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

MartCronos wrote in post #9364044
Great! I always dreamed of having spot metering. What's the use of the AF's different patterns?

You can pick different combinations of focus points. Like all 4 corners. Thats just an example. Some may use it. I don't.

WaltA wrote in post #9364513
You can pick different combinations of focus points. Like all 4 corners. Thats just an example. Some may use it. I don't.

For those who use it: when/why do you use it?

andreas612 wrote in post #9301701
I know, the other steps I follow, but when he says:

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.

what does that mean? Because when I go to "firmware version xxx" he says he won't do it. (I've already 1.1.1)

For information : After upgrading the firmware in the camera it will still show firmware version as 1.1.1 in the menu display even though the testfir.fir has taken. This had me worried for a minute.

Great hack. Though as a Mac user who hasn't been near a PC app since 2004 most of my work was setting up a windows partition under bootcamp, finding a dodgy copy of XP to install and suffering through the interminable blue and green world of install screens and "duh,duh, der, der, doom" music that is a Windows XP install.

I dusted off my 400D just to try this out and it really does seem to work. The spot metering was something I really missed on what is otherwise a great camera. Mind you, after using a 7D the 400D seems a bit noisy above ISO 400 and at ISO 3200 it positively hisses. Still, if it gets the shot who cares ? Much easier to remove noise in PP than to remove blur and, to be honest, a little noise never hurt anyone and can even add something to the right pic.

3 cheers for the dedicated hackers who have breathed new life into an old friend.

MartCronos wrote in post #9370685
For those who use it: when/why do you use it?

I second that question. I have used the new ISO settings and checked the shutter count, but I have the original hack.

What real world situation do the additional focus points come into play?

Thanks for sharing.

It would seem there is no firm conclusion if the low ISOs like 16 actually work, anything new on this? Seems it should be an easy test to do, shoot the same scene on manual at iso16 and iso100, leaving shutter and aperture alone.

I have a 5D and 5DII, so I'm not concerned with the spot metering and high-ISO, but if there's a real ISO 16 I would start using my XTi again for strobing daylight (rather than an ND on the lens).

You should downloaded and executable called cardtricks.exe from an earlier instruction .
Thats what you have to run.

The best thing you can do is just delete everything and start all over again- trying to retrace steps is just as bad-

https://photography-on-the.net …p?p=9135630&pos​tcount=392

diegophoto wrote in post #9407418
I turned on my camera and re formatted my cf card that way after step 4 could that of messed it up ?

YEs, reformatting messes it up. NEVER reformat.

brett maxwell wrote in post #9386894
It would seem there is no firm conclusion if the low ISOs like 16 actually work, anything new on this? Seems it should be an easy test to do, shoot the same scene on manual at iso16 and iso100, leaving shutter and aperture alone.

I have a 5D and 5DII, so I'm not concerned with the spot metering and high-ISO, but if there's a real ISO 16 I would start using my XTi again for strobing daylight (rather than an ND on the lens).

Tests with my camera show that 16 ISO falls between 100 and 125 ISO. 32 ISO is about the same as 125 ISO. All of the < 100 ISO settings give exposures brighter than 100 ISO. So it's time to change my menu back to needing a CF card installed to shoot.

Fast Guy wrote in post #9141271
I've got a slight problem with this card now. I've just built a new pc which is working OK, but when I connect my camera via usb with this card in it, you get the "what action do you ....blah blah" box and when I select download with EOS Utility, it just hangs. The green and red lights illuminate on the camera and even when you turn it off the green one stays on until you pull the battery.
If I try to look at "my computer" to view the 400d's properties the window just hangs.

If I fit a non hacked 2G card everything works fine.

If I use the hacked card in a card reader it works OK.

I just can't use the hacked card in the 400d to download files. I prefer this way unless there's another program that will download only the new stuff and into a new dated folder for each date.

I seem to have fixed it now.

I found EOS utility was playing up so downloaded a newer version got that working then I deleted and redid the hack on the card. It all seems to be working now and I can connect to the pc and download new pictures without the pc hanging. (now if only I could get the scanner driver to install under windows 7:rolleyes

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

woos wrote in post #8516650
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 wrote in post #9411654
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.