5D MarkII Firmware update 1.1.0 with Video Manual Controls


Well It's here!!!!

And right on the date they have announced it June the 2nd 2009.

While I'm writing this I'm making the update and will post some more new tomorrow but for now here goes what consists this update and what problems it addresses.

First you can get the Firmware update here at Canon web page.

And direct link to the PDF Manual file for the Manual Exposure on the movie mode.


Firmware changes


Firmware Version 1.1.0 incorporates the following improvements and fixes.

1. Includes a function to enable the manual exposure setting when shooting movies.

*When shooting movies in manual (M) mode, the shutter speed *1, the lens aperture value *2, and the ISO speed *3 can be freely set to allow a greater flexibility.

Notes:
*1 Shutter speed range: 1/30 sec. to 1/4000 sec.
*2 Lens aperture range: Maximum to minimum aperture value of the lens used
*3 ISO speed range:
Auto: ISO 100 to 6400 set automatically
Manual: ISO 100 to 6400, H1

2. *For details on how to use this function, please download the PDF files from the bottom of this page. Disables the function of the depth-of-field preview button when images are played back or when the menu screen is displayed on the LCD panel.

*There are indications that images being reviewed or the menu screen may suddenly disappear from the LCD panel. As this phenomenon may be caused by accidentally pressing the depth-of-field preview button, this firmware update disables the function of the depth of field preview to address this issue.

3. Fixes a phenomenon where the peripheral illumination of images cannot be properly corrected, even if the images were captured with the lens peripheral illumination correction function set to Enable.

*Firmware Version 1.1.0 fixes a phenomenon where peripheral illumination may not be properly corrected due the type of lens used and shooting conditions.

4. Fixes the algorithms of the Auto Lighting Optimizer function when Custom Function C.Fn II-3 Highlight tone priority is enabled.

*Digital Photo Professional software version 3.6.1 or later (for Windows and Macintosh) can be used to automatically correct the peripheral illumination of RAW and JPEG images that were captured in the Peripheral illumination correction setting with cameras that have Firmware Version 1.0.7 or earlier.

5. Fixes incorrect indications on the Arabic, Romanian, Spanish, and Ukrainian menu screens.

6. Changes the battery information displayed on the camera when using the optional Battery Grip BG-E6.

*If only one LP-E6 battery pack is installed in the Battery Grip BG-E6, the battery information for the empty battery slot shows the error message, Cannot communicate with battery. However, with this firmware update, this error message no longer appears, even if only one LP-E6 battery pack is installed.

First impression after install is that when you change the aperture you will hear the shutter opening and closing and that interferes with sound recording. So if you are trying to record something with sound I suggest an external microphone. Also for the speed you can ear the cracking of the dial.

It looks, at first impression, that the sound on the shutter is the same you ear on the G10 movie mode but amplified a couple of times.

I think people would still prefer to buy Nikon lenses with manual aperture values and use it here instead of this NOISY crack sound but time will tell.

My first opinion is that this feature is great but it's not a killer if you are going to use the camera to record sound from the built in microphone unless of course you are on loudly external events ;)

I also noticed that when you take a photo while shooting a movie the exposure settings (ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed) set for the movie will be applied to the still photo instead of the previous firmware where you would have to take a photo with the settings the camera was using for video and sometimes they were not the ones you would like.

Now with Manual control mode you loose the possibility of AE Lock and Exposure Compensation.

Take a look at this small example video of the Shutter, Speed and ISO dial buttons sound I did this movie right after the firmware update so no bother comment on quality or content issues. It's just first test.

I will upload the video tomorrow since Vimeo is too slow and YouTube is updating it's database :(

Here is the Video watch it in HQ for better quality. Had to put it on YouTube since Vimeo still did not have it available by this time.



--- Updated ---

Just want to mention that I got a good external microphone that I used on my old Sony MD player and that it fits perfectly to the camera and can help you dealing with all those noise button cracks and clicks. I'm using the Sony ECM717 with great results.

Share your experiences with external microphones on comments.

--- End of Update ---

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Are you an idiot?

What AE Lock and compensation when you are in a MANUAL mode?! AE Lock stands for AUTO EXPOSURE LOCK... since you are not in an AUTO mode it is obviously that you don't have a AE lock. Compensation? same thing.

==========

"It looks, at first impression, that the sound on the shutter is the same you ear on the G10 movie mode but amplified a couple of times.

I think people would still prefer to buy Nikon lenses with manual aperture values and use it here instead of this NOISY crack sound but time will tell. "

Shutter sound? Aperture sounds maybe?

People will use nikon lenses due to that sound? Do you know how it sounds when you try to change the aperture on a nikon lense? You must be joking!

I see you have 23142345 ads on this blog but what you wrote in this article is a joke. And not even a good one.

ruimleal said...

Hi Vlad,

thanks for the comment and YES sometimes I feel like an idiot and an ass hole on keep writing this stuff, maybe I should stop one day.

Here I just express my first opinions on the new firmware. Of course I'm glad Canon had came up, so fast, with a solution for it.

If you have read the pdf file attached to the downloaded firmware you would notice that is what it says there "NO AE LOCK during the Manual mode. In previous firmware version even in manual mode you could Lock the Exposure (AE Lock).

Again I thank Canon for bring this possibilities to the camera as it definitely will improve video mode and will bring a lot more clients to their side although I did not had any free gifts from Canon or any other retailers for writing good stuff about their products.

Thanks again for your comments and I liked being called an Idiot from time to time.

Have a good week.

Rui

Unknown said...

Rui, sorry for being a bit of a jerk with my first comment. I was really angry because I found loads of complains about the new firmware, and the majority of the complains were just not solid. And I think Canon did a great job.

Yes, you are right, Canon did say that there is no AE Lock/Compensation when in manual... but that's because there is no sense for such a thing.

I mean, if I set 1/60th, f/4 and ISO 200 and start shooting ... what would you expect to happen when pushing the AE Lock? In an Automatic mode it will LOCK the ISO/shutter speed/f-stop... and that makes sense. However, in a manual exposure what to lock? Everything is "locked" in the first place, you are the one setting every value and nothing changes no matter what. That why an AE Lock has no meaning in a manual exposure mode (video or stills, doesn't really matter).

And about compensating.. well, in an automatic exposure mode, to compensate means to add or subtract. So if the camera calculates a set of values for ISO/shutter speed/f-stop.. when you compensate with +2, the camera will calculate new values in order to get 2 more stops of light. And that makes sense. But again, in a manual mode, how can you compensate something that you set? Makes no sense, again.

And the noise you are talking about, well, that's horrible due to the microphone being right next to the lens.. and if you change the aperture while shooting video, you will hear the sound of the iris closing down. If you wish to avoid that, you will need an external microphone. However, changing the f-stop while recording is not a good thing to do anyway. But that's another story.

Again, sorry for the first comment, I was really upset due to people complaining with no real reasons to.

I don't think you should stop, just read a few more things about this stuff, we do learn every day. I do think that you wish to have people visiting this place so please do take my comment as a honest and constructive one.

Best regards.
Vlad

ruimleal said...

Hi Vlad,

no hard feelings taken.

Thanks for the support. I'm a Canon lover from long time.

The new firmware it's much better than the old one and just the fact that now you can take pictures with the same settings applied to the movie mode is a MAJOR thing and also the Manual,Speed and ISO setting mode.

I can tell you that I use external Mic for all recordings now. I bought a small one and attach it near by so the clicks are absent.

By the way I got the SONY ECM717 Microphone (http://www.amazon.com/Sony-717-SONY-ECM717-Microphone/dp/B00006IS4P) in case you want to know.

It's not a professional model but it has a great stereo sound and it's great to carry around or attach it to the strap of the camera.

Again, thank you for all the explanations as they all make obvious sense and I completely understand how they work and what they are for.

With this people who do not understand this concepts now are aware of them.

Have a good week and thanks for the support.

Rui

P.S. - Not all the people who talk bad things about Canon are bad people or photographers ;)