Magic Lantern was originally written for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II[3] by Trammell Hudson in 2009 after he reverse engineered its firmware.

Since installing Magic Lantern does not replace the stock Canon firmware or modify the ROM but rather runs alongside it,[3] it is both easy to remove and carries little risk.

[citation needed] Originally developed for DSLR filmmaking, Magic Lantern's features have expanded to also include those for still photography.

[4][9] Because installing Magic Lantern does not replace the stock Canon firmware or modify the ROM but rather runs alongside it, it is both easy to remove and carries little risk.

[4] Canon has not made any official statements regarding the add-on firmware, either on the subject of warranty or on the features.