Nikon Today Updates Their Flagship Camera the Z9 with massive new firmware: version 4.0!

Today, Nikon announced new firmware for the Nikon Z9, firmware version 4.0! This is a massive update and even could be larger than the 3.0 update.

Nikon list the following changes and improvements:

Note: Users of the following software will need to update to the latest versions.

• • Camera Control Pro 2 version 2.36.0 or later, IPTC Preset Manager version 1.3.0 or later, NX Studio version 1.4.0 or later, NX MobileAir version 1.2 or later (Android edition), NX Field version 1.4 or later

Note: The changes listed below under “Still Photography”, “Video Recording”, “Playback”, “Controls”, “Displays”, and “Network (Also NX Field)” are detailed in the Supplementary Firmware Update Manual.

■ Still Photography

• • Added [Auto capture] to the photo shooting menu. Users can select capture criteria from [Motion] (the direction the subject is moving), [Distance] (how far the subject is from the camera), and [Subject detection] (whether or not a subject of a given type is detected), and the camera will take photographs automatically while it detects subjects that meet the selected criteria. Note that [Distance] is available with NIKKOR Z lenses and may not function as expected when used with other lenses.

• • The length of time the camera will continue to buffer frames before cancelling shooting during the Pre-Release Capture phase of high-speed frame capture has been increased from 30 to 300 seconds.

• • Added [Large] to the size options available for [Role played by card in Slot 2] > [JPEG Slot 1 - JPEG Slot 2] in the photo shooting menu.

• • Added new bracketing increments for use during auto bracketing with [AE & flash bracketing], [AE bracketing], or [Flash bracketing] selected for [Auto bracketing set]. This change also applies to [Interval timer shooting] > [Options] > [AE bracketing] > [Increment].

■ Video Recording

• • Added [Auto capture] to the video recording menu. Users can select capture criteria from [Motion] (the direction the subject is moving), [Distance] (how far the subject is from the camera), and [Subject detection] (whether or not a subject of a given type is detected), and the camera will record video automatically while it detects subjects that meet the selected criteria. Note that [Distance] is available with NIKKOR Z lenses and may not function as expected when used with other lenses.

• • Added low ISO sensitivity options to [ISO sensitivity settings] > [ISO sensitivity (mode M)] for use during N-Log video recording.

• • Changed the range of speeds available for Hi-Res Zoom.

• • Added slow-motion video recording.

■ Playback

• • Made changes to the [Select for upload to computer] and [Select for upload (FTP)] items in the playback “i” menu and added [Select for priority upload to computer] and [Select for priority upload (FTP)].

■ Controls

• • Added support for the power zoom feature on power zoom lenses.

• • Added an [Exposure delay mode] item to the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] in position d6.

• • Added to the custom controls and roles assignable via the following items in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU]. New reset options have also been added.

  • - f2[Custom controls (shooting)]

  • - f3[Custom controls (playback)]

  • - g2[Custom controls]

  •    Among the roles that can now be assigned via Custom Settings f2 [Custom controls (shooting)] and g2 [Custom controls] is [Switch eyes], which can be used to switch focus between the subject’s left and right eyes.

  •    A new [Frame advance zoom position] > [Prefer focus point] role for Custom Setting f3 [Custom controls (playback)] can be used during playback zoom to center the display on the active focus point for each picture when scrolling through pictures using a command dial.

• • Made updates to [Non-CPU lens data] in the [SETUP MENU].

• • Increased the character limit for “Category” entries in IPTC presets.

• • Restructured the [Camera sounds] item in the [SETUP MENU] with the addition of new options, including new sounds and volume level adjustment for the electronic shutter.

■ Displays

• • Added focus-distance information to the focus distance indicator displayed during manual focus.

• • The option selected for [Viewfinder display size] (formerly [Finder display size (photo Lv)]) in the [SETUP MENU] now also applies in video and playback modes.

■ Network (Also NX Field)

• • Made changes and additions to the [Connect to FTP server] item in the [NETWORK MENU].

• • Changed the procedure used when configuring the camera for synchronized release, increasing to twenty the number of groups that can be created, while the number of cameras in each group that can be controlled from the master camera has been increased to sixteen.

• • Added [Overwrite copyright info] under [Connect to other cameras] in the [NETWORK MENU].

■ App-Related Changes

With NX MobileAir:

• • the camera live view display for photo mode now shows NX MobileAir status, and

• • camera settings saved to a memory card using [Save/load menu settings] can now be downloaded to the smart device or copied from the smart device to the camera memory card using NX MobileAir.

■ Other Changes

• • Improved the accuracy of [3D-tracking] for small, fast-moving subjects when [Auto], [People], [Animal], or [Vehicle] is chosen for [AF subject detection options] and no subject of the selected type is detected.

• • Improved focus accuracy for dark, low-contrast subjects.

• • Improved focus lock-on with flicker detection in low-speed continuous release mode.

• • Made other improvements to the autofocus operation and its reliability.

• • Improved the performance of auto white balance during portrait photography.

• • Fixed an issue that sometimes resulted in the viewfinder darkening during playback when [Auto] was selected for [Viewfinder brightness].

• • It is now easier to obtain the correct exposure from the first shot during interval-timer photography in high-contrast settings or settings dark enough for starlight view.

• • The histogram display is no longer available when starlight view is enabled.

• • Changed the video low-capacity warning so that it is now displayed in white on a red background when there is less than one minute remaining. The warning is now also displayed when recording is not in progress.

• • Users now have more precise control when scrolling through videos during playback using the progress bar.

• • Fixed the following issues:

  • - The camera would sometimes stop responding if the standby timer was reactivated after having expired with [Prioritize viewfinder (1)] or [Prioritize viewfinder (2)] selected for [Limit monitor mode selection] and high-speed frame capture selected for [Release mode].

  • - The camera would sometimes stop responding if changes were made to Picture Control parameters during NEF (RAW) processing.

  • - The viewfinder would in rare instances fail to display the focus point correctly during burst photography.

  • - [Image size] could not be adjusted by holding the QUAL button and rotating the sub-command dial if a DX-format lens was attached with [ON] selected for [Image size settings] > [Enable DX image sizes].

  • - SB-800 flash units would sometimes stop responding after pictures were taken with the flash disabled.

  • - [Vignette control] would sometimes fail to correctly control vignetting when an option other than [Off] was selected.

  • - Users could no longer select the FX image area after choosing the DX image area in Camera Control Pro 2 with a 100p or 120p option selected for video frame rate.

  • - Focus could still be adjusted using the focus ring when [Disable] was selected for [Manual focus ring in AF mode] in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU] if an option other than [Non-linear] was chosen for [Focus ring rotation range] in the [CUSTOM SETTINGS MENU].

  • - The battery would draw down more quickly while the camera was off if [ON] was selected for [Connect to smart device] > [Wi-Fi connection] in the [NETWORK MENU] even if [OFF] was selected for both [Bluetooth connection] and [Upload while off].

  • - The German and Korean menus and help text contained typos.

To download firmware version 4.0, go to: https://downloadcenter.nikonimglib.com/en/download/fw/494.html

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