With firmware version 5.10 Launching early this monthNikon has created its Flagship z9 mirrorless cameraReleased in late 2021, even better. The new firmware is the latest in a long series of free post-launch updates that have made the Z9 even better and more versatile. Many camera companies believe strongly in post-launch support, but arguably, no camera has benefited more from free firmware updates than the Z9.
List of firmware updates and fixes Nikon Z9 Firmware PageAs is shortened with each new release, too long. It takes some time to get various bug fixes, improvements, and new features. However, it’s worth taking a short trip down memory lane to remember the most significant changes Nikon has made to the Z9 since it hit store shelves and into the hands of photographers.
first big update Came about four months after the release of the Z9. Firmware 2.0 brought internal 12-bit RAW video recording up to 8K/60p, oversampled 4K/60p video, pre-release photo capture, a red “REC” frame indicator, waveform monitoring, a new video information display, improved manual controls, and more. Motion Blend composite shooting, 20 new custom wide-area AF selection patterns, improved electronic viewfinder performance, improved auto exposure, improved automatic white balance and much more. The update was so important that petapixel Argued that Nikon should have released them as the meat and potatoes of the Nikon Z9 Mark II camera.
Not only has Nikon not yet released the Z9 II – although it’s reasonable to expect it to arrive in the near future – but the company has continued to provide important new features to photographers and videographers via free firmware updates.
Approximately six months after the sequel-level update, Nikon removed firmware 3.0 for the Z9It added about 20 new features to the camera, including improved autofocus performance in low light, improved custom control functionality, high-res zoom for video, continuous APS-C (DX) crop shooting at 60 frames per second, high-frequency flicker reduction Is included. For video (firmware 2.1 added it for photography), better flash controls, support for the FTPS protocol, and more.
In June 2023, Firmware 4.0 is out And turned the Z9 into a smart camera trap. The new Auto Capture feature, which has been expanded to include more subjects in subsequent firmware updates, enables the Z9 to automatically capture images with specific settings when the camera “sees” a particular subject. Or detects motion. Users can set the Z9 to capture still images or video when specific criteria are met, including motion or subject detection.
“This feature allows the user to shoot remotely without having to manually set the shooting/recording time, allowing more freedom to perform other tasks, or leave their camera outside in places where Where they may not last long, such as when recording wild animals,” Nikon explained at the time.
Firmware 5.0 early this year Auto Capture feature expanded with more controls and settings. It also adds DX compatibility, a new drive mode for continuous shooting, frequency presets for flicker reduction, and a new Rich Tone Portrait Picture control, which includes Portrait Impression Balance and Skin Softening settings.
Version 5.10 released earlier this month The Z9 added shutter angle control, which was a big win for videographers, as well as laying the groundwork for cloud support from Frame.io cameras through Nikon’s MX MobileAir app. The new update also adds the option for users to customize the color of the zebra pattern display and the transparency and display position of brightness information displays such as histogram and waveform monitors. These are all big wins for users, even if they aren’t amazing performance improvements.
Overall, Nikon’s vision with Z9 firmware support is to make the Z9 a better, more performing, and more enjoyable camera for photography and videography. the company has Described himself as “passionate” about firmware updatesAnd that’s a fair characterization.
Some of the features, like 12-bit internal 8K/60p RAW recording and better autofocus performance, are game-changers for many users. There are other, more specific but still incredible additions, like Auto Capture. Several other changes since the Z9’s launch are relatively minor, but they all add up to make the Z9 even better as an image-making device for professionals. Very few aspects of the Z9 have remained untouched since launch, and this is not an indictment of the quality of the camera at launch – it was scenic – rather a testament to Nikon’s approach with the Z9, no doubt inspired to some extent by the company’s There is a need for improvement in the mirrorless era,
no one can forget Red-evoked LUTs Nikon also added its own N-Log compatible cameras. These LUTs are fantastic and make the Z9 an even better video camera than before.
Perhaps partly because Nikon got off on the wrong foot with its Z system, or perhaps because the company cares deeply about its customers because it’s the right thing to do – it’s almost certainly a part of both – the Nikon class- Has become the leader in camera firmware support.
Other companies also do great firmware work. For example, Fujifilm comes to mind. However, Nikon has taken it up a notch with the Z system and especially the Z9.
Digital cameras rarely improve with age, but the Nikon Z9 has undoubtedly improved. It was already priced well at launch, priced at $5,500. After three years and several significant firmware updates, Now-$5,000 Camera Even better. Sure, the Z9 hasn’t got a sequel in name yet – no Z9 II – but it’s got to be a camera like the Z9 II in every way, and all without any extra cost or paid software upgrades.
Image Credit: Exclusive image created using assets licensed through gathering photo,
