It lives! 5 year old $350 Canon 50D becomes raw cinema monster

[Andy600]

@TC - The devs have been trying to get 12 and 10 bit compression working but it seems like a dead end atm. One of the lead developers @g3gg0 has just confirmed there is no VFP in the Digic processor so it can't compute floating point calculations in hardware. The data rate is so high with raw that the CPU looks like it cannot handle the computations in software but they won't give up trying. I think it's safe to say that the ML team are masters at proving the impossible is possible.

[TC]

@Andy600  Thanks for the update.  That's a shame, but like you say, the ML team consistently underestimate their own abilities.  Here's hoping.

[Andy600]

@TC - I don't believe them when they say something can't be done anymore LOL. A1ex, g33go, 1%, Smeangol and co are working wonders. Huge respect to them for opening up such opportunities for us all.

[rommex]

... One of the lead developers @g3gg0 has just confirmed there is no VFP in the Digic processor so it can't compute floating point calculations .

 

But cutting off 2 or 4 bits has nothing to do with floating point calculations. For the processor it takes only to perform a byte-rotating command which is extremely low-resource consuming, as far as I remember from Asm programming. Squeezing 14 bits into 10 or 12 is much simpler than debayering or encoding for sure. So I tend to have big faith in this feature. Ml team really rock....

 

Now, let's beat some dead dogs here ))))

 

Andrew reported that on 5DM3 he can both: have the RAW stream recorded on CF card and have the HDMI feed transmitted to a monitor.

 

Is there any chance 50D could do smth like this?

 

Thanks! )

[Andy600]

@rommex - I will test HDMI while recording but I need to get a HDMI cable. I see no reason why it can't do it. Raw video recording doesn't invoke the H.264 encoder. The H.264 encoder is what interecpts the LV feed and reduces the camera LCD to standard def (or OFF when HDMI is plugged in) when recording. I think, as raw uses a different method, the feed should still be active (the HDMI feed is 720p btw).

Anyway, I'll let you know when it's tested :)

re: 14bit to 12 or 10bit compression. The devs have tried hard for the past week but haven't succeeded (yet). See this post: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=5601.msg40744;topicseen#msg40744

[rommex]

 I'll let you know when it's tested :)

re: 14bit to 12 or 10bit compression. The devs have tried hard for the past week but haven't succeeded (yet). See this post: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=5601.msg40744;topicseen#msg40744

 

Ok, it takes some time and patience )) THANKS!

[Oscar M.]

Josue Chaparro, on 26 May 2013 - 01:27 AM, said:

I'm a complete newbie, but what difference in image quality does 12bit vs 10bit make? I'm assuming that 10bit recording would take up less data…meaning the write speed of a CF card would be less demanding? Would you still get a 50d if you already had an MKIII?

As far as I know, there is a bit of a difference in quality from 14-bit to 10-bit (not a lot) but the savings in space is big. In 12-bit, the difference is minimal and you also get a good chunk saved in space. If the files are smaller, then the camera can write to card faster therefore allowing it to shoot in higher resolutions.

I would not pick the 50D over the MK3. The MK3 has many advantages and newer technology. But for those who are thinking about a lower end Rebel model and want to shoot RAW or if you want a cheap second RAW camera, I would encourage them to seriously consider the 50D.

[Julian]

Filled my 32GB card with anamorphic raw shots. 1280x960.. love it!

Here some previews, while I work on the files.

 

[url=http://www.eoshd.com/comments/gallery/image/517-magic-lantern-50d-cinema-camera-2x-anamorphic-preview/][/URL]

 

[url=http://www.eoshd.com/comments/gallery/image/518-magic-lantern-50d-cinema-camera-2x-anamorphic-preview/][/URL]

 

[URL=http://www.eoshd.com/comments/gallery/image/519-magic-lantern-50d-cinema-camera-2x-anamorphic-preview/][/URL]

[Oscar M.]

can i put canon fd glass on that camera?thanks!

 

I'm using a Minolta MD 28mm f1.8 glass with an MD to EOS adapter- the crop factor makes it about 40mm . . . 

[jlev23]

i like to feel like im update on all the dslr action going on, but i was just asked to shoot on the companies GH3 cameras rather than an EPIC i had booked for the job. the producer said " the owner has a fully ported GH3 that shoots 4k uncompressed"...

needless to say i was like what???

 

is this possible or can be true? i need to know before i knock it down.

 

thanks in advance everyone!

[Julian]

Bullshit. There would have been a million topics about it on this forum if that was even remotely true :)

 

I'm using a Minolta MD 28mm f1.8 glass with an MD to EOS adapter- the crop factor makes it about 40mm . . . 

 

I wouldn't suggest Minolta MD/MC or Canon FD glass on Canon EOS mount. It is 'possible', but only with adapters that have an optical element in side. This makes the image quality worse.

 

Safe options for Canon EOS are Nikon F and M42, lots of choice in both systems. Plenty other exotics work as well, Leica R and who knows what more.

 

Look at this table: http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/mounts-by-register.html

Canon EOS has a 44mm register distance. Every system that has a longer distance works. So everything that's below EOS in the list is adaptable in theory.

[Julian]

Moire can be pretty bad on the 50D:

 

[URL=http://www.eoshd.com/comments/gallery/image/520-canon-50d-raw-worst-case-scenario/][/URL]

 

Yuck :)

 

It's quite a worst case scenario though. This is the worst shot of all, many shots with lines/details aren't affected or just barely.

[Andy600]

That's quite severe but there is always the option not to shoot :D

I bet it would have looked worse in H.264 by a considerable margin.

Liking what I'm seeing in the other stills Julian :)

[Bruno]

Hey all,

Can anyone clarify about the live HDMI feed from 50D during RAW recording?

On ML site it says there is support for HDMI recorders but not HDMI monitors.... How is that?

The practical side of this question is: how can I review / playback during shooting. Clients do require that. Thanks for all the revolutionary research!!!

Seriously, why would you use a hacked old camera that shoots below 1080p res when working with a client? This is great news and very interesting as a curiosity, but that would be a quick way to lose a paying client.

[Julian]

To put the previous shot in perspective. Here's another one.

 

[URL=http://www.eoshd.com/comments/gallery/image/521-50d-no-moire/][/URL]

 

Shots with lots of lines/details can be pretty good. Bit of aliasing, but no nasty colour moire here.

[odie]

so would say the 50d is better than the 5d mark ll for video?

[Julian]

You can find plenty of 5DII footage/tests on vimeo or the magic lantern forum.

The 50D sure is cheaper and does higher resolutions. Would have to do a 1vs1 test to make sure which one is 'better'.

 

I have only one fast card for ML, testing 1vs1 is boring and time consuming. Have to swap firmware and card.. etc. Might do a very simple 1vs1 shot later. Busy with my anamorphic shots now. I already made my choice, bought the 50D, just because it's damn cheap.

[rommex]

Seriously, why would you use a hacked old camera that shoots below 1080p res when working with a client? This is great news and very interesting as a curiosity, but that would be a quick way to lose a paying client.

 

Bruno, there are different Clients. Also, if the ML release becomes stable, I don't see any reason not to shoot paid projects. Anyway, the question remains and hopefully someone will answer soon. Cheers...

[Julian]

Finally! Graded, exported, edited, uploaded...

http://vimeo.com/67023056

Details on Vimeo. Make sure to download the original file.

 

/Edit: By the way.. you might notice some skipping frames, that's probably my fault with making the image sequences. Had some trouble with that... I didn't experience frame skipping during recording.

[Sfernald]

Finally! Graded, exported, edited, uploaded...

http://vimeo.com/67023056

Details on Vimeo. Make sure to download the original file.

 

/Edit: By the way.. you might notice some skipping frames, that's probably my fault with making the image sequences. Had some trouble with that... I didn't experience frame skipping during recording.

 

Skipping looks pretty bad. I noticed it at once. Are you sure it's not the camera doing it? Maybe that resolution is just too much for the 50D?