Nikon has announced firmware version 2.1 for its Z9 mirrorless camera system. While not nearly as significant as the version 2.0 update released back in April, version 2.1 does bring improvements, most notably in the autofocus (AF) department but also to address an issue that users had been encountering at sporting events.
The first new feature is a High-Frequency Flicker Reduction mode. While the automatic Anti-Flicker already present in the camera can account for lights with 50 or 60Hz flickering, this new feature will let users fine-tune shutter speeds in increments as small as 1/96th EV to cope with fast-refreshing LED display boards often used at sporting events. This provides a means to find a shutter speed at which flickering is minimized if not entirely eliminated.
Nikon has also made the Face- and Eye-detection AF modes ‘stickier’ in AF-C modes and improved autofocus so AF tracking with subjects that take up a smaller portion of the frame is improved.
You can download firmware version 2.1 for the Nikon Z9 on Nikon’s download page.
Press release:
Nikon releases firmware version 2.10 for the Nikon Z 9 full-frame mirrorless camera
MELVILLE, NY (July 6, 2022) –Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the release of firmware version 2.10 for the Nikon Z 9 full-frame/FX-format mirrorless camera, which is available today.
Firmware version 2.10 introduces a new High-Frequency Flicker Reduction function. When High-Frequency Flicker Reduction is enabled in photo shooting mode, shutter speed can be fine-tuned in increments from the normal 1/3 or 1/2 EV to those as small as 1/96* EV. The ability offered by this new function to adjust shutter speed more precisely than ever before makes it possible to suppress the effects of flicker, even when signboards and lighting that use high-frequency LEDs are included in the angle of view with shooting.
AF performance has also been further improved, notably increasing AF tracking performance with small subjects (those that take up a very small portion of the frame) as well as focus accuracy when eye/face-detection AF is used with continuous-servo AF (AF-C).
Nikon will continuously meet users’ needs through timely updates of firmware versions with various useful functions.
The new firmware is available for download now from the Nikon website.
For more information about the latest Nikon products, including other Z series cameras and the entire collection of NIKKOR Z lenses, please visit nikonusa.com.
* When [High-frequency flicker reduction] is enabled, shutter speed can be fine-tuned in very small increments at speeds between 1/8000 and 1/30 s.