Earlier this week, Nikon quietly announced new firmware for the mirrorless Z8 and Z6 III cameras, introducing a wider range of custom settings and correcting a handful of rare bugs. The Z6 III also gains improved noise reduction for N-Log video as part of the update. The updates put the latest firmware for the Z6 III at version 1.10 and the Z8 at version 2.10.
Both cameras gain a list of new options inside the custom settings menu, giving videographers and photographers more options to tailor the camera to taste. The list of options available for the custom settings menu now includes High-Res Zoom, shutter mode, Zebra pattern color, and brightness information display options.
Several of those custom setting options can now be applied to one of Nikon’s PZ zoom lens, allowing videographers to tweak things like the zoom speed, saving the power zoom position, and customizing what the power zoom ring controls. Those features are only available when the camera is paired with the Z 28-135mm f/4 PZ, however.
While the custom features are similar across both the Z8 and Z6 III, other changes don’t apply to both updates. The Z6 III firmware, for example, helps to reduce noise in the shadows when shooting N-Log videos. The third camera in the Z6 series also gains a handful of bug fixes that happened in what Nikon calls “rare circumstances,” including instances where the camera could stop responding when a specific mix of settings were used, like using 10-bit Pro Res with High-Res Zoom.
The Z8 also gets a few bug fixes with its firmware, including instances of the camera freezing with anti-flicker settings on for stills and a slower buffer with some CFexpress cards. With the update, the shooting modes on the Z8 can now be selected individually in the photo and video mode, rather than a change to the shooting mode applying to both stills and videos.
Both firmware updates are available directly from the Nikon Download Center for the Nikon Z8 and the Nikon Z6 III.
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