Canon CHDK Quick Start Manual
Canon CHDK Quick Start Manual

Canon CHDK Quick Start Manual

Extra features for canon point and shoot cameras
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CHDK
Extra Features
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For Canon Point and Shoot Cameras
User Quick Start Guide

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Summary of Contents for Canon CHDK

  • Page 1 CHDK Extra Features ® For Canon Point and Shoot Cameras User Quick Start Guide...
  • Page 2 CHDK Canon Hack Development Kit ® User Quick Start Guide 2010 V.1.8.6 ® For Canon Cameras with CHDK loaded and operational For installation instructions go to: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK...
  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Edge overlay…………………..19 Custom curves………………...20 Histogram Parameters……….21 Zebra Parameters………….….24 OSD Parameters……………….26 Visual Settings…………………35 Scripting Parameters………...36 Miscellaneous stuff…………..38 History of CHDK…………… 47 Stereo Data Maker………….48 KAP……………..………...…. 49 Bracketing notes………..….49 RAW notes……………...…...50 Bad pixel notes……………. . 5 1 USB Remote notes…….…..52 Grids notes…………...……. 53 Curves notes ……………….54...
  • Page 4: Acknowledgements

    Acknowledgements CHDK has to be one of the most innovative improvements to any camera that has ever come along since the beginning of photography. Started out by some people who only wanted RAW out of their raw- crippled cameras, it has now grown into one of the most adaptable, flexible, and full-featured operating systems of any cameras ever made.
  • Page 5: Chdk Introduction

    Q. What is the CHDK program? CHDK enhances the capabilities of your camera in a non-destructive, non-permanent way. After loading of CHDK program your camera will have the following extra functionality: • Shutter-priority (Tv) exposure - via shutter value override feature •...
  • Page 6: Using Chdk

    Cameras that have an SD card that has been prepared as bootable and is locked (write protected, with the slide tab on the side of the card), will load CHDK automatically when turned on. This is usually called the “Autoload” method, using a camera version specific file “DISKBOOT.BIN”...
  • Page 7 CHDK will now be running in the background. Some features are enabled by default, for example, battery and memory indicators. However, most features are disabled by default. To make changes to how CHDK operates, you start by entering mode. <ALT>...
  • Page 8 ” will appear at the bottom middle of the OSD. In <ALT> When you enter <ALT> mode you can now use CHDK Scripts, and also enter the CHDK Main Menu. When you have <ALT> finished customizing how CHDK operates, and/or using scripts, press the mode button to exit <ALT>...
  • Page 9: Osd Display Diagram

    On-Screen Display (OSD) Map <ALT> Mode indicator Live Histogram Mini Console - Current Script info. RAW shots remaining Indicator Battery Indicators Miscellaneous Values File-Space Indicators - icon/text Extra Photo Operations - Overrides File-Space Indicator - vertical bar Temperature Indicator Clock Fast EV Switch Indicator See OSD Parameters on Page 26...
  • Page 10: Main Menu

    Main Menu The Main Menu is the top-level menu from which all CHDK functions are enabled and customized. To access the Main Menu, set the camera to mode and press the Menu button. <ALT> Like Canon’s menus, pressing the In <Alt> mode press camera menu button.
  • Page 11 - This is an artificial aperture value caused by the ND filter swung in. With CHDK, you can choose to keep the ND filter out, and just select a faster shutter speed to compensate. To do this, use: Main Menu >...
  • Page 12 • Value factor (mm) [Off, 1, 10, 100, 1000] in the display in the OSD. The Value factor is used to enable the FACTOR OVERRIDES “Override Subj. Dist Valu” (OSDV), and also to quickly set the focus distance. When updating the “...
  • Page 13 This process may be repeated for as many bracketing steps as you need. Giving you finer control over the number of bracketed exposures you may require. Set camera Custom Timer in Canon Menu ® Bracketing notes: Page 49.
  • Page 14 • ISO bracketing value [0 – 100] Set this value to bracket via ISO. This value is multiplied by the Value factor below to arrive at the final ISO value that will be used for bracketing. A value of 2, with a Value factor of 10, will increase or decrease the ISO by 20 for following exposures.
  • Page 15 Example: Camera set ISO 100 at 1/8s. AutoISO configured to ISO50-400 at 1/15s: will shift to ISO200 to maintain 1/15s shutter speed. AutoISO This feature is available in all modes except for Shutter priority (Tv). It is also disabled in stitch assist to prevent using different settings for each panorama part. Enable [•] / Disable [ ] Enable Custom Auto ISO •...
  • Page 16 Note also: This change is not saved between camera power-downs. If you would always like to start out with a small negative preset EV value to avoid blown highlights, then use Canon's own EV compensation setting for your startup EV value. This Fast EV Switch will reflect that value on startup.
  • Page 17: Video Parameters

    Video Parameters < Main Menu Video Mode [ Bitrate or Quality ] Video compression modes. – Bitrate dictates a constant data rate. Video compression (and hence, video quality) expands or contracts as necessary to maintain the data rate constant. Quality – Sets a constant compression level, ensuring a defined level of quality regardless of how much data that level requires.
  • Page 18: Raw Parameters

    Show Remaining Videotime [ Don’t, hh:mm:ss, KB/s, both ] < Video Parameters Displays a positionable OSD element to show the video bit-rate, and the remaining video recording-time, on your SD card,… - No display of remaining recording time and/or video data-rate. •...
  • Page 19 RAW File Prefix < Raw parameters < Main Menu CHDK lets you name your raw files with any combination of the standard prefixes IMG_, CRW_, SND. If you are going to process the RAW files with DNG4PS-2 then setting a prefix of IMG_ will allow DNG4PS-2 to retrieve EXIF data from the accompanying JPEG.
  • Page 20 < Raw parameters < Main Menu This feature is for RAW files created with CHDK, not the Canon native RAW of some cameras. Use this feature to process a RAW file and create a JPEG from it. When selected, a file browser window is displayed.
  • Page 21: Edge Overlay

    During shoot mode half or full press this feature adds an overlay based on the image edges, additionally a grid that matches the Canon grid is added. Use the left, right, up or down buttons to shift the overlay (use it in mode to avoid <ALT>...
  • Page 22: Custom Curves

    • Custom - Your custom curve profile is applied as-is. The following three options require that you have a SYSCURVES.CVF file in your /CHDK folder, this file is included in the "complete" CHDK packages. It is also contained in a file at which also http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=932.0;attach=1816...
  • Page 23: Histogram Parameters

    Histogram parameters < Main Menu Enables and customizes the Live Histogram feature. Histogram Anatomy The horizontal component of a histogram runs from 0 to 255. What is important to understand is the “0” and “255” are not values…they are labels representing a color value. When you see a line in the middle of the histogram (label “127”) it’s saying “this is how many ‘127’s there are in the image.”...
  • Page 24 Histogram Screenshots RGB RGB Y RGB Y R G B   RGB all Y all Blend Blend Y • Histogram mode [ < Histogram parameters < Main Menu Linear, Log Determines how the Y-axis (vertical) of the histogram will be scaled. Log is useful for scenes with a large amount of a single color, such as an overcast sky (lots of gray.)
  • Page 25 In this example the image is both over and under exposed (the scene has a very wide dynamic range) A 10 MP camera might have its Y-axis scaled like this... Linear 10,000,000 pixels 10,000,000 pixels “ 1,000,000 7,500,000 “ 100,000 “...
  • Page 26: Zebra Parameters

    Show Histo Ev Grid Enable [•] / Disable [ ] < Histogram parameters < Main Menu Adds 4 or 5 vertical lines to the histogram dividing the histogram by full stops. EV Grid Enabled Zebra parameters < Main Menu Zebra is a feature that indicates over and under exposed areas of the scene.
  • Page 27 ] / Disable [ ] This option only applies to Zebra Blink modes. When exposure indicators are visible, all of the original Canon indicators are erased. When this option is enabled, the original Canon screen items (such as exposure) are redrawn between blinks.
  • Page 28: Osd Parameters

    Center Menu Enable [•] / Disable [ ] A cosmetic adjustment to your CHDK Menu screens to evenly place them on the screen. Auto Select 1st Entry @ Menu Enable [•] / Disable [ ] Quickly position your menu-selection cursor on the first entry in any CHDK menu.
  • Page 29 (or equivalent). When editing is complete remember to set the User Menu Enable option back from "Edit" to either "On" or "On Direct". Customizing hint / reminder: Some CHDK features require 2 or more options that work together. An example, "Override Shutter Speed" might also need its associated "Value Factor"...
  • Page 30 OSD layout editor < OSD parameters < Main Menu The OSD items can be rearranged to suit personal preferences and to avoid the Canon items on the display. Enter Layout Editor...
  • Page 31 Enable [•] / Disable [ ] This setting will override the grid colors defined in the grid file. It will not override the grid colors of the grid selected from the Canon menu. Line color Select a color for the grid lines Fill color Press the Set key to bring up the color selection table.
  • Page 32 Show ‘market’ ISO Enable [•] / Disable [ ] I-M in Miscellaneous Values. Displays Canon’s ISO value, which is not always the same as the actual ISO value. • Show ISO only in Autoiso mode Enable [•] / Disable [ ] Display the ISO value only when the camera is in Auto ISO mode.
  • Page 33 – Displays the DOF values apart from the Misc values. • In Misc – Displays the DOF values with the Misc values. Canon Subj. Dist. as Near Limit Enable [•] / Disable [ ] Enabling this value affects the way the subject distance is calculated.
  • Page 34 < OSD parameters < Main Menu Show RAW state Enable [•] / Disable [ ] “RAW” in OSD. Enables the display of the RAW indicator. Show RAW shoot remain Enable [•] / Disable [ ] Calculates how many RAW captures will fit in the current free memory and displays that number next to the RAW indicator.
  • Page 35 Note: may be used in conjunction with a handy script if you need to ration the amount of photos you take on a long vacation. See this: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts:_Photo_Rations script.
  • Page 36 (and press SET to lock it into Review Mode) or when you have your Canon's Menu "Review" options turned on. This allows you to keep your on-screen grid and other settings visible when reviewing the photo to see if you got the framing or other settings as you had intended.
  • Page 37: Visual Settings

    Choose another font (RBF format) for the CHDK menus. If you have chosen a RBF font but want to switch back to the original built-in font, just choose an "illegal" RBF font (Try to load a uBASIC script as a RBF font, for example).
  • Page 38: Scripting Parameters

    Shutter button. To return to normal shooting, exit mode. CHDK saves your last user-selected script parameters from one session to the next. The default script is the one you load when you don't need a script.
  • Page 39 Parameter Set and then change your user-setting script parameters, CHDK will now remember your settings for each set. (The script parameter sets are saved in a CHDK/DATA/ directory named by the script in use at the time.) Now you can have up to 10 favorite settings for any one script.
  • Page 40: Miscellaneous Stuff

    Miscellaneous stuff < Main Menu File browser Use to navigate Browse files in the various CHDK folders. key to highlight, to select a folder, Up /Down FUNC.SET key to select file, key for pop up menu for Cut, Copy, Delete,...
  • Page 41 You want to erase the occasional mischievous RAW file stored in a different folder. Go to CHDK File Browser, select DCIM folder, push the left button to display the popup menu and select "Purge RAW" (See image above). A warning will ask you to confirm (See image next page) and voila! You have regained some SD space.
  • Page 42 Useful when You want to protect specific RAW files (to use them later for HDR) Go to CHDK File Browser, enter DCIM folder, enter a sub folder (E.g. "102CANON") push the left button to display the popup menu. Select "Purge RAW" . A warning will ask you to confirm and all the RAW files will be gone.
  • Page 43 • Open last opened file Will display the most recent text file that was viewed. • Select RBF font Open the file browser in the CHDK/FONTS directory. Allows you to select a different font for displaying text. • Codepage [Win1251, DOS] Select the text file format.
  • Page 44 Reversi Connect 4 Mastermind If colours are not displayed properly, try entering and exiting Canon menus before entering <ALT> mode. Flash-light For Cameras with fold out LCD. Turns the LCD panel into a flashlight! When in Record Mode and the LCD panel is swiveled facing forward, the LCD display turns all-white so you can see your way around in the dark, or to illuminate some close object while setting up to take a photograph.
  • Page 45: Draw Palette

    Func./Set MENU Show build info Displays the current version of CHDK in use, ie: 0.9.9 - 910, date May 07 2010. Show memory info Displays free RAM available, also CHDK size and load address. Make card bootable... Option to enable auto load of CHDK at startup. Memory cards must have FAT12 or FAT16 format for the bootable partition.
  • Page 46 Property cases (PropertyCase or PropCase) are basically variables in the camera's RAM that we can read and write from CHDK by using uBasic commands get_prop and set_prop. "Under the hood" some other uBasic commands work by changing propcases, making it possible to use them in a portable way.
  • Page 47 "Make card bootable", write-protect the SD card, (lock with slider on side of SD card) and power- cycle the camera. It should now load CHDK from the small 2 MB partition, but have access to the larger FAT32 partition to store pictures, video and the CHDK folders.
  • Page 48 The size of the 1st partition is fixed to 2MB in the code (not changeable in the CHDK menu), but you can change it there and compile your own build, if you know how, using whim’s CHDK Shell, http://drop.io/gcc_for_chdkshell Normally the creation of a partition deletes all data on the card, the swap command should not delete any data, but you should test this first!
  • Page 49: History Of Chdk

    A file-browser and text-reader followed together with 'flash-light', choice of prefix, extension and save- location for RAW files. Instead of loading each time the camera was turned-on, CHDK was next made auto-loading by using a 'locked' SD card containing a DISKBOOT.BIN file.
  • Page 50: Stereo Data Maker

    New cameras were ported, the original WIKI transferred to the current one and in November 2007 a CHDK forum opened to continue discussion outside of 'DP Review'. At the end of December 2007, discussion transferred to the 'CHDK Forum'.
  • Page 51: Kap

    (-Anybody remember those?) The resulting image from DoF stacking can have usually paradoxical qualities; the superb detail of a macro shot with the depth of field of a landscape shot. CHDK makes it possible. See: http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/DoF_Stacking...
  • Page 52: Raw Notes

    The name RAW actually suggests that this is a file without any changes straight from the camera's sensor, and with CHDK this is the case. In some cameras this is not the case, some have had some kind of processing such as sharpening, adding of a header file, Exif data, compression, and even white balance, it could be suggested even unknown processing (except to the manufacturer).
  • Page 53: Bad Pixel Notes

    Menu) is “Bad pixel removal”. Once you have generated a list with all the "bad" pixels for your camera CHDK can remove them automatically. To obtain this list of hot-pixel coordinates you need to capture a "dark frame" by shooting an image with your lens completely capped. For shutter speeds longer than 1 to 10 seconds, it's wise to keep a collection of dark-frames on hand for each exposure length that you will be using in the future, as more warm and hot-pixels show up with extended shutter speeds.
  • Page 54: Usb Remote Notes

    (It can also be useful if your switch uses poor-quality contacts, in which case the rise in voltage when it closes may not occur quickly enough to trigger CHDK's remote function.) Under most single-camera circumstances, however, you won't need this unless you need to sync the shutter release more accurately to your voltage trigger signal for specialized reasons.
  • Page 55: Grids Notes

    Normally most cameras only offer you one simple option, a "Rule of Thirds" composition grid, but with CHDK the sky is now the limit on what you want displayed on your viewfinder for these handy photographer's tools.
  • Page 56: Curves Notes

    In CHDK, scripts are used to automate a command or multiple commands to the camera in order to have the camera perform certain actions, ie: to hold the shutter open for a particular length of time, or to force a particular Av or ISO setting, (and many more actions).
  • Page 57 Example Scripts: UltraIntervalometer (Time Lapse) Script Code (save as "ult_intrvl.bas" to your /SCRIPTS/ folder) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rem Author - Keoeeit rem Written for S-Series rem Should be okay on others rem Use Endless mode with caution rem See documentation for important info @title Ultra Intervalometer @param a Delay 1st Shot (Mins) @default a 0...
  • Page 58 (thus the title) or anything fast, however some objects will blur when the light conditions are insufficient. Enjoy this script! Script Code (save as "Lightning script.bas" to your /CHDK/SCRIPTS/ folder) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rem Author: fudgey - based on BarneyFife's MD Lightning6 and MLuna's Motion Detect...
  • Page 59 "shoot_full" let X=get_tick_count  :contloop let U=get_tick_count let V=(U-X) if V<j then goto "contloop" release "shoot_full" goto "md_burst" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts:Lightning_script_--_Fudgey Also see:- FAQ-How do I use scripts? Page 63 and:- Scripting Tutorial Page - http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/TutorialScratchpad also:- (Excellent) http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/UBASIC/Scripts Tip: For using intervalometer, and long exposure scripts - to save battery and LCD use a piece of ⅛...
  • Page 60: Flash Notes

    On cameras with adjustable flash intensity there will not be a pre-flash when the intensity is set manually, which will help greatly when using slave flashes. See:– http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1365.msg39384.html#msg39384 and:- F orce flash pics. - below ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Examples Force flash pics Thanks to...
  • Page 61 HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a popular branch of photography gaining acceptance over the last few years particularly. CHDK has made this much easier for the low end because of RAW capture (HDR from a single RAW), and bracketing (Multiple shots with stepped Av, etc).
  • Page 62: Motion Detect

    This image was created by stitching together 20 sets of HDRI images each created from 3 exposures. This makes for a total of 60 photographs used to create this image. I used CHDK to allow for the taking of several bracketed shutter speed exposures without re-metering in between.
  • Page 63 Grids Golden Ratio Rulers Diagonal Method Stereo Data Maker Photos courtesy of Stereo Data Maker http://stereo.jpn.org/eng/sdm/index.htm (Kite Aerial Photography) Courtesy Tom Benedict...
  • Page 64: Faqs And Facts

    Q. Does using the CHDK program void your warranty? A. Please bear in mind that CHDK comes with no warranty for any use; you use it at your own risk. What follows is just a few thoughts, and is not a legal opinion. Many believe that using the CHDK does not harm your warranty, since it is said to be loaded into the memory only temporarily (turn off the cam and it's gone completely) and that it leaves the original camera firmware untouched.
  • Page 65 CHDK on their cameras (including some very experimental versions) and there is no report of any permanent malfunction. Thus, CHDK appears to be quite safe to use as long as you make sure that it's the CHDK and not a real firmware update (A real firmware update which is not an official Canon ®...
  • Page 66: Miscellaneous Info

    CHDK will be refined, until it is released as v1.0, and perhaps beyond, which seems to be very close, so the future looks good for CHDK. This User Guide has been written up to May 2010. For further firmware revisions refer to the changelog.
  • Page 67 Experimental development is being done on the PTP feature for CHDK cameras, this will provide computer control of a camera similar to Canon’s EOS Utility and Remote Capture, but with CHDK capability such as remote script control. As at May 2010 so far the supported cameras are: (for experimental use) A480-100b, A540-100b, A590-100e, A610-100e and 100f, A650-100d, A710-100a, A720-100c, SX1-201a, SX10-101a and 102b, SX200-100c, IXUS700/SD500-101a.
  • Page 68: Links

    Links http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ CHDK for Dummies The Very First http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_for_Dummies Steps http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,964.0.html Cardtricks (Memory card formatting) User Manual at Wiki http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_User_Manual Guide http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php/topic,1167.0.htmlß Hi-Speed Shutter & Flash-Sync http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Samples:_High-Speed_Shutter_ %26_Flash-Sync "DoF Stacking" using CHDK Focus http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/DoF_Stacking Bracketing Grids http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Grids Software Overview / Link list http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/Software...
  • Page 69: Legal Notes

    This User Guide is not for resale, it is a free distribution. distributed in the hope that it will be useful but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. GPL: * This file is part of CHDK. * Copyright 2008 The CHDK Team ©...
  • Page 70: Index

    Flash notes Force flash in moviemode Force manual flash Calendar Force flash pics Canon overexp. value Free internal memory CHDK Shell (compiler) Clear override values at start Clear video params at start Games Clock 34, (7, 16, 47) Grid 19, 29, 34, 53, 60...
  • Page 71 OSD in review mode USB remote notes OSD layout editor 28, (6, 14, User menu 27, (8) 28, 32, 33) Using CHDK OSD parameters 26, (14, 53) Overexp. value Override aperture 9, 30 Value factor 6, 9, 10, 12, 27...
  • Page 72 ✎ Notes...
  • Page 73 ✎ Notes...
  • Page 74 ✎ Notes...
  • Page 75 ✎ Notes...
  • Page 76 CHDK ® Canon Hack Development Kit User Quick Start Guide 2010 V.1.8.6 © CHDK User Quick Start Guide Aug 2010 V1.8.6 An0n...

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