How to Update the Firmware on a Nikon Z Series Camera

A few weeks ago, I talked about things I would like to see from Nikon to support their customers, including firmware updates. One feature from the Z8 that I mentioned would be nice to trickle down to previous camera systems was the Warm View option.

A commenter pointed out that Nikon had actually released that feature in the most recent firmware update. I thought this was a great opportunity to walk through how to do a firmware update or a Nikon Z Series camera (and show off the Warm View option!)

In this video I talk about checking the version of your firmware on a Nikon Z Series camera, where and how to download the firmware, and initiating the firmware update on the Nikon Camera.

I demonstrate this on a Nikon z6 II and a Nikon z7 II camera.

🎥 Videos Referenced

Content:
00:00 - Intro
00:49 - New Firmware Option Warm Display
01:59 - Check Current Firmware Version
03:02 - Download New Firmware
07:10 - Ooops
07:51 - Installing the Firmware
09:28 - Check Firmware Install
10:48 - Wrap-up

🛠️ Photography Workshop Information


📸 GEAR LISTS - PHOTO and VIDEO
Some links featured here are affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase I will make a commission on the product and or service at no additional cost to you.

MY PHOTO GEAR

MY VLOGGING GEAR

MISC TOOLS AND SERVICES

Find me on Social!

[johnspencer]

you're a life saver. I was saving it to the Nikon folders and it wasn;t working. As soon as I followed your advice, it worked like a

[DavidMorrison-ew]

Great info, thanks. You know that to get to the firmware version you don't have to keep scrolling down in set up. You can scroll UP and it's right there.

[Brian-xomk]

Thanks Jeff, I was hesitant in doing my first update on my Z8, but you made it look so easy, so I'll give it a go,

[boogers]

Thank you so much for this. I've been struggling for ages now to get the correct update file in the correct place on the memory card. Most helpful.

[mrsins]

Thank you, i was having trouble updating my camera but you made it clear. I was placing the file in a subfolder

[pepper]

I have such difficulty with firmware updates thanks for doing this video . Going to try again for the Zfc so frustrating.

[sarasummerlinanderson]

Thank you so much for this! I was being a goober and kept adding the update to the subfolder

[rivkashachar]

תודה רבה!! הסבר ברור ונעים לצפיה. עזרת לי מאוד !

[cristinapanainte]

Big thank you for this do well explained video!!

[burnettmurray]

Fantastic thank you on directories and order to make it work!

[SeattleEmpress]

Thank you! It was easy after watching your tutorial!

[johnbacuetes]

Thank you! This was just what I needed

[stevenyoung]

Thanks, this was the break through I needed!

[rodneygrussling]

You video was very helpful, Thanks for the help.

[thomasgledhill]

I was trying to follow your advice but my z7ii did not even see the update on the SD card until I realised that you have to have the SD card as the primary card, I had mine as a back-up card, then it recognised the update.

[snerp]

FYI instead of scrolling down forever, you only need to scroll up once to get to the firmware section of the menu :)

[cometmoo]

Thanks for the video. For the update from 1.41 to 1.50 on a Mac, I only get the choice of a .bin file. Is that normal?

[jpdj]

I just upgraded to a Z 8 and a few days later installed FW version 2.
There was one detail that was different.
Before: (Windows) (a) download file of .exe type and this is a self-extracting archive (zip) file.
Once done (b) extracting, we have a .bin file that is the binary holding the new firmware.
That .bin file needs to get (c) copied to the root folder of a memory card that next is (d) placed in the camera and from there can be (e) installed (provided enough juice in the battery).

New: (Windows) the download file is the .bin file already. This replaces (a) and (b) by "download the .bin file" and (c) .. (e) stay the same

[jaguarjj]

I have a strange question
what would happen if you for instance take the z9 firmware file, and install it on a z7ii camera?

[JK-suhn]

Thank you for this amazing video! I run into one problem that after I downloaded a file from Nikon Download Center, I double clicked the 'dmg' file and it does not show the 'exe' file. I tried this on another computer, and have the same problem. Do you have any advice? Thank you.