The EOSHD 5D Mark III Raw Shooter's Guide - available now!

[nahua]

I've spent several days reading through the ML forums and a few other sites but still ended up with questions, mostly on the post end of things so I decided it was time to see what was in the guide. It's helped get me further faster on all levels. Yes you may still have to search for further answers but this guide helped me find them and the answers so much faster. I'm about to do a three day commercial shoot with the Mark III and trying to cram in as much learning as I can between other comittments. This helped bring things together and confirm my impressions and simply cut through a lot of the noise.

 

Price, let's look at this with a proper perspective. If a friend of mine helps me out, lends me gear whatever, I might buy them lunch. Cost $20. This blog has been one I visit constantly, you may not agree with everything on it but it would be dull if you did ; ). One thing I can't argue with is that Andrew and his posts have kept me informed and inspired. I have personally benefited from the hard work he has done here and generously shared. The post on CF cards got me to avoid Transcend cards and that savings alone is worth it. Support the man, you know it will go straight back into his passion ; ).

 

I found the sections on mb/s with various ratios a big help in my planning for the upcoming job and the LUT section brought a few things to my attention that I'd missed. 

 

Thanks Andrew.

I'm not going to criticize you Christopher, but anything that is a hack or similar needs a lot of research.  I would NEVER use this hack before I seriously tested it out.  Even with new equipment, it always is a good idea to test everything out.  This hack has many things you need to be aware of, and if you screw up anywhere it could mean loss of data.  I'd cringe at thinking I could read a book and then do a shoot the next day.  Just won't work.  Take the time to use the camera and gear first, and then understand the post process so you don't screw things up and make it more work.  I think too many people think it's plug-and-play, but this is far from it.  Maybe in a few months when they've ironed things out.  However, I would seriously consider testing everything before doing anything serious with it.  Good luck with your shoot.

[mtheory]

The ML does't need alot of research or time to test out, - about a day actually. It behaves 100% predictably within the same parameters and settings. 

[JonathanRCook]

I've had my 5D Mark III for over a year now and only recently heard about Magic Lantern allowing for Raw footage capture.  I've been researching online the past few weeks off and on about it.  It looks like this book would be perfect if I ever wanted to go down the Raw footage avenue.  I haven't installed ML on my 5D yet though.  I got a little hesitant after reading the disclaimers on their site about it possibly making your camera permanently fail.  But of course, my further research concluded that no one has had that actually happen yet.

 

Anyway, I do want to try out some Raw filming.  I'm just curious to know if there is a significant difference in quality.  I've watched videos edited with Raw footage online, but I've also seen regular footage online that seems to me like it just as good.  I haven't really done a side by side comparison or anything, but I have a new film project I'll be working on soon and if I can pump more quality into my footage by shooting Raw, I'd like to go that route.

 

Thanks!  Really glad I came across this site.

 

 

[PANDETTA]

Um I just brought the book via paypal. How am i going to get this book exactly?

[Andrew Reid]

Hi Dicky. It is a digital PDF download, and the email was sent as soon as you ordered. If you haven't got the email let me know and I will resend it. It goes to your PayPal email address.

[sw23]

Hi Andrew,

 

I've bought the book and want to thank you! It's very clear, up to the point and understandable written and it's nice to have all this info in one place! I'm happy that you brought this book out so early and a lot could be clarified.

 

Although, I'm not clear about audio recording which you mention in this book is possible. In the ML menu I only found audio recording under advanced frame controls (where the beep isn't available at all) and when I activate it, it says "Audio will be out of sync and must be recorded externally". So, could you tell me if it's possible or not?

 

Another thing, I haven't managed to get Cuda to run. I have the NVidia 250 gts. Are you aware if that is sufficient?

 

I'm also wondering about the issue of updates as I think there will be quite a few changes. For example, the new MLV (Magic Lantern Video) format which already allows file spanning on the CF and SD card and therefore allows much higher writing speeds (http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=7122.0) and dual iso which should be much better than the old ML HDR (as far as I've understood).

So, I feel that updates are very necessary if this book shouldn't be outdated once ML goes out of alpha and beta.

Of course, the majority of it will still be useful...

 

Anyway, I don't mean to criticize and am grateful for all of your efforts and with that I'm not just talking about this book.

[Andrew Reid]

Dual ISO isn't in the book because the quality isn't yet good enough for video. It is useful for stills but not video.

 

They took WAV audio out due to the sync issues. It will be back at some point I expect.

 

File spanning is already mentioned in the book. MLV as far as I know isn't yet implemented? Still a work in progress.

 

There's a few minor updates coming to the book. Existing customers will get the V1.1 emailed to them.

[sw23]

Thanks so much for the quick reply. Grateful, that there will be an upgrade!

 

In regards to my gpu, any advice?

[Andrew Reid]

For editing raw directly, you need an Nvidia chipset for Resolve. I recommend GTX 560 Ti minimum. 1GB+

 

If converting to ProRes or CineForm you don't need a fancy graphics card at all.

[sw23]

Thank you! So if I would import into Resolve but then render out proxies, edit in fcp or premiere and then

just do the grading in resolve, I would also need the fancy graphics card?

[Kays Alatrakchi]

Just uploaded a test I did trying to see how the 5D raw would compare to the BMCC and the ARRI Alexa.

 

You can watch it here:

 

https://vimeo.com/72566458

 

 

Feel free to repost!

[Andrew Reid]

Nice to see Alexa in same shoot as 5D Mark III raw. Promoting to blog post.

[tkealey]

Hey.. just ordered this as well and didn't receive a download link.  any help would be appreciated.

[Andrew Reid]

Sometimes emails can get lost or go into spam folders. I've emailed you with a new link. Cheers

[Damon Mosier]

I would like to point something out that I ran into and see if it has happened to anyone else.

Yesterday I installed the ML raw hack on our MkIII using your guide (thank you!). Then I went and did in-camera benchmark tests on our collection of 4 KomputerBay 64 GB CF cards. They all seemed to be up to spec so I went outside to shoot some test footage. Everything was recording to the card just fine.

Then I came back inside to download the footage but the computer I was on gave an error message about not being able to recognize the card. (iMac running Snow Leopard). I wasn't sure what caused this, so I popped a new card in, went outside to shoot, came back in to download, and had the same error.

Then I simply took a third card, without even putting it in the camera and shooting anything on it, and plugged it into a card reader on a different computer (same OS version). It also was unable to read the card.

I then realized that after benchmarking the four cards, I never reformatted them. I just started shooting with them. So I took the four cards, reformatted them on the computer using exFAT as suggested, and every one of them was able to record footage AND be recognized afterwards by the computer.

So as far as I can tell, one should reformat the CF card after doing the in-camera benchmark or you won't be able to download any footage on that card afterward. I saw no mention of this in the guide so I wasn't sure if this was isolated to me or if it has happened to others.

If it is not isolated, I would suggest adding a line to your guide letting people know NOT to shoot on a card after benchmarking without reformatting it first.

Thanks,
Damon

[Paolo Artuffo]

Hello! I'm a new forum member and not very experienced with english. I want to ask if this guide is correct also for canon 6d? thanks.

[mitdelay]

Hello Andrew, 

 

If you are doing an update on the guide anytime soon, I would love to have a section on dealing with audio recording, thanks!

[Pedr]

I'm interested in picking this up, but seems like it hasn't been updated in a year. 

 

Is it up-to-date w/ latest Canon firmware , ML version and features  etc?

[CrazyBanana]

Does the book content apply to the 5D Mark II as well, or are there significant differences? I have a 5D2, and wondering if I should buy the book.