Canon DSLR video goes RAW!!

DSLRs Zacuto

EDIT: a little look back at my April Fool’s gag from 3 years ago that upset a lot of people as i posted in on UK April Fool time which in the US was still the 31st March. Not my fault the world works in a funny way! 😉 it was a chuckle reading the comments though as so many wanted it to be true even though the post was written in such an abusrd way!

Obviously this was an April Fools’ Day joke, but one day much of this may come true. Humour is a very important part of life and if we cannot laugh at ourselves then who can we laugh at! 🙂

Introducing the RØDE i16 – Surround sound recording for iOS from RØDE Microphones on Vimeo.

We have been hearing mutterings of this for the past few weeks. “Top DPs in Europe testing out RAW recording on Canon 5Dmkii”. It all sounded like nonsense didn’t it? Well I can exclusive reveal today (we are ahead of the US in time zones here in the UK) as the embargo I was given 0001 BST 1/4/10 has now passed…Canon have done exactly what we wanted. RAW baby, RAW! New firmware will be released imminently  for every camera from the Rebel T1i/ 500D through to the 1DmkiV giving it the much desired RAW recording on the memory cards. Not just that, but they have also finally unlocked the HDMI out to give us an uncompressed feed so we can plug in our Nanoflash or KiPro and record into a format that we have dreamed of!!

Yes, your video can now look as good as this! RAWWWWW!!!!

The RAW recording on cards (Class II for SDHC cards, 10mb/s for CF cards) I understand is limited to 120 seconds per clip due to heat accumulation. Personally I am a bit disappointed in this, I would have been happy with ProRes in camera rather than RAW as this may have reduced the heat issues but I guess they couldn’t license it. Thankfully though, uncompressed HDMI out can run as long as you want! Here are some of the options that will let us unlock the true potential of this camera! 

and here are some exclusive shots of the new firmware’s menu options…

As you can see from the 5DmkII version above we have a massive sized image now available in 24p video mode and not just that but we can overcrank to 160 frames per second in 2K. This is absolutely huge!

Of course this truly is a “game changer” and will mean we lose the aliasing and moire issues of old and gain an immensely powerful filmmaking tool for the price of a nice TV! I have yet to use the firmware but I understand the much requested 1080i 50i/ 60i interlaced mode has been added for the coveted “video look”. I have been missing this as am sick of that mock “film look” progressive nonsense!

I also understand they have fixed the rolling shutter issue by adding a new feature which the Japanese boffins in Tokyo have dubbed “beer goggles” which senses when the image is skewed and fixes it in camera! Awesome!

Other new features included a “digital ND” in which a translucent dark pixels are mapped over the sensor and the intensity can be dialled in so everyone can shoot with depth of field as shallow as Hal. This will make a lot of people very happy!

Also it appears if you install the firmware on any of the Nikon DSLRs it runs a Canon emulation mode. Great news!

Acclaimed DSLR users like Shane Hurlbut ASC and Vincent LaForet have been reportedly frothing at the mouth with excitement over this news. Unfortunately Shane was mistaken for having rabies and is now in quarantine for 30 days. His Elite Team are apparently working on a breakout…

This announcement just days before the start of NAB in Vegas is surely going to upset a lot of people. Red’s notoriously tight lipped Jim Jannard has released the following official statement regarding this news…”Shit.”

I have just downloaded the firmware and installed it on the 12 Canon bodies that I have, tomorrow I will release an edit together of some trees, leaves, flowers, water and ducks shot in RAW edited to some Vivaldi…stay tuned I will upload the video as soon as possible (unfortunately one side effect of the new RAW recording is we lose the ability to do timelapse due to the removal of the camera’s stills function, which as you know I adored, so I will probably keep one of my Canon’s on the old firmware)…In the meantime here is the official sexy poster that Canon have released, epic!!

Here is the download link to the new firmware. You will need to register to get the firmware. Please do not skip this step or you will be unable to enjoy RAW!

82 comments

  6. So, if I run the camera in RAW for too long and get too much sensor heat-up, do I end up with cooked?

    Jim seems to have the right approach – put the camera on the end of a long stick, just in case!!

  9. Just downloaded it.

    Am currently streaming to to 2 HDTVs uncompressed.

    Love the Digital ND feature. Finally I can shoot straight into the sun!

  16. OK… It’s past midnight in the UK… That makes the date April…. 1st!

    If this is your idea of a joke then you are one…. cruel…..

    😉

    If not ….. WOOOOOOT!

    TOm

  19. This would be fantastic news indeed. I’m cautiously optimistic though as tomorrow is April 1st. Let’s hope.

  24. I can’t wait to see this new raw video!

    I will directly buy 3 additional flat screens do get the whole resolution.

    Just not sure how I should arrange the screens. Side by side, in a row, back to back? Please help Mr. Bloom

  25. Upon further investigation the link pretending to take us to the firmware download links to the Celine Dion website. Truly cruel Phillip!

  27. CELINE DION…really? REALLY? You’re going to give someone a heart attack. Almost got me but I’m young and my heart is strong. But seriously, man, this isn’t nice. I just wasted a good 20 minutes of my time reading all the details of this article while frothing at the mouth, and another good 20 minutes searching Celine Dion’s website for the firmware download. Not cool at all

  31. April 1st Joke – actually a sad attempt at one and devalues his entire blog. See ya Bloom.

  34. OMG!! You got me!!…. orrrrr maaannnn..

    I was like 2K at 160fps! far out!!

    Then I clicked on the firmware link….
    Looked at the calender… And I got it..

    Damn you Bloom!! DAMN YOU!!!!

  35. Oh dear – It seems we’ve been punk’d big time – well done … and it’s not often that an Aussie will admit that to a Pom! Now I’ve read this, I want it!

    Luke

  37. so will I still be able to use mstreamclip if I install the new firmware? and if so do I convert with the same settings?

  43. Thanks so much for this. I’m downloading the new firmware now. I can’t wait to try this out. Funny thing is, that I can’t stop humming the Power of Love while applying this firmware update. Oh wait, It’s all coming back to me now. Thanks again Philip, I’m your angel.

  45. Am I correct that this new firmware that overclocks at 1080p160 and 2K will also apply to the 550D?

  47. I also heard a rumor that they’re releasing the Canon 1d Mark VI this year as well, it has the ability to mount to different size lenses at the same time and to record two different frames per second simultaneously…that’s going to be the real game changer…can anyone say EPIC!!

  48. This cruel and unusual. Well written, almost like a scaled gullibility test. You had me going for 3 1/2 paragraphs… which equates too ‘easy mark’

  49. Wow I just installed it and my 7D is as loud as the Titanic soundtrack in the Audio tracks. Fortunately you can edit audio levels with this devilish firmware.

    The added GPS and turn by turn directions are so neat that I’ll hardly ever use the phone now. Canon Rulez!

  51. …and what’s the third recording choice? A video 8 deck? Should have made it a Fisher Price Pixelvision.

  52. Ah you totally had me there – the shot of the Sony Video-8 recording deck nearly gave it away, but then I thought you were just having a dig at Sony. You had me so bad I went all the way and ended up posting on the Celine Dion Forum!!

  54. Holy Jesus H Christ, it seems like the future is finally starting to get here.

    Can’t wait to see the output Phillip.

    p.s Don’t tell Steve about this or he will have to fork out the dough to do another Shootout.

    pps. The Shootout is awesome though.

  56. Just downloaded it. Great!

    I just modded a field VHS recorder to get HDMI input. Works perfect.
    Now I get great DOF with that video look we all love.

    The best part is that I also can use my old VHS editing station.

    Tomorrow I´ll do a test print (35mm) that I´m going to show at the preNAB meeting at the Skywalker Ranch.

    See you there Philip!

  59. wow, insane now i can shoot with my 550D directly to a video8 deck in hifi stereo … can’t wait to tell the clients about that killer feature 😀

  61. If I ever see YOU IN PERSON PHILIP Im kicking you in the fucking balls, this is the worst april folls prank ever. 666 firmware update, people would have to be retards to let this go on in their heads for more than 3 min. I am really pissed a hole haha.

  63. this is amazing!! Is it wi fi enabled where i can hot swapp the batteries and leave it on for eternity?

    I would love to record all of history on RAW !!

  64. oh come on! The photo of raw meat didn’t make you think twice? Nevermind all the crazy specs… Good one Sir!

  70. I just placed an order for 20 64 GB extreme pro’s .. thanks for the great news philip !!!!

  72. ” I have yet to use the firmware but I understand the much requested 1080i 50i/ 60i interlaced mode has been added for the coveted ‘video look’.”

    – Oh….can’t wait – thanks : )

  80. Overheating problem greatly reduced if you shoot underwater no housing necessary.

    I just spotted the Video8 recorder in with the Ki and nanoFLASH 🙂