600D/T3i Raw Video

[N/A]

PLEASE READ THROUGH THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR GENERAL RAW VIDEO INFO-
http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=5520.0

The 600D (T3i) is capable of continuous raw video recording, but on a smaller scale than 5d ii and 5d iii. We're limited to a 21 MB/s sd write speed, even with the top-of-the-line Sandisk 95 MB/s sd card.

All hope is not lost though, seeing that 720p quality is well within our reach. I've had the best results shooting in ntsc 640x480 video mode with the newest build by 1%, recording with continuous frames at 1152x464 (2.50:1), up-rezzed to ~ 1280x512 in post, and 16:9 aspect of 960x540, which also uprezzes nicely. Not sure if it still matters with the newest builds but I leave pic quality on sRaw for a bump in buffer memory. If you accidentally take pics in sRaw and can't get them to open, try Canon's Digital Photo Professional.

As far as which sd card to use, the faster the better. Seems like cards that are 30 MB/s can't quite keep up, so we'll likely have to stick with cards that are AT LEAST 45 MB/s and up. Formatting them as exfat helps with the 4 GB file limit, as well.

I've posted a couple vids in the share your vids forum, and I'll upload some dng's or prores 4444 files if anyone is interested. Drop your suggestions, bug finds, preferred settings, etc in here, and I'll keep this original post updated as new developments come along.

Download various builds here (top is newest)-
Obsolete link removed - Please use the official nightly builds //Audionut
This build is still in testing, PROCEED WITH CAUTION.

Update: The newest build has Dual Iso, ETTR and file manager modules. The nightly 600D build now has raw enabled as well, but some users are reporting corrupt frames.

[1%]

what about lv hack on vs off?

[Andy600]

what about lv hack on vs off?

Just trying it. Not noticing any improvement in frame numbers TBH. The LV hack also doesn't seem to work in 3x crop and crashes the camera if you try to playback the last raw while the hack is still enabled.

Other than that, raw seems to be working as well as 'Edmac Popin'

[cobyalon]

hi,

is the 60D has the same SD capabilities as the 600D or is it on a higher speed?
and i wouldn't mind to test it out on my camera (60D) but is there some build for the 60D?

thanks, you guys are doing a great job for all of us.

[Andy600]

@cobyalon Not yet

[N/A]

Nothing for 60D yet as far as raw goes. There may be a thread already on the subject where you can follow it.

[1%]

no more pink frames tho (haven't seen any more myself)? for me write speed went from 19/20 to 20/21, didn't try in crop mode. yesterday couldn't do 960x540 very long, today got more frames from that.

Tested in 3x crop mode... file played back/recorded fine got 20MB/S and like ~100 frames 1280x540

[Andy600]

@1% - I'm still getting the odd pink frame maybe once in 4 shots.

Just tried again and playback doesn't seem to work when in 3x crop mode. It shows the fame count, gets to about 6 frames, flashes then shows live view. Need a battery pull to do anything.

Ok, I did a few more shots and I am getting an increase in frames with the LV hack enabled but it's only once in 4 or 5 shots shooting the same thing. I've got it set to stop recording when the buffer fills but it appears that when the buffer fills it resets giving me another 1-2 secs so shooting exactly the same thing, same settings etc yield different amounts of frames. i.e. some shots are 145 frames and others go above 200.

Also, with the hack enabled it doesn't always freeze LV... never freezes in 3x crop

[1%]

For me the LV always bounces but its frozen/disabled.

I do have the same issue where first shot will be less frames and consecutive shots will have higher counts... this is from memory allocation I guess.

Tried to play back in crop a few times. First time OK, played back 80 frames... Recorded new longer clip second time played back a bunch of frames but LV was still showing in the background and screwing things up... 3rd time screen black. So yea, something not perfect here.

[Andy600]

Although the LV hack is intended to squeeze a few more frames I can't see myself ever using it TBH because I like to see what I'm shooting.

Is the 600d using all the available buffer? I noticed most of my raw files are around 80-85mb (when frame skipping is off) except the ones where I get more frames. Is that because you had to allocate the memory evenly into 3 chunks or something? Can it be pushed a bit further?

[1%]

The sraw should be giving you 104 available. So 3*~32 is 90. I'd love to kill more photo stuff and get even more memory back.

Maybe also different/rest of edmacs need to get killed. Like kill everything except LV. Wonder if its possible to kill HD buffer and leave LV buffer. Just started this morning so I guess we'll see.

[Andy600]

BTW, slight OT but I was just looking at the specs of other Rebel cams on DPreview. The 500d can shoot 11x20MB+ raw photos before slowing down compared to the 3-4 on the 600d. So it must have a bigger buffer (at least 200mb). Could that potentially out perform the 600?

+ they are dirt cheap now 

[Andy600]

Maybe kill everything that's not needed for raw video. A kind of Tragic Lantern LITE version  I have a different card for stills and will probably use my new one (when the f**king thing gets here) purely for raw video so no problem having a stripped down ML for this very specific purpose. I only need histogram and fps override.

[a1ex]

Wonder if its possible to kill HD buffer and leave LV buffer.

Nah, the LV one is downsampled from the HD one...

stripped down ML

It has around 500K of code, plus around 1M of memory, so... nothing to gain.

I'd love to kill more photo stuff and get even more memory back.

I would start by changing the 60D boot method, then locating canon shoot malloc calls and cache hacking them for a much smaller size.

[1%]

I don't think 500D has exfat support. It may have more space for raws but who knows if that space is available for shoot_malloc without hacks.

I dont' think it needs a lite version, just hacks on/hacks off  maybe with a reboot. Not so easy to kill everything and not get an error 70/dead LV, etc. I guess for more memory would have to cache hack things starting in resource manager at boot time?

I would start by changing the 60D boot method

60D booth method into RSCmgr = no display at all.

[N/A]

Im actually extremely happy with the current results, gonna try to throw together a compilation of footage while I'm at the beach.

One feature that would put this over the top would be to have the ability to delete or preview each of the raw recordings, seems to me thatwe can only preview one right after we record it, right?

Anyways, as of right now its completely useable. Oh and bumping up the shutter speed to 1/190 or so gives the footage a very sharp, crisp look.

[Andy600]

@N/A - Yes, I noticed the same thing. I always get sharper images at higher shutter speeds. It's at the expense of filmic motion blur but not noticeable on most shots. I was thinking RSMB might be useful for adding motion blur back in but that's another expense

[1%]

Yea, would love to be able to at least delete. That way my card isn't filling up with raws I just shot to test write speed. I don't know if it can preview multiple files or only the last one but should definitely delete.

[J_C_B]

So, this 21 MB/s limit will be removed?

[1%]

How? That is max speed for controller?

[J_C_B]

The controller is limited to 21 MB/s? So, if I use a 95 MB/s SD it is totally pointless?

[1%]

Not totally pointless... you'll have 21MB all the time instead of 21.... 20... 19 18, slower and slower.

Doesn't have to be 95MB/s other UHS cards will work too.

[J_C_B]

Ok, so even in the future we wont be able to shoot higher than 640*480 or so?

[1%]

960x480 or 500 and eventually hopefully a bigger buffer.

[J_C_B]

Hmm, sad news