Notes:
• If you use custom cropmarks, place them in ML/CROPMKS folder on your SD card and give them short 8.3 names. You can place at most 9 cropmarks on the card.
• Get more cropmarks from the ML cropmark repository or draw your own (see Cropmarks).
Ghost image
Shows a transparent overlay which can be created from any image in Play mode.
Usage:
• To select the image, go to Play mode and press the LiveView button.
• Move the ghost image in LiveView with arrow keys; center or hide it with SET or joystick press.
Defishing
Preview the rectified (defished) image from the Samyang 8mm fisheye lens, using rectilinear or Panini projection.
This feature works best in photo mode (outside LiveView).
Spotmeter
Measure brightness from a small spot in the frame.
Possible measurement units:
• Percent (0…100%)
• Raw 8-bit levels (0…255)
• IRE -1…101 (formula used by AJ, which maps 0-255 luma levels to approx. -1…101 IRE)
• IRE 0…108 (formula proposed by Piers, which maps 16-235 luma levels to 7.5-100 IRE)
• RGB (displays HTML-like color codes)
False color
This is a tool for evaluating the exposure. It shows different luma (Y) levels using a color map.
You may select one of the following color maps:
Tips:
• you may configure a display preset with False Color and toggle it with a single button press.
• you may also use false colors to highlight 50% and 70% brightness levels, or to reveal color banding, or to check for uniform green screen lighting.
Histogram and Waveform
These exposure tools will show the distribution of image brightness levels.
To learn how to read these graphs, see Understanding Histograms and Final Cut Waveform Monitor.
Vectorscope
This tool shows the color distribution with an U-V plot. Useful for color grading.
To learn how to read it, see Introducing Color Scopes: The Vectorscope.
Movie
Functions specific to movie mode.
Bit Rate
Controls H.264 bitrate used for video recording.
Possible modes:
• CBR: constant bitrate. You specify a factor for multiplying default video bitrate, between 0.1x and 3x. CBR 1x is the firmware default setting.
• QScale: constant quality, variable bitrate (VBR). Available values: -16… +16. Lower numbers mean higher bitrates.
• Firmware default: completely disable bitrate control.
Notes:
• Increasing the bitrate may cause recording to stop. You need a fast card.
• CBR actually works by adjusting QScale on the fly; the instant value is displayed near the recording dot.
• In QScale mode, bitrate is completely out of control (don’t use it!).
• In CBR mode, QScale will not go outside [-16…+16]. When QScale reaches the extreme values (-16 or +16), bitrate will be different than your CBR setting. Watch the bitrate indicators. This is not a bug, please do not report it.
• You can push the bitrate higher if you record without sound, then use Audio RemoteShot to sync the video with an external audio track.
• You can’t change this setting during recording.
• If buffer usage gets too high, ML will pause all CPU-intensive graphics. Change the BuffWarnLevel setting to customize this.
Time Indicator
When recording a movie, ML will display a small time counter in the upper right corner, which can be:
• Elapsed: duration of the current clip
• Remain.Card: estimated amount of recording time remaining on the card.
• Remain.4GB: estimated amount of recording time until reaching 4GB (or until filling the card, whichever comes first).
Unlike Canon’s timer which assumes constant bitrate, ML timer assumes variable bitrate and works even if QScale is enabled. However, due to variations in bitrate, the estimated value will fluctuate a lot, and this is normal.
Movie Logging
If this setting is ON, Magic Lantern will write out a metadata file for the each movie to MVI_1234.LOG
(numbered after the movie). The log file contains lens and exposure info, as well as a timestamp every time any of the parameters is changed during recording.
Log files are placed in the same folder as the movies: DCIM/100CANON/, 101CANON etc.
Tip: you can rename LOG files to CSV and import them in MS Excel.
Movie Restart
While this setting is on, movie recording will restart automatically, unless you stop it. There will be a few seconds skipped during restarting.
REC/STBY notify
Custom notifications for recording or standby:
• Red Crossout (highly recommended if you forget to press record);
• Message (it shows STBY or REC);
• Beeps (it will beep when recording starts or stops);
• Blue LED (obvious if your camera has it).
Movie REC key
This option enables you to start/stop movie recording by half-pressing the shutter button.
Tip: with this, you can use a wired remote to start/stop recording.
Force LiveView
Force LiveView in Movie mode (bypass the dialog saying Press LV button to activate movie shooting).
• Always: force LiveView even if you use an unchipped lens, or no lens at all. Be careful, you may get dust on the sensor while changing lenses.
• Start & CPU lenses: it will force LiveView at startup, regardless of the lens used. After this, it will only bypass the dialog when a chipped lens is attached (i.e. it will enter LiveView as soon as you attach a chipped lens).
Shutter Lock
This option locks the shutter value in movie mode, so you don’t change it by mistake (you will be able to change it only from ML menu).
FPS override
This setting alters FPS for all video modes. Only undercranking works well.
FPS is changed by altering two timer values (let’s call them Timer A and Timer B). Increasing any of these values results in lower FPS. Aside from FPS, changing these timers may alter shutter speed and rolling shutter.
Options:
• Desired FPS: choose a value from 0.2 fps to 65 fps. If the desired value is not possible, ML will choose the closest safe option (look at ’Actual FPS’ below).
• Optimize for:
– Low light: use this option for recording timelapse with shutter speeds close to 1/fps (360 degrees); at high FPS values, you may be able to use other shutter speed values.
– Exact FPS: tries to achieve an exact FPS value, such as 24.000 or 30.000 or 12.500. If more exact solutions are found, ML will choose the one with lowest jello effect.
– High FPS: changes FPS without altering shutter speed and allows a slight overcranking (60D, 600D).
– LowJello, 180d: tries to minimize the jello effect (caused by rolling shutter), while allowing you to expose at 180 degrees (0.5/fps) if possible.