Firmware hack Rebel XTi /400D enables ISO 3200, Spot metering!

[raingrove]

THIS IS UNBELIEVABLY AWESOME!

Guys at CHDK made it again! (Thanks thaibv and foldsea @ CHDK!!!)

A firmware hack for Rebel XTi / 400D that enables additional features such as ISO 3200 (and other ISOs in between like 500, 640, 120, 1250 etc) and SPOT METERING (yes! spot metering!) has been released and it works pretty darn well!

For more information and the required files, please refer to:
http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php...,3290.135.html

Use testfir.fir to make your 400d bootable from CF and then make your CF card bootable using cardtricks. (choose CF boot sector option) Copy the hack file (autorun.bin) into the CF.

Once all is done correctly, insert the CF and turn the camera on. The print button will light up (blue) momentarily to show that the hack has been loaded.

To change ISO, go to ISO menu to choose baseline ISO and then push the print button several times to switch to other ISOs. (ISO number in the screen will change accordingly)

100 - 100 / 125 / 160 / 80
200 - 200 / 250 / 320
400 - 400 / 500 / 640
800 - 800 / 1000 / 1250
1600 - 1600 / 2000 / 2500 / 3200

To use spot metering go to metering menu, and then push print button. Camera will beep and spot metering will be enabled.

To start the camera without the hack, insert other non-hacked CFs or just format the CF.

--------DETAILED HOWTO--------

1. use a fully charged battery. you need CF card reader and windows. on a mac, use windows under bootcamp/vmware fusion.

2. update to latest firmware (1.1.1) by downloading the latest firmware, copying it into the root of CF, and running "update firmware" in the setup menu.

3. empty your CF, download testfir.fir from http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1618.0.html and copy it into the root of your CF.

4. insert CF, and then run firmware update again using testfir.fir the screen will go blank. wait 5 minutes, turn off, take battery out and back in.

5. insert CF into card reader and perform a quick format.

6. --------------- UPDATED INSTRUCTIONS FOR BOTH < 4GB (fat16) AND > 4GB (fat32) CARDS: ----------------------------

download cardtricks 1.45 : http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,4214.0.html (first download link). Run it to self extract the archive. Run the binary extracted, choose CF drive, tick "cf boot sector" and then click "make bootable."

7. download latest autoexec.bin from here: http://code.google.com/p/400d/downloads/list rename it to autoexec.bin then copy the file to CF card.

8. safely remove CF, insert it into camera, if the blue print led of the camera briefly lights up when the camera is turned on, the hack is successfully loaded.

9. to use additional ISO values, choose one of the 100,200,400,800,1600, and then push the print button to access more ISOs. (80/100/125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/ 1600/2000/2500/3200)

ISO levels 16/32/40/50 can also be enabled if you go to menu and turn "shoot without CF" ON, but not sure if they really work (i see no difference.)

10. to use spot metering, go to metering selection screen, then push the print button. to go back to "evaluative metering", you have to select other metering modes first, and then back to "evaluative metering", because the camera thinks you are at "evaluative" although you are at "spot metering".

11. to view shutter actuation count, which was only viewable by canon themselves, go to menu, push print button, push menu button again twice, ("factory menu" appears), enter factory menu, then push print button to enter "debug mode". after a beep, go back and set spot metering. and you will see the camera writing something to the CF (CF light). eject CF, insert it into card reader, you will see a file called STDOUT.txt, search the textfile for "Release". there you see a number and that is the shutter count.

thanks very much thaibv and Foldesa of CHDK for this wonderful hack.

- raingrove

[raingrove]

preview:

[WT21]

Cool!

[KCmike]

I can't seem to find it?

[monty28428]

Originally Posted by KCmike

I can't seem to find it?

go here -> Link

[raingrove]

moved it to the top of the thread

[sd850is]

Originally Posted by raingrove

DETAILED HOWTO.

1. use a fully charged battery. you need CF card reader and windows. on a mac, use windows under bootcamp/vmware fusion.

2. update to latest firmware (1.1.1) by downloading the latest firmware, copying it into the root of CF, and running "update firmware" in the setup menu.

3. empty your CF, download testfir.fir from http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1618.0.html and copy it into the root of your CF.

4. insert CF, and then run firmware update again using testfir.fir the screen will go blank. wait 5 minutes, turn off, take battery out and back in.

5. insert CF into card reader and perform a quick format.

6. IF Card <= 4GB (fat12/fat16)

download cardtricks: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Cardtricks run it, choose CF drive, tick "cf boot sector" and then click "make bootable."

ELSE IF card > 4GB (fat32)

use HxD : http://mh-nexus.de/en/downloads.php?product=HxD run as administrator, goto extras -> options -> security -> uncheck "open disk as readonly by default", then open CF card using the 5th button (cd, floppy and HDD icon) in the toolbar, then carefully write "EOS_DEVELOP" at 0x47 and "BOOTDISK" at 0x5C. save and exit.

7. download autoexec.bin from here: http://depositfiles.com/files/jbygql51l copy it into CF.

8. safely remove CF, insert it into camera, if the blue print led of the camera briefly lights up when the camera is turned on, the hack is successfully loaded.

9. to use additional ISO values, choose one of the 100,200,400,800,1600, and then push the print button to access more ISOs. (80/100/125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/ 1600/2000/2500/3200)

ISO levels 16/32/40/50 can also be enabled if you go to menu and turn "shoot without CF" ON, but not sure if they really work (i see no difference.)

10. to use spot metering, go to metering selection screen, then push the print button. to go back to "evaluative metering", you have to select other metering modes first, and then back to "evaluative metering", because the camera thinks you are at "evaluative" although you are at "spot metering".

11. to view shutter actuation count, which was only viewable by canon themselves, go to menu, push print button, push menu button again twice, ("factory menu" appears), enter factory menu, then push print button to enter "debug mode". after a beep, go back and set spot metering. and you will see the camera writing something to the CF (CF light). eject CF, insert it into card reader, you will see a file called STDOUT.txt, search the textfile for "Release". there you see a number and that is the shutter count.

thanks very much thaibv and Foldesa of CHDK for this wonderful hack.

- raingrove

works great!!! thnx for the step by step

one thing i wasn't able to do was get the shutter count. I search in the textfile for "release" but nothing shows up

ill figure it out somehow

[explr1]

I don't get this step;

use HxD : http://mh-nexus.de/en/downloads.php?product=HxD run as administrator, goto extras -> options -> security -> uncheck "open disk as readonly by default", then open CF card using the 5th button (cd, floppy and HDD icon) in the toolbar, then carefully write "EOS_DEVELOP" at 0x47 and "BOOTDISK" at 0x5C. save and exit.


Where does line 47 and 5c start?

[shaker69]

Originally Posted by raingrove

DETAILED HOWTO.

1. use a fully charged battery. you need CF card reader and windows. on a mac, use windows under bootcamp/vmware fusion.

2. update to latest firmware (1.1.1) by downloading the latest firmware, copying it into the root of CF, and running "update firmware" in the setup menu.

3. empty your CF, download testfir.fir from http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1618.0.html and copy it into the root of your CF.

4. insert CF, and then run firmware update again using testfir.fir the screen will go blank. wait 5 minutes, turn off, take battery out and back in.

5. insert CF into card reader and perform a quick format.

6. IF Card <= 4GB (fat12/fat16)

download cardtricks: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Cardtricks run it, choose CF drive, tick "cf boot sector" and then click "make bootable."

ELSE IF card > 4GB (fat32)

use HxD : http://mh-nexus.de/en/downloads.php?product=HxD run as administrator, goto extras -> options -> security -> uncheck "open disk as readonly by default", then open CF card using the 5th button (cd, floppy and HDD icon) in the toolbar, then carefully write "EOS_DEVELOP" at 0x47 and "BOOTDISK" at 0x5C. save and exit.

7. download autoexec.bin from here: http://depositfiles.com/files/jbygql51l copy it into CF.

8. safely remove CF, insert it into camera, if the blue print led of the camera briefly lights up when the camera is turned on, the hack is successfully loaded.

9. to use additional ISO values, choose one of the 100,200,400,800,1600, and then push the print button to access more ISOs. (80/100/125/160/200/250/320/400/500/640/800/1000/1250/ 1600/2000/2500/3200)

ISO levels 16/32/40/50 can also be enabled if you go to menu and turn "shoot without CF" ON, but not sure if they really work (i see no difference.)

10. to use spot metering, go to metering selection screen, then push the print button. to go back to "evaluative metering", you have to select other metering modes first, and then back to "evaluative metering", because the camera thinks you are at "evaluative" although you are at "spot metering".

11. to view shutter actuation count, which was only viewable by canon themselves, go to menu, push print button, push menu button again twice, ("factory menu" appears), enter factory menu, then push print button to enter "debug mode". after a beep, go back and set spot metering. and you will see the camera writing something to the CF (CF light). eject CF, insert it into card reader, you will see a file called STDOUT.txt, search the textfile for "Release". there you see a number and that is the shutter count.

thanks very much thaibv and Foldesa of CHDK for this wonderful hack.

- raingrove

I did the steps religously and it won't work. I'm using a sandisk ultra II 2gb card. I always keep getting:

Update file cannot be found. Please turn off the power switch and reload the battery and try again.

Has anybody had the same problem? Thanks.

[sd850is]

Originally Posted by shaker69

I did the steps religously and it won't work. I'm using a sandisk ultra II 2gb card. I always keep getting:

Update file cannot be found. Please turn off the power switch and reload the battery and try again.

Has anybody had the same problem? Thanks.

I had the same problem.... make sure the autoexec.bin file is correct (step 7) If I'm not mistaken the file should be 8-9kb.

I used the wrong autoexec.bin file (from step 3)

[shaker69]

Originally Posted by sd850is

I had the same problem.... make sure the autoexec.bin file is correct (step 7) If I'm not mistaken the file should be 8-9kb.

I used the wrong autoexec.bin file (from step 3)

Huh, the autoexec.bin i have is only 1kb. Where else did u get the autoexec.bin?

[kay188]

Here's another large photo to show ISO3200!
If exposed right even a noisy photo looks good!

F/3.2, 1/60, near 100mm.


Topaz Denoised


F/2.8, 1/60, 70mm


Topaz Denoised


I think i'm getting addicted to these new in camera ISO values...

[woos]

Incredible...the 450d and 1000d also run VxWorks right, not DryOS?

So in theory if this gets developed further it should be fairly easy to get going on a rebel xs or xsi as well! Always made me sad that the xs and xsi don't have an in camera iso 3200 option as their high iso performance is so good.

Unfortunately getting video to work on the xsi (ie dumping the live view data as a mjpeg avi to the sd card) would be way, way, more difficult so don't get your hopes up for that lol.

[cppalermo]

Does anyone know if this could work on the XS or tried anything?

Originally Posted by woos

Incredible...the 450d and 1000d also run VxWorks right, not DryOS?

So in theory if this gets developed further it should be fairly easy to get going on a rebel xs or xsi as well! Always made me sad that the xs and xsi don't have an in camera iso 3200 option as their high iso performance is so good.

Unfortunately getting video to work on the xsi (ie dumping the live view data as a mjpeg avi to the sd card) would be way, way, more difficult so don't get your hopes up for that lol.

[WaltA]

Originally Posted by cppalermo

Does anyone know if this could work on the XS or tried anything?

This hack won't. It is specifically for the xTi. But I think your quoting the developers on the chdk forum where they were discussing the ability to implement this hack on other cameras.

I'd suggest you look on that thread and see if they've done it. They usually create a forum for every camera type that has been hacked.