Firmware Friday: New features for JVC and Panasonic video cameras; Bug fixes for Leica Q2, Nikon Z6 + Z7

 

 

Our Firmware Friday roundup this week is a mixture of both still and video camera updates, with the camcorders receiving a mixture of new features and bug fixes, while the still cameras are only receiving bug fixes this time around. On the camcorder front, we have news of three closely-related models apiece from both JVC and Panasonic which have received updates in the past week. For still cameras, there are two Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras and the full-frame Leica Q2 on the list.

Let's get right down to the changes!

JVC GY-HM250HW, GY-HM250SP and GY-HM250U

We'll kick things off this week with the JVC GY-HM250 series, which has received updates for all three models. In each case, the sole change is addition of Facebook Live functionality. We don't have version numbers for the updates, as these don't appear on JVC's public website, but in all three cases the updates support Facebook's RTMPS protocol in-camera, and allow the camera itself to be given access to your Facebook account. A list of your Facebook pages will be shown in the viewfinder, and while streaming video to your timeline you can also simultaneously save the video to your camera's internal storage slots. Download the GY-HM250HW update here, the GY-HM250SP update here, or the GY-HM250U update here.

Leica Q2

Continuing down the list in alphabetical order, we have firmware version 1.1 for the full-frame Leica Q2 (download here). This brings five bug fixes: Adobe software will now be able to open DNG files recorded in continuous super-speed mode, burst shooting now triggers the flash more than once if your strobe can recycle quickly enough, image transfer to Leica Fotos is now more stable when using remote wake-up, aperture values are now correctly displayed afer remote wake-up takes place, and frames are no longer lost when shooting with a one-second interval timer in JPEG mode. If you're shooting in raw+JPEG format, however, Leica advises that you will need to use an interval timer of two seconds or longer to prevent loss of images.

Nikon Z6 and Z7

Next up we have the Nikon Z6 and Z7, both of which have now received firmware version C:2.01. In both cases, there are the same raft of bug fixes as follows:

• If the camera detected faces during still photography or movie recording at the settings listed below, it would in very rare instances begin to respond more slowly, display an error, or stop responding altogether.

  • Still Photography

    • Auto-area AF selected for AF-area mode in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU

    • Face and eye detection on or Face detection on selected for Custom Setting a4 (Auto-area AF face/eye detection) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU

  • Movie Recording

    Note: Eye detection is disabled during movie recording.

    • Auto-area AF selected for AF-area mode in the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU

    • Face and eye detection on or Face detection on selected for Custom Setting a4 (Auto-area AF face/eye detection) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU

• In very rare instances, the bottoms of pictures taken with all the following settings in effect would not appear as expected:

  • Mode dial rotated to AUTO, P, or A

  • An NEF (RAW) option selected for Image quality in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU

  • 14-bit selected for NEF (RAW) recording > NEF (RAW) bit depth in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU

  • Auto selected for Custom Setting d5 (Shutter type) in the CUSTOM SETTING MENU

  • Continuous H (extended) release mode selected with the release mode/self-timer button

Download firmware version C:2.01 here for the Nikon Z6, and here for the Nikon Z7.

Panasonic AG-CX350, AG-CX200MC and AJ-UPX360MC

And finally for this week, we have firmware version 1.11-00-0.00 for the closely-related Panasonic AG-CX350, AG-CX200MC and AJ-UPX360MC. Here, the sole new feature is support for an additional accessory, the AJ-WM50G wireless module. There are also two bug fixes. The first resolves issues with zoom speed being too high when using a wired controller; the second resolves issues in the scene file menu where DTL_Freq and Level_Depend values may not change correctly in prior firmware. You can download the new firmware here.

**Worried you might've missed a critical update lately? Don't be! Just click here for all recent Firmware Friday articles!**

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(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.)