"How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

jgdavidson

8

"How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« on: 10 / July / 2008, 14:37:25 »

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I must apologize for not knowing what to do, but may be some one can set me straight. I own a Canon SD800 IS Powershot camera and there appears to be two versions of CHDK available for this model, one as a beta and as a more recent version from allbest as version 434.

First, I need to know how to check for version information. There must be a step to do before doing [FUNCSET] and [DISP], but I haven't figured it out. What is the point of checking the version?

Do I need to dump the firmware from the camera and why?

I then need to know what to do, if anything, with this camera firmware version information.

What are the steps to actually make CHDK available and usable with my SD800 IS camera? May some one can direct me to a URL that is very detailed and clear on what to do and why.

I also have some potential suggestions that could greatly enhance the features of CHDK, but I don't know how to communicate this to some one who could add the features.

I am surprised that someone hasn't made a fee business by professionally supporting CHDK, both with support for new cameras and for adding new features. A smart person could do some great things with this opportunity that Canon has left open.

Thanks.

Gary

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BB

164

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #1 on: 10 / July / 2008, 14:48:07 »

To get the camera's firmware version:

FAQ - CHDK Wiki

If your firmware matches the CHDK supported version--no you do not need to dump it out.

If, however, your firmware is different and does not run the currently released version of CHDK, then the first step is to dump it out and post a link to it on this board... Your (or others) will then go through the steps to port... Generally, the second port is less work because all of the camera's basics (port, memory, switch locations, etc. are already known).

Your best bet is to read this forum and the CHDK Wiki for the basic information:

CHDK - CHDK Wiki
CHDK forum - Index

And for the lastest version of CHDK (including the latest camera ports), see this automatic build:

Index of /hdk/autobuild/

Since there is only one version of the SD800 listed here--you can just try loading and running it... If it does not work, there is will be no damage.

There is a whole sub forum here where you can make suggestions:

Feature Requests

There have been lots of discussions about making money with CHDK--for many reasons, it is probably not a good idea. Use the search function at the top right of this page if you want to read more.

Also, plug your camera's model into the search field and you can find out all of the latest posts, comments, porting status, etc. for it (Try the "US Model Number" first--the other international names are not always listed in every post.

-Bill

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jgdavidson

8

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #2 on: 10 / July / 2008, 15:03:34 »

Thanks for the fast response.

If I have questions or problems, I will post them.

Gary

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jgdavidson

8

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #3 on: 15 / July / 2008, 02:39:51 »

I successfully used a Canon SD800 IS camera with firmware version 1.00D with the allbest-ixus850_SD800-100e-51-436 build of CHDK. I then used dng4ps2-0.2.3-beta6.exe to convert the camera produced JPG+CRW image files to generate dng images that could be read by Photoshop CS3. Now, I have several questions.

1) I could not find any firmware update from Canon for the SD800 IS. The build from allbest required firmware 1.00e and my camera has firmware 1.00d. I tried this build anyways and to my surprise, it worked. Is this normal?

2) I noticed that the battery % OSD for remaining time drops very rapidly, and I am certain that this is inaccurate. Have others reported similar problems? Can I kill the battery life OSD for CHDK?

3) Does anyone see the possibility of adding DSLR features such as being able to set the shutter speed or aperture and have the camera select the opposite?

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fe50

3139
IXUS50 & 860, SX10 Star WARs-Star RAWs

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #4 on: 15 / July / 2008, 07:35:06 »

Hi jgdavidson,

Quote from: jgdavidson on 15 / July / 2008, 02:39:51

1) I could not find any firmware update from Canon for the SD800 IS. The build from allbest required firmware 1.00e and my camera has firmware 1.00d. I tried this build anyways and to my surprise, it worked. Is this normal?

Yes - that's so with some cameras when the difference between the firmwares is small

Quote

2) I noticed that the battery % OSD for remaining time drops very rapidly, and I am certain that this is inaccurate. Have others reported similar problems? Can I kill the battery life OSD for CHDK?

That's normal, especially with full batteries...
There are some thresholds in Canon's calculation of remaining capacity, thats why Canon shows only 3 steps.
You can toggle between % and Voltage to see what's going on, when you switch to play mode you'll see the % going up...
The MIN / MAX values can be changed in the CHDK menu, you can optimize it for your battery:
Enable the Voltage view (instead of %), note the value with fully charged batt & when the cam powers of with empty batt and use this values (in mVolt, eg. 3000-4500). ...and remember: batteries do not have a linear discharge curve !

Quote

3) Does anyone see the possibility of adding DSLR features such as being able to set the shutter speed or aperture and have the camera select the opposite?

I'm not sure whether i understand what you mean...
With CHDK you can set the shutter speed / aperature (the IXUS series doesn't have a real aperture, they have a ND filter instead), but opposite from what ?

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-->FIRMWARE DUMPS<-- * Manual * Lua * me

jgdavidson

8

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #5 on: 15 / July / 2008, 09:42:39 »

First, I want to thank you for taking the time to reply in detail to my most recent questions on CHDK with my Canon SD800 IS. I will experiment with Voltage versus % for the battery.

As for my last question, I want to be able to set a shutter speed [e.g. 1/250 sec] and have the camera then select an aperture that gives the correct exposure for the selected shutter speed. Also, I might want to set the aperture and have the camera select a shutter speed that gives the correct exposure. If setting the shutter speed is possible within CHDK, I guess it wasn't obvious to me as to where to make this setting. Presently, Canon automatically decides what the shutter speed and aperture will be in the family of SDxxx models.

4) New question. With Canon cameras that have the option to pick AUTO for ISO, does or could CHDK support the ability to define an ISO range that could bracket values for AUTO ISO to use [e.g. 100 to 400]?

5) Another question. I had initially asked on the forum if and when the Canon SD890 IS would be supported by CHDK, but I had not seen a reply. Do you have any information on this model?

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fe50

3139
IXUS50 & 860, SX10 Star WARs-Star RAWs

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #6 on: 15 / July / 2008, 11:17:43 »

Quote from: jgdavidson on 15 / July / 2008, 09:42:39

As for my last question, I want to be able to set a shutter speed [e.g. 1/250 sec] and have the camera then select an aperture that gives the correct exposure for the selected shutter speed. Also, I might want to set the aperture and have the camera select a shutter speed that gives the correct exposure. If setting the shutter speed is possible within CHDK, I guess it wasn't obvious to me as to where to make this setting. Presently, Canon automatically decides what the shutter speed and aperture will be in the family of SDxxx models.

Ok, now i understand...i'm not 100% sure, but with high CHDK shutter speed settings the aperture (ND filter on Ixus series) will be set (by the Canon firmware, when not overwritten by CHDK) to the Canon's max. value (e.g. 1/10000 CHDK -> 1/1600 by Canon)...

Quote

4) New question. With Canon cameras that have the option to pick AUTO for ISO, does or could CHDK support the ability to define an ISO range that could bracket values for AUTO ISO to use [e.g. 100 to 400]?

Try the ISO "Custom Auto ISO" feature

Quote

5) Another question. I had initially asked on the forum if and when the Canon SD890 IS would be supported by CHDK, but I had not seen a reply. Do you have any information on this model?

No CHDK available yet, seems like the cameras firmware (for development of a CHDK version for it) is not available (dumped) yet - but it looks like there will be a breakthrough soon...

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jgdavidson

8

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #7 on: 15 / July / 2008, 19:49:45 »

Once again, I want to thank the CHDK pros for their assistance, as I am a newbie and I really appreciate the work that you have done so far by creating and constantly improving the CHDK hack for Canon P&S cameras.

I have just downloaded the "CHDK End-User's Guide for Allbest Build #50" pdf file and printed the screenshots of Allbest Build #51-425. Presently, I am testing with my son's Canon SD800 IS camera with Allbest Build #51-444.

The "Custom Auto ISO" screenshot that you displayed above gave me a hint of what I might be able to do to address my questions 3) and 4). After I review all the above documentation and play with it on the SD800 IS camera, I will see if I still need to offer suggestions for enhancing control of shutter speed and ISO settings.

As a little background, as it relates to my question 5), my wife has the Canon SD890 IS. I use the Canon EOS 5D and Canon EOS 40D, and shot strictly Raw images. Even though Photoshop CS3 Adobe Camera Raw Converter can process jpg files from our SD890 IS camera, it is not the same as working with the Raw images from my DSLR cameras. So, needless to say, I am anxiously awaiting the availability of CHDK for my 10MP Canon SD890 IS, and if there is anything I can do to help get CHDK available sooner for the SD890 IS camera, please let me know. I appreciate your indication that there will be a breakthrough soon to support CHDK for the SD890 IS.

Thank you again.

Gary

« Last Edit: 15 / July / 2008, 19:51:49 by jgdavidson »

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MikeP

6

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #8 on: 19 / July / 2008, 21:12:19 »

I'm looking forward to more responses, since I have similar questions. I too have the SD800IS and the AllBest Bld #50 and the ability it gives me for RAW and exposure bracketing makes it worthwhile if it offered nothing else.

I haven't been able to decode the functionality of the custom auto ISO quite yet, however. What I would like to do is to enable "custom auto ISO", and then set a "minimum shutter speed" of, say, 1/60 sec. To me this means that the shutter speed would never be slower than that, no matter the available light, and the camera would attempt to find a proper exposure by increasing ISO (perhaps to the MAX ISO AUTO, or the MAX ISO HI, depending on which the camera was set to. Presumably if the MAX ISO high setting was insufficient, the image would simply be under exposed.....

But I can't seem to figure out what functionality is happening, since I'm still getting varying shutter speeds reported with my images, some slower than 1/60, and finding the ISO used (for Auto ISO) is difficult since (for the Canon SD series) this is not available in the usual place in the EXIF, is not shown on the camera, and is not reported by photoshop and most other viewers.

Any advice???

Thanks,
Mike

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jgdavidson

8

Re: "How-To" check firmware version on Canon SD800 IS, install and use CHDK

« Reply #9 on: 20 / July / 2008, 01:51:15 »

I have the Canon SD800 IS camera with firmware 1.00D and I am using CHDK build #51-444. I have elected to name my RAW files using CR2. The pdf manual for CHDK is now out-of-date for this build because several screens have changed.

As you have described above, and I have experienced, Custom Auto ISO really doesn't work at all in the SD800 IS camera.

Unfortunately, this build takes away the ability to override AV [aperture] settings and instead offers ND filter state OFF, IN or OUT. The Canon SD800 IS supports variable apertures [e.g. 2.8, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, 5.8], so it is not as simple as selecting the ND filter IN or OUT. In Build #50, you could select an override for aperture, but I don't know if it really works.

In addition, with this latest build #51-444, overriding ISO doesn't work either for Bracketing or at the higher level directly in Extra Photo Operations.

The biggest deficiency that I have discovered with CHDK with the Canon SD800 IS, like you mentioned above, is that after you have taken a photo and you flip to Display to review your image with detailed shooting information, you don't see the settings for ISO, TV or AV that were used to generate the image. Of course, I can use a program [e.g. BreezeBrowser] external to the camera to display the *.DNG file and see the EXIF metadata, but you really need to see this data in the camera, as you can with a DSLR [e.g. Canon EOS 40D].

I have also discovered that at least seven EXIF data items, which exist in the original JPG file, do not get transferred when you Convert to a DNG file. Although this is not the most important data which is missing, there is really no reason for it to be missing.

When using bracketing, I have discovered that under certain circumstances, the ISO will not be shown in the DNG file when viewed in external software. I suspect that this is a size of number issue and once the ISO exceeds say 500, it won't display.

I was quite surprised to discover that CR2 files, right out of the SD800 IS camera, can be read by BreezeBrowser software but not by Photoshop CS3. Even if Photoshop could read the file, you should still Convert to DNG files because this is how you port the EXIF data from the JPG file to the raw file [DNG].

If you are using bracketing and doing it based on ISO [once it is working properly], another input parameter is required so that you can specify at what increment the ISO is increased or decreased as you shot in continuous mode.

In Extra Photo Operations, I discovered that if you set Override shutter speed to 1/250 and the corresponding Value factor to Off, and you then set Override ISO value to say 15 and the ISO Value factor to 10, the resulting ISO override will be 250 and not 150 when you take a photo with these settings.

Here is another major deficiency: If you delete an image from within the camera, it will do the usual and delete the JPG file, but it won't deleted the CR2 raw file for that same image.

I hope that my hours of testing and this review regarding CHDK has provided constructive criticism to make CHDK eventually into a viable , trusting and powerful enhancement to Canon P&S cameras.

Regards,
Gary

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