Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

Hello to all, especially, hello to Nikon owners or those who may be considering purchasing a Nikon DSLR.

It has been reported that Nikon is giving consideration to providing upgrades to their camera's software as do companies that make cell phones, etc..

If you will Google "DSLRs To Catch-Up With Smartphones?", you will see a link to click upon whereby you can read about it ! :)

Hopefully, we may see such advancements coming from Nikon in the near future !

Best Regards to all,
~Doug~

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

I saw that. I wonder how that differs from firmware updates. It might encourage customers to buy more upscale cameras.

Apaflo Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

It is all "market speak". No change to what firmware is or how it is developed and distributed. Just a new name intended to make customers feel better about the product.

The fact is that differences between models and generations are hardware based to a very large degree. The idea that some features are merely turned off in lower level models as a marketing ploy to encourage purchase of higher end upgrades is a great conspiracy theory, but in fact they also remove the hardware that supports those features because that is what lowers the production cost.

The same basic facts are what makes a D4S different than a D4 and a D810 different than a D800. New hardware with new technology.

Not that there are never changes in firmware that result from purely programming development after a model is first released. But those have always been made available for any older model that could be made to work in the new way. Better AF algorithms are one example. Perhaps developed after the D800 release and first seen in D810, but included as a firmware update to the D800. But on the other hand the D810 has an Electronic First Curtain feature, and that cannot be implemented with firmware only in D800.

Hence the same business model at Nikon, with only a different angle to the marketing approach. And one to be perhaps slightly leary of too, because it is being structured in a way that appears to make it very easy to start charging for firmware updates in the future, rather than providing them for free as is now done.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When Nikon starts charging, they'll all start charging. Remember the reaction when one airline started charging to bring a change of clothes with you? Now they all charge.

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

I agree Jerry, however it will be a sad day when they charge to fix software problems in their products that they sold to the consumer.

Wallbanger Loc: Madison, WI

It's partially to address competition like Fuji who continue to add features and improvements via firmware even for long discontinued cameras.

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Only time will tell but on the surface it seems like an improvement to me. Many improvements can be made via software other than bug fixes. ;)

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

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I will remain to be positive and look at it as if the hourglass is half full whereby Nikon's approach is to incorporate advancements so as to offer their current Nikon camera owners an opportunity to upgrade their cameras without the owners having to purchase an entirely new model of camera as, many times, has been done/necessary in the past !

If my thinking becomes a reality, then, one would think that purchasing a Nikon camera will become an advantage when compared to purchasing a new camera and camera accessories/products such as lenses, etc. currently made by Nikon's competitors or Nikon's peers such as Canon, etc.., ergo; perhaps, we should/shall just sit back and wait to see.. :)

My intent here is not to stir the Canon/Nikon war once again, but being that I own both Canon & Nikon cameras and lenses, my intent is to say that Nikon may be offering something to us that Canon has not, yet, suggested to offer ?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I think you're forgetting the upgrade released electronically for the 1DX and 5DIII that implemented f/8 auto focus as well as a near complete rewrite of the 7D menu system released via a firmware upgrade. Nikon is actually somewhat late to the party on this item...

blackest Loc: Ireland

Sometimes there are hardware differences, sometimes not There was a way of modding some amd athlon chips with a pencil for example.

http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/how-to-guides/41_1.html

However firmware can be changed or added too
http://www.magiclantern.fm/ this is for canon cameras

With integrated ic's such as SOC (system on a chip) its quite possible that certain features are unlocked for a premium sometimes it can be as simple as changing a bit in firmware such as region free dvd players. Wifi channel 14 only legally licensed for japan and hidden from use in other regions.

Honestly sometimes its viable to make a product at two price points using the same hardware with enabled features the only difference.

I think we are all familiar with mobile phones locked to a particular carrier and that there is quite the cottage industry unlocking phones.

Yes going across generations of products there are usually differences in hardware but then again people upgrade iPhones too.

blackest Loc: Ireland

Sometimes there are hardware differences, sometimes not There was a way of modding some amd athlon chips with a pencil for example.

http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/how-to-guides/41_1.html

However firmware can be changed or added too
http://www.magiclantern.fm/ this is for canon cameras

With integrated ic's such as SOC (system on a chip) its quite possible that certain features are unlocked for a premium sometimes it can be as simple as changing a bit in firmware such as region free dvd players. Wifi channel 14 only legally licensed for japan and hidden from use in other regions.

Honestly sometimes its viable to make a product at two price points using the same hardware with enabled features the only difference.

I think we are all familiar with mobile phones locked to a particular carrier and that there is quite the cottage industry unlocking phones.

Yes going across generations of products there are usually differences in hardware but then again people upgrade iPhones too.

Zone-System-Grandpa Loc: Springfield, Ohio

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I will try to remember such, perhaps, when Canon comes out with a camera having 36+ megapixels or more :)

Until such happens, I am thinking that hanging onto my D810 is the best way to go..

Dana C Loc: Buhl, Idaho

I would be thrilled if they would just print manuals and make them available for sale.

JPL

Come on, it is just like getting a facelift for the wife or bigger tits, we can not expect to get that for free, can we?? 8-)

Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC

Using your analogy if the facelift or breast implants are defective, I would expect the remediation to be free, wouldn't you. When Nikon came out with several models like the D600, D800 and now the D750 they had to provide a free fix, so why not the software version for the camera when it usually is a fix for problems users encountered.