Memorizing custom settings on the EOS-M as C1, C2 and C3 on the 5DMkIII

[IDA_ML]

I discussed this briefly with Danne on the EOS-M thread and he suggested that I should start a new topic on it. 

The EOS-M is not only the second most powerful ML capable camera after the 5DMkIII but is also very user friendly.  Thanks to the systematic efforts of our developers, we now have a variety of built-in presets, instantaneous access to ISO and aperture, various focus aids, etc. which help users to quickly and easily get their filming jobs done. 

In this thread I would like to suggest another improvement that would make the EOS-M even more user friendly.  Would it be possible to memorize specific custom settings, that differ from the hard coded presets, similar to C1, C2 and C3 on the 5DMkIII?  These custom settings should be easily accessible as on the 5D3.  Why, and are the already available presets not enough?  Well, not really, at least according to my experience.  If users often change modes, whenever they decide to go back to a previous mode, something has changed (shutter speed, shutter fine tuning or resolution, etc. ), so they have to adjust these settings again and this takes valuable time and wastes battery power.  If a user has  a specific setting that he uses often and he can store it as C2 for example, after filming in another mode or using another preset, every time he wants to come back, he simply selects the already stored custom setting C2 and the camera  restores all of his settings stored under that C2 custom mode.  This is how they do it in the 5D3.

I am not sure if I make myself clear enough but the basic idea is to memorize a current set of settings, (say timelapse filming at 5k anamorphic with intervalometer active - C1), on a push of a button for C1-C3, just as this is done in the 5D3.  And then, restoring those C1 settings, (from say 1080p MCM rewired),  should be possible on a push of a button and maybe a C1-C3  selection from a submenu too.  The quick selection of ISO and aperture on a push of a button is simply fantastic, as it is now in the EOS-M.  Custom sets of C1-C3 settings should be selectable in a similar way too.

If someone familiar with LUA scripting would be interested in jumping in and implementing this additional custom functionality, I am sure, this will make many EOS-M shooters quite happy.  On my part, I would be happy to test and provide feedback throughout the development.

Are more people interested in that?

[Danne]

I would start looking in config.c

Code Select Expand

            .name = "Restore ML defaults",
            .select        = delete_config,
            .update        = delete_config_update,
            .help  = "This restores ML default settings, by deleting all CFG files.",
With delete_config SETTINGS folder is erased. But, this requires restart of your camera. If that is ok one could probably create custom folders that copies existing settings and store the config files into let´s say:
custom_1
custom_2
custom_3

If one would select select custom_1 it would copy the content from that folder into the SETTINGS folder after it was erased. But still. Restarting the camera will be needed.
Then we have lua, hardcoding straight into c-code and so on but not so trivial at first look. Knowing beforehand what is gonna be used is easier because that will require som tinkering in lua. Dynamic storing not very easy. Junkie mode maybe enough?

[a1ex]

Custom setting directories are already implemented; they can be tied to the shooting mode selected at startup (but the mode dial is not present on EOS M, so usage is a bit non-intuitive), or to a key the user has to press at startup:
https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=8499

You can also create custom setting directories manually (as subdirectories under ML/SETTINGS on the card), and they will appear in the menu. They actually work as independent presets, but they only cover ML settings (not Canon ones). Switching to another preset requires rebooting the camera.

Changing arbitrary settings without reboot, even from Lua scripting, requires a major rework of the entire ML codebase. Long answer:
https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=19932.0

[Danne]

Wtf. Sweet stuff.

[Danne]

Here we go. Storing configurations already working:

1 - Go into SETTINGS folder on your card and create folders. Could be named whatever. Mine are called custom_1 etc.


2 - Under Prefs select a custom folder and do any ml settings you want. It will be stored in the very folder selected. If you want more customized presets simply select another custom folder. Eventually you can choose between your customizations. Restart needed when changing. Please read further in a1ex provided links. You got lucky this time to say the least.

[IDA_ML]

What, are you saying that custom functions are working already?  And you can switch from MCM rewired to 5k anamorphic timelapse shooting just by selecting the custom folder and restarting?  Amazing!  Hard to believe, I gotta check it out myself ...  If it really works, then you added a machine gun to the "swiss army knife" !

Did you test it on your today's build?

[Danne]

It's been there since 2013.

[IDA_ML]

Yeah, who knows how many useful ML features remain hidden for an ignorant person like me ...?

[Danne]

Take some tinkering but it´s getting even better. If you instead select at start up key from the config section you can configurate a preset from a config button. For instance hold MENU button while starting camera and you´ll in MENU folder. Tweak a preset and now whenever you hold MENU button down when starting cam you´ll get right into your configuration.

I am pretty certain this description above won´t be easy to follow but read alex posts and play with the settings. Hopefully you´ll get it.

[Danne]

Here´s a build and an attempt to a more intuitive customize menu set up. I tweaked Pref code some and put a prebuilt folder tree into SETTINGS folder:


Folder names might not be presented cronological but for now this will do.


Build here:
https://bitbucket.org/Dannephoto/magic-lantern/downloads/crop_rec_4k_mlv_snd_raw_only_2020May07.EOSM202.zip

Do note that no storing will take place before you select a custom mode and restart camera.

[IDA_ML]

Today is my lucky day!  It took a lot of tinkering but finally, I got custom presets working.  What a relief!  Switching custom presets now goes fast and smoothly and really makes one's life easier.

There is one IMPORTANT thing that needs to be considered in the process of camera restarting.  After you turn camera off for restarting, you need to wait for at least 3 sec. before you turn it back on.  Otherwise, everything gets messed up.  Another useful thing to do is to save somewhere on your PC your custom subfolders once you are sure that your custom settings work fine for you.  This will save you a lot of time and tinkering before you get them right again if somethig goes wrong.  Moreover, they will be available for you in case you change builds or need to reset ML alltogether.

A1ex and Danne, thank you so much for your contribution to this important topic.  Without your efforts, this highly efficient and fairly quick way of ML customization would have probably been forgotten to most of the ML users.

[Danne]

I have no problems restarting over here. Probably depends on what's in your custom folders.
You can rename folders to whatever you like. Even better cause they don't line up the same all the time.
It's nice to have custom set ups because sometimes preset changes can be very severe. Shutting off audio, adding frameburst etc.

[IDA_ML]

Danne,

Just tested the new directory tree from your today's build.  It works nicely and makes it even faster to jump modes.  A very welcome improvement.

Unfortunately, the 1080p@46 fps mode provides a few corrupt frames here.  In the past, there used to be an automatic 8 ... 11bit setting at which continuous recording at 1736x976 resolution was possible at 42 fps, without corrupt frames.  What is the difference to the current high-speed 1080p mode?  Do we have to lower fps to 42 to avoid corrupt frames?

[Danne]

Only way is forward. Be my guest and fix any issues you might have.

[ZEEK]

Here´s a build and an attempt to a more intuitive customize menu set up. I tweaked Pref code some and put a prebuilt folder tree into SETTINGS folder
Do note that no storing will take place before you select a custom mode and restart camera.

Thanks a lot Danne. Brilliant work! Awlays nice to get settings up and running nice and quick with the camera. I haven't downloaded the build yet as i'm currently busy, but I'll get it running soon. Thanks heaps

[ZEEK]

Danne,
Unfortunately, the 1080p@46 fps mode provides a few corrupt frames here.  In the past, there used to be an automatic 8 ... 11bit setting at which continuous recording at 1736x976 resolution was possible at 42 fps, without corrupt frames.  What is the difference to the current high-speed 1080p mode?  Do we have to lower fps to 42 to avoid corrupt frames?

I shoot at 48fps, frame-corrupt free. Disable 10 bit, shoot 2.35:1 in the section [2.39, 2.35, 16:9]...At least it works for me. Shooting 50fps is a no-go. o_o The only problem is the aliasing, additional x3 crop with a wide lens helps.

[Danne]

ZEEK, still going strong

[IDA_ML]

Thanks a lot ZEEK.  Will test more as soon as I find some time for that.

[ZEEK]

ZEEK, still going strong

Glad to hear! 2012, to a 2020 cam, nice work!

Thanks a lot ZEEK.  Will test more as soon as I find some time for that

No problem! 

[Danne]

@alex. I am building a directory tree C1, C2, C3, C4, and C5 upon installing ml firmware instead of including a prebuilt SETTINGS folder with subfolders. Nowhere in the chain can I get those folder to show up before I do a full restart of my camera. I tried creating directories from module.c and from config.c but seems this has to be done earlier than that? Where in the process is for instance ML/SETTINGS folder created? Is it possible to not needing the restart after empty directories been made?

[Walter Schulz]

2 cents:
May I suggest renaming said folders? C1-C3 may be confused with option "Startup mode" on cams with this option.

Because naming convention is limited to 8 characters I also suggest to use prefixes to tell video and photo presets.

[IDA_ML]

2 cents:
May I suggest renaming said folders? C1-C3 may be confused with option "Startup mode" on cams with this option.
Because naming convention is limited to 8 characters I also suggest to use prefixes to tell video and photo presets.

I have renamed mine already using an 8-character descriptive name for every one of the 5 presets.  This works nicely and eliminates the chance to activate the wrong mode.

[IDA_ML]

By the way, Danne, you are extremely close to corruption free 46 fps at 1736x976 resolition.  I filmed a total of 30 clips - 10 at 14, 12 and 10 bits each, with very few corrupt frames, mostly in the beginning of each clip.  Will try also the Pre-record option to see if this eliminates the corrupt frames in the beginning.  The remaining footage had 1-2 corrupt frames, regardless of the bitrate.  I also had about 3-4 clips with no corrupt frames at all !!!  At 10 bits I get almost 6 sec. of recording time, 4 sec. at 12 and about 3 sec. at 14 bits.

Why is, in my opinion, the resolution of 1736x976 so important?  Not only because of the two thick black bars at 2,35:1 and 2,39:1 aspect ratios on a 16:9 screen but mainly because of the image quality and aliasing.  Anything lower than that results in a degraded image quality and horrible artefacts in the shadows.  Aliasing is stronger too.  ZEEK, could you possibly confirm this when you find some time?  My eyes are no longer what they used to be.

Suggestion:
=======
If 46 fps are the ultimate limit for the 1736x976 resolution, maybe limiting this default setting to 45 fps will reduce the chance of getting corrupt frames.  This is still much better than reducing the resolution.

[Danne]

This post "was" about custom presets. If you have other dreams and visions just start another post about it.

[IDA_ML]

If you have other dreams and visions ...

Dreams and visions, I like that!  Thanks to your efforts, the EOS-M is a dream camera already but I don't think that my dreams are so significant that they deserve another thread.  There are too many threads on the EOS-M already, this one too.

For those who are curious to see how slow motion filmed at 46 fps on the EOS-M looks like, here is sample clip with my 5-year old grandson Andrey staring in it:

https://we.tl/t-aEJtz45j9a

I explained to him that I will show this clip to the entire ML community if he agrees to pose for me.  While postprocessing the clip, he was watching over my shoulder and when he noticed the 2 pink frames glitches, he said to me:

"Don't you dare to upload the video with these ugly defects!"

So, he made me clean the corrupt frames and only then I got his permission to upload the video.  I hope, you guys enjoy it.