300D Firmware Hack: Not If, But When...

This is obviously speculation but, based on my experiences with the hacking community, I'd say we'll likey see it within a year or so. Download a file, unlock your 300D and, voila! Instant 10D (in features, anyway.) I'm sure Canon has factored this into their road map as they'll likely have a new product line by then. Any thoughts?

You're dreaming.

---Bob Gross---

IF the firmware is all that prevents the 300D from some of the 10D features....

IF there is anyone in the "hacking comunity" that happens to decide of all the Digital Cameras out there this shoud be her or his pet project.....

... I could come up with more "IFs" but I suspect this first two are fairly big hurtles....

It only makes sense, from a ROI point of view, for Canon to use the same electronics (since they're using the same CMOS) and just "dumb down" the firmware. Interchangable hardware with simply a different program installed is great for cutting costs. As for whether or not there will be enough hacker interest, I already know of two decent ones working on it. Things like digital cameras have enough "geek demographics" to make a hack more likely. I'm not saying it will 100% happen but I'm betting it's likely.

See this thread here,.


https://photography-on-the.net …thread.php?t=19​423#108285

...............it has allready begun

Am I? The plot thickens. Read this thread on dpreview:

http://forums.dpreview​.com …orum=1031&messa​ge=6680774

The fact that Canon is using this OS makes it very crackable indeed. I think we'll see things like FEC, manual selection of focus and metering modes and hot pixel mapping sooner than I predicted.

I think the 300D is one of the top candidates to be picked up by the hacker-community. It's real popular at the moment, and the fact that it's a high-end (but affordable) probably make it more attractive. We've already gotten opensource RAW-converters for the 10D, D30, D60 in Linux for a long time. And (correct me if I'm wrong) the SDK or other information for doing raw-conversion isn't supplied to individuals by Canon? That means there's at least some hackers out there with the knowledge and willingness to hack on the Canon DSLR-series.

I'm not suggesting that it is impossible to hack the firmware in a Canon Digital Rebel. I guess I am just surprised that any camera owner would want to punt off any support or warranty from Canon. Obviously, once you've hacked the firmware, you are skating on your own.

My point is: just because it can be done, that does not mean that it should be done.

---Bob Gross---

You're wrong. I have a copy. It's easy to get.

I know of one individual who has managed to change FEC but that was already discovered as a result of residuals from a remote capture program --- Breeze Browser people I think. Anyway the individual who produced the program says that's all that's changeable. Evidently made possible due to a bug(?) in Canon's 300D firmware.

The SDK is good for out-of-the-camera work but I'm extremely skeptical that in any way relates to the 300D's internal firmware.

No it's probably not related anyhow to the camera-firmware, I just used it as an example to show that parts of this system have attracted hacker-activity in the past. Or weather the SDK is easy to get or not, it at least shows that there's programmers out there who got interest in doing photostuff for free, and then releasing it for free But to be honest, a Camera-firmware probably don't attract as many hackers as an XBOX =) But we can always hope. Some great minds out there.

Okay all you Drebel owners, click your heals together and repeat: There's nothing like 10D firmware...there's nothing like 10D firmware...there's nothing like 10D firmware...

Nonsense. The one way to get in trouble is if you screw up your firmware so it's not recoverable. That is a risk but if I see others using it successfully then I will feel comfortable enough. If I need service done, I simply flash Canon's firmware back onto the camera.

Why so condescending? Do you feel threatened by this or something? 10D's will still be nice cameras so don't worry about it. As a 300D owner I like the idea of hacking my gear to make it better. If you look around you'll find that some of Nikon's Coolpix cameras have already been hacked so there is an interest in the geek community.

Oh, in that case, then I think you should proceed. I'm sure that the Canon support folks would be very impressed with your handiwork.

Personally, I find digital cameras like this to be sufficiently complicated enough when they are operating with stock firmware. All I need is to introduce some errant code to really confuse things.

---Bob Gross---

How much have you dealt with hacks and firmware? I've hacked my computer motherboards, my DirecTV, X-Box, etc. and they work great. You seem convinced that a working hack is simply impossible. You don't give these programmers enough credit. Now, if Canon had used some proprietary OS with encryption, for example, then it would be extremely difficult to reverse engineer. The fact that they're using what looks to be an x86 processor with DOS leaves it wide open to even moderately skilled programmers.