5D M III - Firmware version...

[I.C.]

Hi all,

Few weeks ago I bought a 5D M III. Today I tried to install Magic Latern, but I failed. The firmware version of my camera is 1.3.3, and there was no ML installation file for this version. Then I visited Cannon's website to download firmware 1.2.3. I tried to install 1.2.3, but my camera said 'Firmware older than Ver. 1.3.0 is on memory card. Delete old file and update using later version.'. One thing I was surprised about is that there is no firmware 1.3.3 on Cannon's webpage. It is very strange that my camera is running 1.3.3 firmware.

I really need to install ML. Do you guys have any idea for me to install ML on 1.3.3 firmware, or to downgrade my firmware to 1.2.3?

[walter_schulz]

Surprised to see Canon made an effort to disable downgrading. Not that surprised to see a newer version not present on Canon's official site. Happens all the time: New cams sometimes have a new firmware installed and it will take some time to find it's way to the support file servers.
And cams going to repair/maintenance will get firmware updates, too. If wanted or not.

Therefore it would be fine if you give EOS Utility a try. There is a firmware update option via USB and it might be able to bypass this barrier. Please report results.

EDIT (paranoia mode): And I hope Canon didn't "lock the doors" for ML ...

[tron]

If they do not allow firmware downgrading it is practically the same as locking since the possibility of an updated ML is rather low.

[walter_schulz]

Let's see what EOS Utility is doing.

And what mindset are you on to tell such rumours. What infos do you have leading to such BS?

[tron]

I hope you were not referring to me saying BS as I have no intention to imply anything negative. I just feared that IF there is such a firmware we will wait for long until someone capable of ML programming ports it or by then a new 5D will exist and attention will shift to it.

[walter_schulz]

You wrote "since the possibility of an updated ML is rather low" and I'm calling this BS!

[tron]

Your response is BS! I tried to not be rude (although you are) but I cannot.

1. DO you have access to 1.3.3 firmware?

2. Is 5D3 ML updated lately?

3. I said rather low I did not say zero!

[senzazn12]

@Tron

It is just his personality. I thought he was rude before but he's just frank. But then again there are times where he can be a bit too much so I understand where you are coming from.

I remember I clarified to him one time that 72% NTSC color gamut covers 100% SRGB color gamut and he didn't respond back.

[skrull]

[HD Cam Team]

Hmmm... Canon disabling firmware downgrading doesn't look good in any way.

As far as I know it never happened before on 5D3, although I never tried to downgrade it either (I only know it did happen with 7D Mark 1)

We'll have to check carefully what they "improve" in this new firmware... And since the version is 1.3.3 and it even refers to "older than 1.3.0" when you try to downgrade it, it seems the engineering team has been working and testing many versions.

EDIT: Can someone with version 1.3.3 tell any difference in features with 1.2.3 on the Menus? Thanks!!

[anDyIII]

I was wondering if there is a way to edit the 1.2.3 original firmware masking it as 1.3.0 or 1.3.3. I think it should be easy to do, maybe we only need to change the version tag inside the code and compile the .fir. But for this we need help from a1ex because encription keys are needed, but I expect that Canon changed the encription from 1.3.0 version to avoid this workaround.

A1ex are you there? 

[silverface]

dosent look good unless canon has decided to put everything we love on this new firmware...hey canon!
or have they just upped the value of the older cams just as they run out of 5d mk3s just before they bring out 5d mk4 with no magic lantern to date...?

[I.C.]

I am downgrading the firmware to 1.2.3 using EOS utility. It seems to be successful, since I don't meet any message that prevents me from downgrading at the beginning.

Thank you all, especially for walter_schulz!

[dmilligan]

I was wondering if there is a way to edit the 1.2.3 original firmware masking it as 1.3.0 or 1.3.3. I think it should be easy to do, maybe we only need to change the version tag inside the code

That won't work, it's not just a matter of the version number. ML's functionality depends on calling functions in the Canon firmware. The addresses of these functions are found by reverse engineering the firmware dumps and are hardcoded into the ML source. With different Canon firmware versions these function address may change, so they have to be found again or ML won't function at all.

[walter_schulz]

I am downgrading the firmware to 1.2.3 using EOS utility. It seems to be successful, since I don't meet any message that prevents me from downgrading at the beginning.

That's a relief! Thank you for letting us know!
Can you tell us which EOS Utility version you used?
My paranoia mode is afraid Canon might deliver versions blocking such attempts in times to come ...

[anDyIII]

That won't work, it's not just a matter of the version number. ML's functionality depends on calling functions in the Canon firmware. The addresses of these functions are found by reverse engineering the firmware dumps and are hardcoded into the ML source. With different Canon firmware versions these function address may change, so they have to be found again or ML won't function at all.

I don't mean to do this to run ML on another firmware, but just try this trick to downgrade to 1.2.3. By the way... if EOS utility makes the downgrade successful, we don't need this workaround.

For who that want to downgrade from 1.3.3, before use EOS utility, why don't try to rename the .fir file as 5D300133.fir instead of 5D300123.fir?

[tron]

The real version may be included in the firmware and not in its name. And its internal integrity may be protected via a hash function (CRC, MD5, SHA)...

[baccinoluigi]

I tried to rename the firmware 123 with 133 and the checksum it is the same  maybe can work

[Walter Schulz]

[DeafEyeJedi]

Hilarious $#!T -- ROFL!!!

[Audionut]

OP's problem solved.