5D Mark III firmware with clean HDMI is ready right now.

C

Celluloid Dream

Active member
5D Mark III firmware is ready now. It has already been installed on some users cameras by Canon service. This is the firmware that provides clean HDMI output of video and Auto Focus in photo mode for lenses with a maximum aperture of f/8. For you non photographers that enables auto focus when combining an f/5.6 lens with a 1.4x teleconverter or an f/4 lens with 2x teleconverter. Anyway, the firmware is finished, it is version 1.2.1, and it is out in the wild right now. In fact, I have a copy on my hard drive but I think I will wait for the official download from Canon USA.

P.S. I can't wait to see some sample footage in Prores HQ...

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3474597
 
Thanks for the heads up.

People had been complaining that the clean HDMI is still 'boxed', but seemingly you have to push the 'Info' button a few times until you get the unboxed output. Just FYI for any early adopters.
 
I have a nanoflash I could test it with. Whats the actual procedure for installing the firmware on the camera?
 
simonpwood said:
I have a nanoflash I could test it with. Whats the actual procedure for installing the firmware on the camera?
Click to expand...

Simon, If you go to Canon USA website you can download the 1.1.3 firmware update and in that zip file are official Canon firmware update instructions in pdf format. The Canon official procedure is very simple and easy to follow.

If anyone wants some extra assurance, the MD5 sum of the 1.2.1 firmware file should be 3cab840cd3d4cf175b5b4e0ea514eba9

You can test the file and make sure the MD5 matches that with a program like hashcalc or other MD5 checker before installation.

I'm very eager to see actual footage with the new firmware recorded through HDMI out to ProresHQ 422. Even 10 seconds would be awesome. But I totally understand if everyone wants to wait for the official Canon download on the 30th.

P.S. The firmware file itself is dated April 8th, 2013. I wonder if it was ready before then or if they were really working on it all the way into April.
 
Tested it:
  • It works with the Nanoflash: 24p. Live preview on a Samsung D8000 looked really good (shooting a model up close).
  • Didn't see a way to enable camera display with HDMI out at same time.
  • Didn't appear to send audio out HDMI (perhaps is turned down or off- need to explore).
  • Zero increase in resolution vs. internal: A/B test in Premiere.
  • Color and brightness shift internal vs. external (perhaps Nanoflash issue (HDMI Color: was on Full vs. Legal)).
  • Nanoflash at max bitrate (180Mbps) had major macroblocking vs internal IPB (1080p24). Camera stationary on desk.

Have other tasks to take care of, then can explore more, including comparing to the FS700 with Speed Booster and same lens.
 
Tested it. There is a brightness difference but I could extract all the highlights and shadows back as they were in AE so no problem there. I captured uncompressed with my Blackmagic Intensity Pro.

The internal codec is just mindblowingly good. There is an improvement capturing externally but it's so small and negligible. Color is very slightly improved across edges (courtesy of 4:2:2) and the blue channel is a bit cleaner, macroblocking is less. No difference in sharpness as expected. But still. As expected noise was a bit more apparent with no compression. Internal codec is seriously good guys. Way better than AVCHD from the FS700 and the like.

I see no point in going external. Even when shooting greenscreen.
 
jcs said:
Tested it:
  • It works with the Nanoflash: 24p. Live preview on a Samsung D8000 looked really good (shooting a model up close).
  • Didn't see a way to enable camera display with HDMI out at same time.
  • Didn't appear to send audio out HDMI (perhaps is turned down or off- need to explore).
  • Zero increase in resolution vs. internal: A/B test in Premiere.
  • Color and brightness shift internal vs. external (perhaps Nanoflash issue (HDMI Color: was on Full vs. Legal)).
  • Nanoflash at max bitrate (180Mbps) had major macroblocking vs internal IPB (1080p24). Camera stationary on desk.

Have other tasks to take care of, then can explore more, including comparing to the FS700 with Speed Booster and same lens.
Click to expand...

There has to be a way to enable camera display with HDMI out at same time because I saw it done many times in videos from NAB.
 
maarek said:
The internal codec is just mindblowingly good. Way better than AVCHD from the FS700 and the like. I see no point in going external. Even when shooting greenscreen.
Click to expand...

Maarek, Are you speaking of IPB, All-I or both. Do you see any advantage of ALL-I over IPB?
 
The biggest advantage will be a clean monitor external monitor view. I would never consider using anything else than the internal recording since it's already really good. Just as my GH3. Other cameras like my F3 gains when used with an external recorder but the 5D3 not really.
 
Celluloid Dream said:
This guy https://twitter.com/millerandmiller says he sees an improvement even in the internal recording with the new firmware. He posted a short video http://vimeo.com/64902903 and a before/after comparison https://www.dropbox.com/s/vuwbn2582pv67i3/5d3121.png of the new firmware vs. old.

This is a very exciting day for Canon 5D Mark III users.
Click to expand...

Looks pretty negligible, IMO. Maybe even just placebo/imperfect comparison. If Canon had actually improved the internal codec, wouldn't they be the first ones to announce that loud and clear?
 
Celluloid Dream said:
Maarek, Are you speaking of IPB, All-I or both. Do you see any advantage of ALL-I over IPB?
Click to expand...

I use ALL-I because I see a distinct advantage for ALL-I. I tend to shoot a lot of motion. Even heavy amount of motion stays clean with all-i. IPB breaks up quickly and looks worse. I find it odd that people parrot around the idea that IPB is better. It definitely is not. Unless everything you shoot is grassyfields with tripods locked in.

The HDMI was obviously 4:2:2, how someone can't see the difference is also beyond me. Also the 50i seems to confuse people. The signal is 50i yes but it has 25p inside it. It's 100% the same as 25p. PAL is different than NTSC and 50i can carry 100% of 25p.
 
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Andrew Reid said:
Installed. Tested. Shot.

http://www.eoshd.com/content/10233/5d-mark-iii-uncompressed-hdmi-sample-footage

Sample footage is downloadable from the Vimeo page.
Click to expand...

Andrew, you said on Vimeo "I've had it with DSLRs and I've had it with Canon".

It appears your mission in life for the last year or so is bashing the 5D3 and Canon and then promoting anything made by BlackMagic or Panasonic and your own website. The best course of action for you would be to sell all your Canon gear and change the name of your website to reflect your hatred of all things Canon and all things DSLR.
 
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