I’ve always been a fan of devices which support firmware updates, but I’m even more of a fan of devices where manufacturers release firmware updates that not just fix problems, but also add new features, and that latter category now applies to Canon and the Canon EOS 5D Mk2, with the new v2.0.3 firmware.

Already sporting some impressive video capture capabilities (on top of being a pretty good DSLR), Canon have said the new firmware will contain:

“The addition of new frame rates expands the camera’s video potential, providing filmmakers with the ability to shoot 1080p Full HD footage at 24fps (actual 23.976fps) – the optimum frame rate for cinematic video. 25fps support at both 1920×1080 and 640×480 resolutions will allow users to film at the frame rate required for the PAL broadcast standard, while the new firmware will also change the 30fps option to the NTSC video standard of 29.97fps.

A new histogram display for shooting movies in manual exposure, shutter-priority (Tv) and aperture-priority (Av) have been added, and exposure modes will also be available in movie mode. Improved audio functionality will allow users to set sound record levels manually using a sound-level meter displayed on the LCD screen. The audio sampling frequency has also been increased from 44.1KHz to 48KHz, providing the optimum audio signal typically required for professional or broadcast material.”

This is good to see, and for those fortunate enough to have a Canon EOS 5D Mk2, the new firmware should be available in the next few weeks.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010 at 11:24 am and is filed under Gadgets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.