FOSS-friendly cameras and gear

[afre (Alan)]

Is there such a thing? I am not in the market to buy anything but if this thread gathers some good points it would help people make informed decisions. (Try not to make this discussion a spec/brand battle .)

[Ofnuts]

It seems to be easier to tinker with Canon cameras (google “CHDK’” or “Magic Lantern”)

[CarVac]

No mainstream camera brand is particularly more FOSS friendly than any other.

[paperdigits (Mica)]

Pentax, I think will record to a DNG file. That is sort of FOSS friendly.

[beachbum (Stefan Schmitz)]

They all try to be as opaque as possible. Transparency is not high on the list, so you’d rather ask the other way around: “What brand is best supported by FOSS?”

Nikon and Canon are the first to be served. Programmers like their product to be popular and in wide use, so

• the best-selling cameras
• the personal camera choice of the programmers

are supported first and foremost. If you happen to own a Leica SL or a Fuji X-2 (both great high-end cameras), you best learn your way with the proprietary software. Top-of-the-line models like the upcoming Nikon D850 Sony Alpha 9 or Canon D5DS will take a lot longer to be served than amateur models, too (Nikon D7200 etc…).

I’ll stick to Nikon (since 1979 by the way) and I hope that the programmers of Darktable will keep up the great work.

[chris]

While it is partially true what you are writing, I don’t agree with the last part. I observed many times how supportive the community is in adding support for camera models, if sample files were provided by the users. Even for special cases such as Fuji’s non Bayer sensors, solutions are found (e.g. recently in Darktable). An exception may be very special features such as Canon’s dual pixel raw files.

[Morgan_Hardwood]

@beachbum

Nikon D850 Sony Alpha 9 or Canon D5DS will take a lot longer to be served than amateur models

The Nikon D850 does not exist yet. RawTherapee already supports the Sony α9, as well as the not-so-new Canon EOS 5DS.

There is an effort underway to unite the raw decoding code used by the libre programs in our community into one. When that is done, everyone benefits as soon as someone does the work. That is kickass.

[beachbum (Stefan Schmitz)]

Great to learn that recent high-end cameras are supported already. It has taken quite long until you could work with the D810. Things look upward.

[houz]

@Morgan_Hardwood

There is an effort underway to unite the raw decoding code used by the libre programs in our community into one. When that is done, everyone benefits as soon as someone does the work. That is kickass.

Well, to a degree. Of course there is more to supporting a camera than raw file decoding. But it’s a first step. And yes, it’s kickass as frick.

[Andrius]

I own a Pentax. It writes to either PEF or DNG. PEF isn’t open source friendly at all. DNG is sort of digital negative standard and it is widely supported.

[DavidOliver]

Oh, don’t other manufacturers’ cameras also write DNGs? (I’ve only ever owned Pentax digital cameras.)

[paperdigits (Mica)]

Certainly not Canon or Nikon.

My Yi M1 writes a DNG.

[afre (Alan)]

Less popular companies like Leica, Ricoh, DxO and Light use DNG. A bunch of smartphones do as well. A list of others.

[Jacal]

From the same source: “Adobe stated that if there were a consensus that DNG should be controlled by a standards body, they were open to the idea.” Should that format make Adobe Systems Incorporated a FOSS friendly corporation? It sounds strange.

[afre (Alan)]

@Jacal I don’t know if DNG is FOSS but it could still be friendly (to a certain extent), just as Canon is sort of friendly by not shutting down the efforts of CHDK or Magic Lantern. What Adobe has to say for itself: Digital Negative (DNG) Specification patent license.

[paperdigits (Mica)]

Canon can’t shut down CHDK/ML, as Canon’s firmware is based on the Linux kernel, they were forced to release the source. I don’t think canon likes the fact that those projects exist. Though if they just embraced them, they’d be better off, I think.

[houz]

@paperdigits

Canon. can’t shut down CHDK/ML, as Canon’s firmware is based on the Linux kernel, they were forced to release the source.

I must have missed some news there. Do you have any links that support your claim? Both that the Canon cameras are based on Linux and that their firmware is open?

[CarVac]

@houz

I must have missed some news there. Do you have any links that support your claim? Both that the Canon cameras are based on Linux and that their firmware is open?

I thought that older Canon cameras were VxWorks, and now they’re DryOS.

[paperdigits (Mica)]

Sorry, I misspoke, I was thinking of this http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=14847.0 however the end result rains the Dane, Canon can’t shut down CHDK/ML… If they could I be they would.

[afre (Alan)]

Good to learn more about Canon’s firmware. Should have indicated sarcasm; couldn’t find an adjective for frenemy . Since we are down this path, do you know of any other companies that use Linux in their firmware? Is this a plus for the FOSS community?