Nikon firmware updates for D4s, D500, D7200, D810, D810A, and WR-1

Nikon recently released firmware updates for its D4s, D500, D810, D810A, and D7200 cameras as well as its Wireless Remote WR-1. Mostly the fixes are minor, but it is always a good idea to stay at the latest firmware releases.

Here are the recent firmware updates and their changes (click on the header to directly go to the download page on the Nikon website).

D4s Firmware C1.31

• Fixed an issue that occurred with WR-R10 wireless remote controller firmware version 3.00. In rare cases, the camera would fail to display the number of exposures remaining or would take about a minute to power down when the WR-R10 was connected.

D500 Firmware C1.01

• Fixed an issue that sometimes resulted in the options for SETUP MENU > Language not displaying correctly.

D810 Firmware C1.11 / D810A Firmware C1.01

• Fixed an issue that sometimes caused the camera to stop responding when attached to a WR‑R10 wireless remote controller running firmware version 3.00.

D7200 Firmware C1.01

• Selecting Firmware version in the SETUP MENU would not display “C X.XX L X.XXX”.
• About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
• Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
• February 29th would sometimes not display correctly in leap years.

WR-1 Firmware 1.01

• The D5 and D500 ISO sensitivity displays are now supported. If you are using two WR-1 units, one as a receiver and the other as a transmitter, update both to firmware version 1.01. If you are using the WR-1 with a WR-R10, have a Nikon-authorized service representative update the WR-R10 to firmware version 3.00.
• When used as a transmitter to change ISO sensitivity for a receiving camera, the WR-1 no longer cycles continuously through the available values.

Nikon firmware update for the D750 and D4s

Apart from the software update mentioned in the previous article, Nikon today also released a firmware update for their D750 and D4s DSLR cameras. You can download the updates directly from Nikon's download centre:

• D750 firmware C1.10
• D4s firmware C1.30

Changes in D750 firmware C1.10

• An External recording control option has been added to the HDMI item in the SETUP MENU. If the camera is connected via HDMI to a third-party recorder that supports the Atomos Open Protocol (the Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE), selecting On allows camera controls to be used to start and stop recording. More information is available in a supplementary manual.
  Note:Choose an option other than 576p (progressive) or 480p (progressive) for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU.
• Fixed the following issues:
  
  • The brightness of the live view photography display would not change when a command dial was rotated to adjust exposure compensation with On (Auto reset) selected for b Metering/exposure > b3 Easy exposure compensation > Easy exposure compensation in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU.
  • Although the preview button would stop the lens down to maximum aperture when assigned the Preview role, the maximum aperture indicator would not appear in the monitor.
  • In rare cases, the shutter would not be released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.
  • About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
  • The shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity displayed in the monitor during movie live view would differ from values in the final movie file.
  • Part of the focus point would disappear if the user zoomed in while the framing grid was displayed.
  • Volume could sometimes not be adjusted if movies were played with indicators hidden during full-frame playback (None (image only)).
  • Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
  • Images would in rare cases fail to record correctly with HDR (high dynamic range) selected in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU.
  • If On was selected for Exposure smoothing during interval timer photography, every frame after the first would be overexposed.
  • File numbers were not assigned in the proper sequence.
  • The focus point would not be displayed in the correct location in the monitor.
  • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > Location data > Position display.
  • In some languages, characters or parts of characters would be missing from the SETUP MENU > AF fine-tune > List saved values display.
  • In some regions, nothing would be displayed when Conformity marking was selected in the SETUP MENU.
• Some help text has been changed.
• Optimal vibration reduction is now available with vibration reduction lenses.

Changes in D4s firmware C1.30

• An External recording control option has been added to the HDMI item in the SETUP MENU. If the camera is connected via HDMI to a third-party recorder that supports the Atomos Open Protocol (the Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE), selecting On allows camera controls to be used to start and stop recording. More information is available in a supplementary manual.
  Note:
  
  • Choose an option other than 576p (progressive) or 480p (progressive) for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU.
  • Choose an option other than Auto for HDMI > Output resolution in the SETUP MENU when 640x  424; 30p or 640x  424; 25p is selected for Movie settings > Frame size/frame rate in the SHOOTING MENU.
• Fixed the following issues:
  
  • In rare cases, the shutter would not be released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.
  • About 4 seconds of static could be heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.
  • Exposure compensation would fail to produce the desired results if a negative value was selected when NEF (RAW) images were processed using the NEF (RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.
  • Images would in rare cases fail to record correctly with HDR (high dynamic range) selected in the SHOOTING MENU.
  • In portrait orientation, the monitor would not show the focus point in the correct location if 5:4 (30x24) was selected for Choose image area.

Firmware update for the Nikon D4s

Nikon just released an update to the firmware for its D4s camera.

The new “C” firmware version 1.20 can be downloaded from the Nikon download centre.

The update contains the following changes/fixes:

• Commander mode can now be selected for Custom Setting e3 (Optional flash) when an optional SB-500 flash unit is attached.
• The Auto and Flash white-balance options can now be used with the LED light on the optional SB-500 flash unit.
• Auto white balance is now more consistent.
• There is no longer a limit on the number of shots that can be taken in a single burst at shutter speeds of 4 s or faster when a continuous-release mode is selected in exposure mode S or M. *
• There is no longer a limit on how long the shutter can remain open when “Time” is selected for shutter speed.
• We have changed how focus points are displayed in the viewfinder if the camera is rotated between “wide” (landscape) and “tall” (portrait) orientations with Focus point and AF-area mode selected for Custom Setting a10 (Store by orientation) and different focus points chosen in each orientation. We have also changed how focus points are displayed in the viewfinder if a lens focus function button is pressed with AF-area mode selected for Custom Setting f19 (Lens focus function buttons).
• Some help text has been changed.
• The following issues have been resolved:
  • If the user focused using the AF-ON button before shooting in continuous-release mode, the frame rate would drop under the following conditions: AF-S selected for focus mode, Single-point AF selected for AF-area mode, Focus selected for Custom Setting a2 (AF-S priority selection), and AF-ON only selected for Custom Setting a4 (AF activation).
  • When an AF-S NIKKOR 800mm f/5.6E lens was attached, “Err” would be displayed in the top control panel and pictures could not be taken under some exposure conditions.
  • Images would sometimes fail to display correctly during image review if playback zoom was used while the memory-card access lamp was lit.
  • Images would not clear from the display if an optional WR-1 wireless remote controller was used with On selected for Image review in the playback menu.
  • The camera photo info display would not show the correct range for pictures taken with an optional flash unit in distance-priority manual flash mode (GN).
  • When pictures taken using a PC-E lens were viewed in Capture NX-D and other Nikon software, the Metadata would list the lens as type E rather than type D.
  • The photo information display for movies, movie stills, and photos taken with the Silent shutter-release option would sometimes list incorrect values for shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity.
  • If the camera was connected via HDMI to 4K a compatible TV, neither the camera nor the television would display menus correctly.
  • Volume sometimes could not be adjusted if indicators were hidden during movie playback.
  • If both XQD and CompactFlash cards were inserted in the camera when it was connected to a computer, the computer would not recognize the XQD card.

Firmware update C1.10 for the Nikon D4s

Nikon recently released a firware update for it flagship D4s camera.

You can download the update from the Nikon Support site: EU

The update is quite big and contains the following new features and fixes:

• When SPORT VR mode, built into the AF-S NIKKOR 400mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, is selected, the same continuous shooting rate available when OFF is selected is now possible.
• When memory cards with capacities greater than 128 GB were formatted with the camera, they were formatted using the FAT32 file system.  They are now formatted using the exFAT file system.
• Operation has been changed so that when menus are displayed during movie live view and the movie-record button is pressed, the menu display disappears and display returns to movie live view. To begin movie recording, press the movie-record button again.
• The Zoom on/off option for playback mode with Custom Setting f1: Multi Selector Center Button can now be used to zoom-in on images with zoom display centered on the active focus point, even if they were captured with live view photography. However, the focus point will not be displayed.
• The Help explanation provided for the Preset focus point option under Custom Setting f19: Lens Focus Function Buttons has been revised.
• The following issues have been resolved.
  - When NEF (RAW) recording > Image size in the shooting menu was set to RAW S (Small), the number of shots possible with uninterrupted shooting (buffer capacity, C-REM) displayed by the camera differed depending upon the NEF (RAW) recording > NEF (RAW) bit depth setting selected.
  - When Camera Control Pro 2 was used to take pictures with Record to set to PC+CARD, and Secondary slot function in the camera's shooting menu set to Overflow, the shutter could not be released when the memory card in the primary slot became full.
  - When Image review in the playback menu was set to On, images were sometimes not displayed in the monitor when the shutter was released while exposure meters were off.
  - When images were output to an HDMI device, resolution seemed insufficient with display in full-frame playback mode (did not apply to playback zoom display).
  - When images, captured with Image review in the playback menu set to On, and Auto distortion control in the shooting menu set to On, were automatically displayed in the monitor immediately after capture, auto distortion control was sometimes not applied.
  - When the multiple exposure function was used to capture images with Image review in the playback menu set to On, and Auto distortion control in the shooting menu set to On, auto distortion control was not applied to the recorded images.
  - When an image to which an image comment had been added was copied to White balance > Preset manual, only the first 24 characters of the image comment were copied.
  - If log-in to the FTP server failed when network settings were applied with Wired LAN selected for Network > Choose hardware in the camera's setup menu, and FTP upload selected as the connection type and IP address acquisition set to Obtain automatically with the Connection Wizard, the IP address displayed when the camera tried again to obtain it automatically was "000.000.000.000".
  - When a movie recorded at a frame rate of 30p, 25p, or 24p was played back on a TV to which the camera was connected via HDMI with HDMI > Output resolution in the the camera's setup menu set to 1080p (progressive), display on the TV was distorted.
  - When a file containing an IPTC preset (IPTC information) that included double-byte characters in its profile was copied to the camera, the camera froze when attempting to view the contents of the IPTC preset.
  - When Add items was selected for My Menu, OK was displayed even for items that cannot be added.
  - When Language in the setup menu was set to Arabic, text and icons in some menu displays overlapped, and text was positioned too far to the right.

Nikon D4s firmware update

Nikon published another firmware update, this time for its new flagship camera, the D4s. This new C 1.01 firmware fixes some important issues so I would recommend it to everyone lucky enough to own a D4s.

The firmware can be downloaded from the Nikon support sites: EU / USA

Updates in firmware C 1.01:

• When Custom Setting f1 (Multi selector center button) > Playback mode was set to View histograms, the histogram was not displayed correctly for the image played back in the monitor, even when the center button on the multi selector was pressed, when the following conditions were met. This issue has been resolved.
  - Image quality was set to NEF (RAW) + JPEG fine, NEF (RAW) + JPEG normal, or NEF (RAW) + JPEG basic.
  - An option other than "Overview data" or "RGB histogram" was selected for photo information displayed with full-frame image playback.
• With full-frame image playback with "Highlights" or "RGB histogram" display selected, image chroma (saturation) changed with flashing of highlights. This issue has been resolved.
• When images captured with Color space set to Adobe RGB were enlarged with playback in the monitor, image chroma (saturation) changed. This issue has been resolved.
• When Rotate tall in the playback menu was set to On, and an image captured in "tall" (portrait) orientation was enlarged slightly (playback zoom-in button pressed once or twice) with monitor playback, the image did not appear to be very sharp or clear. This issue has been resolved.
• With capture of a Compressed RAW image, followed by a Lossless compressed RAW image, with Image quality set to NEF (RAW), the camera was sometimes unable to correctly record the second RAW image. This issue has been resolved. 

Nikon D4s officially announced

Nikon has just announced its new D4s flagship DSLR camera. As this is basically an 's' update to the current D4, the improvements aren't earth shattering (e.g., no 24MP sensor as many, including myself, had hoped for). There are still numerable improvements worth checking out though, most notable in ISO (a whopping 409,600 is now available), video (1080p/60fps), frame rate (now 11fps with AF and AE), a new S-RAW format (half the size), and a Gigabit Ethernet connector.

The initial price for the D4 is around $6,499/€6,149 and should start shipping on 6 March.

Specifications

CES2014: New Nikon D3300+18-55 kit lens, 35/1.8, and D4s announcement

At the CES (the yearly consumer electronics and technology trade show in Las Vegas), Nikon showed quite a number of new products that could be interesting for the DSLR shooter.

First of all, there is the D3300, a slightly lighter update to the D3200 starter-DSLR. Coupled with a new 18-55 VRII kit lens this could well be a good starting camera for those starting with DSLR photography. Boosting a 24.2 Megapixel DX (aps-c) sensor, a maximum ISO of 25,600, a framerate of up to 5 frames per second and video of up to 1080/60p (!), the specs are really nothing to be ashamed of.

Even though the optics of the new 18-55 VR II kit lens have been improved, Nikon has been able to reduce its size and weight at the same time as well.

Pricing of the D3300 should be around €549 (body only) or €659 with the new 18-55 VRII kit lens. The kit lens alone has a suggested retail price of €259.

For the full frame, FX, DSLR shooter, Nikon has a new fast AF-S 35 f/1.8G lens available. With a suggested retail price of around €600, this lens is for the enthusiastic amateur/pro shooter looking for a very fast multi-purpose lens.

Pro Nikon sports/wildlife shooters have something to lookout for: Nikon has announced the development of their new flagship camera, the D4s. Not much is known at this moment about the successor to the D4, other than that it likely has improved video and autofocus. Especially the improvement to AF is something I am personally looking forward to. Not that the D4 is bad in that area (not at all), but the Canon 1Dx shows us there surely is something to gain in this respect! Though nothing about this new camera is really firm, one can definitely expect to see some pre-release versions of this camera at the coming Olympics!