It actually happened! Nikon just released firmware updates for the D850, D500, D7500 and D5600 which provide free WiFi next to the Snapbridge connectivity.
Especially for us timelapse photographers this is great news, since it allows connecting to those cameras much easier, for example for shooting the holy grail as I explained in my tutorial.
Since the first Snapbridge Camera was released (the D500) I was fighting to get free WiFi back in the new Nikon cameras. More than thousand users signed my Open Letter to Nikon on gwegner.de and LRTimelapse.com.
The first reaction, came with the release of the new Z-cameras – in which next to Snapbridge also free Wi-Fi is implemented. I was really happy about that! But I didn’t dare to hope that Nikon would also release firmware updates for older models.
Now this got true: all former “Snapbridge-Only” cameras received firmware updates for free WiFi, which is amazing news for Nikon photographers! Thank you Nikon!
Don’t get irritated by the Nikon releasenotes, they don’t tell you, what they really changed… 😉 If you want so see how it looks like, I’ve shown the updated firmware on a D500 in a video, that I made for my German blog.
Now all Wi-Fi-enabled Nikon DSLR and DSLM cameras offer the possibility to open a Wi-Fi access point directly from the camera menu and allow any WiFi-device to connect to it. As a result, the cameras can finally be controlled directly with third-party apps (eg qDslrdashboard / ControlMyCamera), just like the Nikon D750 , D5500 and the new Z6 / Z7 cameras, for example. The Snapbridge technology remains unaffected and can be used alternatively with the cameras that support it.
With these firmware updates Nikon has shown that they take wishes of their users seriously, if they are presented in a plausible way. This was also confirmed to me in my discussions with staff in Tokyo when I was there last year .
Time to say thank you!
I’ve collected more than 1,000 supporters on lrtimelapse.com and gwegner.de alone for my Open Letter. Additionally many commented on social media and the topic was also spread by major photography news sites all over the world. I think now it’s time to say thank you to Nikon for listening to their users. You can do that in the comments , I’ll pass it on to Nikon!
LRTimelapse 6.3 Update released! Hey guys, after quite some beta testing, I've now released LRTimelapse 6.3. It's a release with a few new features, but mostly many improvements…
Internal Workflow In LRTimelapse 6 you can do a simple, all internal workflow. This is not meant to replace the Workflow with Lightroom, it should rather…
Thank you Nikon and Gunther. I have been a D7200 user for a whikle and have recently bought a D7500, However it arrived ded on arrival with an Err message that all the recommended solutions failked to correct. It is currently on a return trip to the supplier! I cannot wait for a reoplacement to arrive and am looking forward to enjoyin using it as much as I have the D7200. SnapBridge sounds a terrific addition….am getting frustrated waiting to try it. Thanks again (albeit in advance guys).
But… The Nikon D5 is noticeably absent from this round of firmware updates. Although, the Nikon D850, D500 and D5 are also expected to get a new firmware soon to add CFexpress support. So, perhaps the D5 will get its WiFi back again then. There’s also no mention of the Nikon D3400 or D3500 this time around…
Danke Nikon, thank you for free Wifi! I just bought timelapse equipment and a new Nikkor Lens for timelapsing because of the new firmware. Thank you for listening to your customers.
Thanks Nikon and good work Guenther! That’s a big step forward. Now please allow us to zoom into the Z cameras’ live view at apertures smaller than F5.6 to check critical manual focus in the landscape. https://youtu.be/jI1I2BN9AHI
I have the Nikon D850, and cannot get the new firmware to install. I get the “Update Warning” and that is as far as it goes. I have tried numerous SD cards and 2 different XQD cards and still get the same result, nothing. The warning screen has stayed on for over 4 hours, still nothings.
Does anyone have a suggestion? I have followed the install procedure to the letter, after all it is not rocket science
Did you checked CRC of files on cards? SHA 256 for V1.10 must be: 25CA17573218309930084238378227DBD7CFB6820434125EA7D05EF6ABD9F1FC My card reader failed copying file on SD card but without any warnings. I checked CRC and found that file on the SD card is corupted. I copied file again using another card reader and update was succesfull.
Eine wirklich grosse Freude, zumal ich in den bald 50 Jahren in denen ich mit Nikon fotografiere, Nikon immer als recht resistent gengenüber den Wünschen der User war. Danke Nikon!! Weiter so.
I have been trying to dance around SnapBridge and was completely frustrated with Nikon for forcing me to do that. THANK YOU Nikon for taking the shackles off! This is huge (for me)!!!
Thank you Nikon!!! I love your gear and will stay true to it, but SnapBridge was extremely limited and connection issues were always a problem. The fact we were locked into using that specific app, especially on a $3000+ body, was bothersome. However, you redeemed yourselves massively by opening this up for us! Now we can use great apps like qDSLRDashboard/ControlMyCamera without a workaround! This is, by far, the greatest firmware update ever released! I now have the complete remote control that I desired when I read about built-in WiFi for the D850! THANK YOU!
Gunther your open letter to Nikon is where I first learned of this issue and now to see that Nikon has responded with a firmware update opening things up…well that is great news! I’ve been a Nikon shooter for many years and am glad to see them continue to support their customers wished.
Especially for us timelapse photographers this is great news, since it allows connecting to those cameras much easier, for example for shooting the holy grail as I explained in my tutorial.
Thank you Nikon and Gunther. I have been a D7200 user for a whikle and have recently bought a D7500, However it arrived ded on arrival with an Err message that all the recommended solutions failked to correct. It is currently on a return trip to the supplier! I cannot wait for a reoplacement to arrive and am looking forward to enjoyin using it as much as I have the D7200. SnapBridge sounds a terrific addition….am getting frustrated waiting to try it. Thanks again (albeit in advance guys).
NIKON, How nice of you & Thank you.
But…
The Nikon D5 is noticeably absent from this round of firmware updates. Although, the Nikon D850, D500 and D5 are also expected to get a new firmware soon to add CFexpress support. So, perhaps the D5 will get its WiFi back again then. There’s also no mention of the Nikon D3400 or D3500 this time around…
(quoted from: https://www.diyphotography.net/nikon-stops-forcing-snapbridge-on-users-unlocks-real-wifi-on-the-d850-d500-d7500-and-d5600/)
Danke Nikon, thank you for free Wifi! I just bought timelapse equipment and a new Nikkor Lens for timelapsing because of the new firmware.
Thank you for listening to your customers.
Thank you Nikon . I have the D500 and hope to be able to apply this to focus stacking.
Thanks Nikon and good work Guenther! That’s a big step forward. Now please allow us to zoom into the Z cameras’ live view at apertures smaller than F5.6 to check critical manual focus in the landscape. https://youtu.be/jI1I2BN9AHI
I have the Nikon D850, and cannot get the new firmware to install. I get the “Update Warning” and that is as far as it goes. I have tried numerous SD cards and 2 different XQD cards and still get the same result, nothing. The warning screen has stayed on for over 4 hours, still nothings.
Does anyone have a suggestion? I have followed the install procedure to the letter, after all it is not rocket science
Contact Nikon Support?
Did you checked CRC of files on cards? SHA 256 for V1.10 must be: 25CA17573218309930084238378227DBD7CFB6820434125EA7D05EF6ABD9F1FC
My card reader failed copying file on SD card but without any warnings.
I checked CRC and found that file on the SD card is corupted.
I copied file again using another card reader and update was succesfull.
Eine wirklich grosse Freude, zumal ich in den bald 50 Jahren in denen ich mit Nikon fotografiere, Nikon immer als recht resistent gengenüber den Wünschen der User war. Danke Nikon!! Weiter so.
Great news! The fact that one can use third-party apps via wifi is an asset from Nikon. thanks!
What about us Fuji users, will there be the opportunity to get wifi support against qDslrDashboard?
Totally off-topic here. Please ask the author of qDDB on his forum on dslrdashboard.info.
ok sorry.
THANKS!
Does this mean the WR-10 is no longer needed now, too?
This is great. I will be trying time lapses now. Wanted to get into it but had the d500.
I have been trying to dance around SnapBridge and was completely frustrated with Nikon for forcing me to do that. THANK YOU Nikon for taking the shackles off! This is huge (for me)!!!
Thanks to Gunther and Nikon for sorting this. Great camera just got better.
Well done Gunther ! Persistance et politesse works.
Plus, not to forget, well done Nikon….they are our friends after all and I have chosen the right platform.
Thanks for your efforts, they were well worth it!
The link above to ControlMyCamera is pointing to the QDSLRdashboard web site, not the app site.
Thank you Nikon!!! I love your gear and will stay true to it, but SnapBridge was extremely limited and connection issues were always a problem. The fact we were locked into using that specific app, especially on a $3000+ body, was bothersome. However, you redeemed yourselves massively by opening this up for us! Now we can use great apps like qDSLRDashboard/ControlMyCamera without a workaround! This is, by far, the greatest firmware update ever released! I now have the complete remote control that I desired when I read about built-in WiFi for the D850! THANK YOU!
Gunther your open letter to Nikon is where I first learned of this issue and now to see that Nikon has responded with a firmware update opening things up…well that is great news! I’ve been a Nikon shooter for many years and am glad to see them continue to support their customers wished.
Thank you,