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Do Nikon update the firmware when you send in your camera for repair?


BeBu Lamar

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Nikon repair usually re-conditions the item to "like new" condition except for the wear you have put on it so far. Is there any reason you don't want them to upgrade the firmware? E.g, new firmware may disable some non-Nikon, third-party battery.

 

You may specifically request them not to upgrade the firmware, but there is no guarantee that they will follow your request. Obviously it is in Nikon's interested that people don't use third-party accessories (including batteries, grips, and also lenses, etc.).

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I've usually asked them to do an update, and it's come back updated. Nikon could do with learning that it's all very well wanting people to buy on-brand products, but to do that they actually have to be producing those products. If Nikon made an 18-35 f/1.8 or a 135mm f/1.8, I'd be looking closely at them - but they don't. There's a lot to be said for letting others expand your ecosystem.
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Nikon repair usually re-conditions the item to "like new" condition except for the wear you have put on it so far. Is there any reason you don't want them to upgrade the firmware? E.g, new firmware may disable some non-Nikon, third-party battery.

 

You may specifically request them not to upgrade the firmware, but there is no guarantee that they will follow your request. Obviously it is in Nikon's interested that people don't use third-party accessories (including batteries, grips, and also lenses, etc.).

 

Oh no Shun! I do want to update the firmware but doing it myself may cause problem although I did it once without a hitch. If I were not going to send the camera in I would do it myself but since the camera will be in their hand it's nice if they do it without charging me extra.

I use third party flashes but seldom if ever use third party lenses or battery grip (well in this case there is none for the Df). But since my flashes are not dedicated any way the firmware wouldn't make a difference. In fact the camera doesn't know if there is a flash.

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The net has quite a few examples whereby the latest updates have had a very negative effect on non-Nikon lenses.

 

See..

 

Autofocus on D7100 and Sigma 17-50 mm does not work after firmware update

 

I've not heard any flash related ones YET, but don't see why not!

 

If Nikon want's to force you to use only their flashes in any camera controlled fashion, they will, so watch out.

 

It's just the overly protectionist behavior we're beginning to expect from Nikon.

 

All it's doing is making the independents ensure all their kit's firmware is updatable too, and ensure people won't buy Nikon accessories next time.

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The net has quite a few examples whereby the latest updates have had a very negative effect on non-Nikon lenses.

 

See..

 

Autofocus on D7100 and Sigma 17-50 mm does not work after firmware update

 

I've not heard any flash related ones YET, but don't see why not!

 

If Nikon want's to force you to use only their flashes in any camera controlled fashion, they will, so watch out.

 

It's just the overly protectionist behavior we're beginning to expect from Nikon.

 

All it's doing is making the independents ensure all their kit's firmware is updatable too, and ensure people won't buy Nikon accessories next time.

 

There could be problem with flash but since I only use non compatible flashes then it doesn't matter. The camera would simply fire the flash, it doesn't even know that there is a flash mounted or connected.

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I think it's silly to put a grip on the Df.

Just responding to the statement that there is no grip available for the DF

Still it doubbles the shooting tme when two batteries are installed, an it gives an extra release button for portrait orriented shooting, which some ppl might find usefull, others not so , whether silly or not ..

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Just responding to the statement that there is no grip available for the DF

Still it doubbles the shooting tme when two batteries are installed, an it gives an extra release button for portrait orriented shooting, which some ppl might find usefull, others not so , whether silly or not ..

 

OK but I really don't count third party grip. Nikon has good reason not to make the grip.

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Nikon has good reason not to make the grip.

 

Why? I appreciate that you think it's "silly", BeBu, and that Nikon shouldn't have made the Df in a D5-like integrated-grip form-factor, but that doesn't make it useless to extend the battery on Nikon's only DSLR which works properly(ish) with pre-AI lenses, and which offers the cheapest route to the D4 sensor. At the time it came out, I was quite tempted as a body for shooting in low light conditions alongside my D810 - although I would have wished the same sensor had turned up in a "D700-like" body with a MultiCAM 3500 and more conventional handling. I appreciate that not many would buy the grip, and it may not be cost-effective for Nikon to make a high quality one (or bother to integrate connections on the body for one), but if a third-party can make one cheaply, I'm sure some people would be interested.

 

Not everyone wants the Df for the "this feels a bit like a lumpier F3" experience - there are (or were) reasons to own one that aren't negated by a grip, even if it's a budget one made of plastic. The D850 now offers roughly the same higher-ISO behaviour, which does negate one of the arguments, at a substantial premium.

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I dislike the grip on the Df. I wish it has a very small one like the F3 or none but I realize since the Df is bigger and taller it needs some grip. I never like the vertical grip as I never use it. I bought the Df because I wouldn't want a D700 body. The sensor I like but it's not the important reason. I would buy the Df with the D610 sensor. I have never run out of battery before I can get home and charge it so extra battery isn't needed. I don't care about weight but the vertical grip make it's impossible to hold the camera only by the left hand below the camera. So the Df isn't perfect but the compromises that Nikon made I understand and agrees with them. About the only thing I think Nikon should do but they didn't (they didn't do it on any camera) is to display the aperture in 1/3 stop when using the aperture ring.
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Sadly Vlad, that's not how Nikon think. They want you to only use their sometimes overpriced and under-featured kit.

 

Now that separate components such as lenses and flashes, and maybe grips soon, can have their firmware updated, usually by USB, this 'opposition crippling' can only be a counterproductive attempt, leaving users unhappy and more likely to buy non-Nikon stuff in the future to bolt onto their lovely Nikon camera bodies.

 

With the new ART series of lenses, it's not as if non-Nikon lens buyers are saving money over the Nikon lens, they are prepared to buy a better lens for more money, or maybe a lens that Nikon doesn't offer..... only to have Nikon try to disable it. That's not going to win any friends is it?

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Well, Nikon, like most companies, have an obligation to their shareholders to make money rather than friends - even if the latter might lead to the former in many cases. Many industries have takes decisions without their users' best interests at heart - look at HDCP, for example.

 

That said, I believe Sony might have made their lens protocol public for third parties, and it's helping them, but then they were starting with a lens disadvantage. For low-end bodies, I imagine Nikon rely on some attachment rate to subsidise the body cost, so they really do need people to buy on-brand - but as you say, they're currently making customers suffer when Nikon don't produce the best solution.

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It's interesting that Sigma's new macro isn't, as yet, going to be available In Nikon F mount. I wonder if the lens communication issues are just too difficult to translate, esp. if Nikon is being so protective.

 

It's a shame as Nikon's macros are way behind the times.

 

Nikon seems happy to provide SDK's and lens data to third parties like Adobe even when they do have their own software for RAW conversion etc.

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Huh, I'd actually not registered that it was available for Canon (who I thought also didn't like to share their protocol and had a habit of deliberate breakage - ah, Sigma's web site says they learnt about the EF protocol because Sony shared with them). Not that I'm blown away by the idea of a 70mm macro. My 150mm Sigma seems to work fine.

 

Nikon could do with updating the 200mm f/4 (although Sigma's 180mm is a modern stand-in), and it would be nice to have a 70-180mm micro revamp. But frankly, most macro lenses are pretty good, and Nikon's real problem are that they're mostly not exceptional in comparison with much cheaper alternatives.

 

I don't think I realised Nikon shared stuff with Adobe, at least beyond loaning them some cameras under NDA. I'd expect there to be less trouble with Camera Raw at launch time if they gave out full specifications.

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It's interesting that Sigma's new macro isn't, as yet, going to be available In Nikon F mount. I wonder if the lens communication issues are just too difficult to translate, esp. if Nikon is being so protective.

 

It's a shame as Nikon's macros are way behind the times.

 

Nikon seems happy to provide SDK's and lens data to third parties like Adobe even when they do have their own software for RAW conversion etc.

 

What Sigma macro is that Mike?

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What Sigma macro is that Mike?

 

Sigma just announced a 70mm f/2.8 "Art" macro lens, which will be available for Sigma, Sony E and Canon EF mounts, but apparently not (yet?) Nikon. And I mis-read: they flag the Sony version as being developed with Sony's official input (as I said, I believe Sony do license their mount details out in the way that others don't), but the Canon version is presumably reverse-engineered. I'm not sure why it would be available for Canon and not Nikon given how many F mount lenses Sigma makes - unless the design happens to require the EF mount's slightly shorter flange distance.

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