Keeping my 5D3 a pure virgin

[Michael Thames]

Well, I've been of the fence for a while whether to download Magic Lantern on my 5D3. I've even gotten to the point of formatting my SD card and ready to download. Then I realize I can't use my Lexar UDMA 800X FC..... it's too slow for raw video! I get on the forums and read about the nightmares with all the Fast cards that are supposed to work but don't. Then I need an up to date comparable card reader. For the cost of a reliable fast card and a new card reader I can just about buy the BMCPC. Of course then there is the work flow of working with RAW video. I think I will just get a Black magic pocket camera for the times I need to use RAW video, and keep my 5D3 a pure virgin.

[Noa Put]

Why would you need raw video? Is that a requirement from your clients? I have heard the pocketcam raw footage also suffers from more moire then when you shoot prores, unless I was wrong informed then raw and moire doesn't sound like a good combination, one one side you"d gain much better color correction (if you know how to do that right) but when moire ruins your shot, what advantage will raw give you?

[Robert Benda]

There are a lot of useful things about Magic Lantern, and shooting RAW wasn't even in the top 5 for me (I have a 5d Mark II):

Audio meters on screen
Magic Zoom to check focus
vectorscope, histogram live on LCD
Inverlameter built in
forced FPS to shoot long exposure video

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Noa Put

Why would you need raw video? Is that a requirement from your clients? I have heard the pocketcam raw footage also suffers from more moire then when you shoot prores, unless I was wrong informed then raw and moire doesn't sound like a good combination, one one side you"d gain much better color correction (if you know how to do that right) but when moire ruins your shot, what advantage will raw give you?

I primarily shoot videos promoting my work, I've made classical guitars for the past 45 years or so. I don't have any clients except for myself. I like to take videos of my guitars as if they were playboy center folds, we call it "guitar porn" for those in the know.

I'm thinking my guitars would look better shot in Raw. The rest of the shots can be done in Pro res. The BMPCC is now out of the question because the price just went back up today...... I thought the offer was good until the end of August, but I was wrong. I am always looking for a second camera which I need to shoot guitar videos.

I keep thinking what the hell just get the GH4, and be done with it, but each time I go look at the image quality I'm underwhelmed and think the RAW 5D3 looking better to my eyes, even though I read through the comments on Youtube stating otherwise. I don't shoot tress in jungles so I don't care about the detail that much.

Although shooting a 5 minute music video in raw seems a bit much, because of problems syncing the sound with potential dropped frames is more than I want to deal with right now. Also music videos are numerous takes which can add up to quite a bit of time.

Morie is a huge problem on shooting guitars because of the rosette and the decorative inlays...... not anything to do with plaid shirts and bricks, so glad I didn't but the BMPCC.

[Michael Thames]

Originally Posted by Robert Benda

There are a lot of useful things about Magic Lantern, and shooting RAW wasn't even in the top 5 for me (I have a 5d Mark II):

Audio meters on screen
Magic Zoom to check focus
vectorscope, histogram live on LCD
Inverlameter built in
forced FPS to shoot long exposure video

I de-flowered her last night, my 5D3 now has ML. Having quickly gone through the menus and features I'm very excited! I thought the menu was going to be complicated and hard to maneuver though but it seems very user friendly so far.

I had a lot of fear about ML, but now it's replaced by sheer joy!

I have to say there are a lot of outdated videos and instructions on installing ML. If you approach it from having some fear and reservations it can be a bit overwhelming for those of us who are not tekkies.

For instance, I thought I had to install an older firmware..... I've been running 1.2.3. None of the installation videos mention the newer 1.2.3. Also very confusing is this Macboot thing which all the videos mention you need to do. Then I read through the ML forum and for 1.2.3 you don't need to format the SD card to DSLR bootable in Macboot.

Then in Charlie Locke's video he says to take out the CF card and install with just the SD card in....... I tried that and it didn't work, then I decided to put the CF card in and then it worked perfectly!

There is so much conflicting info. on YouTube, and the ML forum although very informative once you find your way through is a little intimidating.

Someone should make an up to date video on installing ML on a 5D3 with the 1.2.3 firmware on a Mac.

[Tim Polster]

Good move Michael. RAW video on the MKIII is a magical thing if the workflow works for you. Buy a Lexar 1000+ card or two and all will be fine with 1080p24. Yes, the workflow can be space intensive but you can delete the dng files after you make an intermediate file for editing.

This is how we all wanted the 5DMKIII to look when it was released.

[Jon Fairhurst]

When I read the thread title, I first thought you might be talking about using the 5D3 for video only. By not taking photos, you don't use the shutter. Then again, if you never, ever open the shutter, you can't shoot video. One has to open it at least once, so a video-only, shutter virgin 5D3 isn't possible.

FWIW, my EOS-M has no mirror, so it seems like a shutter virgin. :)

[Bruce Phung]

ML installed on my 5D mrk iii since day 1. In fact right after I charged up the battery and then ML installed. They are many benefits to have ML install.