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Major Nikon Firmware Updates Released : Z9 v2.0, Z6II v1.40 and Z7II v1.40

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Nikon released the major firmware updates for the Nikon Z6II (v1.40), Nikon Z7II (v1.40), and Nikon Z9 (v2.0). Firmware v.2.0 for the Z9 brings high-performance updates while firmware v.1.4 for the Z6 II and Z7 II improves focusing for stills and video.

The new firmware for the Nikon Z9 enables a collection of updates for stills and video. Most notably for video-shooters, both raw 8.3K/60p recording will be possible in-camera and 4K/60p Ultra HD footage oversampled from 8K 12-bit in-camera recording will be available with ProRes RAW HQ (up to 4K/60p) or Nikon’s new N-RAW format (up to 8K/60p and 4K/120p).

Nikon Z9 is available for sale and currently available for $5,496.95 at Amazon, B&H, Adorama.

Nikon has improved the autofocus system of the Z6 II and Z7 II significantly since their launch in October 2020 and the latest firmware builds on this with a refinement of the Auto-Area AF algorithm for improved focus on central foreground subjects. The two cameras also get support for linear manual focusing to improve the accuracy of focus-pulling during video shooting. In addition, the cameras will be made compatible with Nikon’s ML-L7 Bluetooth remote control.

All details and download links of the Major Nikon Firmware Updates for Z9 v2.0, Z6II v1.40 and Z7II v1.40 can be found below:

Nikon Z6II firmware update version 1.40

Added:

  • Support for NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses,
  • Support for ML-L7 remote controls,
  • Save focus position and Recall focus position * to the roles that can be assigned using Custom Setting f2 in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU,
  • Focus ring rotation range * to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU in position f9, and
  • Switch focus/control ring roles * to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU in position f10.

* As of April 20, 2022, these features are available only with NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses.

Made the following improvements:

  • The camera focuses more readily on the subject in the center of the frame if it fails to detect the face or eyes of a portrait subject when Auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode.
  • Memory recall has been altered so that regardless of the focus mode selected, the focus position chosen via autofocus does not change if the shutter-release button is pressed halfway while memory recall is in effect.

Fixed the following issues:

  • The camera would sometimes fail to focus on the subject in the focus area in pictures taken immediately after the battery was inserted.
  • Reactivating the standby timer in User Settings mode U1, U2, or U3 would cause the shutter speed to change if the stored value was slower than 30 s.
  • Pictures viewed by rotating the main command dial after zooming in on an image in “tall” (portrait) orientation in the viewfinder would not display correctly.
  • Jitter would occur in movies recorded while footage was being output to an HDMI device with 3840×2160; 60p or 3840×2160; 50p selected for Frame size/frame rate in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU.
  • The movie-record button would not function with certain gimbals while video was being recorded to an external device via HDMI with 3840×2160; 30p, 3840×2160; 25p, or 3840×2160; 24p selected for Frame size/frame rate in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU and 10 bit selected for Advanced > Output data depth in the SETUP MENU.

Nikon Z7II firmware update version 1.40

Added:

  • Support for NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses,
  • Support for ML-L7 remote controls,
  • Save focus position and Recall focus position * to the roles that can be assigned using Custom Setting f2 in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU,
  • Focus ring rotation range * to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU in position f9, and
  • Switch focus/control ring roles * to the CUSTOM SETTING MENU in position f10.

* As of April 20, 2022, these features are available only with NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses.

Made the following improvements:

  • The camera focuses more readily on the subject in the center of the frame if it fails to detect the face or eyes of a portrait subject when Auto-area AF is selected for AF-area mode.
  • Memory recall has been altered so that regardless of the focus mode selected, the focus position chosen via autofocus does not change if the shutter-release button is pressed halfway while memory recall is in effect.

Fixed the following issues:

  • The camera would sometimes fail to focus on the subject in the focus area in pictures taken immediately after the battery was inserted.
  • Reactivating the standby timer in User Settings mode U1, U2, or U3 would cause the shutter speed to change if the stored value was slower than 30 s.
  • Pictures viewed by rotating the main command dial after zooming in on an image in “tall” (portrait) orientation in the viewfinder would not display correctly.
  • Jitter would occur in movies recorded while footage was being output to an HDMI device with 3840×2160; 60p or 3840×2160; 50p selected for Frame size/frame rate in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU.
  • The movie-record button would not function with certain gimbals while video was being recorded to an external device via HDMI with 3840×2160; 30p, 3840×2160; 25p, or 3840×2160; 24p selected for Frame size/frame rate in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU and 10 bit selected for Advanced > Output data depth in the SETUP MENU.

Nikon Z9 firmware update version 2.00

Note: The changes listed below under “Still Photography”, “Video Recording”, “Displays”, “Playback”, and “Controls” are detailed in the Z 9 Reference Guide (Supplement for Firmware Version 2.00).

Note: Some Custom Settings have been renumbered due to the addition of new menu options.

Still Photography

  • Added Wide-area AF (C1) and Wide-area AF (C2) AF-area modes.
  • In photo mode, the control panel now shows additional information for long time-exposures, including the elapsed time and time remaining.
  • High-speed frame capture now features “pre-release burst” recording.
  • Changed the procedure for choosing a color temperature when Choose color temperature is selected for white balance.
  • Changed the size of the area the camera uses to meter values for Preset manual white balance.

Video Recording

  • Added Wide-area AF (C1) and Wide-area AF (C2) AF-area modes.
  • Changed the procedure for choosing a color temperature when Choose color temperature is selected for white balance.
  • Changed the size of the area the camera uses to meter values for Preset manual white balance.
  • Added display zoom ratios of 50% and 200% for use during video recording.
  • The control panel now displays the current frame size and frame rate in video mode.
  • Made the following additions to the VIDEO RECORDING MENU:
    • Added N-RAW 12-bit (NEV) and ProRes RAW HQ 12-bit (MOV) RAW video recording options under Video file type.
    • Added Extended oversampling.
  • Made the following additions to the CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU:
    • Added a View video info option for Custom Setting g1, Customize “i” menu.
    • Added a Fast AF-ON option for Custom Setting g2, Custom controls.
    • Added Fine ISO control (mode M) in position g8.
    • Added Extended shutter speeds (mode M) in position g9.
    • Added Brightness information display in position g14.
    • Added Red REC frame indicator in position g17.
  • Made the following addition to the SETUP MENU:
    • Added a 1080i (interlaced) option under HDMI > Output resolution.

Displays

  • Made changes to the Viewfinder only and Prioritize viewfinder monitor modes.
  • Added release timing indicators for high-speed frame capture.
  • Made the following addition to the CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU:
    • Added High fps viewfinder display in position d20.
  • Made the following additions to the SETUP MENU:
    • Added Lo 1 and Lo 2 options under Viewfinder brightness > Manual.
    • Added Auto temperature cutout.

Playback

  • Added a Motion blend option under Retouch in the playback “i” menu.
  • Added Save consecutive frames to the options available in the “i” menu while video playback is paused.
  • Users can now skip all but the first shot in each burst when paging through pictures in full-frame playback.
  • Controls
  • • Made the following additions to the CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU:
    • – Added Focus point selection speed in position a14.
    • – Added a Recall shooting functions (hold) option for Custom Setting f2, Custom controls (shooting).
    • – Added to the list of controls that can be assigned custom roles using Custom Settings f2 (Custom controls (shooting)) and g2 (Custom controls) and added Save focus position and Recall focus position to the roles that can be assigned.
    • – Added Switch focus/control ring roles in position f11 (as of April 20, 2022, this feature is available only with NIKKOR Z 70–200mm f/2.8 VR S lenses).
    • – Added Prefer sub-selector center in position f13.
  • • Made the following addition to the SETUP MENU:
    • – The settings saved and loaded using Save/load menu settings now include those for Delete pictures from both slots and Filtered playback criteria in the playback menu.

Other Changes

  • Added support for NIKKOR Z 800mm f/6.3 VR S lenses.
  • The sizes available when pictures are downloaded using SnapBridge version 2.9.0 or later now include 8 megapixels (4K) in addition to the existing Original format and 2 megapixels options.
  • Options highlighted in the “i” menu can now be selected using the center either of the sub-selector or of the multi selector for vertical shooting.
  • Controls to which Recall shooting functions has been assigned using Custom Setting f2, Custom controls (shooting), can now be used in this role while the camera is connected via USB to a device running software such as NX Tether or NX MobileAir.
  • Made changes to autofocus for improved reliability, focus tracking, and low-light subject detection.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • Horizontal lines would in rare cases appear in pictures taken in modes P and A.
    • Stopping aperture down below f/5.6 with AF-C chosen for focus mode and Focus selected for AF-C priority selection would sometimes disable the shutter release in high-speed frame capture mode.
    • Slow-moving subjects would sometimes not be in focus in pictures taken in focus mode AF-C at apertures faster than f/2.8.
    • Selecting ON for Exposure smoothing during interval-timer photography when a non-CPU lens was attached would cause gradually worsening overexposure throughout each series of pictures.
    • Attempts to connect to SFTP servers configured using macOS would fail with an error unless the home folder was selected as the destination.
    • When users switched from one custom settings bank to another storing a different setting for Custom Setting a9, Focus mode restrictions, the focus mode setting stored in the second bank would not be recalled; instead, the setting for the first bank would continue in force and could not be changed.
    • The camera would sometimes stop responding if a picture was taken with ON selected both for Picture review in the PLAYBACK MENU and for Photo flicker reduction in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU.
    • Messages in some languages would sometimes overflow the display.