Firmware Friday: Updates aplenty from DxO, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Ricoh

 

 

It's that time once more: Our latest roundup of all that's new in the world of camera firmware has arrived, and it brings with it lots of interesting tidbits for users of cameras from DxO, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax and Ricoh. Let's get right down to what's new!

DxO One firmware version 1.2

We'll start this week with DxO, whose interesting DxO One camera accessory for iOS devices only began shipping this past September. Version 1.1 firmware shipped in October with autofocus improvements, and now version 1.2 is on the way with availability slated from early this month. Once the update lands, you'll be able to shoot continuous bursts of photos (although the company has yet to state the burst performance provided), and you'll also gain access to shutter speeds as fast as 1/20,000 second or as slow as 30 seconds. Other changes will include a one-tap hyperfocal distance function and repositionable loupe in manual focus mode, as well as the ability to shoot selfies in any operating mode (including movie mode), and to adjust exposure variables used for movie capture. A simultaneously-launched app will allow remote shutter control from your Apple Watch. The firmware isn't out just yet, but watch this space for more once it lands!

Nikon D4s firmware version C:1.30 / D750 firmware version C:1.10

Next up, we have two updates from Nikon. Both the D750 and D4s score new firmware which adds support for external recording control on Atomos SHOGUN, NINJA2, or NINJA BLADE recorders via the Setup menu's HDMI option. Both cameras also share three bug fixes, as below:

• 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 addition, the Nikon D4s firmware version C:1.30 update corrects an issue with the focus point being shown in the wrong location if the image area was set to 5:4 (30x24). You can download the new Nikon D4s firmware here. The Nikon D750 firmware, meanwhile, squashes even more bugs in addition to those just mentioned, as you can see in the list below:

• 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.

• 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)).

• 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.

As well as these bug fixes, the vibration reduction function in some available lenses should now work better, and some help text has been changed, although Nikon doesn't provide specifics on either point. You can get the new Nikon D750 firmware here.

Olympus E-M5 II firmware version 2.1

Up next we have Olympus, whose firmware version 2.1 for the OM-D E-M5 II just landed. Two bugs in the previous v2.0 firmware have been squashed, as follows:

• When recording movies using the Olympus Capture version 1.1, the Touch AF display on the Olympus Capture cannot be cancelled.

• When an electronic zoom lens is in use, the zoom does not automatically adjust to the wide-angle position even if the monitor is tilted to the self-portrait position.

​If you're on Windows, you can download the new firmware for your Olympus E-M5 II here. Mac users will want to follow this link instead.

Pentax 645Z firmware version 1.22 / 645D firmware version 1.32 / Digital Camera Utility 5.4.2

Continuing on, we have two new updates from Ricoh for the Pentax 645D and 645Z medium-format DSLRs. Both updates add support for the new HD PENTAX-D FA645 35mmF3.5AL[IF] lens, and as the company's firmware always does, also promise "improved stability for general performance".  You can download the Pentax 645Z firmware here, and the Pentax 645D firmware here.

That's not quite all, though, because also updated its Silkypix-based Digital Camera Utility app to version 5.4.2. The list of changes on both Windows and Macintosh platforms is as follows:

• Added Diffraction Correction on Lens Correction.
  * For captured image file that is corresponding camera and lens.

• Added Fringe Correction on Lens Correction.
  * For captured image file that is corresponding camera and lens.

• Added ON/OFF setting for RAW development of RRS (Real Resolution System).

• Added [Recent files] list menu on Laboratory mode.

• Added new lens name [HD PENTAX-D FA645 35mm F3.5 AL [IF].

• Added Tone curve inversion reset button. (Easy use for negative-positive reversal, film duplicator, etc.)

• Optimized Adobe RGB tone curve.

• Corrected – Misdisplayed highlight correction for cameras prior to K-5 II

• Corrected – Browser mode address bar loses history.

• Corrected – When developing RAW images that have been trimmed, the image quality tag still shows RAW.

• Corrected – Displayed unprintable range on margin setting in print.

• Corrected – RAW image development failure when capturing image with altered aspect ratio using Pentax K-01.

• Correspond to compatible reading of parameter file for Windows and Macintosh.

There are also three Windows-specific changes:

• Corrected – When image transmit in a maximized state from IMAGE Transmitter 2, maximization is released.

• Corrected – When select “Option” ⇒ “File management” ⇒ “default location” ⇒ “folder at the last saved”, fail in simple image import .

• Correspond – Windows 10.

And one Mac-specific change:

• Corrected – When expand display size of thumbnail image, image resolution is remained low.

You can download the Digital Camera Utility update for Windows machines here, while Mac users will want to follow this link instead.

Ricoh GR Remote version 1.2

And finally, we come to Ricoh. Here, there's no new firmware -- instead, it's a software-only update. The Ricoh GR Remote app now stands at version 1.2, and this release eases the chore of selecting images for download via Wi-Fi. You can now just tap on a thumbnail to download the image immediately, or enable multi-selection through the menu system to choose more than one image at a time for download. More details can be found here.

And that brings us to the end of this week's roundup. Check back next time for more firmware news!

(Camera parts image courtesy of Kelly Hofer / Flickr; used under a Creative Commons CC-BY-2.0 license. Image has been modified from the original.)