Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2.0.3 firmware yanked due to audio issues, fix is on the way

It's not déjà vu, it's just all happening again. Just over a year after Canon had to bow its head in shame due to a black dot / banding issue that plagued the EOS 5D Mark II, along comes yet another heartache surrounding one of the company's finest DSLRs. The v2.0.3 firmware update that was issued earlier in the week is apparently causing audio problems for some users, with the actual quirk going a little something like this:

"Recently we have discovered a malfunction that occurs with Firmware Version 2.0.3, in which the manual recording levels for C1/C2/C3 are changed and the camera becomes unable to record audio if the power is turned off (or if Auto power off takes effect) after registering "Sound Recording: Manual" in the camera user settings. We apologize very sincerely for the inconvenience, but we are going to stop making this firmware available for download. For customers who have already updated to the new firmware, when using the camera with the mode dial set to C1/C2/C3, please either set the sound recording settings to Auto."

In the meanwhile, Canon has pulled the update from its support site while it works on a new firmware version to patch things up, but aside from a promise of "soon," there's no way to tell when exactly the new file will hit the pipes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

[htd Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:00PM]

a fix for a fix

[John H Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:11PM]

"For customers who have already updated to the new firmware, when using the camera with the mode dial set to C1/C2/C3, please either set the sound recording settings to Auto." Either set the sound recording settings to Auto or.....????

[rekit Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:12PM]

I am OUTRAGED.

actually.. nah, I don't care

[who said what Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:13PM]

Sometimes, it's really really good not to plug in your gadget to the computer and exercise those update happy fingers! :)

[who said what Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:17PM]

Sometimes, it's really really good not to plug in your gadget to the computer and exercise those update happy fingers! :)

[huskiiiii Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:17PM]

if you missed it I uploaded the firmware (mac&windows)
download it here: tinyurl dot com/ycyggef
use it at your own risk(always check file size)

[Futureman Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:20PM]

SICKEST CAMERA EVER.

I mean, it was completely badass when it was released, and Canon has steadily improved it. 24p is nice; it's subtle but yes, a slightly more "filmic" look to the footage... watch your pans though.

I use an external audio recorder so this doesn't really effect me.

[AniMill Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:28PM]

@Futureman A friend has one and the footage looks like... uh, footage! With the right lens, it's simply amazing. If someone still thinks film is viable - they just don't understand where we've come in just 5 years! Film is dead.

[bluerei Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:47PM]

@AniMill I have one, and film is not dead. There are still a lot of things that DSLRs are missing when compared to film.

[Futureman Posted Mar 18th 2010 5:15PM]

@AniMill Well I agree. The footage is amazing. It was absolutely amazing in 30p as well... the 24p just adds a very subtle quality to the footage that I appreciate.

Film is still different though, and I can see people preferring it for aesthetic reasons (though in like 30 years... there'll probably be next to no one using film). I think we are at the point though where w/ certain digital cameras/lenses, digital has it's OWN unique look that is somewhat filmic but at the same time something on its own. Before the original 5D, I had a hard time producing images I liked w/ digital cameras.

[techlord Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:23PM]

What about added 720p and 60 fps? make no sense that you had 1080p to SD and no 720p.

[bluerei Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:42PM]

@techlord Because of the sensor, it can't handle 60fps. The 7d has two digic 4 chipsets, so it can handle it.

[CL Posted Mar 18th 2010 5:01PM]

@techlord

They had said a few weeks prior to releasing this firmware that "720p won't be possible". I just can't believe that it took them this long to come out with this firmware and yet it's still full of bugs.

[indeed Posted Mar 18th 2010 5:33PM]

@techlord
apparently overheating was a problem.
I'd still wish they had given us the 720p60 (or at least 720p30, takes less space) and warn about the overheating issue.
I don't do clips longer than 2minutes and the 720p60 would be great for even shorter clips just for better slowmo

[indeed Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:39PM]

ha. that's why I didn't update right away.
I downloaded the file and thought better wait and see if anyone has problems with this.

on cinema5D.com forums there are reports of other bugs

[bluerei Posted Mar 18th 2010 4:45PM]

I upgraded the firmware on mine and it's fine. I can't record audio to my card when in C1-3, but when I am in manual, then register the settings to C1-3 it works fine. It stops working though once you turn the power off. Almost as if it doesn't save your settings, which is the point of the C dials.

For now I just shoot in Manual mode with the audio in manual and it works fine. It's just a few more steps is all.

[AgencyLife Posted Mar 18th 2010 8:13PM]

The C1-3 just don't save your audio settings. No biggie, they'll fix it.
I shoot in Manual mode w/ audio in Manual and it works every time.