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Started by Audionut, March 21, 2014, 11:03:39 AM

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Audionut

F.A.Q
The F.A.Q, is a list of frequently asked questions.  As such, if you are new to Magic Lantern and have a question, you should read this short document first.
http://www.magiclantern.fm/faq.html

Also check the next post in this thread.




Installation / Uninstallation
For questions relating to the installation, or the uninstallation of Magic Lantern version 2.3 on your camera, please see the Install Guide.


For the installation of nightly builds of Magic Lantern, the process has become extremely easy.

  • Ensure your camera is running the Canon firmware that is supported by Magic Lantern*
  • Download the nightly build for your camera
  • Format the card in camera
  • Extract the contents of the downloaded nightly zip
  • Copy the contents to the card
  • Run the firmware update from the Canon menu

For the uninstallation of Magic Lantern.

  • Run the firmware update
  • Follow the instructions




Modules

For installation and loading modules, see this post:  http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=12713.0




Features of Magic Lantern

A summary of the features available in Magic Lantern can be found here: http://www.magiclantern.fm/features.html

For a complete list of features available for all models of supported cameras, please see this feature list:  http://builds.magiclantern.fm/#/features




Using Magic Lantern


The userguide for Magic Lantern version 2.3 can be found here: http://wiki.magiclantern.fm/userguide

This userguide covers most features available in the nightly builds of Magic Lantern.  For features only available in the nightly builds, links for these features can be found in the feature list:  http://builds.magiclantern.fm/#/features

Let's restore ML help together!.  <-- Work in progress.
You can find links to tutorials in this post.

A list of Best Practices for Magic Lantern can be found here: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=8286.0




How to ask smart questions, and provide useful bug reports

The quality of your questions, and the quality of your bug reports, are directly proportional to the speed at which your questions are answered, and your bug reports are fixed.

To gain an understanding on how best to ask your questions, you should reference this article: http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

And for bug reports, you should reference this article: http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/bugs.html

Reading and understanding both of those articles, will go a long way into increasing your experience here at Magic Lantern.




Searching the forums

The forum search function is available here: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?action=search

This is a general search function.  For an advanced search function that allows you to specify extra options in your search, see here: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?action=search;advanced;search=

How to use the forum search feature




Forum Rules

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=934.0




About Magic Lantern

http://www.magiclantern.fm/about.html




Donating to Magic Lantern

http://www.magiclantern.fm/donate.html




Some threads you may find useful

HOW ML START (or why it doesn't boot topic) & Restore Camera Settings
Audio Recording - which settings to choose with external Mic ?
Formatted CF Card - Recovery options?


Ideas/Suggestions/Questions about this topic can be made in this thread: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=9654.0


Thanks for reading, and enjoy.

Audionut

Popular questions that get asked a lot.  You should not start a new thread about these issues.


Can I use the same card on different cameras?

For the same model camera, you can use the same card.  But when using different model cameras, the safest option, format the card on a computer, and start fresh.


What happens if I have Magic Lantern installed, and insert a blank card that has never had Magic Lantern on it?

The camera boots with only standard Canon functionality.


Occasionally I want to run the camera without Magic Lantern?

Hold the SET button while powering on the camera.


I'm using the stable 2.3 build, and I can't see the raw recording, or any of the other modules?

You need to use a nightly build.


I'm running the latest nightly build, but I can't see the modules in the menu.  You know, the raw recording, the dual ISO modules?

Navigate to the module menu in the Magic Lantern menu, and enable the module.  When you restart the camera, the module will appear in the menu.




What's the best card for raw/mlv recording?

There are plenty of threads about cards, and their performance in the Hardware and Accessories section.  Try searching there first, and posting in a relevant topic, before starting another thread.  There is also a compiled list of card speeds here.


I have a card that is faster then lightning, but it only records slowly, drops frames, or stops after a few seconds, with raw recording?

Cameras have hardware limits that don't care how fast your card is.  This spreadsheet lists those hardware limits.


What about changing the card controller so we can get faster speeds?

Magic Lantern is a software development.  Efforts have been made by members to bypass the hardware limits.  You can find information in this section.


Can you make the mirror stay up to increase the shutter life?

The mirror is a separate mechanical device to the shutter blades.  Keeping the mirror up won't help.


The image on the live view screen looks different to the captured photo?

Dependent on your exposure settings, the live view can only simulate what the image will look like.  It may not be accurate.  Try using raw based exposure feedback instead.  See this post by a1ex.


When shooting raw video, I use a resolution that is smaller then the maximum resolution available.  Why does the image get cropped?

Resizing the image down to a smaller resolution, is beyond the capabilities of the processor.  For this reason, the image is simply cropped.


I recorded at 23.976 FPS, but my footage is showing as 30 FPS in my rendering software?

Your rendering software is set to use 30 FPS as default.  Change it!


Hang on, my software reads the header in the recorded file to determine the correct FPS, but it is still wrong?

When using FPS override, the new overridden value doesn't get written.  You have to change the FPS settings in your rendering software to the correct value.


What's the best build to use for raw recording?

The built that will get created thanks to your proper bug reports.


My white balance is wrong in my raw footage?

You're shooting raw footage, learn how to post process the basics before asking questions.


Dude, you should totally develop 10 bit raw recording.  I could record full HD footage if you did!

That's nice.  Here's a hint, we already tried, and you aren't the first person to ask.  Try searching before asking anymore questions.


Dude, what about MJPEG, ProRes or some other codec then?

We tried that too.


My raw footage doesn't look like the picture style I used?

Try shooting H.264 instead.  It is pre-graded with the picture style.


H.264!  Are you crazy man, I want this excellent raw footage from my camera?

Then accept the fact that you need to learn how to grade raw footage.


My raw footage has pink dots, pink frames, and occasionally I see the pink panther!

We know.  We can probably fix them faster if you help us.


Adobe has the best processing software this side of Mars, why can't you create easy to use programs for the things that you develop?

Adobe has a workforce of people getting paid wages.  Magic Lantern is a couple of guys working on their free time, with community contribution.  See the difference?


Help!!!!  I can't get this to work, and I have an important shoot coming up!
Help!!!!  I tried to use this feature, and my camera isn't working properly anymore.  I'm in the middle of an important shoot, help guys!!!!
I need help, STAT!!!!

Flagging your thread with urgency, is likely to have an opposite effect than you intended.

Magic Lantern contains a number of features that are EXPERIMENTAL.  In other words, we expect that you will probably brake them.

Learn how to be comfortable with Magic Lantern, before using it on your important shoot.  Magic Lantern does not provide support options that include guaranteed support response times.  If you have a problem on set, you are likely to be on your own.  If your shoot means being able to put food on the table for your family, and you're aren't comfortable with troubleshooting issues yourself, you may want to consider other options instead.


How do I record continuously for longer then 30mins or greater then 4Gb with H.264?

You can't!


What about using H.265, or another better H.264 encoder then the one Canon uses?

H.264 encoding is performed by a dedicated hardware chip.  This cannot be changed.  What you see, is what you get.


When are you going to work on Nikon cameras?

Magic Lantern is a free software add-on that runs from the SD/CF card and adds a host of new features to Canon EOS cameras that weren't included from the factory by Canon.  This means Magic Lantern will remain for Canon cameras only.  A group of people have already started working on Nikon cameras, you can find their work here.


Well, what about Canon point and shoots then?

We don't work on them either.  These people do.


So when are you going to work on the latest Canon EOS camera?

When we get around to it.  As surprising as it may seem, we actually have families, and lives that involve things other then Magic Lantern.  This is a hobby project, we enjoying working on it, and we enjoy seeing you using it.  We don't particularly enjoy getting nagged about doing things. 


Fair enough, what about the 1DX, 1DC or any of the other Canon pro cameras?  These things would rock my world with Magic Lantern.

Long story short, we will not work on Canon pro equipment.  A more detailed answer is here, and you can find more information by searching.


I want to record at 120 FPS, at 4K resolution?

This one is in the FAQ, and gets asked a lot.  Ask this question and you are a troll.  And no, we don't care if your feelings are hurt when we call you a troll, how justified you think you are to an answer, or if you decide to leave the toilet seat up.  We don't waste time with trolls.


Some of the answers you provided to these questions, aren't really helpful?

That's because you are expected to use search and RTFM.


Has anyone ever told you, that you're a grumpy old so and so?

Yes.  And posting quadruplicate questions won't change that.  If the forum seems cluttered, posting a duplicate question doesn't help that either.   ;)


How about you create decent tutorials then?  We wouldn't have to ask so many questions then.

Are you willing to help with those tutorials?  This is an open source project that relies on community contribution.  The greater the contribution, the greater the project will become.

Audionut

Quote from: Audionut on May 30, 2014, 04:57:54 PM
Dude, you should totally develop 10 bit raw recording.  I could record full HD footage if you did!

That's nice.  Here's a hint, we already tried, and you aren't the first person to ask.  Try searching before asking anymore questions.

I guess it's time for some updates around here.  10bit raw recording, pfft that'll never happen.........

Erik Krause

Hello Audionut,

could you change the respective paragraph to:
Quote from: Audionut on March 21, 2014, 11:03:39 AM
Using Magic Lantern

The userguide for Magic Lantern version 2.3 can be found here: http://wiki.magiclantern.fm/userguide

This userguide covers most features available in the nightly builds of Magic Lantern.  For features only available in the nightly builds, links for these features can be found in the feature list:  http://builds.magiclantern.fm/#/features

Let's restore camera help.  <-- Work in progress.
You can find links to tutorials in this post.

A list of Best Practices for Magic Lantern can be found here: http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=8286.0