Talk:SX20

Getting fw info

RE: Canon SX20 IS: Trying to get firmware and other info. Instructions say in playback mode press and hold Functio/Set then press Disp. to get info. All I get is Firmware ver. 1.0.2.0 with an O.K. box located below info. I tried pressing Disp several times with no luck on any other info. Any other ideas out there? Is the SX20 different from other models in this regard. This is a Canadian SX20 if that makes any differance. JohnBaker613 05:46, January 17, 2010 (UTC)

• Make sure a file "ver.req" or "vers.req" is stored in the root of the SD card, as stated in the FAQ.
  On MS Windows, be sure to have windows display the file-extension, otherwise the filename may be "ver.req.txt"
  ..._{Fe50 10:00, January 17, 2010 (UTC)}
• I too have the same problem even with the good "vers.req" file it doesn't work. About 2 months ago it was working fine but now even after a reinstall of CHDK it still shows me 1.0.2.0 O.K. I have tried everything I could think off but in vein. Help.
• Steve Chinook 20:16, October 26, 2010 (UTC)I have a SX20 purchased in US, it should not be different than a Canadian one. All is fine (after some help) If you need some help, let me know.
• Wowsers51... I live in Canada but bought my SX20 in the U.S. and just can't seem to be able to get that firmware info that I used to be getting a month ago. So yes, what should I do to make this feature work? All other things about CHDK work fine.

• Two more notes:
• With a multi-partition setup and running CHDK make sure the ver.req / vers.req file is placed on the root of both partitions !
• Capture at least one still image, the file displayed in playback mode should be a still image, not a video !

..._{Fe50 22:05, October 27, 2010 (UTC)}

Please don't shoot the newbie ...

Hello,

I am a newbie, that being said, I have tried (very hard), but I can not get the menu or find the <alt> combination.

I am sorry, and I know it's a 101 question but I seem to have a huge brain fart.

Camera: SX20 IS. Firware Ver GM1.02B. CHDK Beta

CHDK load @ start + I can see the battery icon but I can not find the combination for the CHDK menu.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

TIA

Steve Steve Chinook 12:40, August 30, 2010 (UTC)

Since you can see the battery icon that means you have loaded CHDK successfully. So you can enter ALT-mode by pressing the Print button (below the Flash button on the backside) once. You do not need to hold it down, just press and relaase it once. You should now see the ALT message displayed on the bottom of the screen. Now you can enter the menu by pressing the Func./Set button (middle of the rotating dial). Have fun!

Aleyuah!

Thanks a bunch. <Alt> is working.

Now ... going to either learn German, or find a way to change the menu in English. it's going to be fun...

What do you think? Shall I put the SX20IS back in the box and bring it back to the store, then tell them that I am too stupid to use it?

I am going to try the English, if I can't ... I'll shoot myself and then I may ask for help again.

Anyway, thanks for the (previous) help, much appreciated.

Steve

• Just download the latest SX20 1.02D CHDK package from the autobuild server, the default language on this is english: → → → Downloads
  Unzip this to your card, then replace the file diskboot.bin there with the SX20 1.02B beta version from the forum. _{22:24, August 30, 2010 (UTC)}

Confirm a shutter override bug?

Before I put this down as a bug on the SX20 page I wanted to see if anyone else could duplicate it: When using shutter override, there's a pause before the process begins that's exactly the length of the override parameter. E.g., if I'm in P or M mode and use a shutter override of 60 seconds for a night exposure, when I give the shot button a full press (without waiting for auto focus/ev), the screen will go blank for 60 seconds; I'll hear a click at that point (photo starting) and the screen will say "busy" for another 60 seconds until the final click and photo save. I haven't found a way around this, but typing this message makes me think it might be related to the P or M mode was in. I'll have to try other modes this weekend...

• Answer: No, this is normal behaviour, not a bug - it's the "Darkframe Subtraction" done by the Canon firmware for noise reduction on longer exposures; it's enabled by default, but you can override this from the CHDK RAW menu...

--> Read more about this here: CHDK_firmware_usage#RAW_parameters_menu and CHDK_User_Manual#Dark_Frame_Subtraction. _{Fe50 10:34, September 9, 2010 (UTC)}

--------------

Thanks for the reply - I understand completely. The DF Subtraction area of the wiki said "There will be a slight increase in processing time" - I didn't realize it would be double :) It never occured to me that was the process I was seeing.

No more in Beta?

Hello, I have seen that the SX20 is not any more in beta at the autobuild server... Could we change the status here? I post the question because I feel with no authority to do that...

Script For SX20

Hello,

I have been looking around for Scripts for the SX20, in particular Motion Detection and Intervalometer.

I have looked as deep as I could in http://chdk.setepontos.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=fd302e30f5ea13ee5ba5125a41141151&board=12.0

But it seems that the vast majority of scripts were written for Digic II and Digic III

Does anyone has a hint on where to find MD / Inter scripts for a SX20?

Thanks in Advance,

Steve

• MD --> Fudgey's Fast MD with burst/preview mode, Fast MD guidance...
• Intervalometer: Lua#Minimalistic_Intervalometer, Lua#yet_another_accurate_intervalometer, User:Fe50#double_intervalometer...

_{Fe50 20:27, October 24, 2010 (UTC)}

When will CHDK for the SX20 become non beta?

Title says it all. I have the beta version and was just wondering when will it be added as a full version.

• The SX20 fw 1.02B and 1.02D ports are already non beta since 02-Sept-2010, read the note on the top of the SX20 page.
• The SX20 fw 1.00F port is still in beta, available from the forum.
  This port could be integrated into the oficial CHDK source tree when the beta version runs stable - if you're a 1.00F user, please test the beta version and report your experiences in the SX20 porting thread ! _{Fe50 18:16, November 6, 2010 (UTC)}
  • Wow. Didn't knew that. My SX20 runs with the 1.02D so this means that if I download the latest version 0.9.9-965 that this is a non beta? Sorry but i'm still new to all of this. Oh, and thanks for the quick reply.
  • Yes, for the SX20 1.02B and 1.02D firmwares just download the latest package from the Autobuild Server, see also the legend for the filenames there... _{Fe50 19:59, November 6, 2010 (UTC)}

Timestamp in my sx20

I am uisng "sx20-1.02D-0.9.9-965-full.zip". I have taken several Pictures. Everytime when I powered on Cemera. The date was reset to 01/01/2000. Which cause my cemera to create a new directory since my cemera is set to create a new folder every month.

Here is the information from my files:

IMG_0001.DNG 01/01/2000 12:00 AM

IMG_0002.DNG 07/11/2010 4:41 PM

IMG_0003.DNG 07/11/2010 4:42 PM

First photo after power up always with wrong dates. Next one is comes with correct dates.

99.224.166.53 22:56, November 7, 2010 (UTC)

Use zoom buttons for MF

Does anyone knows if one day we will be able to use this feature on the SX20 for a more precise adjustment of manual focus? That would be of great help for me anyway as the rotating rear dial on the back is pretty much worthless.Wowsers51 01:19, November 8, 2010 (UTC)Wowsers

Nothing as of yet on this?

Corrupt firmware

My camera got damp and after drying in the airing cupboard everything works OK but it keeps asking me to input the date when I start it. Investigating found most of the menu items were missing and so I've concluded the firmware has become corrupted.

I can't find where or how to reinstall it, can anyone help?Bwilderbeast 11:29, January 1, 2011 (UTC)

Determine the right exposure when using chdk overrides

Hi Guys,
How do you determine the right exposure when you override aperture or shutter in CHDK. Assume you are in Av mode. Now for example,f4.5 and 1/40 give me the right exposure. Now if I override the aperture to 2.8, the camera does not adjust the shutter speed resulting in a over exposed image.
if I override the aperture to say f8, image is heavily underexposed.
How to overcome this ??

Camera dies when doing auto-bracket with RAW/DNG

Hi, I'm a relative noob but I've been having fun with chdk for a few weeks I guess. I need to report here or wherever is more appropriate that using chdk my SX20is camera shuts down sporadically when I use Canon's auto-bracket in combination with .RAW shooting, converting to .DNG. Every shot taken with RAW/DNG takes a really long time and I guess this is because the camera is converting to .DNG. And as mentioned, the camera randomly makes a clicking noise, and just dies, with the lens remaining extended, when doing a standard automatic bracket, and not predictably. It usually completes all three shots but sometimes it dies during the second or third shot, but not the first. So I have stopped doing automatic bracketing when shooting RAW.

And can somebody clarify for me whether I can do the .DNG conversion from RAW on my computer instead of in the camera? I suspect the very long pause while what I think is the conversion to .DNG takes place is really cumbersome and I'd rather do that on the computer. I'd appreciate it if anybody with more experience could offer any advice.

My firmware version is the 102D. I hope I've been adequately clear in what I've been saying, and if there is a better place for this conversation please direct me there.

Thanks much and cheers,

-- mr. "boy" howdy

75.110.90.121 19:23, January 23, 2011 (UTC)