Cool Open-Source Firmware for your Camera!

April 5, 2008

If you’ve got a Canon camera with Digic II or Digic III processor, and you’ve always craved for more features like a live histogram, zoom while recording video, an intervalometer, RAW format (and the list goes on), your all-you-can-eat buffet of camera features is finally here!

CHDK (Canon Hacker’s Development Kit) is open source firmware that can be loaded onto an SD card and used in tandem with your camera’s original firmware. So there’s no worry of “bricking” your camera if you botch the firmware download process.

I tried it on my SD870IS and it worked fine. I find it useful that it’s enabled by hitting the direct print button. That way you don’t get the CHDK features unless you really want them (and know how to get them).

There is talk of similar code being developed for dSLRs, but this will take some time as this would require a complete replacement of the camera’s firmware, rather than an add-on type above.

Posted in Photography, Technology