Magic Lantern is a term that refers to a type of projector that was popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a device that used a light source to project images onto a screen or wall. The early magic lanterns used an oil lamp or a candle as the light source, while later models used electric bulbs. The magic lantern consisted of a light source, usually a lamp or candle, which was placed inside a box or frame. The light would shine through a glass slide that contained an image, such as a drawing or a photograph. The image would then be projected through a lens onto a screen or wall, creating a larger version of the image.

What are the risks of using Magic Lantern?

I am looking to use our Canon 550D (T2i) more for DSLR filming by using Magic Lantern. However, I'm quite concerned about bricking the 550D, as it is the family camera and I'd be a ton of trouble if I messed it up. What are the risks involved with using Magic Lantern?
(I know this is covered on the Magic Lantern FAQs, but I'd like to hear from people who have actually done this before, and not just from the developer) Edit: For more clarification, I really want to know what can potentially happen and if something does happen to the camera, how hard is it to reverse the damage?

\$\begingroup\$ @dpollitt Not really. I'm talking about Magic Lantern, and unless I'm missing something, CHDK ≠ Magic Lantern. \$\endgroup\$

\$\begingroup\$ Yea but the risks are similar if not identical. The biggest difference is just what cameras are supported. Magic Lantern was just created for the 5D MkII initially and now has support for multiple models. CHDK works with a very wide range of cameras. The risks associated with each layer on top of the firmware is very similar though. \$\endgroup\$

\$\begingroup\$ @dpollitt Okay, understood. I don't know much about CHDK, but IMO, it isn't a duplicate, since it isn't the same. \$\endgroup\$

\$\begingroup\$ The other reason this question should really get closed is not because this is a duplicate but because you are specifically just asking for opinions and multiple peoples experiences(ie a discussion). The facts are already listed in the Magic Lantern FAQs as you noted. If you are looking for anecdotes then this is probably not the place. \$\endgroup\$

The image would then be projected through a lens onto a screen or wall, creating a larger version of the image. Magic lanterns were often used for entertainment purposes, such as showing slides of famous landmarks, events, or stories. They were commonly used in theaters, schools, and homes as a form of visual entertainment or education.

6 Answers 6

The chances of bricking your camera are extremely low (but not zero).

I think something not everybody understands is the Magic Lantern does not install into your camera but to the SD card. My understanding is that the only change that is done to your camera is to enable the "bootdisk" flag, which is a very minor change. This flag tells the camera if it should try to load and execute software stored in the SD card.

Magic Lantern enables the bootdisk flag in your camera and then installs to the SD card. The bootdisk feature is what enables the camera to load Magic Lantern at boot time.

This is important to know, because if you replace the Magic Lantern SD card with a regular SD card (one that does not have Magic Lantern installed) or no SD card at all, the camera will not find any code to load, so it will just load the stock firmware, and there will be absolutely no trace of Magic Lantern. So you always have the choice to run Magic Lantern or not if you keep track of which of your SD cards have Magic Lantern installed and which do not.

My experience with Magic Lantern on my 60D has been very good, I think the benefits far outweigh the disadvantages and risks. Note that the software does crash from time to time, and sometimes it is necessary to remove the battery to reset the camera. I haven't experienced any crashes that didn't clear when removing the battery. The recent 2.3 release has been extremely stable in my experience.

If you want to minimize the risks I recommend the following:

• Follow the installation instructions to the T. Read all the instructions and understand the entire process before you actually do it.
• Only work with stable releases. At the time I'm writing this the stable release is 2.3.
• Don't be an early adopter, wait a bit before you jump on to the new release. Let the more adventurous users (I'm one of them) try the new releases first.
• Read the Magic Lantern forums to find out of potential problems other users are experiencing.
• Always have an SD card w/o Magic Lantern installed at hand as a backup plan.

Important information for Eye-Fi card users:

• An Eye-Fi card cannot be used with Magic Lantern (this is documented)
• An Eye-Fi card without Magic Lantern cannot be used as a backup card (this is not documented as far as I know). The camera will not boot and appears to be broken if you try.
• In order to be able to use an Eye-Fi card again: Remove the bootdisk flag using Magic Lantern sw (i.e. full uninstall)

Exact procedure uninstalling Magic Lantern from T2i

Возможно, адреса электронной почты являются анонимными для этой группы или вам требуется разрешение на просмотр адресов электронной почты ее участников, чтобы увидеть исходное сообщение.

I'm really impressed of the features of ML and I am about to install it on my T2i/550D, but first I would like to know how to completely delete Magic Lantern from my camerabody and SD cards.

I've understood that the Magic Lantern software makes a semi-permanent change to the camera by enabling the bootflag, but it's not really clear to me how to revert this. How do you do this? I don't really understand this step in the instruction manual:

If you know what you are doing, put this in magiclantern.cfg to reset the DISKBOOT flag from the camera:

Once you've changed this line in the .cfg file, what do you have to do afterwards?

I've also understood that you can fully uninstall Magic Lantern by formatting your SD card and making it unbootable again, and afterwards reinstalling the official Canon firmware again. Is this true? Will this remove all traces in the camera?

All I want to say is, that I want to have absolutely no traces in my camerabody whatsoever when I uninstall Magic Lantern from my t2i/550D. When something does happen to my camera, I would like to be able to send my camera without any ML traces to Canon, since my camera is still under warranty. Is this possible, and what is the exact procedure to do this?

To make a long story short, how can I fully remove Magic Lantern from my camera body and SD cards properly without any traces? I've searched a lot of other groups/forums but I couldn't find a clear answer. Please provide me with a procedure how to remove ML completely from my camera.

Thanks in advance,
Darryl

Magic lamtern

The winter laughter series kicks off on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the Magic Lantern Theater. Igor, producer of the Maine House of Comedy and host of Brews and Belly Laughs, has organized a lineup that will showcase a different ensemble of comedic talent, ensuring a fresh and uproarious experience with every visit.

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Fantasy A Gets a Mattress

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суббота 20, января

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Jurassic Jo's Dinos

Join the Cretaceous Crew of Jurassic Jo’s Hatchery and Conservation as we take you on a dino-mite musical adventure 65 million years in the making! Help us hatch our latest friend, learn all about dino diets, and unfossilize all kinds of fun! With book by Joanna Clarke and music and lyrics by Nicolas and Brie Robichaud, JURASSIC JO'S DINO SHOW is a prehistoric party fit for the newly hatched, nearly extinct, and everyone in between.

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Mean Girls

TBC for sexual material, strong language, and teen drinking.

From the comedic mind of Tina Fey comes a new twist on the modern classic, MEAN GIRLS. New student Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) is welcomed into the top of the social food chain by the elite group of popular girls called “The Plastics,” ruled by the conniving queen bee Regina George (Reneé Rapp) and her minions Gretchen (Bebe Wood) and Karen (Avantika). However, when Cady makes the major misstep of falling for Regina’s ex-boyfriend Aaron Samuels (Christopher Briney), she finds herself prey in Regina’s crosshairs. As Cady sets to take down the group’s apex predator with the help of her outcast friends Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey), she must learn how to stay true to herself while navigating the most cutthroat jungle of all: high school.

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суббота 13, января

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Migration

PG for action/peril and mild rude humor.

This holiday season, Illumination, creators of the blockbuster Minions, Despicable Me, Sing and The Secret Life of Pets comedies, invites you to take flight into the thrill of the unknown with a funny, feathered family vacation like no other in the action-packed new original comedy, Migration. The Mallard family is in a bit of a rut. While dad Mack is content to keep his family safe paddling around their New England pond forever, mom Pam is eager to shake things up and show their kids—teen son Dax and duckling daughter Gwen—the whole wide world. After a migrating duck family alights on their pond with thrilling tales of far-flung places, Pam persuades Mack to embark on a family trip, via New York City, to tropical Jamaica. As the Mallards make their way South for the winter, their well-laid plans quickly go awry. The experience will inspire them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends and accomplish more than they ever thought possible, while teaching them more about each other—and themselves—than they ever imagined.

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Science Saturday: Build Your Own Air Racer

Go Go Air Racer! Come spend a morning with us creating your own electric fan car with this electric motor project. You will construct a frame that'll get you rolling and the spend the rest of the morning tinkering with your air blades. Every participant will leave with their own motorized racer. This is designed for elementary students, but younger children can participant with an accompanying grownup helper. Cost is $12 per youth.

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Science Saturday: Fly into Spring with Butterfly

Hey kids, Join us to learn about butterflies and make a butterfly puddler to invite these visitors to your home all summer long. Cost is $10 per youth.

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Come learn different printing techniques and the science behind them to make your own valentines at home with things you can find in your kitchen. Class is intended for elementary school students, but all ages are welcome. Cost is $8 per youth.

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Stop Motion Animation

Youth ages 10 and older, will review the basics of stop motion and add in 3D puppets. We will learn to make characters using different techniques including felting and claymation. Using your imagination, you will create the initial design to the finished figurine. Then we'll shoot the film and watch it on the big screen with your friends and family.

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Weak Layers

Three party-loving best friends set out to win a ski-movie competition. An uproarious comedy that takes on the male-dominated ski industry.

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Youth Workshop: Toy Photograpghy

Sunday, Feb. 4th, 11th, & 18th, 2024 at the Magic Lantern from 1 Pm to 3 pm Cost: $39 per Youth ages, 8+ Come learn tips and tricks for telling creative stories using toys, sets, and light. Students should have a phone or digital camera. Youth must be at least 8 years old and have the ability to work independently to participate.

Magic lantern shows often included a narrator who would describe the images being shown and provide context or explanations. The magic lantern was an important precursor to modern projectors and cinema. It laid the foundation for the development of film projectors, which eventually replaced magic lanterns as the primary tool for projecting moving images. The magic lantern also influenced the development of special effects and animation techniques, as artists and filmmakers experimented with techniques to enhance the projected images. Although the magic lantern is no longer widely used today, it played a significant role in the history of visual media. It allowed people to see images in a larger format and provided a means of sharing information and stories with larger audiences. The magic lantern remains an important part of the development of visual technology and continues to be studied and appreciated by historians and collectors..

Reviews for "The Magic Lantern: An Early Tool for Visual Education"

1. Alice - 2/5 - I had high expectations for the Magic Lantern show after hearing so much praise, but I was left disappointed. The animations were lackluster and the dialogue felt forced. It seemed like the creators focused more on the visual effects than the actual story. The plot felt predictable and cliché, and I found myself losing interest halfway through. Overall, I was not impressed with Magic Lantern and would not recommend it.

2. Mark - 1/5 - Magic Lantern was a complete waste of time and money. The story was confusing and poorly developed, and the characters were one-dimensional at best. The humor fell flat and the magic tricks were unimpressive. The entire show felt like a cheap imitation of other, better magic performances. I regretted spending my hard-earned money on this underwhelming experience and would not recommend it to anyone.

3. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really looking forward to Magic Lantern, but unfortunately, it did not live up to my expectations. The pacing was off, with slow moments that dragged on and rushed scenes that left me confused. The special effects were decent, but they couldn't distract from the lackluster storyline. The performances were subpar and failed to captivate the audience. Overall, Magic Lantern felt like a missed opportunity and left me feeling unsatisfied.

The Magic Lantern as an Early Form of Entertainment