Looks like firmware 1.1.3 is here to stay, so I've built the installer.
Installation:1) Format the card from the camera.
2) Make sure you are running Canon firmware
1.1.3.
3) Copy
ML files on the card and run Firmware Update.
Uninstallation:1) Run Firmware Update from your ML card.
2) Follow the instructions.
Background infoMost Canon firmware upgrades were usually minor (like fixing a typo in the Ukrainian language), so upgrading ML to latest firmware was pretty easy. Not so with 5D3 1.2.3.
Most important changes in 1.2.3 since 1.1.3
(source):
- clean HDMI out
- dual monitor support
- AF at f/8 with teleconverters
- fixed an
AFMA bug- a bunch of minor fixes
Unfortunately, in order to implement the dual monitor feature, Canon made some major changes on the display side (changed some low-level registers) and LiveView implementation (which is now quad-buffered, while on 1.1.3 it's triple-buffered, just like in all other ML-enabled cameras). From ML's point of view, this resulted in the following differences:
- 1.1.3 is
slightly faster when recording RAW/MLV (not much, only a few MB/s)
- fast zebras are not working on 1.2.3 or later, but they are OK on 1.1.3
- no full-screen magic zoom on 1.2.3 or later
- no brightness/contrast/saturation adjutments on 1.2.3 or later
- "DIGIC peaking" is a little more limited on 1.2.3 or later (only the basic mode is working, not the ones with fancy backgrounds)
- motion detection in "frame difference" mode does not work on 1.2.3 or later
- I'm not sure if
corrupted frames are still an issue (if you experience them, try downgrading to 1.1.3)
Other than that, the two ML versions are pretty much identical.
Bottom line:- if you need any of Canon's updates from firmware 1.2.3 or later, use 1.2.3 (and prepare for upgrading to 1.3.3)
- otherwise, consider downgrading to 1.1.3 (I did).
Note: the upgrade from 1.2.3 to 1.3.3 was a minor one, and porting ML is straightforward (chris_overseas
already did it, I only need to sit down and try it).
I know, maintaining two firmware versions for a single camera is a hassle, but if we want to squeeze the last drops of performance from this camera, we have no choice. And, as you've guessed, fixing some of the above issues is quite hard.
Please discuss raw recording issues in the Raw Video section of the forum, not here.
