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technical => photography => Topic started by: Obi-Wan is lost... on April 21, 2008, 02:24:51 pm

Title: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: Obi-Wan is lost... on April 21, 2008, 02:24:51 pm

Here's a fun thing to do with a Canon Powershot/Ixus you might have lying around...

hack it! (luckily I happened to have 36 A460's under my desk  :thumbsup:)

http://howto.wired.com/wiki/Supercharge_Your_Camera_with_Open-Source_CHDK_Firmware

Not destructive, doesn't touch the main firmware, just loads when you need it from the SD card. Huge amounts of options to be had.

Fancy shooting at 1/40000s? Easy.

Not available on DSLR's currently,

Loads of info here http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: Bubba on April 21, 2008, 02:51:29 pm

That's very interesting as I have an Ixus 750 - I'm after the ability to do long exposures at night and this firmware would allow up to 65 seconds :)

I just need to get an SD card  reader to upload the firmware...

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: dave on April 21, 2008, 02:56:52 pm

Quote from: Bubba on April 21, 2008, 02:51:29 pm

That's very interesting as I have an Ixus 750 - I'm after the ability to do long exposures at night and this firmware would allow up to 65 seconds :)

watch those hotpixels light up like a blackpool front!

I may have a tool about with this on shortie's ixus. histogram on the fly would be handy.

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: Bubba on April 21, 2008, 03:08:17 pm

Hmmm - hotpixels - never knew that tbh but then i've never used a digicam at night.

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: dave on April 21, 2008, 03:15:16 pm

just generally with a long exposure on digital you're going to get a lot of noise, but of course its better than no photo at all. at least you won't have reciprocity to worry about!

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: Obi-Wan is lost... on April 21, 2008, 03:53:58 pm

Now running a 'motion sensor' script on a £66 A460. Sweet. Works a treat. Taking pictures of everyone who walks into the office.

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: dave on April 21, 2008, 03:57:19 pm

thats all very well but can you run a usb cable to the ladies bogs?

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: dave on April 21, 2008, 09:43:30 pm

Quote from: dave on April 21, 2008, 02:56:52 pm

I may have a tool about with this on shortie's ixus. histogram on the fly would be handy.

sucks to be me, looks like the ixus60 ain't hot to trot with this thing.

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: underground on April 22, 2008, 09:02:25 pm

Quote from: Bubba on April 21, 2008, 02:51:29 pm

That's very interesting as I have an Ixus 750 - I'm after the ability to do long exposures at night and this firmware would allow up to 65 seconds :)

I just need to get an SD card  reader to upload the firmware...

Get one from Poundland on t' Moor....

Title: Re: Canon compacts HACKED!
Post by: Bubba on September 20, 2008, 02:27:33 pm

I've just installed this firmware and had a quick play.

The main thing is that you can now shoot .raw which is great and worth installing just for that.

I had a quick go at auto-bracketing but this didn't seem to work properly....but that's probably something i'm doing wrong.

It's easy to set it up so that the firmware boots automatically.