We’ve covered Magic Lantern firmware and the new Canon 5D Mark III raw video feature lately. However, one thing we haven’t touched on is how using and installing third-party firmware on your DSLR affects your camera warranty.
Udi over at DIY Photography contacted Canon, Nikon and Panasonic to see what they had to say about using third-party firmware on their cameras. In short, Canon says that using Magic Lantern firmware won’t void your warranty, while both Nikon and Panasonic say that installing a third-party firmware will void your warranty.
Of course, if your Canon camera is bricked by the Magic Lantern firmware, Canon would charge for the repairs.
More over at DIY Photography.
Mystiqz says
May 26, 2013 at 1:38 pmwhat about sony?
Nacho says
May 26, 2013 at 9:06 pmSony? Who cares about Sony?
V.S. says
May 26, 2013 at 9:21 pmthis is stupid, they say canon wont void your warranty, but will charge for the repairs??? as far as I understand under warranty your repairs should be covered by warranty. Obviously this is coming from canon fans…
Jacques says
May 27, 2013 at 5:08 amI read it at first the same way you did, but upon rereading it, it says that if Magic Lantern is the problem, then you will pay, if it is normal warranty issues for Canon then it is warranty
stoner says
May 26, 2013 at 11:34 pmwhat canon say is if you brick the camera because of the firmware u have to pay the fee for fixing it, but if your camera broke because of fall or something and it happen to be installed with magic lantern, canon will still fix it no charge as long its in warranty time, while panasonic n nikon wont
jaky says
May 27, 2013 at 12:54 amthe article says canon would charge for repairs IF your camera is bricked BY THE MAGIC LANTERN FIRMWARE. but any non-firmware related hardwareissues would still be covered under warranty. but with nikon or panasonic, installing the firmware will void the warranty all together, including non-firmware related hardware issues such as the oil splatter/sensor dust problems of the d600.
phentex says
May 27, 2013 at 4:37 amActually what’s the point in talking about Nikon ? There’s never been any Magic Lantern-like alternative firmware for any of their DLSRs anyway :(
karl says
June 1, 2013 at 11:51 am…And, IF CANON gets a repair order for one of their newer models the MAGIC LANTERN firmware loaded, AND IF the CANON technician decides that because of a glitch in the firmware the camera malfunctioned, do you really believe that the CANON technician won’t repair the camera, reload the latest CANON firmware & bill the customer for the repair? Anyone who doesn’t believe this very possible scenario is really quite naive!
Nachi says
June 27, 2013 at 2:49 amSpam comment approved, #moderationfail
Eric Reagan says
June 28, 2013 at 12:40 amNah, I don’t moderate each comment. I can’t keep up with moderating each and every comment. Every now and then though, a flyer makes it through the Askimet spam filters and then I have to delete them manually. I try to keep up with it daily though…