v1.02 becomes v1.10 - And The Crowd Goes Wild!

If you own a Nikon D750 camera and some Nikon lenses you will have spent the last year taking superb digital images. Now Nikon have released new firmware improvements that will permit you to take superb images. The download from Nikon is at:

http://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/157.html

Allow me to make a comment on that at the end of this column, but for now here is the Nikon press release information about the update. The main improvements are:

An external recording option has been added to the HDMI in the set-up menu of the camera.
Some help text has been changed.
Optimal vibration reduction now available with VR lenses.

In addition there have been some issues fixed:

Brightness of LV display previously not changing when a command dial was rotated to adjust exposure compensation with On(Auto reset) selected for b Metering/exposure>b3Easy exposure compensation>Easy exposure compensation in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU.

Maximum aperture indicator previously not appearing in the monitor although the preview button was stoping the lens down to maximum aperture when assigned to the Preview role.

Shutter previously not being released when the user attempted to take photographs in movie live view.

About 4 seconds of static previously heard on audio recorded with external HDMI recorders during movie live view.

Difference between the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sensitivity displayed in the monitor during the movie live view and the values in the final movie file.

Part of the focus point disappearing if the framing grid was displayed during zooming in.

Volume not adjusted if movies were played with indicators hidden during full-frame playback.

Failure of the exposure compensation when a negative value was selected when NEF(RAW) images were processed using the NEF(RAW) processing option in the RETOUCH MENU.

Failure of images recorded with HDR( high dynamic range ) selected in the SHOOTING MENU.

Overexposure of every frame after the first taken during interval timer photography when ON was selected for Exposure Smoothing.

Incorrect assignment of file numbers.

Focus point previously not displaying in the correct location in the monitor.

Characters or parts of characters missing from the SETUP MENU in some languages.


A good tally - but if any of the foregoing has startling grammatical or syntax errors, please be away it is copied verbatim. If any of it assuages your deepest hurt, we rejoice for you.

Puzzled note: For years people in Australia have been chiding me on my spelling of the word center - they insist that it be spelled centre. But they refuse to pronounce it as the French do - "Sontra ". They snort at me when I point out that there was an Entertainment Center and not an Entretainment Centre down on Wellington Street. Yet I see that Nikon - ostensibly a Japanese firm -  has the word as center in their web address.

My brain hurts. Or is that Hertz?

Samsung Firmware Update For NX1

The Korean firm, Samsung has an enviable reputation with their new mirror-less system cameras - but there is nothing to stop them from improving further with their flagship model - the NX1. A firmware update have just been announced - with the Update V1.4 you can expect:

1. Improved jpeg and RAW maximum burst rate
2. Digital Image Stabiliser support in movie mode.
3. Synchronised zoom and auto-focus function for six of the Samsung NX lenses.
4. Six new functions.
5. A minor bug fix.

The maximum burst rate has been enhanced to approximately 90 for the jpeg and 25 when you are shooting RAW. Previously these peaked at 70 and 20 respectively.

With the Digital Image Stabilizer it can also combine with an Optical Image Stablizer in the video mode - referred to as OIS DUO. The DIS supports DCI-4K, UHD, FHD, and HD mode but does not support 120fps and VGA mode.

Focus is retained on the main subject during sooming in and out. This works with 16-50mm S, 50-150mm S, 16-50mm PZ, 18-55mm III, 12-24mm, 50-200mm III lenses.

Newly added is a flash exposure compensation value display, a map focus peaking feature in the custom buttons, AEL support in Manual mode with an Auto ISO,
and a dual battery power display.

The firmware update can be performed by either plugging your camera into a PC via a USB port and using the iLauncher app, or via WiFi through the "Device Information" section of your camera's settings.

Minor upgrades are also available for the NX 3300, the NX 500, and some lenses.

Firmware Updating For Fun And Profit

I am fortunate in using cameras from a manufacturer that takes care of their customers well past the point of sale.

Every year or so, Fujifilm announce improvements to their operating systems or specifications - some of these become the salient features of fresh cameras and lenses. New customers stream into the shop, purchase the equipment, and go out and have fun.

The wonderful thing for me is not the new gear, but the fact that Fujifilm issue some of those same improvements for equipment that has been in the hands of the users for several years. I benefit greatly from this - I use an X-10, and X-100, and an X-E2 that have each had several firmware upgrades and each of them is a better camera for it.

Last night I pulled the new upgrade for the X-E2 body off the Fujifilm site on the internet, loaded it into an SD card, and let the camera do the internal computer magic for 90 seconds. I now have their new Classic Chrome mode for jpeg photos and an interval timer release inside the camera. And I can do better AF/MF switching on some lenses. All for free - absolutely free.

In the past I have sped up  and reconfigured the other cameras with their own updates and again ended up with better cameras.

The cynical amongst you might say that whatever I am doing should have been done originally in the factory but that does not take into account the idea of finding minor faults and correcting them before they become major ones - a process that is of great benefit. Indeed, had this been done the HIRYU might still be afloat...

Apart from that, it does not take into account the development of entirely new features and their refitting - the Classic Chrome for instance. Again, to take a naval analogy, think of the air search radar sets available in 1940 and in 1945...

Users of other brands may or may not be served as well as I have been - in any case they would be well advised to look up the websites of their respective manufacturers and search specifically for firmware upgrades for their model camera. Many of these do exist, and nearly all of them can make the cameras better, if correctly applied.

Folks, if the Old Film Guy can do this - so can you.

PS: One caveat: There is nothing that makes you feel better than coming into the shop and spending money on a complete new camera system with all the lenses, flashes, and accessories. We have cash registers ready...