HRBIEL Loc: Rapid City, SD

Has anyone tried to use the latest SnapBridge software to upgrade the new firmware?

photoman43

Yes, see this excellent video by Steve Perry:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEWQ4GCbWuI

The key is to copy the firmware file ending in xxx.bin to the Root directory of a newly formatted card. That means the top. Not under a folder name. Then you put this card into your camera and Update the firmware. It will take a few minutes. Do not touch the camera until the LCD says Update completed, turn off camera. Or something like that.

I updated the firmware on my D500 and d850 yesterday but I do not have plans to use CFexpress cards right now. I like to make sure my bodies have the latest firmware.

Read this quote from Thom Hogan's site:


"Nikon has finally introduced the long-awaited firmware updates for the D500, D850, and D5 cameras that support CFexpress cards (and fix a few bugs). Just a reminder: don't expect speed increases, as the card slot mechanisms in these cameras has a fixed upper limit that dates to early XQD. Some D500 owners need to perform the update twice (pay attention to the instructions on Nikon's download page)."

If you use CF express cards, you will need a CF express card reader. Make sure it comes with a cable that is compatible with the ports on your desktop or laptop.

b top gun

At this moment am not interested in the upgrade; I have one 120GB XQD card and use it exclusively for video work; otherwise I use 64GB Extreme Pro SD cards for photos in my Nikon FF bodies. D780 does not use XQD nor CF Express so am going to try out a 300mb/s Extreme Pro memory card in it.

2Much Loc: WA

Below is Thom Hogan's Dec. 5 post on the subject:

"A point or two of clarification on XQD/CFexpress (CFe) is needed. The physical hardware in the D500, D850, and D5 (and Z6/Z7) has some limits to what it can do. While the hardware portion of XQD and CFe is essentially the same, the software stack that does all the work is different.

In making the XQD cameras CFe capable, Nikon is essentially swapping out some embedded and internal EXPEED capabilities (XQD) with some external firmware (CFe), which means that there can be overhead in using a CFe card in an XQD camera. This typically shows up as the buffer fills, reducing in-camera performance slightly. On the other hand, if you use a CFe card in a card reader that's Thunderbolt 3, you'll be amazed at how fast it ingests to your computer, even compared to XQD. So: in-camera performance isn't improved, but ingest-to-computer might be.

But there's more to it than that. Most XQD card readers also have dedicated software in them. You can't update most such readers, so you'll end up needing a new card reader that understands both XQD and CFe. Unfortunately, there are some card readers now that only understand CFe, further complicating things. (And Canon chose to only support CFe.)

The real benefit of the CFe firmware updates (D5, D500, D850, Z6, Z7) isn't performance oriented, it's convenience oriented. It means that you can buy new cards with future potential (CFe) instead of continuing to buy older cards (XQD) with a top end that won't get better. CFe also increased the number of vendors participating, so CFe cards will become more ubiquitous, while XQD cards will slowly go the way of all dying formats and disappear eventually. Still, XQD will be around for awhile, as it's used in some high-end pro video and industrial gear.

Thus, CFe compatibility isn't something that most D500, D850, or D5 users need to rush out and embrace. It just opens up more options, and options that will continue to play in future cameras.

Which brings me to this: the only CFe "native" cameras Nikon has made so far are the D6, Z6 II, and Z7 II. And they're backwards compatible with XQD, thus proving my point about convenience. Nikon did the right thing here, though it took them longer than expected".

http://www.bythom.com/

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

[quote=riderz49]Nikon just released a firmware update for the D850 that enables the use of CFExpress cards, which are faster than the identically formatted XQD cards.

Is there any substantial reason to install the update?

Any reason to "upgrade" to CFExpress?[/quote
Keep your expensive camera up to date. Or, why not?

Zenmonkey

Thanks so much for this link! Steve is the BEST!

Amateur photographer Loc: Madison, WI

To Photoman 43:

I just bought a D850 and ordered a CF express card online. I did not get a card reader, as I saw you recommended ("If you use CF express cards, you will need a CF express card reader.") For my D800 I used Nikon Transfer software and their cable to directly hook the D800 up to my computer. I assumed I could do the same thing with the D850. Am I mistaken?

Thanks.

larryepage Loc: North Texas area

There's no reason you can't do things that way. It won't likely be as fast or convenient as using a card reader. And they aren't that expensive, even for XQD cards.

Amateur photographer Loc: Madison, WI

Thank you very much, Larry :)

Bullfrog Bill Loc: CT

Also, transferring by cable uses a lot of battery power.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

The D850 with the firmware update can handle the CFExpress card, BUT, the technology in the D850 will prevent you from getting the most out of that card.

jabra

How exactly do you have the D5 battery in your D850 and getting 9 fps? Are you talking about the "grip"?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Yes, you need the Nikon vertical grip if you want to add the Nikon EN-EL18 battery to the D850. The Nikon EN-EL18 battery will not fit into the battery compartment of the Nikon D850 body, the battery that will fit into the body of the D850 is the EN-EL15 or the EN-EL15a battery. The EN-EL15a battery came with my D850 and is gray in color, the EN-EL15 is black.
The other things that are needed to put the EN-EL18 battery into the vertical grip of the D850 is a Nikon Battery Charger MH-25a battery charger (this charger charges the Nikon EN-EL18 battery, and you will also need the Nikon BL-5 battery door, this door holds the EN-EL18 battery so it will fit into the vertical grip of the D850.
And yes, with the Nikon EN-EL18 in the Nikon Vertical grip you can obtain 9 fps with the Nikon D850. As far as I know, it is the only way you can get 9 fps with the Nikon D850.
I hope this explanation answers your question.

jabra

Thank you. I new it sounded too good. I hoped you found a "magic bullet" to bypass the grip+charger price tag. Ah, well....

Amateur photographer Loc: Madison, WI

Thank you, Bill.