Magic Lantern is a firmware add-on for various Canon digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and the EOS M."Unlock hidden features on your Canon dSLR". Lexy Savvides, CNET, 12 December 2014. Accessed 31 August 2017 It adds features for DSLR filmmaking and still photography, and is free and open-source.
Magic Lantern was originally written for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II"Transform Your DSLR into a Supercharged, Professional Video Camera". Adam Dachis, Lifehacker, 1/10/2011. Accessed 31 August 2017 by Trammell Hudson in 2009 after he reverse engineered its firmware. He ported it to the Canon EOS 550D in July 2010. There are now versions for many other Canon DSLRs and the current lead developer is known as "names_are_hard", previous lead developer was "a1ex".
Since installing Magic Lantern does not replace the stock Canon firmware or modify the ROM but rather runs alongside it, it is both easy to remove and carries little risk. The camera checks a "boot flag" in its re-writable memory, and if set, reads from a memory card to get the additional firmware routines. Each time the camera is started, there is an option to disable Magic Lantern.
History Magic Lantern firmware was originally written for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II"Magic Lantern Firmware Supercharges Canon 5D MkII". Charlie Sorrel, Wired (magazine), 24 June 2009. Accessed 31 August 2017 by Trammell Hudson in 2009 after he reverse engineered its firmware. He ported it to the Canon EOS 550DMagic Lantern team finally cracks the Canon EOS 7D. Gizmag. Accessed 31 August 2017 in July 2010.
Starting in September 2010, a person using the name "A1ex" on the CHDK (Canon Hack Development Kit) website forum and other people ported Magic Lantern to the Canon EOS 50D, 60D,"Magic Lantern firmware adds HDR video to Canon DSLRs". T.C. Sottek, The Verge, 21 December 2011. Accessed 31 August 2017 500D and 600D. As of August 2017 support for the Canon EOS 5D, 5D Mk III,"Magic Lantern Adds 4K RAW to Canon 5D Mark III, Announces It on April 1st". 3 April 2017, PetaPixel. Accessed 31 August 2017 6D, 7D, 60Da, 650D, 700D, and 1100D DSLRs and the mirrorless EOS M had also been added. Later mirrorless cameras are not supported because they use a codebase similar to Canon PowerShot cameras rather than Canon EOS cameras; therefore CHDK ports are planned.
Around 2020, a1ex, after years of hard work, left the project. A very small number of volunteers kept things alive, but nothing worked well. Nobody had deep knowledge of Magic Lantern code. Those that remained had to learn how everything worked, then fix it. Then add support for new cams without breaking the old ones. Newly supported cameras (as of June 2025) includes the 200D, 6D Mk II, 750D, 7D Mk II
The new Magic Lantern Core Team consists of g3gg0, kitor, names_are_hard, and WalterSchulz
Originally developed for DSLR filmmaking, Magic Lantern's features have expanded to also include those for still photography.
Features Firmware and source code is released under the GNU General Public License.Unified - Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki Audio controls, on-screen audio meter, audio monitoring via A/V cable HDR video, bitrate control, FPS control, auto-restart Precise ISO, White Balance, and Shutter Speed controls Zebras, false color -- histogram, waveform, spot meter, vectorscope Focus peaking, 'magic zoom', trap focus, rack focus, follow focus, motion detection Automatic Exposure Bracketing, focus stacking Intervalometer, bulb timer (up to 8 hours), bulb ramping Custom cropmarks/on-screen graphics On-screen focus and DOF info, CMOS temperature, clock Customizable menus and scripting Customizable "P" Program mode 14-bit raw video on some DSLRs"You Can Now Record 4K on a Canon 5D Mark III". Photo District News, 4 April 2017. Accessed 31 August 2017 Dual-ISO for increased dynamic range"Magic Lantern firmware boosts dynamic range of Canon 5D III, 7D". Digital Photography Review, 17 July 2013. Accessed 31 August 2017 up to about 3 EV, with trade-off of somewhat less resolution and more complicated post processing involving cr2dng Auto-Dot-Tune on some DSLRs for automatic micro-focus-adjustment to calibrate lens and body (5D Mk II, 6D, 50D, 5D Mk III and 7D)
Selected screenshots of advanced functions
Original Canon warranty
Because installing Magic Lantern does not replace the stock Canon firmware or modify the ROM but rather runs alongside it, it is both easy to remove and carries little risk. Canon has not made any official statements regarding the add-on firmware, either on the subject of warranty or on the features. In response to emails Canon has stated that while their warranty doesn't cover damage caused by third party firmware, it will cover unrelated issues such as malfunctioning buttons even if third party firmware has been installed.
See also AXIOM (camera)
References