Nikon D300 firmware upgrade gives new features including copyright info

One of the best features of DSLRs is the ability to get more features or extended capabilities through firmware upgrades. I had heard rumours that Nikon was prepping an update to the D300’s firmware, but last time I looked it wasn’t out yet. Last night cruising through my feeds I saw that UK-based Digital Photographer posted links (sorta) to the update and I quickly zipped over to Nikon Canada to get my copy and update.  Here’s what the firmware update for the D300 gives you (and I think it’s pretty impressive):

D300 Modifications enabled with upgrade of A and B firmware to v.1.10

• The Highlights playback option has been moved from Display Mode > Basic photo info > Highlights in the playback menu to Display mode > Detailed photo info > Highlights.
• The size and color of "Demo" displayed in the monitor with playback when No memory card? in the Custom Settings has been set to Enable Release have been modified.
• The range of settings available for ISO sensitivity settings > ISO sensitivity auto control > Minimum shutter speed in the shooting menu has been increased from 1/250 – 1s to 1/4000 – 1s.
• When shooting in hand-held live view mode and the frame is magnified prior to autofocusing, operation has been modified so that display returns to the magnified display rather then the full frame display.
• Images captured with Rotate tall, in the playback menu, set to On, are not automatically rotated for display immediately after capture (image review).
• A Copyright information has been added to the setup menu. When Copyright information is enabled, the copyright symbol ( © ) is shown in the shooting info display.
• Recent settings can now be displayed in the place of My Menu.
• Custom Setting e3 Flash cntrl for built in flash ( e3 Optional flash when an optional Speedlight is mounted on the camera) can now be added to My Menu using the Add items > Custom setting menu > Bracketing/ flash.
• The degree of the High ISO NR setting can now be confirmed in the shooting info display while the High ISO NR setting item, in the shooting menu, is being applied.
• Ankara, Riyadh, Kuwait, and Manama have been added to the Time zone options for the World time item in the setup menu.
• When a GPS device is used and no heading information is available, –.–° is now displayed for the Position / Heading option in the GPS item in the setup menu.
• When shooting in live view mode using Camera Control Pro 2 (ver. 2.2.0 or later) with a PC-E lens, the aperture setting can now be adjusted from the computer.
• Focus acquisition performance in dynamic-area AF mode has been improved.
• Focus acquisition performance with contrast-detect AF has been improved.
• Auto white balance performance has been improved.
• The fourth digit in seconds display for GPS latitude and longitude information is now rounded off rather than omitted.
• The current MB-D10 battery type setting can now be confirmed in the shooting menu display when R6/AA- size batteries are used with the Multi-Power Battery pack MB-D10.
• An issue that caused an increase in noise when shooting in [M] exposure mode at a shutter speed setting of bulb with the shutter held open for less than 8 seconds and Long exp. NR enabled has been resolved.
• An issue that prevented shutter release at the specified shutter speed when no operations were performed for 30 seconds in mirror up mode has been resolved.
• An issue that caused abnormal image display when Image review was set to On and the playback zoom in button was pressed immediately after shooting at the following settings has been resolved.
• • Image quality: NEF (RAW) + JPEG
  • NEF (RAW) recording: Lossless compressed or Compressed
  • Image size: S or M
• When the Speedlight SB-800 was mounted on the camera with flash mode set to distance-priority manual (GN) mode, and the camera recovered from standby mode triggered by the auto meter off function, the distance information in the SB-800 changed. This issue has been resolved.

My favourite, and the one that I set up almost immediately, is embedding the artist and copyright info into the picture meta data when the picture is taken. I used to have Lightroom do this on import, guess I don’t have to any longer.

Since I’ll be at the Vancouver Board of Trade event later today, I’ll get to test out the AF and contrast detection improvements.

The D80 also got a firmware refresh, albeit not nearly as interesting:

D80 Modifications enabled with upgrade of A and B firmware to 1.11

• An issue that, in some rare circumstances, caused the battery indicator to blink, regardless of actual battery charge, has been resolved. 

I only have one gripe with Nikon about the firmware update process: logging into the Nikon site and having an account. To download an update you need to create and an account at your country’s Nikon site (I presume, I haven’t actually tried to go to the US or UK sites) and enter the serial number of your camera, then go back and search to download. It would be a lot easier if they didn’t require an account or at least give you quick links to your camera’s updates (I have my D80 and D300 linked to the account, wonder if you can update a Speedlight?).

Still updating your camera’s firmware is probably the easiest thing you can do to get more out of your investment.

Oh and remember copy only one firmware file to your flash media at a time to update. Yeah I made that mistake once.