a camera to near space for $150 (thread here if you are interested.), I found some info about
something called CHDK.
CHDK is a firmware enhancement that operates on a number of Canon non-DSLR cameras, including
the Canon S3 (which I have as my travel camera). This firmware enhancement is not a permanent
firmware change, you can load it and easily remove it.
What it does is astonishing.....
After loading of CHDK program you will get the following functionality:
* Shutter-priority (Tv) exposure - via shutter value override feature
* Aperture-priority (Av) exposure - via aperture value override feature
* Shooting in RAW, with RAW Average, RAW Sum, and RAW Develop features
* Live histogram (RGB, blended, luminance and for each RGB channel)
* Zebra mode (a live view of over and under-exposed areas of your picture)
* Depth-of-field (DOF)-calculator, Hyperfocal-calculator with instant Hyperfocal and Infinity focus-set, and more
* Battery indicator
* RAW and Video space-remaining gauges with custom low-limit alerts
* USB cable remote shutter release
* Motion-detection trigger - automatically fires camera on motion detection. (Fast enough to capture lightning strikes.)
* Customizable high-speed continuous (burst) Shutter-based (Tv), aperture-based (Av) and ISO-based exposure bracketing (unlimited shots)
* Focus bracketing (unlimited shots)
* 99 constant bit-rate and 10 constant-quality video compression levels
* Elimination of 1 Gig video-size limit
* Zoom during video function (for cameras without this feature)
* Shutter, Aperture, and ISO Overrides
* Ultra-long shutter speeds - up to 64 seconds, and much longer on some cameras.
* Ultra-fast shutter speeds - up to 1/10,000" and higher
* High-speed Flash Sync at all speeds up to 1/64,000 second (even faster in some cameras)
* Custom user-editable visible Grids for framing, cropping, and alignment
* File browser
* Text reader
* Calendar
* Some fun tools and games
* Fully customizable CHDK display, info placement, user-colors, fonts in menus, etc.
* Custom CHDK user menu (for instant recall of up to 10 favorite functions)
* Scripts execution - including exposure bracketing, focus bracketing, intervalometer and more)
* And other features too numerous to mention here.
The CHDK will currently work with the following camera/firmware combinations
* Camera: Firmware Versions
* A2000: 1.00c, 1.00b(with 1.00c version) (beta)
* A450: 1.00d
* A460: 1.00d
* A470 (beta): 1.00e, 1.01a, 1.01b, 1.02c
* A530: 1.00a
* A540: 1.00b
* A550: 1.00c
* A560: 1.00a
* A570: 1.00e, 1.01a
* A590: 1.00e, 1.01b
* A610: 1.00d, 1.00e, 1.00f *1
* A620: 1.00f, 1.00e *9
* A630: 1.00c
* A640: 1.00b
* A650: 1.00d
* A700: 1.00b
* A710: 1.00a
* A720: 1.00c
* S2: 1.00e, 1.00f, 1.00g, 1.00i *2
* S3: 1.00a
* S5: 1.01a, 1.01b
* G7: 1.00e, 1.00g, 1.00i, 1.00j
* G9: 1.00d, 1.00f, 1.00g, 1.00h, 1.00i *7
* SD30 (IXUS izoom): 1.00g
* SD300 (IXUS 40): 1.00j, 1.00k
* SD400 (IXUS 50): 1.01a, 1.01b
* SD450 (IXUS 55): 1.00b, 1.00c, 1.00d
* SD500 (IXUS 700): 1.01a, 1.01b
* SD550 (IXUS 750): 1.00f, 1.00g
* SD600 (IXUS 60): 1.00a, 1.00d
* SD630 (IXUS 65): 1.00a
* SD700 (IXUS 800): 1.00b, 1.01b, 1.01a *3
* SD750 (IXUS 75): 1.00b, 1.01a, 1.01b, 1.02a *4
* SD800 (IXUS 850): 1.00d, 1.00e *5
* SD850 (IXUS 950): 1.00c
* SD870 (IXUS 860): 1.00c
* SD880 (IXUS 870) (beta): 1.00e, 1.01a, 1.01b
* SD890 (IXUS 970): 1.00b, 1.00c, 1.00d, 1.00f
* SD950 (IXUS 960): 1.00d
* SD990 (IXUS 980) (beta): 1.00e 1.01b
* SD1000 (IXUS 70): 1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b, 1.02a *6
* SD1100 (IXUS 80): 1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b *8
* SX1 (beta): 2.00h 2.01a
* SX10: 1.00c, 1.01a, 1.01b, 1.02b, 1.03a
* SX100: 1.00b, 1.00c
* SX110 (beta): 1.00b
* TX1: 1.00g, 1.01b
There are obviously issues about warranties and potential damage to the camera, those issues
are discussed at length in the linked pages.
So I gave this a shot, and for me, it worked as predicted on my S3. Absolutely incredible.
I am in the process of partitioning my memory cards and installing CHDK to be available anytime I
am using the camera.
Anyway, just thought others here might be interested. Please read and heed the warnings.
Here are the links to the relevant pages, have fun.
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK_in_Brief
http://chdk.wikia.com/wiki/FAQ
The various other pages are linked from the above pages.
