Nikon today announced firmware version 4.0 for the Z9, a major update that adds capabilities. Before I get to the additions, we have to address the elephant in the room: the mini-Z9 Z8 and Z9 firmware are not at all in sync. The Z8 has features (HEIF, Skin softening, Portrait impression balance) that the Z9 doesn’t, while the Z9 has features (Auto capture, Exposure delay mode, focus information display) that the Z8 doesn’t. Apparently no one at Nikon uses both cameras (or isn’t at all frustrated when the camera you pick up has different controls than the one you were just using). Moreover, there are subtle differences that you have to watch for now: Pre-release capture now buffers for 300 seconds on a Z9 before it requires you lift your finger off the shutter release and reset, but the Z8 still times out at 30 seconds. (Update: I see a lot of people misinterpreting this; you don’t get a 300 seconds of capture, you get 300 seconds of active buffering while waiting for you to press the shutter release; previously it was 30 seconds. You’ll still get only the up-to-one-second pre-release capture when you press the shutter release.)
It would be one thing if the Z8 were just a subset of a Z9. But it isn’t, it’s a different set from a Z9. The arbitrary nature of Nikon’s dissemination of features really needs to stop and be far better rationalized. It appears to me that Nikon is reacting to a few photographers requests and not thinking through what that looks like to the entire customer base.
Update: NikonUSA says Auto capture is coming to the Z8 in a future firmware update. But will all the other mismatches be cleared up?
Now, on to the Z9 4.00 firmware changes.
For both still and video work we now get an Auto capture function that can set the camera to record automatically if motion, distance, or subject detection criteria are met. Switch eyes has been added to the button customizations. Focus-distance information has been added to the display when using manual focus. 3D-tracking accuracy has been improved (again). Low light focus has been improved (again). Strangely, the histogram now disappears when Starlight view is enabled. A number of issues were fixed, and power zoom lenses are supported.
Still photographers get new bracketing increments (long requested), Exposure delay mode, Size options for Slot 2 images, and a longer Pre-release capture buffer time-out. Camera sounds now have new options.
Videographers get new lower ISO options for N-Log recording, changes to the Hi-Res Zoom speeds, and the ability to record frame rates like 120 fps to record at that value but play back at 30 fps (e.g. enforced slow motion, similar to what Nikon used to do on the DSLRs). Viewfinder display size (formerly Finder display size (photo LV) now applies to videos, too.
Playback gets some new control options.
Networking, NX Field, and NX MobileAir support got a number of small changes. NX MobileAir can now save/load settings to the mobile device.
Overall, Nikon fixed one bug I reported and changed/added three features I (and others) requested. That leaves more than two dozen other things that are on my Firmware Wish List to be addressed.
But again, the real issue I’m having with the Z System firmware is one of rationalization. For example, we have three cameras with Voice memo options (Z6 II, Z8, Z9). Why is the Z7 II left out? We have two cameras with Portrait impression balance (Z7 II, Z8). If someone were to put together a full table of just the menu options, you’d find quite a few of these head scratchers. That means one of two things: (1) Nikon can’t keep track of what they’re doing, either; or (2) Nikon is intentionally putting features in some cameras, but not all.
I’ve accused Nikon of being too paternalistic in design decisions for some time. The Z9 4.0 firmware update is just another example.
