activating firmware hack into canon 300d

I've downloaded the russian firmware hack to my computer, downloaded

rar...transferred the firmware to my newly formatted cf card, put

card in camera. What do I do now to activate it? Thanks, Virginia

It should automatically ask you if you want to update the firmware when you

turn the camera on. Just select "yes" and it should update.

1. Remove carefully CF card form your camera

 

2. Format again

 

3. Buy 20D or used 10D

 

4. Enjoy

Did you un-rar the file and extract it's contents or did you just put the rar file on the card?

Rob, First I put the firmware on the card directly from the site, then I saw that I needed to use rar, so I removed the firmware from my cf card, downloaded rar trial version to my computer, downloaded the firmware hack, but to my computer this time. Guess I'm kind of confused about what happened after that. I then sent the firmware from my computer to the cf card and put the card into the camera. nothing happened. Virginia

RAR is a compressed file format, like ZIP. You have to open the RAR file and pull the firmware file out of that. That is the file that should go on the CF card.

Well, how do I open the rar file and pull the firmware out of it and send it to my cf card?

Virginia, I don't want to offend but ...

 

are you realy sure you want to fiddle with the computer inside your camera?

 

The firmware is the cameras operating system, just like windows on your computer. If the update fails, you have an expensive paperweight and no way back!

<br>If I remember correctly,<p>You need to extract the files from the .rar file with a program like <a href="http://www.winace.com/">WinAce</a>.<p>Then take extracted .fir file, put it on a CF card, put the card in the camera, power up the camera, and follow the instructions on the LCD, using the Cross keys and Set button on the 300D.<p>Also see <a href="http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html">http://www.bahneman.com/liem/photos/tricks/digital-rebel-tricks.html</a>

Thank you, everyone, for your comments...I think I succeeded in installing the firmware, however am looking through the menu and do not see 'mirror lockup' anywhere...wondering, how do use mirror lockup?

I found mirror lockup under custom functions and enabled it, but do not know how to use it...how do i lockup the mirror before an exposure? Thanks, Virginia

Well, tried it with the lens off and it looks like as long as I have enabled mlu in the menu, it will work every time i make an exposure. It is set for 1.5 second delay, is that length of time necessary for vibrations to die down?

Take a picture in one shot mode. If you are in burst mode then mirror lockup is automatically disabled.

Virgina

 

To use the mirror lockup function with the hack you have to put the camera in the self timer mode. If you push the shutter button on the camera itself then it will wait ten seconds before locking up the mirror. If you use a a remote control, like the RC-1, it will lock the mirror immediately when you use the remote.

 

I suggest you ignore the rather rude comment telling you to buy a 10D or 20D. Mirror lockup adds a lot of functionality to the 300D and makes installing the hack well worth the time and effort.

<i>Well, tried it with the lens off </i>

 

<p>Keep in mind that the chip is a dust magnet when the camera is on. Generally it's a good idea to have the lens mounted while powering the DSLR on.

> The firmware is the cameras operating system, just like windows on your computer. If the update fails, you have an expensive paperweight and no way back!<

 

How do you know? Did anybody experience sever problems or is it just rumors? I wouldn't worry too much. Even if the update fails, I think you can easily reinstall the original firmware.

 

There would be an easy way to solve problems: The Canon folks themselves unlock the disabled functions and make them part of the official firmware. Maybe they can engage the hacker to do it.

 

Virgina, congratulations you got the upgrade. I like the FEC that gives me the opportunity to use my Sigma EF 500 Super flash easily. And I can set the camera to One Shot AF without being forced to use one of the fool prove automatic modes. But I am still missing Servo AF.

Christof,<br>

<i>Even if the update fails, I think you can easily reinstall the original firmware.</i>

<br><br>

Uploading firmware and flashing the cameras ROM is part of the firmware.<br>

The original firmware overwrites itself with the file on the cf card and reboots the cameras computer.<br>

If the firmware is broken you don`t have a system the camera can boot and have to send it to canon to change the flashROM chip!

<br><br>

Working in IT for more than 20 years, I?ve got some experience with things like that and somebody who don't know how to get a file out of a rar archive needs more advice than a forum can deliver. <br>I had to replace more than one computer motherboard where users messed with the BIOS after they found something better on some website and had nothing left to boot an operating system afterwards.

The 300D is different though in this respect. If the firmware update fails, then the old firmware is still present - it only removes the old firmware if the update was successful. If the old firmware gets screwed for some unusual reason and the firmware update fails, then the camera still retains the ability to update firmware. It seems that they've separated the camera part of the firmware from the firmware update part - and failed updates don't mess up the ability to reflash with new firmware.

 

In your example though ROM isn't updatable - I assume you meant PROM, EPROM or EEPROM.

David, yes I did mean the programmable types of ROMs.

 

But are you realy sure the 300d can flash new firmware after it has written a corrupt file into its flashrom and rebooted? The 20d misses this feature as many users experienced not too long ago :-)

 

Luckily I skipped the 20d as well as the 10d and still save for a 1d MkII and I don't expect any new features for my D60.

I've been using the hack for some 8 months now... I actually loaded it the day I got my 300D (I know, I'm crazy.... :) )

 

So far, no problems whatsoever... the link posted above has a lot of good info, and you can also check the [canondigicamhacking] list on Yahoo! Groups. There are some .PDFs there about the hack, what works & what doesn't, etc....

 

As to MLU, you activate it on the Custom Functions Menu and it has a delay of 1.5s(It's actually not a MLU in the proper sense, it's a Mirror Pre-Fire. C.Fn. 5 allows you to change the delay.) 1.5s should be quite enough, especially if you use a remote to trigger the shutter.

It works in single-shot mode. Not sure if it works in self-timer mode.

For quick access, you can leave the MLU always on on the C.Fn. menu, and change from single-shot to burst mode as a shortcut to turn it on and off.

 

some other features:

 

FEC works great (i find the 300D has a tendency to over-flash, generally use -1 to -2 FEC to get a more natural look).

 

RAW+JPEG size also works(C.Fn. 16). If you don't need JPEG's when shooting raw you can set the embedded JPEG site to small and low quality, saving some space (around 10 more shots on a 512Mb card)

 

C.Fn 1 can change the function of SET button when shooting. "change quality" setting allows you to quickly change from RAW to JPEG.

 

C.Fn 10 allows you to disable the shutter when you don't have a CF card inserted.

 

C.Fn 11 allows you to lock shutter speed to 1/200 in Av mode when using a flash.

 

The left arrow allows you to select focusing modes. Right now the continuous mode is not working (AI servo, i think). AF One Shot and the default mode (AF ServoAI or something like that) are working.

 

Also, remember most of these features only work in the "creative modes".

 

Hope it helps....

<i>But I am still missing Servo AF.</i>

<p>Servo is actually possible to activate if you use USM lenses, Check out <A HREF="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00A3nq">this thread</A>