Firmware updates for DSLR

I seem to notice that camera manufacturers are releasing updates for
their firmwares more often nowadays. I am curious on how the filmware
in your camera is updated. Is this only applicable for DSLR, or can it
be done on any digital SLR? There must be some kind of interface
between the camera and a PC to download the firmware into the digital
camera's main "brain". Perhaps is it just a matter or plugging the
camera to a PC similar to when you are unloading photos from the
camera, except it goes the otherway around and to a different memory
location in the camera's computer?
Thanks for info

 

usually one copies the firmware image to a flash card and then puts the
flash card into the camera. when the camera is powered on (sometimes
with a certain button pressed), it will check for the appropriately
named file and then copy the new firmware into the camera. it is a
very simple process.

 

Just as described in the manual.

My Coolpix had 2 updates in the first year.

Yep. It is called USB (at least for all cameras I know of.

However much more convenient is to simply store the patch on the memory
card, insert the card in the camera, and then simply run the Update Firmware
option from the camera menu.

jue

 

Is this applicable to all digital cameras, including some of the older
ones (c. early 2000s)? How do you know if there is a firmware update
for your digital cameras? Will they notify you by e-mail if you
registered on-line with the manufacturer when you bought the camera?
Or, do you have to check such an update from time to time on their
website?
Thanks for all replies!

 

I checked my canon against the website and was told it was up to date.
There are some firmware enhancements for certain canon cameras done by I
don't know who (there was a thread on it). This added some neat features
like raw. The software resides on flash card, is used by camera but not
permanently stored so if you erase the file camera will behave as
original. Didn't pursue this further since my A95 wasn't one of those
supported.
Dave Cohen

 

It is applicable to my older Canon 300d (digital rebel). Put the
firmware on the card using a card reader, put the card in the camera and
simply turn the camera on - nothing else.

I check Canon's web site and choose my camera, which has not had a
firmware update since 2003. In fact, my camera shipped with the same
version that is on Canon's site.

 

I do not know all digital cameras. But it is how the updates for my Coolpix
880 (bought in 2000) and D80 (bought 4 months ago) work.

I never registered my cameras, therefore I don't know if manufactures will
notify you.

jue

 

Could you please explain the difference to me? I always thought that DSLR
stood for Digital SLR.

Firmware updates have been around for a long time. I have done them on my
OLD Kodak DC210+ (1mp) and wife's Nikon Coolpix 2100 (2mp) - both quite
old. Generally it is done by downloading a file to the computer, then
putting the file in a specified folder on the memory card - placing the
memory card in the camera and turning it on. One finds out about the
availability of firmware updates by checking the support area of the
manufacturer's web site.

 

Looking at the other responses, it looks like it'll depend on the
manufacturer (which one is relevant for you?).

On my Olympus E500 I had an update when I got it, but none since. The
updates are checked every time I run the Olympus Master software on my
computer, and if there are any, you just plug the camera into the
computer using the USB lead, and the Master software does the updates.

You'd really need to check the instructions for your own camera though,
as each manufacturer may tend to do things differently. It may even be
different for each model in one manufacturer.

 

Olympus let you check when the camera is plugged in with the USB lead. You
run the software that came with it (Olympus Master in this case), select the
update option and it just gets on with it.

 

I haven't noticed that. My experience with Nikons is that there have the
firmware updates have been rare.

That is the big picture. You download the new firmware to a intermediate
computer and then install it on the camera.

I have seen three variations on the part where the firmware. Some
manufacturers have some desktop software that manages the camera, including
firmware installs. Others package the update in an installation program that
you run separately. This typically involves connecting the camera to the
computer with a USB cable. Installs on my Nikons have been done by coping
the new firmware to a memory card, putting that into the camera and then
using a camera menu command to load the new firmware.

The specific mechanism does vary according to what kind of computer OS you
are using (Windows vs. Mac OS vs. LINUX vs. ???).

 

Not just DSLRs, any digital camera may be able to have its firmware updated.
My very first digicam was a fairly low-end Agfa ePhoto CL30 and there was a
firmware update for it. That was about eight years ago and I don't recall
now how it was done.

The method of updating seems to vary from one brand to another. With most
Nikons the method is to download the latest firmware file and folder from
the manufacturer's site, then either put that on a memory card freshly
reformatted in the camera or connect the camera directly to the computer by
USB, then start the camera in Setup mode and follow the simple directions
given where you downloaded the file.

How often new firmware versions come out varies with the camera model. Some
may have several updates, some may never have any.

I've never been notified by any manufacturer when a new firmware version was
available. You just have to check the manufacturer's or importer's site from
time to time.

Neil

 

Like most things photographic there is probably more than
one way to update the firmware and I'm sure if there were
twenty camera makers there would be twenty different ways to
do this task. Check the website for the make and model of
camera you own (and if it ain't broke don't fix it).

BTW the Canon Rebel remains the hackers favorite camera,
much of it's operating system (and yes it's a computer so it
has an OS) is written in a peculiar flavor of Linux (or so
I'm told, I don't own one, I was sorely tempted but already
own a number of Nikon lenses so bought a D50 instead).
Makes it easy to add "features".

darkroommike

 

I see. And they supply the 'software that came with it' for MAC and Linux
as well as MS? Or is this simply one more reason (the main one being Xd)
why I would not want an Olympus?

 

xD should be reason enough all by itself. That must be the single biggest
mistake Olympus (and Fujifilm) ever made.

Neil

 

Interestint to note that some Olympus cameras have dual card working
(as does my C5050Z) with CF being the other, and that Fuji are now
using SD on some models.

Not a problem though as most card readers will take xD.

 

And the xd cards only cost, typically, about twice as much. BTW I have
other, political, problems with fuji, but that's another story.

 

Well, the newer card readers will. That still leaves the consumer having to
buy the more expensive xD cards while SD cards are now the standard for such
cameras, and you can almost always find SDs on sale and/or with very
attractive rebate offers.

I'm not up on Fuji models at all now. If they are *switching* from xD to SD
that's good thinking, even if it tends to make orphans of their recent
models. Fuji and Olympus have both made excellent cameras and lenses in the
past, and sooner or later I suspect both will have to bite the bullet and
essentially admit that xD was a mistake. The sooner they do this the better
for all concerned.

I still have my Olympus C2040Z and it's a neat little camera -- except for
using SmartMedia of course.

Neil