and underexposed at the current settings. Very handy.
chucklebuck
Adam Pash
Posted 2:53 AM 7/5/08
"The camera was excellent anyway but the ability to shoot RAW and see battery condition etc is superb."
@JBUK: Agreed—for me the battery indicator alone is worth the effort.
Adam Pash
JBUK
Posted 2:52 AM 7/5/08
Oh, and BTW, the S5IS users forum ( www.s5users.com ) was invaluable in terms of advice etc in getting this up and running on my camera. Thanks a million to the two developers.
JBUK
JBUK
Posted 2:49 AM 7/5/08
I have the Canon S5IS (bought in US) and downloaded this some 3 weeks ago. It is staggering the difference in specification. The camera was excellent anyway but the ability to shoot RAW and see battery condition etc is superb. Why Canon don't involve themselves in this project I don't know.
JBUK
AKthe47
Posted 2:42 AM 7/5/08
I must be the only one laughing at the fact that you can now play games on your camera.
What's next, a joystick controller for your Canon PowerShot SD1000?
Gives new meaning to the 'point and shoot' factor.
AKthe47
aidan_cage
Posted 2:34 AM 7/5/08
@Bill Clark: agreed. it seems familiar, and I remember being upset that my SD 750 wasn't ported.
aidan_cage
davelawrence8
Posted 2:26 AM 7/5/08
I just ordered a new Canon SD750, and I was concerned about the lack of a battery life indicator. The wiki says only SD700 is supported. I wonder if it means 7x0 series?
davelawrence8
L0neRanger
Posted 2:23 AM 7/5/08
I was literally praying for my Camera I just bought to be in the list of supported cameras. And its there. I don't have it yet but as soon it comes this is the first thing I'm going to do.
By the way its a Canon PowerShot A720 IS
L0neRanger
portobello_man
Posted 2:22 AM 7/5/08
Gah! I have an old A400 I was looking forward to trying this with... but its not supported :(
portobello_man
Adam Pash
Posted 2:22 AM 7/5/08
"This same topic was covered less than a month ago... what gives?"
@Bill Clark: This is a much more in-depth look at CHDK. We're not trying to duplicate ourselves or pull the wool over anyone's eyes (I linked the original post in the article). But when we find something particularly great, like CHDK, we like to give it the full feature treatment so that hopefully people have a better understanding of what it is and how to use it.
Adam Pash
NameGoesHere
Posted 2:20 AM 7/5/08
Awesome - I'm trying this later too.
NameGoesHere
rockstarjoe
Posted 2:20 AM 7/5/08
Thanks for the extended instructions! I am really excited to get this working on my camera. Tried it once but couldn't get it to work, but I was kinda flying blind.
rockstarjoe
DocGratis
Posted 2:14 AM 7/5/08
Excellent.. I have been meaning to try out shooting RAW... now I just need to download the firmware...
(once I check what version Cannon my camera is...)
very helpful stuff...
DocGratis
Bill Clark
Posted 2:14 AM 7/5/08
This same topic was covered less than a month ago... what gives?
[lifehacker.com]
This seems to be happening more and more lately...
Bill Clark
strider_mt2k
Posted 2:13 AM 7/5/08
WOO HOO!
A540 1.00b!
I'm all over this when I get home tonight.
THANKS!
strider_mt2k
JBUK
Posted 3:34 AM 7/5/08
Bosskev - I understand your pain! I have, for many years (30+) been a Minolta man and indeed own an early Dimage 7. But, as you may know, Minolta decided to step away from the camera business and so my lenses etc now gather dust.
JBUK
JBUK
Posted 3:30 AM 7/5/08
Kepper - BTW I still have my Powershot A20 - heavy but still useable!
JBUK
JBUK
Posted 3:27 AM 7/5/08
Hi Kepper, I'm no expert but there appears to be two generic software downloads for the Canon cameras and that is determined by the DIGIC chip (11 or 111). So those with the forerunner to the s5 (S3) have had this "upgrade" for several months now - theirs is a DIGIC 11. The S5 users (DIGIC 111) have only just had this "upgrade" since April. I've tried to find what chip the A85 uses but with no joy (I guess it may be an earlier chip). However as no change is made to the camera it may be worth going through the process for a DIGIC 11 chip to see if anything happens. At worst you just have to format the SD card to get back to where you were.
JBUK
superbryant88
Posted 3:24 AM 7/5/08
This was in an issue of popular science a while ago seems pretty cool....to bad I have a Pentax
superbryant88
FizzyPopMan
Posted 3:17 AM 7/5/08
This looks great... but sadly my 5 year old Elph/Ixus v3 isn't supported in the list. Having checked the wiki...it would appear (as a general rule of thumb) that most cameras with an SD card are supported, but older ones (with a CF card) are not. If in doubt you should check of course!
BTW. In case anyone is wondering, there's no such place as 'Lufbra'. It's the video authors friendly terminology for Loughborough. [en.wikipedia.org]
FizzyPopMan
bosskev
Posted 3:16 AM 7/5/08
In the last year or so I have purchased a couple of higher-end point'n'shoots for my non-professional photography. The number one feature requirement: the ability to shoot RAW (with its ability to capture better highlight details). This meant Canon's S5 and G7--either of which would have been probable purchases--were eliminated from any consideration. I ended buying other brands.
Are you listening, Canon? Do you care?
bosskev
qpease
Posted 3:14 AM 7/5/08
Hey, thanks for this in-depth look at CHDK. I have been using it on my Canon SD 850 for weeks now and love the features. I had to do some searching to find the correct firmware though. All I can think is that I am so glad a bought another Canon.
qpease
CYG
Posted 3:12 AM 7/5/08
Thanks for this guide. Will be trying it soon. I have an SD700 so it should work fine.
CYG
Corrupted_Data
Posted 3:11 AM 7/5/08
When will this be developed for Nikon?! Is there anything out there?
Corrupted_Data
theblackdog
Posted 3:10 AM 7/5/08
Nice, now when will one be made for Sony cameras?
theblackdog
Kepper
Posted 3:09 AM 7/5/08
@JBUK:
Oh.. I didn't know that... I assumed it was a firmware upgrade a la OpenWRT.
I should RTFA more closely.
Thanks, again.
Kepper
Kepper
Posted 3:08 AM 7/5/08
@JBUK:
Thanks, JBUK. I had already done that, but the A85 wasn't there. However, there are Powershot models listed, which is the basis for my query.
Kepper
JBUK
Posted 3:07 AM 7/5/08
BTW this is NOT a firmware upgrade - the software runs from the SD card which is made bootable. You have to lock the card but it still accepts photo data etc.
JBUK
JBUK
Posted 3:05 AM 7/5/08
To Kepper - try [chdk.wikia.com]
for list of supported cameras.
Good luck!
JBUK
lrice
Posted 3:56 AM 7/5/08
I've got it working on my S5IS. One important step I don't think was mentioned above: you have to LOCK the SD card, or the software won't load. Yes, you can still store images on the locked card.
It's a truly amazing, useful hack!
lrice
sirfice
Posted 3:46 AM 7/5/08
i would really love some instructions on how to get the dynamic range shooting to work.. i can get it to do the shots, but when i import into photoshop it never works..
sirfice
reclusivemonkey
Posted 3:38 AM 7/5/08
I would really love to get this working on my A650 but I just don't have any luck making my SD card bootable (as is needed for that model). I've spent hours going through all the Mac instructions but just don't seem to be able to do it. Anyone got any pointers?
reclusivemonkey
milrtime83
Posted 4:24 AM 7/5/08
@davelawrence8:
Looking at the For Developers section: firmware 1.01a is technically in beta but basically done and there is someone currently working on 1.01b and 1.02a
milrtime83
DWHarrison
Posted 4:12 AM 7/5/08
@Kepper:
"Powershot" is just a marketing brand; these cameras vary considerably internally, and CHDK needs to be modified for each. I would expect that older cameras like yours *could* be done, but there just isn't as much demand for it, so it hasn't gotten done.
DWHarrison
holymogwai
Posted 4:02 AM 7/5/08
@Bill Clark: Gotta make the post quota...
holymogwai
DWHarrison
Posted 4:02 AM 7/5/08
@bosskev:
The G7's replacement, the G9, does indeed have RAW built right in, so Canon clearly did listen on this issue. On other issues, maybe, not so much... :-)
DWHarrison
Kepper
Posted 4:00 AM 7/5/08
@JBUK:
Cool. Thanks again, JBUK.
Alas, i'm afraid mine is a CF, not SD. From what i'm reading, that seems to be a key (although you would think memory is memory regardless of what type it is). Anyway, i'm no hardware expert either. I will sit on my hands in case support for the A85 is thrown my way.
Kepper
geckospots
Posted 4:47 AM 7/5/08
That is really, really neat!
I wonder if there is anything similar for Olympus point and shoots... I've got a tiny little Stylus that I would love to do more with.
geckospots
jMaier
Posted 4:45 AM 7/5/08
As a current Allbest firmware user, all I can say is that is wonderful firmware gave my little camera a new life.
jMaier
mrknowitall
Posted 4:35 AM 7/5/08
CHDK is great. I use it all the time on my S3.
BUT...the raw feature is NOT all that it's cracked up to be. You are only getting 10-bit data from a SMALL sensor. It is not (at all) like getting a 12-bit raw file from a DSLR. Sure, there is a SMALL amount of extra dynamic range, but don't count on pulling shadows and saving blown highlights. You can only do so much with a 10-bit file. Raw does certainly allow you to adjust the white balance easily. Just don't expect it to more than the tiny 10-bit sensor allows.
mrknowitall
Raydancer
Posted 5:01 AM 7/5/08
I was able to get this running on my Canon, but could never figure out how to get time lapse to work. Is a script necessary for that? And does the script have to be written for your camera in particular?
Raydancer
jeff303
Posted 5:31 AM 7/5/08
@JBUK: It's clear why Canon would not do this - profit. Like many electronics companies they need to differentiate their low and high end models somehow. This software works to blur that distinction so it reduces the value of higher end models.
jeff303
JesseOwl
Posted 4:14 AM 7/5/08
@Bill Clark:
Comment on Turn Your Point-and-Shoot into a Super-Camera What gives? We can't assume everyone reads the same stuff when you do. ;-) Cheers! --Erik, West Hollywood, CA
JesseOwl
bradr14
Posted 3:57 AM 7/5/08
The download for the SD870 IS doesn't include PS.FIR, only BOOTDISK.BIN. Help please!
bradr14
bosskev
Posted 6:20 AM 7/5/08
@jeff303: You make a valid point. However, I understand the rationale of "positioning" your products so that each finds a distinct market segment without diminishing sales of your other segments. What I am suggesting is that Canon (and others) are completely ignoring one entirely distinct market segment and are therefore losing untapped profits.
The market segment to which I speak is the pro/semi-pro/advanced amateur who will always use a DSLR as their primary gear for its uncompromised picture quality, BUT who also want--and will BUY as a second purchase--a pocketable point'n'shoot for informal/family/fun photography. I speak as such a person. I own a Nikon D3, but I sure as heck am not going to carry that beast with me casually. No, in addition to the D3, I also want a relatively compact G9-style body, but with image capture that is not unduly compromised by a silly, too-high-megapixel sensor (meaning severe limitations in both dynamic range and low-light performance). For my casual camera I freely admit I like and want an articulating LCD (and, honestly, wouldn't mind having it on my pro unit). And I also want advanced manual controls.
Do I need this hypothetical camera to replicate my DSLR in all aspects? No. But, to my knowledge, there is no current-model camera that comes close to fitting my second-camera needs.
bosskev
DWHarrison
Posted 6:17 AM 7/5/08
@jeff303: I'm not sure about that. Remember, as of this time last year, the count of Canon Powershot models with RAW was zero, while years ago most models had it. Why was Canon removing a feature across the board?
The answer, I suspect, is support costs. RAW is a risky feature in the hands of an average user. Make the wrong setting accidentally and your pictures become unreadable without special software. Given that most Powershot buyers don't know what RAW is and don't care, Canon must have decided it was safer to simply remove it - and then found out from the outcry over the G7 that it was used more than they thought, at least on the higher end models.
CHDK is actually a good solution for Canon, then, in that it adds RAW and other features with higher support costs, but only for those users who take the trouble to search it out and install it. Canon gets some sales increases (likely modest, though) without any of the support headaches.
DWHarrison
nealglatt
Posted 2:11 AM 7/5/08
This is one the most useful and fantastic posts for me in over a year. I am promptly installing CHDK tonight. Thank you!
nealglatt
JBUK
Posted 6:53 AM 7/5/08
bosskev, jeff303, DWHarrison. The costs involved in adding a menu of functionality has got to be minimal. Minolta did just this some years back and charged for the upgrade! That way those that valued the improvements enough paid for them. I, for instance, would be quite happy to "donate" to the CHDSK developers just as many others in this forum would. I suspect I would prefer to pay Canon for a more "professional" add on (no disrespect to the CHDSK developers).
JBUK
CuriousDan
Posted 6:49 AM 7/5/08
Not actually being a hack, but my cheap Canon Ixus 70 has replaced my DV camcorder because I got really tired of tapes. 640x480 converted to MPEG-2 is good enough for me and the Ixus is so small that it easily fits in any pocket, what can't be said about the camcorder.
CuriousDan
JBUK
Posted 7:19 AM 7/5/08
Sorry, that should be CHDK of course!
JBUK
Imhotep
Posted 7:02 AM 7/5/08
Holy crap! The guy/gal in the video drives CRAAAZY!
Imhotep
malnourish
Posted 7:33 AM 7/5/08
Cool. Is there anything like this for Sony cameras?
malnourish
MaxGhost
Posted 8:19 AM 7/5/08
From the updates section of their wiki - "(2008 04 12) A430 dumped."
Can anyone explain to me what this is supposed to mean? Why no more support for that model?
MaxGhost
Lurch89
Posted 8:13 AM 7/5/08
I have a question, and if it is somewhere in th comments I apologize for not reading all of them, but does anyone know the risks of putting this on my camera? I want to do this, it looks awesome and I'm a big supporter of open firmware (DD-WRT FTW!), but I'm worried about bricking the camera I put it on. Anyone have horror stories?
Lurch89
taybay
Posted 8:01 AM 7/5/08
Lifehacker got Slashdotted! woot woot!
taybay
sam1am
Posted 7:58 AM 7/5/08
The one thing my S2IS has always been missing is RAW. I've wanted to get into the HDR game for a while now, and now I can save myself from buying an expensive SLR.
I agree with another poster who said this is the most useful and bestest (more better than best) post I've seen here in a a really long time. Not that the other stuff isn't useful, but this is gold!
sam1am
Voyagerfan5761
Posted 7:55 AM 7/5/08
@davelawrence8: "The wiki says only SD700 is supported. I wonder if it means 7x0 series?"
I don't know. If anyone tries this on an SD750, let us know if it works. I'm not really in a position to try it right now, but I might at some point in the future if nobody else has posted results yet.
Voyagerfan5761
DeadlyDad
Posted 8:29 AM 7/5/08
You know, if your DIGIC II/III camera isn't currently supported, it isn't all that hard to dump the firmware yourself using the universal dumper and post the dump for someone to compile CHDK for your camera.
@sam1am: There are already an number of exposure bracketing scripts for HDR, and it is easy to roll your own. I pass mine onto a simple script for ImageMagick that puts them together for me, though there are lots of other ways to do it.
DeadlyDad
J. D. Harper (aka Blog Jones)
Posted 9:29 AM 7/5/08
@da5id_nz: I found the GUI program for Windows Case #3 to be ridiculously easy to use as opposed to the command line Case #2: Just insert the card, run the program, select the card, select "Make Bootable", close the program, slide the switch to "Locked."
J. D. Harper (aka Blog Jones)
da5id_nz
Posted 9:03 AM 7/5/08
@bradr14: This happened to me too and I posted about this on the last thread -
I found a fix on the help wiki. Go HERE and follow Windows Case #2 eg, download Bootable.zip, extract bootable.exe and put it on your SD card. Now you have to go to your SD card directory using a DOS prompt and run it, using the drive number of your SD card...eg, my card was Drive I - so I had to type bootable.exe I: It's all in the instructions there.
It will ask you if you're sure - type Y for yes.
After you've done this you can remove the bootable.exe program.
IMPORTANT - after you've done this, slide the little 'lock' slider on your SD card to lock it. This might seem strange, but the camera can still write to the card. If you don't lock it, it still won't work.
Let me know how you get on.
da5id_nz
anonymii
Posted 9:00 AM 7/5/08
I'm guessing this won't work with a micro SD card in an SD adapter? I don't get a firmware update option even with the card locked. A550, btw.
anonymii
DeadlyDad
Posted 11:01 AM 7/5/08
@sirfice: Here is a good tutorial on using the open source image editor GIMP to do 'contrast blending'. (i.e. poor-man's HDR) It requires a little bit of work, but gives a good result and doesn't cost anything.
DeadlyDad
kz26
Posted 10:52 AM 7/5/08
That. is. ridiculous. I mean, who ever thought it would be possible to hack a CAMERA? This is simply amazing.
kz26
DeadlyDad
Posted 10:43 AM 7/5/08
@L0neRanger: I don't know why I missed your post, but here you go!!! (If the rest of you are wondering if your's is supported, just Google cameramodel CHDK)
DeadlyDad
da5id_nz
Posted 1:03 PM 7/5/08
@J. D. Harper (aka Blog Jones): Thanks. I might try that next time. The DOS thing just seemed easier at the time; I didn't want to download any new program.
da5id_nz
Astos
Posted 1:48 PM 7/5/08
I've already hacked my PSP, now its time to move onto my Cannon powershot. Excellent article, thanks.
Astos Green lasers rulz
Astos
groale
Posted 2:11 PM 7/5/08
For the life of me I cant figure out how to enter ALT mode- what is my "shortcut button" on the S3 IS?
groale
mrknowitall
Posted 3:11 PM 7/5/08
Canon does not write the ISO values in the exif location where almost every piece of software expects it. To fix this, get your hands on 'Auto CHDK to EXIF v1.2'
This handy tool will also do a few other things for you:
It will update the exif data to reflect the override values (if any) selected in CHDK
It will also update the exif data to actual values (such as ISO 127 and 1/9 exposure) rather than rounded off values (ISO 100 aand 1/8 exposure) that cameras usually report
Then, to convert your raw files to .dng's, get DNG4PS-2. It will also copy the exif data from the .jpg and copy it over to the .dng files (because the raw files do not have any exif data)
mrknowitall
mrknowitall
Posted 3:00 PM 7/5/08
groale: it's the button on the back labeled with an 'S'
mrknowitall
egyptiansushi
Posted 3:43 PM 7/5/08
I just discovered this about three days ago, it's amazing.
I love that it tells you the exact percent of your battery.
My 'right' button has been broken for a while on my Powershot A540, and it sucked because I couldn't change a lot of options in manual mode, but this completely fixes it, because somehow they thought to (for no other reason than I can see except help people with a broken right arrow) make it so that the FUNC key acts as a right arrow. That saves me about a 60 dollar repair.
I also really like the bitrate options for the video-- putting it at .25x bitrate doesn't seem to experience any quality loss (why do Canon cameras always think that their video is so much better than it is?) and makes a minute long video 20mb instead of 500mb.
egyptiansushi
avantreese
Posted 3:59 PM 7/5/08
Oh and once I turn my camera off and back on I can no longer get to ALT mode.
avantreese
avantreese
Posted 3:54 PM 7/5/08
I was pretty excited about this until I tried it on my SD630. I can't get it to take a picture! It runs a script when I press the shutter button instead. The battery meter is also very unreliable, when it first came on it went from 38% to 28% in less than 5 minutes, but then when I switched to view and back to camera mode it was at 34% and immediately started dropping from there. My camera is also very hot now...
avantreese
Mandar Vaze
Posted 6:44 PM 7/5/08
@Kepper: CHDK is supported only on DIGIC-II and III processors. A85 has DIGIC-I processor (I think)
If it is any consolation, I too have A85, so even I am unable to enjoy CHDK goodies :(
BTW, A85 is an excellent camera. Been using it for over 4 yrs, dropped it once, it now has a dent, still working great. About an year ago, it developed some problem with CCD, but it was known issue, so Canon replaced the CCD for free !!!
It is going strong, and takes great photos, see for yourself at flickr
Mandar Vaze
ninjaviking
Posted 6:34 PM 7/5/08
@avantreese: ...and several others: do what the documentation tells you to: lock your SD card if you want the to boot into the modified firmware! It works! Having said that, this new firmware hasn't really changed my life! I'm more of a "point and shoot" guy do I don't really care about RAW formats or histograms... But I'm sure many people will find this useful!
PS: Lifehacker, come on, you've been reusing articles too often nowadays!
ninjaviking
Kepper
Posted 10:36 PM 7/5/08
@Mandar Vaze:
Yea, I'm a big fan of my A85. I like Canon in general and have used their products over the years without any complaint. My wife carries the A85 in her purse so we can have it handy when we need it. It gets banged and tossed a lot, but keeps on ticking.
Thanks to all for the info.
Kepper
z974647
Posted 10:58 PM 7/5/08
Wish there was one for Sonys! :-(
z974647
avantreese
Posted 12:42 AM 8/5/08
@ninjaviking, even if that worked, it still doesn't work :/ It's useless if I can't take pictures and destructive if my camera is over-heating
avantreese
fortis
Posted 1:21 AM 8/5/08
Still wondering is there anything for A510?
fortis
JBUK
Posted 2:38 AM 8/5/08
Lurch89 - don't know if your last question has been answered but there is no danger to your camera. The software is kept on the SD card and when you switch the camera on it runs from that software. If you remove the memory card or format it your camera will run from its own firmware as before. This is also confirmed by Canon.
JBUK
sirfice
Posted 2:26 AM 8/5/08
@DeadlyDad: got anything on how to use the firmware to do the bracketing? i know where it is, but i can't do the settings correctly.. all the snaps it takes are pretty much exactly the same.. pretty sure that's where the problem lies.. would be oh so grateful for some smarts there..
sirfice
whei
Posted 5:45 AM 8/5/08
Shooting in RAW is only meaningful if you plan to post-process your shots or otherwise you will just get 'raw' photos. And why do you need RAW files for HDR? You just need differently lit photos. Though you can't adjust aperture isn't there a manual mode on point and shoot cameras too, so you can adjust at least shutter speed and ISO.
If I owned a point and shoot camera and not a DSLR, I would get this firmware defintely a try. I darkly remember there has been a firmware hack for the Canon 300d that would give you some extra options. Sadly I don't know any open firmware for contemporary DSLR :-(
whei
DeadlyDad
Posted 5:42 AM 8/5/08
@sirfice: Check out the scripts repository for various ways to do bracketing. There is also a Completed and Working Scripts forum thread to check out.
(Note: You may have to tweak the supplied scripts to work properly with your particular camera. Fortunately, it isn't too difficult.)
DeadlyDad
cactuseater
Posted 1:45 AM 8/5/08
Seriously. Thank god there are smart people out there to invent sh*$ like this. This kind of stuff is exactly why I spend valuable work time w/lifehacker.
cactuseater
Akumu
Posted 6:11 AM 8/5/08
I have an SD1000, and I DO NOT have to lock the SD card, it worked perfectly fine without it...
and this is AWESOME! reversi and sokoban! on my camera! w00t! also, the battery indicator and the rest of the features, like zooming while taking pictures (though, it doesnt refocus once you zoom in...)
Akumu
knamiproko
Posted 7:16 AM 8/5/08
I tried it on my SD630, found the proper firmware here, thru a Google search (my firmware was 1.00A)
[grandag.nm.ru]
BUT i can't seem to read the RAW files in Photoshop or Lightroom. Does anyone know what you have to do to be able to read these files on a Mac?
knamiproko
knamiproko
Posted 8:21 AM 8/5/08
ooh ok i got it!
First of all i downloaded the wrong firmware... fixed that.
Now it seems to work regardless if i have the SD card locked or not.
And i had missed the bit about having to convert your RAW files for use in Lightroom and others. I found a Mac program called DNG4PS-2 (catchy!) that seems pretty straight-forward and fast:
[spebbe.googlepages.com]
Now i'm moving on to getting CHDK to auto-load so i don't have to load it everytime i turn the camera on.
lovin it now!
knamiproko
mrknowitall
Posted 9:43 AM 8/5/08
@knamiproko: you must lock the card to boot directly into CHDK
mrknowitall
Mindstyle
Posted 2:58 PM 8/5/08
This is amazing stuff. I have been playing with this since I read this article but honestly, its not so easy for non-geeky brain. Many user scripts say that its self-explanatory but no, its not. I have been playing with "Yet Another Accurate Intervalometer" and don't understand how I should set this script up. All the time it says is, 'Set Drive Mode'? I will play around before posting to their only "Developmental" (and not user) forum.
Mindstyle
SonicJ
Posted 10:16 PM 8/5/08
I am so installing this on my powershot a550 when I get home.
SonicJ
onlycodered
Posted 2:45 AM 9/5/08
Holy crap, this is amazing!! Now my A560 can actually do some of what I want it to do! This is definitely the best post so far this year!
onlycodered
SixFifty
Posted 3:46 AM 9/5/08
@Imhotep: I believe he is cycling, wish I had the stamina to do that.
I have a Canon A640, I can use it ^.^
SixFifty
heartbun
Posted 10:54 AM 8/5/08
I am confused. I downloaded the allbest-s5is-101b-50.zip for my S5IS, but the zip has only the BOOTDISK.BIN file. It does not have the PS.FIR file. The S5IS download files are smaller than the S2 or S3 zips. Am I missing something?
allbest-s2is-100e-50.zip 229052
allbest-s2is-100f-50.zip 229055
allbest-s2is-100g-50.zip 229065
allbest-s3is-100a-50.zip 232778
allbest-s5is-101a-50.zip 81570
allbest-s5is-101b-50.zip 81579
heartbun
edythe
Posted 4:08 PM 7/5/08
if you have a PowerShot A720 IS, the allbest that is listed won't quite work... after hunting around, I had to e-mail one of the guys. His response was very prompt, though. :)
edythe
SatyakiDaimon
Posted 2:13 PM 7/5/08
Comment on Turn Your Point-and-Shoot into a Super-Camera Aw. No love for the SD600. =(
SatyakiDaimon
TPC_
Posted 12:21 PM 7/5/08
@davelawrence8:
Right now only the 1.01b version of the SD750 is supported by CHDK... I'm the guy that ported it (with the help of the CHDK community, of course). I'm currently working on porting other versions of the SD750.
More info here:
[chdk.setepontos.com]
TPC_
piesforyou
Posted 2:34 AM 10/5/08
fantastic!!! :D
piesforyou
piesforyou
Posted 3:09 AM 10/5/08
Things seem to be a bit more complicated for the A720. Checkout this:
[forums.dpreview.com]
piesforyou
piesforyou
Posted 3:03 AM 10/5/08
Hmm, as far as I can see, all the A720 builds are missing ps.fir files. :(
What exactly is that file? Can I get it from somewhere else?
piesforyou
UlyssesSharan
Posted 10:28 PM 9/5/08
Comment on Turn Your Point-and-Shoot into a Super-Camera I'm using a Canon SD1000, firmware 1.01A. Couldn't find a firmware upgrade so I downloaded the CHDK for firmware 1.01B. Everything loaded as the directions said they would. I have all indications that everything is there and working as it should. However, when I toggle to the RAW mode, I get no in focus indication (green square), and the shutter will not fire. Based on this, can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong? Maybe there is something else that needs to be configured that I have missed? Thank you for reading this and hopefully someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong. Tony
UlyssesSharan
SadgatiAegyptus
Posted 5:52 PM 9/5/08
Comment on Turn how come i cant install in s5 is??? in the zip, just only have one file, is it work on s5 is？ would you mind check it?? Regards, THX
SadgatiAegyptus
piesforyou
Posted 3:29 AM 10/5/08
OK Ive gotten it working, for those of you with an A720 IS.
I used StereoData Maker build. Download that, put the files (DISKBOOT.BIN, DCIM and CHDK folders) in the root of your memory card. Then download bootable.exe [ewavr.nm.ru]
Run bootable.exe from a cmd box. ie. C:\bootable.exe H:
(sorry non-windows users :P)
(my memory card was H, use whatever yours is). Say Y for yes. Now your memory card is bootable. Take it out of your card reader, put it in write protection mode, slip it in your cam and turn your cam on in review mode. If it worked, you'll get a splash screen. Now switch to shoot mode and PLAY!
Apparantly some people have reported bootable.exe not working for their card. If so read the link in my previous post for another way of making it bootable.
piesforyou
mD3m4r415
Posted 10:27 AM 10/5/08
is there anything like this for kodak cameras??
mD3m4r415
Otto-Reimer
Posted 7:43 AM 11/5/08
ok, I have a SD1000 like you, it get the splash on firm update.
Where is the user selectable button?
Which button is that to put it in alt mode?
Otto-Reimer
hummer010
Posted 12:30 PM 8/5/08
@avantreese - You need to take the camera out of alt mode to take pictures. Any settings you make while in alt mode will persist when you leave alt mode to take pictures.
And the heat thing - there is a recall for some canon cameras regarding a short in the battery door, I'm not sure if it applies to yours.
hummer010
AnthonyCassowary
Posted 10:45 AM 8/5/08
Comment on Turn Your Point-and-Shoot into a Super-Camera I am confused. I downloaded the allbest-s5is-101b-50.zip for my S5IS, but the zip has only the BOOTDISK.BIN file. It does not have the PS.FIR file. The S5IS files are smaller than the S2 or S3 zips. allbest-s2is-100e-50.zip 229052 allbest-s2is-100f-50.zip 229055 allbest-s2is-100g-50.zip 229065 allbest-s3is-100a-50.zip 232778 allbest-s5is-101a-50.zip 81570 allbest-s5is-101b-50.zip 81579
AnthonyCassowary
Caseydog
Posted 10:16 AM 8/5/08
Im a Mac user, how do I gewt my Canon SD1100 to mount onto my Desktop?
Cheers
Caseydog
tanvach
Posted 8:09 AM 12/5/08
Did anyone notice the weather in the video was completely grey wet and miserable most of the time?
tanvach
vrcat50
Posted 11:30 PM 8/5/08
will this ever support the a95? I really would love to use this program.
vrcat50
treble.helix
Posted 10:29 AM 12/5/08
anything like this for kodak?
treble.helix
juicymixx
Posted 11:36 AM 9/5/08
@bradr14
and @heartbun
PS.FIR isn't included in some downloads.
Follow the tinyurl to answer the question:
"There's no PS.FIR file in the CHDK download for my camera. What do I do?"
[tinyurl.com]
juicymixx
swexegete
Posted 1:24 AM 8/5/08
Yes, "avantreese and others." as I read through the doc again last night, I realized that this is the reason the wiki talks about making the firmware autoload whenever we turn on the camera. But, frankly, the explanations about that and about using the lock were never clear enough to me from the wiki to make the connection. Without the autoload, we have to go through the "start in review mode, press Menu, scroll down to 'Update Firmware', execute it, switch from review back to shooting mode" process every time we power on, to make the ALT available. D'oh....
swexegete
swexegete
Posted 4:54 PM 7/5/08
I downloaded the CHDK for my S3 IS weeks ago, and have tried to poke at it repeatedly since then. Same problem that avantreese reports -- turn it off, and back on later, and ALT mode is gone (and the default ALT button, and also the one I tried changing it to, do not get me to ALT state ever again without reloading the two files and reupdating the firmware.
swexegete
nekcih
Posted 10:35 AM 13/5/08
Works great on the SD 870 IS but only on standard SD cards. I can't get it to run unless I make the card bootable. The previously mentioned Bootable.exe works on SD cards but doesn't seem to work on SDHC. Has anyone had any luck making an SDHC bootable?
Also, you don't need the extra files for the 870 IS.
nekcih