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After unzipping the 5d2 NightlyBuild and the [downloads\20130913_5d2_Modules_f5c083059e9b].zip, I was somewhat surprised to see the file sizes of each of the .mo modules were different. My expectation was that they were the same files with the same file size. Also, I thought WinMerge would report them to be identical.

Is this expected? Is the difference more than just a time-stamp?

Also, I'm curious about:

• Why one .zip has ALL-CAPS for the file-names, and the other has all lower-case. With Windows o/s, I suppose it doesn't matter.
• What the .EN files are for in the cameras flash-card after ML has run. They seem to have zero length.
• autoexec.bin files were the same size, but WinMerge reported binary differences. Expected? Timestamp?
• Now that the NightlyBuild.zip has a complete set of modules.mo (including DUAL_ISO.mo), what is the purpose of the .zip from downloads?

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[Magic Lantern Best Practices:]

Magic Lantern Best Practices:
http://www.magiclantern.fm/bestpractices

Does a link to "Best Practices" actually exist, or has "bit rot" happened? I'd be interested in looking at a "best practices" thread / article if it exists (not just for T3)

I did a search for "best practices" and "bestpractices" and only got a hit on a T3-related thread above.

Something to consider for cr2hdr.exe:

• enhance so it is a better behaved command line executable
• accept /? to provide help / hints (or even mini-manual to explain usage)
• accept /v for verbose output, as applicable
• accept /q for quiet output
• accept *.cr2 wildcard (now accepts one file at a time from the command line, also "for loop")
• not stop if *.* includes .jpg's
• allow > of output to create log (now works for one file from CmdPrompt window)
• date-stamp and/or version number

Edit:

• This "for loop" seems to work fine from CmdPrompt window:  > for %c in (*.cr2) do cr2hdr %c
• If encounters non-dual-iso image (pebkac) that has full EXIF from EF lens, stops with message: "Doesn't look like interlaced ISO" and the "for loop" continues
• If encounters non-dual-iso image (pebkac) that doesn't have full EXIF from manual Samyang lens, stops with message: "Interfacing method not supported. ISO blending didn't work" and the "for loop" continues

BTW: would be nice if cr2hdr somehow could take advantage of multiple cores, instead of being single-threaded. I've got a 2600k with 4-cores + hyperthreading, and TaskMgr shows about 12% cpu utilization.

[Resolved]

I've got the Sep 1 nightly build, and attempted to read thru 37 pages of thread related to dual-iso, with links to a 52 page thread for raw-rec. Mea culpa, I guess I'm slow, but I'm baffled on how to get it to work.

I've got the raw_rec module loaded, and found what seems to be the ML menu item related to dual-iso:
* Video / HDR video (changed from default 100/1250 to 100/1600)

And then?

EDIT:
Almost resolved? See reply #5 of this thread below.  Turns out nightly build for Sep 1 (and others) didn't include DUAL_ISO.MO

As of Sep 10, it appears none of the nightly builds include DUAL_ISO.mo, for any of the DSLR's I checked (5d2, T3i, 5d3). However, for the 5d2, there will be a zip file with filename consisting of 12 random letters and digits that so far has contained all or most modules, including DUAL_ISO.mo (thanks tron). Look at the following link:
http://bitbucket.org/a_d_/magic-lantern/downloads.

Resolved: 5d2 NightlyBuilds now include latest/greatest DUAL_ISO.MO  (thanks!) 
.zip from /downloads not necessary (?)

Wow, not a single sample from 5D2?!

HA!.... i was right! Dual Iso running on my 5Dmkii... whooo,

is there a compiled 5d2 dual iso module I can test?

Can you explain how to use Dual ISO ...

Great job on Auto-ETTR, and the subsequent revisions to incorporate "Ignore highlight %" and "Clip None/Green/Any".

And again in the spirit of "let no good deed go unpunished" ...

Would it be possible to have an option that tweaked one or several ETTR related settings to be a "best guess optimal" to work well with ACR/LR's PV2012?

My limited understanding is that for least noise, and near-optimal dynamic range when working with PV2012, you want to find that exposure that blows out a certain number of pixels of one channel. Then, PV2012 can make a "best guess" for that channel, based on the other channels. Also, in many images, it may be ok to have 0.1% to 5%+ of the pixels be blown highlights, if the photographer is aware that the scene contains "specular highlights" like the sun, chrome bumpers, light bulbs, etc.

Or perhaps such capability would entail too much ... "it depends"?

Alright, now you have true RAW histogram and zebras. 5D2 only.

Very cool. Great work.

I remain Very Impressed that ML was able to "exceed expectations" on RawDigger-like info, leading to Raw Histograms, Ettr-Hint?, Auto-ETTR?, RawVideo?, whirled peas, etc.

And in the spirit of "let no good deed go unpunished" ...
Would it be feasible / appropriate to implement A)utomated H)DR + E)TTR together? The "user interface" would be how many activations in the bracket, and AHE would take the existing settings for ISO, f-stop, clip choice (green, none, any), ignore highlight choice (0% to 50%), etc., and determine the appropriate shutter speeds.

Or the end-user would supply the f-stop gap, and the AHE would determine the starting shutter speed, and number of brackets?

Note:
To me, ETTR is less of an issue with HDR, as you expect to have one or more images that are underexposed (blocked shadows but great highlights), and one or more that are overexposed (clipped highlights but great shadows). However, it can take time and/or trial-and-error to figure this out.

I would appreciate consideration of having a bracket / HDR sequence that was the same as an alternate sequence that I prefer on the Canon menu:
- (underexpose)
0 (medium exposure)
+ (overexposure)

With that sequence, the middle / medium exposure is likely to be about right, and the "triplet" will consistently go "dark to light". With panoramas, especially 360 degree FOV, I find that simplifies keeping track of separate "triplets".

And ... "while you are at it" (famous last words), how about giving some thought to "auto - ettr - hdr"? (separate feature request)

5d2 and 600d

I replaced 2013-June-11 nightly build with 2013-June-18 NB, and can no long find Auto-ETTR functionality (or other ETTR capabilities like "Hint").

Did I do something wrong? Something awry? Relocated?

Also, I noticed that the June 18 .zip download was quite a bit larger than previous .zip's. Also, that there weren't nightly builds for several days after June 12th.

This is really "out in left field" ... but based on what I've seen ML being able to do with Canon firmware, the mind boggles at what a similarly talented and passionate group of Canon gurus could accomplish with DPP (Digital Photography Professional).  Perhaps incorporate some or many capabilities of GIMP (which I haven't used)? With all kinds of info from .CR2 files for extra capability beyond ACR / LR?

FWIW: Adobe is in the process of radically changing their business model from s/w purchase to Creative Cloud subscription. There are a Lot.Of.Disgruntled.Adobe.Users.   Perhaps there is a "window of opportunity" for enhancements to DPP? My impression is that Nikon users can use a free version of CaptureNX, and I believe there is a much more capable version for sale ... NX2? NX3?

Or not?

I'm mostly ignorant about using video on my 5d2, but I thought ML team members might enjoy the following  ...

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/05/13/canon-magic-lantern-raw-video-canon-eos-5d-iii

references a glowing hands-on-review by Alex Reid:

http://www.eoshd.com/content/10324/big-news-hands-on-with-continuous-raw-recording-on-canon-5d-mark-iii

Sorry if this has been asked before.

When trying to install the May 13, 2013 Nightly Build, I'm getting the message:
Firmware update program
Update file cannot be found. Please check the memory card and reload the battery and try again.

When I unzip the v2.3.NEXT.2013May13, there is a 1100D-105.fir, but no .fir for the 5d2 within the zip. Should I reuse another .fir for the 5d2?

I've gotten the NB (nightly build) to work twice before on both my 5d2 and T3i, and each time had a problem like this. IIRC, the firmware doesn't report a Nightly-Build, but v2.3.  It's not a confidence builder. Obviously I'm doing something wrong, like leaving out a step. Or I shouldn't use the 5D2 in "Non Magic Mode" to format the CF card prior to installing the NB?

Should the NB .zip have a 5D2-212.fir in it? I've got one dated from 2012.July.23, which I think is from the Canon firmware update.

Or should I get the 5D2-212.fir from the v2.3 "Stable Release"? Which is also dated 2012-July-23. It does seem odd that the NB .zip has a .fir for only the 1100D. Is that "as expected"? Because it wasn't in the v2.3 Stable-Release? Or there haven't been firmware updates from Canon for the 1100D?

Sorry to be slow, but it is perhaps from an excess of caution to try something that could brick my 5D2. I really, really want to explore automated dot-tune and RAW histograms.

https://bitbucket.org/hudson/magic-lantern/src/tip/modules/ettr/README.rst?

Alright, now you have true RAW histogram and zebras. 5D2 only.

Very cool. Great work.

Would it be possible to have "Automatic ETTR" capability? It would perhaps select the maximum exposure that only blew out one of the RGBG channels. That would let ACR PV2012 do its magic at a near optimal level.

The photographer would obviously be responsible for not including a specular highlight, such as the sun or chrome, etc.

For my "use case" on panoramas, I'd pick a bright frame that excluded specular highlights, determine the suggested, automatic ETTR exposure from ML, and then set the camera on Manual with that exposure.

Alright, now you have true RAW histogram and zebras. 5D2 only.

I wonder if ML could figure out an appropriate HDR range of exposures automatically, especially now that RAW histograms are becoming possible.

I suppose an approach would be to figure out the exposure that accomplishes ETTR, then an exposure that accomplishes what could be thought of ETTL for the deepest blacks encountered in the frame. The overall histogram from the combined images would "fit" in a histogram, with no "spikes" on the left or right.

I've found the RawDigger utility to be very informative during post processing for taking a close look at whether one or more of the RGBG channels has been blown out.

IMO, A "Raw Histogram" or "RAW blinkies" would be a terrific addition to ML, but my speculation is that providing the maximum RAW value might be more do-able for ML developers, and provide much of the value.

For my 5d2, a blown channel seems to be indicated with any channel having a value of 14737. I'd appreciate something as basic (if possible) as something like:
MaxRAW=#####

[ML will reduce the green color cast]

From earlier post related to "RAW histogram"
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=3924.msg21395#msg21395

For now, the closest approximation is UniWB. ML will reduce the green color cast, it's not perfect, but better than nothing.

ML newbie using 2.3 on 5d2

I infer from the above, that ML has a way to use a UniWB custom WB, but to adjust the LCD display so that the green color cast is less of an issue.

Correct?

If so, how? This ML newbie hasn't noticed how this is accomplished.