A CHDK (the Canon Hacker Development Kit) for Pentax Cameras...
Biggest problems for creating a hacked firmware are:
- Need for experienced reverse engineers
- Cost of the required tools such as IDA Pro
- The FP instruction set
Progress so far:
- Decrypted the firmware
- Found the CPU base address (0xA0000000 and that it's a Cortex M4)
- A lot of reverse engineering. Large parts found including memory allocation functions, displaying text on screen etc
- Found all the debug processing code
- Found the firmware decryption routine
What is needed (so far):
- Service manual for a K30 (or even a similar model). This would be really useful in understanding how all the debug functionality actually works
- Datasheet for the MB91696AM or even a very similar ARM based CPU
- Source code for the Pentax-hack firmware decryption tool - I want to encrypt my own firmware
- Someone to tell me the offsets to icons/text images in the binary. This would rapidly increase the amount of functions I can find!
How you can help:
- I will need testers. Be warned there is a small chance of bricking the camera...
- I need people to help with the dissasembly. You'll need a copy of IDA Pro (or maybe notepad - see below).
- Anyone know anyone at Pentax / Ricoh. I'm considering dropping their marketing team an email.
- Don't request features. At the moment there is only one feature - get custom code running on the device.
- Don't request other cameras. I own a K30 and thats what i'm working on.
- Forum Thread at pentaxforums.com: Resurrecting Pentax firmware hacking
- PDF "Hacking the Pentax K30" by Shodan: hacking_pentax_k30.pdf
- Related Github repository: Pentax Firmware tool for the K30
- Wiki: Pentax Hacker Development Kit Wiki
- Foreign website with many information, but no longer maintained: pentax-hack.info