Magic Lantern wiki

→ DiGiC

A cam running ML but without maintainer is called blindly maintained. This may happen after ML was ported to the cam some time ago and former maintainer is no longer working on it.
Such camera models get updates when new builds are published but there may be nobody feeling responsible to do basic testing and quality control. Bugs may get introduced and remain unnoticed until an user stumbles across it and fill in bug report.

A bootable card is an essential part of ML's startup process. During installation some information is written into a hidden section of your installation medium.
If a card is formated outside the cam or formated in a cam not actively running ML this information will get lost. Boot ability will not be affected by deleting files or directories.
To make additional cards bootable it is recommended to redo ML installation for each card.

Some information written and stored in cam during ML installation. It will only be deleted by proper deinstallation.
A cam with bootflag set will check if there is a bootable card found in cam's card slot(s). It's an essential part of ML's startup process.

Canon introduced Basic Scripting support in EOS camera line-up with Digic 8. It is available for all EOS cams hosting DiGiC 8 und X processors. Same functionionality is a long-standing part in PowerShot cameras (there for older DiGiC generations, too).
It makes a dev's life a lot easier by allowing to set cam's bootflag with some simple and portable lines of code. And other things, too. If you ever come across a statement like “Canon making ML development harder by introducing locked down cameras”: This is proof of the very opposite!

Our friends and frequent contributors from Canon Hacking Development Kit (CHDK) do enhance PowerShot digital cameras with some features not implemented by Canon. Similiar - in some aspects - what ML project does with EOS. There are some major diffences how PowerShot and EOS have to be programmed and that is why there are 2 different project teams.

It may confuse some people that there are a few EOS M cameras not handled by ML but CHDK. And there are 2 PowerShot cameras not located in CHDK realm but ML. Those cameras run code contrary to their names!

EOS M3, M5, M6, M10, M100 work with PowerShot firmware and are therefore handled by CHDK.
PowerShot SX70 and SX740 work with EOS firmware and can be ported to ML.

→ Developer

A developer (dev) in ML microcosmos is a person doing ML programming, porting, maintaining.

Full Resolution Silent Pic → Silent Pic

→ Silent Pic

→ Skipping

LUA Scripting are the easiest approach to add own automotation task to ML.
Examples are:
-Script for shooting a whole set of total eclipse photos with all critical phases an astronomer has to get. -Script for focus stacking for landscape, architecture with real-time calculator and user interface.

Main difference to programming ML (autoexec.bin) and modules: A scripting language doesn't need to be compiled. It runs line by line (simplified) and contains readable text. And the only thing to make such a file is a text editor.

A maintainer in ML microcosmos is a developer feeling responsible for a particular camera model. Maintaining a cam consists of tasks like programming, testing, quality control, porting ML to new firmware versions.
Cameras without a maintainer are called blindly supported.

Some parts of ML's feature set are not loaded by default. To use them you have to access Modules tab/screen activate them* and restart camera. After powerup module's menu options are visible in ML's tabs/screens.
Some developers created custom modules not included in zipped ML builds. You can add modules by placing module file (*.mo) into card directory ML\Modules.

There are two reasons to place ML features into modules:
- Placing all functions into one single piece of software bloats memory requirements and may exceed camera limits for available memory during startup.
- Modules are somehow easier to develop. Such lowering the bar how to make features happen in ML.

Well known ML features codes as modules are: RAW/MLV recording, Dual-ISO, Silent Pics, ETTR …

→ SD-card overclocking

→ Binning

Dev lingo

→ SD-card overclocking

→ Bricking

Symptom: EOS M can focus by half-press shutter but full-press won't work. Using touchscreen may lockup cam completely and you have to remove battery.
Cause: Most likely a so called “race condition” at the very beginning of cam's startup process. ATM ML devs cannot fix that.
Cure: None, at least in foreseeable future.
Workarounds:
* Twist your lens in socket. Powerup cam. Twist lens into mount socket.
* Use a fast card!

Disclaimer: This entry contains no practical joke.

A serial protocol interface/connector inside your cam. ML devs suppose it was implemented by Canon for diagnostics and for low-level maintainance/repair.
By accessing it ML devs can read a lot of internal low-level data hidden from Canon menu. And in case of very-hard-to-hack cameras there may be a way to write data, too (for example: Enable bootflag).
Physically accessing UART in older cams required opening cam and maybe even soldering wires to camera's cirtuit board. Later cams have a UART connector on board for easier access.
On some of Canon's Digic 7, 8 and X cameras this UART is accessible without opening the camera by just removing a reusable rubber cover.

Yet Another ML Menu Option. You may get this response after posting a feature request asking for an additional menu option. ML staff is reluctant to add any new menu options because they feel strongly there already are too many and they want to avoid spreading the disease.