Someone was asking about Canon Powershot cameras, and I remembered my brother using a hack technique to add functionality to his one. So I scouted out these links - I don't use Canon so I don't know how they work, and bear in mind that if you're sticking these on you may be voiding your camera's warranty. But they do add extra functionality to your Powershot for those of you unable to afford a dSLR and wanting a little bit more from what you can afford :)
Quick answers to 7 key questions about CHDK:
1. What is CHDK?
CHDK is not just one thing! The term CHDK refers to free software – currently available for many (but not all) Canon PowerShot compact digital cameras – that you can load onto your camera's memory card to give your camera greatly enhanced capabilities.
3. Is CHDK safe to use?
Probably. See the FAQ entries for more information
6. What else should I know?
Developers around the world are continuing to add new features to CHDK. Because the idea of using the camera's microprocessor is so flexible, various developers have made different versions of CHDK, and new features continue to be developed - for example, one version of CHDK has features assist in taking stereo photographs, and even allows two cameras to be synchronized to take pictures at the same time (with an accuracy of better than 0.1 milliseconds, providing they are the same camera model).
I wrote that more to cover myself, really XD But I doublechecked and found this:
Q. Does using the CHDK program void your warranty?
A. First, please bear in mind that CHDK comes with no warranty for any use; you use it at your own risk. What follows is just a few thoughts, and is not a legal opinion. Many believe that using the CHDK does not harm your warranty, since it is said to be loaded into the memory only temporarily (turn off the cam and it's gone completely) and that it leaves the original camera firmware untouched.
Canon Tech Support says: "Unfortunately, any upgrades to the software of the camera not performed by an authorized Canon Repair Facility, would void the warranty." ... and ... In further discussion with Canon about this specific hack, their response is: "If it is not Canon firmware the warranty would be void."
Is it an "upgrade" of the camera firmware when the firmware remains untouched? It's up to you to decide. Don't use it if you are not willing to take the slightest chance. Many many people have used CHDK on their cameras (including some very experimental versions) and there is no report of any permanent malfunction. Thus, CHDK appears to be quite safe to use as long as you make sure that it's the CHDK and not a real firmware update (A real firmware update which is not an official Canon update could alter or completely screw up the camera and will void the warranty). Addressing their second comment (i.e. "if it is not Canon firmware"): CHDK is NOT firmware. By very definition, FIRMware is software that remains in the memory of the device when it is not using any power-source.
However, this is not a legal opinion and the user accepts all risk of using it. And as a practical matter, if you send your camera in for warranty service, and Canon says your warranty is void because they found evidence of CHDK on your memory card, there is not much you can really do (what are you going to do? Spend thousands of dollars suing them to get your camera repaired?)
However, you can just wipe or remove the card. ;)
NOTE Under some circumstances, a memory card is not be needed to determine that CHDK has been run on the camera. The canon firmware writes a log to internal flash when a crash is detected, and this could contain signs of CHDK.
> This is to report that I had to send in my A710 IS for repairs when the play/capture switch stopped functioning reliably. I had used the CHDK but did remove the SD card before posting it. The letter I received along with the camera indicates that some parts were replaced, i.e. it was a hardware defect. The camera was under full warranty and I did not have to pay for the repairs. This dates back around March 2007.
> One guy asked the warranty question to Canon support through email:
Hello,
Will CHDK violate the warranty of my Powershot A720? CHDK is a kind of
software program on a SD card and gets loaded into the camera's memory
upon bootup. It provides additional functionality beyond that currently
provided by the native camera firmware, it provides for example an "always on" full range Battery indicator.
So does this CHDK software violate the warranty of my camera?
Thank you for answering my question.
Sincerely,
Cet Senol
And got the reply:
Dear Cet Senol:
Thank you for your reply. After researching this software on the
internet it appears that CHDK doesn't make any actual changes to your
camera. If you delete the CHDK software from your memory card, or if
you choose not to activate the CHDK software on the card (or remove and
replace the batteries), then the camera will behave absolutely normally
- nothing has been (or ever is) changed, so the warranty is not
affected.
We hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we
can be of any further assistance with your A720 IS camera.
There was an article in the new york times a few months ago about this, and some guys put in a program to take a shot every 7 seconds, then they tied the camera to a weather ballon and got some great shots of the earth from above the stratosphere of the earth!
CHDK is a really fantastic FREE add-on that everyone with a powershot should get! It has some very nifty features, but if you don't like it you just delete it from you SD card and it was like it was never there - highly recommended!
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Q. Does using the CHDK program void your warranty?
A. First, please bear in mind that CHDK comes with no warranty for any use; you use it at your own risk. What follows is just a few thoughts, and is not a legal opinion. Many believe that using the CHDK does not harm your warranty, since it is said to be loaded into the memory only temporarily (turn off the cam and it's gone completely) and that it leaves the original camera firmware untouched.
Canon Tech Support says: "Unfortunately, any upgrades to the software of the camera not performed by an authorized Canon Repair Facility, would void the warranty." ... and ... In further discussion with Canon about this specific hack, their response is: "If it is not Canon firmware the warranty would be void."
Is it an "upgrade" of the camera firmware when the firmware remains untouched? It's up to you to decide. Don't use it if you are not willing to take the slightest chance. Many many people have used CHDK on their cameras (including some very experimental versions) and there is no report of any permanent malfunction. Thus, CHDK appears to be quite safe to use as long as you make sure that it's the CHDK and not a real firmware update (A real firmware update which is not an official Canon update could alter or completely screw up the camera and will void the warranty). Addressing their second comment (i.e. "if it is not Canon firmware"): CHDK is NOT firmware. By very definition, FIRMware is software that remains in the memory of the device when it is not using any power-source.
However, this is not a legal opinion and the user accepts all risk of using it. And as a practical matter, if you send your camera in for warranty service, and Canon says your warranty is void because they found evidence of CHDK on your memory card, there is not much you can really do (what are you going to do? Spend thousands of dollars suing them to get your camera repaired?)
However, you can just wipe or remove the card. ;)
NOTE Under some circumstances, a memory card is not be needed to determine that CHDK has been run on the camera. The canon firmware writes a log to internal flash when a crash is detected, and this could contain signs of CHDK.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> This is to report that I had to send in my A710 IS for repairs when the play/capture switch stopped functioning reliably. I had used the CHDK but did remove the SD card before posting it. The letter I received along with the camera indicates that some parts were replaced, i.e. it was a hardware defect. The camera was under full warranty and I did not have to pay for the repairs. This dates back around March 2007.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> One guy asked the warranty question to Canon support through email:
Hello,
Will CHDK violate the warranty of my Powershot A720? CHDK is a kind of
software program on a SD card and gets loaded into the camera's memory
upon bootup. It provides additional functionality beyond that currently
provided by the native camera firmware, it provides for example an "always on" full range Battery indicator.
So does this CHDK software violate the warranty of my camera?
Thank you for answering my question.
Sincerely,
Cet Senol
And got the reply:
Dear Cet Senol:
Thank you for your reply. After researching this software on the
internet it appears that CHDK doesn't make any actual changes to your
camera. If you delete the CHDK software from your memory card, or if
you choose not to activate the CHDK software on the card (or remove and
replace the batteries), then the camera will behave absolutely normally
- nothing has been (or ever is) changed, so the warranty is not
affected.
We hope this information is helpful to you. Please let us know if we
can be of any further assistance with your A720 IS camera.
Thank you for choosing Canon.
Sincerely,
Joann
Technical Support Representative
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/27/technology/personaltech/27basics.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=powershot%20hack&st=cse