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Make sure that in your regular Canon menu you have selected the CF Card as the write destination. In the tool menu check the "Record func+card/folder sel." item. For some reason when I changed the ML resolution to 1920x1080, it defaulted to the SD card and I initially got a write failure. When I changed the Canon menu to select the CF card as the write destination I was able to record RAW 1920x1080 with no dropped frames using a 64GB 1000x card that benchmarked at an average of 100 MB/s.

Also, (and this has been posted elsewhere) there is a nice Mac utility called RAW Magic for converting the ML RAW video file to a series of .dng images:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/tfur7aif2iic524/RAWMagic.dmg

I just got ML up and running tonight, so planning to test RAW recording tomorrow and will let you know. It does sound like a card write speed issue--see what the speeds are when you run the benchmark 5 min read write test (if I recall correctly it is in the ML Debug menu).

I don't recommend painting your camera--I don't think that will make a difference.

[DISCLAIMER: I am new to this, and am just reporting what worked for me. If you have problems or brick your expensive camera, you do so at your own risk!!!]

I have successfully loaded the latest ML build to my Canon 5d Mk III and I'm going to report my findings in as clear and complete a way as possible. It took a lot of trial and error, but I have a fully working camera with the latest build. This procedure is the result of many hours of digging though forums and websites, so I hope it helps others get through the process quickly.

DISCLAIMER: I am new to this, and am just reporting what worked for me. If you have problems or brick your expensive camera, you do so at your own risk!!!

1) Make sure your latest Canon 5d mk iii firmware is v1.1.3.
If not, you can get the firmware file here.

http://pel.hu/eoscard/

Use standard Canon Firmware Upgrade procedures to install it if you need to. Directions are here:

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/education/infobank/firmware/updating_firmware.do

and there is an instruction file included as part of the firmware updates downloadable from Canon's website:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/support/professional/professional_cameras/eos_digital_slr_cameras/eos_5d_mark_iii#DriversAndSoftware

(note: do NOT update your firmware to any version other than v1.1.3, the file linked to above is just to get you the instructions!)

2) Set the camera boot flag.

Download the file "5D3-113-bootflag.fir" located here:

http://www.cinema5d.com/seb/bootflag.zip

Put this on the root directory of an SD card (meaning the same place as the DCIM and MISC folders that will be on the card after formatting it in your camera). Insert the SD card into your Camera (make sure there is not a CF card in the camera as well) and follow the firmware update procedures. This will reset your camera's boot flag AND CANNOT BE UNDONE, so do this at your own risk (as everything!).

Turn off your camera, remove the SD card, and delete the "5D3-113-bootflag.fir" file from the SD card.

3) Get the files from the latest ML version for the 5D Mk III, located here:

http://builds.magiclantern.fm/jenkins/job/5D3.113/187/artifact/platform/5D3.113/magiclantern-v2.3.NEXT.2014Feb03.5D3113.zip

The unzipped folder should contain the ML folder (and its contents) and the autoexec.bin file. Copy these files to the root directory of the SD card (the contents of the ML folder should stay in the ML folder!). Your card will look like this:

<DCIM>
<MISC>
<ML>
autoexec.bin

4) Make the SD card bootable (PC Required)

I was NOT able to do this on a Mac using MacBoot. I could never get it to run and suspect it is very outdated. If you are running a Mac with Mavericks you will have to borrow a PC and use the EOScard.exe program. The program and process is located here:

http://pel.hu/eoscard/

Note that during this procedure, when I hit "refresh" as the on-line video tutorial recommends, the EOScard program downloaded the "latest" ML files to my SD card. I had to start over (because I didn't trust it to get the right files). I ran the program again, this time WITHOUT hitting the Refresh Button in the software. Just make sure the top two options are checked off and you get a "Write Successful" message (the tutorial on their website makes this clear).

5) Run ML

Turn off your camera. Insert the bootable SD card you've just made in step 4, AND a 1000x CF Card (if you plan to record RAW HD video). I use this:

http://amzn.com/B009JCL55Y

(note, using this card I am getting write speeds averaging about 100 MB/sec)

Turn on the camera. During this process my camera screen indicated it was running a check of the card and quickly went from 0-100%. At that point the camera should be on, and pressing the "Trash" button (lower left trashcan icon button) should now bring up the Magic Lantern welcome screen. Push it again for the full ML menu.

6. Activate RAW modules

This technically doesn't have anything to do with installing ML, but if you want to shoot RAW video you need to go to the Modules menu (icon that looks like four squares), and turn on raw_rec.mo. Look through the modules while you are there--there are some GREAT functions waiting for you to explore (such as dual ISO).

Anyway, that was my experience. It took some trial and error, and at least a couple of times I was freaked out. I hope it helps--let me know if this works for you, or if you uncover anything I missed!

Ken

I'm finding this all a bit overwhelming too, mostly because the various links to the Alpha versions for the mk iii contain different files. For example, the Alpha 3 link .zip file does not contain the autoexec.bin file, which seems to be a very big omission if it is required. I also found a tutorial with a link the v2.3 (presumably Alpha 2?) which does have the auto exec.bin file, but does NOT have the ml-5D3-113.fir file! My assumption is that BOTH of these files need to be present on the SD card, but what isn't clear is whether or not it is okay to use files from one Alpha version with those of another. There is nowhere that I can find that has everything required to put on an SD card for the install of the latest stable version. And because development seems to move quickly, I am concerned that the YouTube tutorials that are frequently pointed to are already out of date...

Problem solved. The 1.1.3 firmware files I had found via the the links on YouTube tutorials were NG. The file from here:

http://pel.hu/eoscard/

5D300113.FIR

worked perfectly.

Now on to installing the ML software 

That is the crux of my problem. I cannot seem to downgrade to 1.1.3. My 5D Mk 3 will not recognize the 1.1.3 firmware. I've not even gotten to the point of being able to do anything related to Magic Lantern, I'm just trying to downgrade the Canon firmware from 1.2.1.

I've formatted a fresh CF card and put the 1.13 firmware file on the root directory. Fresh battery in the camera and go to Firmware in the menu (v. 1.21). I select the option to Upgrade>OK. From that point on the red light on the bottom of the camera (lower right back) just flashes and the camera is essentially dead. No further menu option to confirm the upgrade to 1.13. I have to turn off the camera, remove the battery completely and restart the camera, which starts up fine again in v1.21. Scared the heck out of me because I thought maybe I would brick my camera by turning it off in the middle of it doing something, but it never gets far enough to actually update the firmware. I have tried with a couple of versions of the 1.13 .fir file (5D3-113-bootflag.fir and ml-5D3-113.fir) both found via these forums and popular on-line ML tutorials, and two different CF cards. Anyone else have a problem downgrading? Ideas?