(news)
Nikon released new L1.009 firmware for the D4, D90, D600, D800/D800E, D3100, D3200, D5000, D5100, D5200, D7000, and D7100 DSLR cameras. The "L" firmware is the part that updates a camera's internal tables for distortion control of various lenses.
The full list of supported lenses is available in my Camera FAQ.
After having used the update on a couple of cameras and having received feedback from a few readers, I have a couple of comments:
First, I don't really like this "create a Nikon folder on the desktop with the updates" style the Nikon Imaging group has been using. Personally, I'm not a fan of desktop clutter and try to keep mine clean and organized, and apps that come along and through their own stuff on the desktop force me to go in and re-clean/organize. Why I can't choose the folder that the files will be saved in, I don't know. One of the things we were really careful about at Connectix when I ran the product group there was how installers worked versus what users expect. I've gotten enough "where did the update go" emails to know that many don't expect to find a Nikon folder on their desktop ;~).
Beyond that, I still seem to get a lot of emails from folk either don't read or don't understand Nikon's instructions. So, for Mac users, here's the shorthand:
- Download the installer file from the Nikon site
- Open the DMG file that downloads (find it in your downloads folder)
- Run the installer (wonderful name, Nikon: S-DCDATA-001009MF-ALLIN-32BIT) and follow the prompts
- Find the actual firmware update file you need for the camera in a Nikon folder on the desktop
- Drag the NKLD01009.BIN to a card in your card reader, at the top level (not in the DCIM or any other folder!)
- Eject the card from the computer and put the card in your camera
- Go to Firmware Update, select Update, follow prompts
Update: I've heard from a number of people who have had problems getting this update to work. On the Mac, the common denominator seems to be Mac OS-X 10.7.5 so far. Curiously, I haven't heard any complaints from users of 10.8.x, which represents an about face for Nikon's usual problems (new operating system not yet supported, old operating system supported fine). Update: okay, looking at the Log file in Console shows: "Package /Volumes/S-DCDATA-001009MF-ALLIN-32BIT_/Packages/EN/Distortion Control Data.mpkg uses a deprecated pre-10.2 format (or uses a newer format but is invalid)."
On Windows, I can't detect any commonality in the problems. I will say two things, though: (1) try running the installer from the Web rather than downloading the installer; and (2) make sure that you're using a card formatted in the camera and that you use Safely Eject Media before removing it from the computer.
