A firmware hack for 400D to enable ISO 3200 and 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.

[raingrove]

preview:

[fws1981]

Anyone tried it before?sound good...

Originally Posted by 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.

[adamadam]

One reason I chose the 30D over the 400D was for spot metering!
now 400D has spot metering! wowow
but I don't use my DSLR anymore... haha

[fws1981]

i jus cant figure out how it works...i been trying and follow the step..but still cant get the blue light..

[raingrove]

I will post a detailed howto later...

[andywan83]

Thanks for sharing...
very gd info..
Thankx..

[FireZ]

LOL!!!!....got such thingy ar....

bro...any idea whether is there such as for 450d?!...
been wanting to have ISO 3200...
hence tot of upgrading sia..

if got hack..i'll love my 450d deeply than ever b4 le..

cheers!

[devilcup]

that means 500D should able to do ISO 6400? wahhaa

the ISO 3200 looks good on 400D

[raingrove]

500d already does upto 12800 via custom fn. though it's too noisy...

[solasido]

This is timely as many of 400D warranty should hv been expired so that the owner can do such hacking.

Thanks for sharing!

[raingrove]

I dont think it will void warranty as the hack won't be applied if you boot from CF without the hack files. If you need to send the camera in for service, just take the CF out, or use other CF :P

It's become apparent that Canon purposely crippled a perfectly fine and capable camera in order to draw a clearer line between 30D/40D and 400D.

[papaho]

Will be good to know if this applies to 450d as well..

[tetu024]

Could someone please send a guide on step by step instructions on how to upgrade the fireware. If i'm understanding correctly the firmware is located on the CF? So if the CF is full and one need to change it the other CF must have the firmware on it else well right?

[raingrove]

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://code.google.com/p/400d/downloads/list 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

[solasido]

This is like, if i recall correctly, when 10D was hacked to provide feature of 20D (if not wrong also on ISO stuff).

[raingrove]

there was a mistake in the howto in the steps for getting shutter count. i've corrected it and updated it accordingly

[devilcup]

Originally Posted by raingrove 500d already does upto 12800 via custom fn. though it's too noisy...

i more interested in 30fps for full hd video...

also 1/8000 or faster shutter speed, i not sure is the hardware can support it :P

[powergoo]

Originally Posted by solasido This is like, if i recall correctly, when 10D was hacked to provide feature of 20D (if not wrong also on ISO stuff).

No, it was a 300D hack to enable some 10D features.
I done that...many moons ago

[Virgo]

Originally Posted by solasido This is like, if i recall correctly, when 10D was hacked to provide feature of 20D (if not wrong also on ISO stuff).

Wrong, should be 300D hacked to perform like a 10D, which allows photog to select type of metering modes. I've tried the hack for the 300D before. Works as expected.

For this one, if there is a way to turn back to the old firmware, then I would say, GO FOR IT! But don't blame me if it doesn't work.