LIST of IMPROVEMENTS for 5D Mark II - Firmware Update

It is good to have a Clear and Clean Thread that EXPOSES the FEATURES IMPROVEMENTS and SUGGESTIONS that Customers need and want in future Firmware Update for the EOS 5D Mark II.

Add your own below, in a CONSTRUCTIVE and RESPCTFUL way.
PLEASE avoid requesting impossible things (we appeal to your discerning)

And link this Thread to Canon online review or whatever way you use to contact them, if you want; the more people suggesting, the more chances we have.

- Canon is not deaf (Revised White paper, page 3: http://www.usa.canon.com/uploadedimages ... %20WP1.pdf), and if they Really listent to "constructive comments and feature suggestions", then it is worth writing and letting them know, CLEARLY, with RESPECT, no ironical comments that achieve nothing, PLEASE.


LIST OF FEATURES TO BE IMPROVED or ADDED
in Firmware Update for EOS 5D Mark II:

- ADD: FULL MANUAL CONTROL in Movie Mode (that includes Aperture, Shutter speed and ISO settings)
- ADD: More Frame Rates options in Movie Mode (24p, 25p)
- ADD: Dedicated Menu for Movie Mode with Direct access to setting and recording (instead of browsing menus with many clicks)
- IMPROVE: more Flexible and Faster CONTRAST AF in Movie mode if possible. Much useful if achieved!!
- IMPROVE: Automatic white balance (AWB), specially in artificial light
- IMPROVE: Auto LCD Brightness to Match recorded image
- ADD: More Frames in BRACKETING MODE (up to 9, so important for HDR Photography, more and more used these days)
- ADD: GAIN CONTROL (Mic Level) for external Audio input. Allow AUTO and MANUAL setting Level
- ADD: CHROMATIC ABERRATION CORRECTION for JPG shoots (AUTO/MANUAL/OFF). Nikon has it (automatically corrects it and improves the image quality VERY much, since almost every lens has Chroma aberration)
- ADD: Selectable lower and upper limit for Auto ISO
- ADD: Mass storage device USB mode option
- ADD: Function to use Built in microphone for audio notes, if possible (as in 1D series)
- ADD: New Feature: allowing to REMAP hot / defective pixels by the user (Official function, not a workaround) This will save lot of money to Canon Tech Service.

I will update and improve this post with new features / suggestions that could be included.
Add your own suggestions too! (and try to focus on that to make a clean list, Please)

(to be continued and updated...)

"- Direct access to Movie Mode (instead of browsing menus with many clicks)"

you can set your camera to start recording when you press the set button, how much faster can it be? the camera can even be asleep and it will start to record as soon as the image shows up on the back LCD

you can also set up the C1, C2, C3 to whatever camera settings that you want.

OK, I've posted your suggestions on http://www.5dfix.com

it's just that manual control and 24/25p for me, the rest is nice, but I can't see much of it happening. 24/25p is on the way apparently

aliasing issues..... number 1 for me. I shoot alot in cities like NY and the aliasing becomes very noticable.... even with soft filters.

It is becoming close to useless for city work.

aliasing issues..... number 1 for me. I shoot alot in cities like NY and the aliasing becomes very noticable.... even with soft filters.

It is becoming close to useless for city work.

Jay, I suppose you're referring to video mode here. I haven't seen one pixel of aliasing in still photo mode yet. Specially in RAW mode, which is all I shoot. Remember, this is first and foremost a still photography camera, after all. The aliasing issues in video mode are simply due to pixel row skipping, an unfortunate technique adopted to facilitate rendering the image in HD video format and speed within the camera's technical envelope (again, intended for still photography applications). Firmware won't fix that.

Most of the suggestions here are good, but I wonder if Canon feels they're truly adequate for a camera at this level. If it operates like other companies, Canon probably has a well defined product roadmap to help them manage its design, engineering, manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing teams more efficiently, which chances are is not as flexible and pro-active as RED's, for example. Expecting Canon to "fix" cameras based on user perceptions of how the camera should have been designed, built and priced in the first place is an exercise in futility. Canon may "listen" and that may help shape their product roadmap for future releases. At best.

Of course, this is only my humble opinion, being a Canon client since the early 70s and having owned many Canon still photography and video products through those years. Then again, I do believe in miracles.

i dont agree with "if canon really listened..." mood at all
dont be naive and think that canon did not know...
they made decisions before releasing the camera...

even the post on more firmware coming is masked to show "oh we are hearing you customers and are fixing your requests" when truly it is focused on aperture only and again corporate $, greed driven manipulation.

The most canon would do with firmware as it relates to video is aperture control.
Why? Because aperture is now fully controlled with manual Nikon prime lenses and most dslr filmmakers or people doing video went for Nikon primes and $20-$200 nikon2canon lens adapters. By providing this control on canon camera, it really doesnt revolutionize accomplishing something Truly new, rather makes it easier and brings more $ back to canon through maintaining canon glass on 5d II.

24p and manual controls is wishful thinking. we'd really see some love and risk taking if they did it. and it would be commendable to see such step in such economy of the world, to lead with new approaches, to lead by example, not being afraid

but it seems so far that canon or any corporation dont have the balls to be truly outstanding leaders and give the full capabilities of 5d II hardware to its users. companies have no hearts, thus no appreciation that we live life once, that time is golden and when technology is already there, it is true greatness to be pioneers and be first to open these in already capable of this DSLR camera. Instead, they put $, fear, reasoning 1st and are mired down in board or whatever BS committee meetings about how not to jeopardize video divisions make the most $ and do it “right”
hopefully the proper hacker shows 1st and sticks it to them

just a different side of the coin.

.
NOTE: I started this thread to collect a List of FEATURES that can be added or improved to the 5D Mark II (via Firmware Update), and share it with you, to suggest to Canon, NOT complaints, oppinions nor anything else.
And I CLEARLY asked for it: a CLEAR and CLEAN List of Improvements

Seems hard to keep the focus on the topic...

If you don't feel like suggesting a FEATURE or IMPROVEMENT (that could be implemented via Firmware Update) then it is ok, but in that case please do not post anything.

The topic is clear and don't want discussions nor debates, just ideas on IMPROVEMENTS

PLEASE FOCUS on the Topic, or just avoid posting.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR COMPREHENSION AND COOPERATION