P: Upgrading Nikon Z9 Firmware to 4.0 breaks tethering

[Carmine22401326f2nk]

I am attempting to tether a Nikon Z9 using Lightroom Classic, but LRC can't detect the Z9.  I am able to download pictures from the Z9 to LRC all day long, and LRC successfully detects my Nikon D850 for tethering.  Nikon Z9 firmware is 4.0.  Mac iOs is 13.4.1.  LRC release is 12.4.  All are up to date.  Any ideas?

[KR Seals]

I noticed the same thing the other day.

Another post states that the Z9 V4 firmware broke the tethering. Z9 V3.1 Apparently still works ok.

[MontyJSweets]

Yes I can confirm the same. I had a shoot with a client on Friday 7th July 2023 and suddenly can't shoot tethered with the Z9 again 😡 so frustrating. What poor support it's received.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Cross-referencing to existing bug. 

The obvious workaround is, since the firmware update breaks functionality, is to revert to Nikon's previous firmware version until Nikon can issue a fix.  This has been reported by others to restore functionality.

[martinhopf.ch]

Oh, no, for gods sake, not again. Please not back to field one. (I upgraded my Z9 yesterday...) I'll just try and share my experience

[martinhopf.ch]

I can confirm - just tried and I get even a plain crash 😞 - report sent to Adobe

[MontyJSweets]

Yes I had exactly that too. Infront of the client...😭

[KR Seals]

I downgraded my Nikon Z9 to FW V3.1 today. Tethering starts immediately with LrC V 12.4. All functions including Live work perfectly. Win 11 and Macbook Pro M1 Max Monterrey 12.6.

[LauSte]

Still doesn't work here. It is also super annoying that tethered shooting is still not working on Apple Silicon. And Lightroom classic via Rosetta is still super buggy..

With the new Camera raw update it still doesn't work. Had to download a free version of Capture one today because of a job that required tether shooting..

[shermanphoto]

Here I thoght it was that I was on Ventura so I went through the hassle of downgrading to Monterey and still no joy.

It's beyond me why Adobe's support for tethered captrue is so poor.

And why is Rosetta required?

Really anoying...

I really don't want to have to downgrade my firemware.

My solution on a shoot the other day was to capture with NX teher and use "Wtched folder" in Lightroom.

It works but not as fast when thereing with Lightroom actually works.

[Dean31203406axo0]

How do I revert from 4 to Nikon's previous firmware version? I cannot find version 3.10 online?

[KR Seals]

Didn't you save the original download?  Check in your downloads folder. I always keep them for just this reason.

[Dean31203406axo0]

I may have a backup in studio however I am on location and was hoping to solve the issue today.

[KR Seals]

check for a private message.

[shermanphoto]

It's getting old

Adobe's lackluster support for thethered capture.

After finally suppoting Nikon z9, albeit in emulation mode, it is now brokejn again wth firmware 4.0

I have never had an issuse before like this whre a firmware update broke thethering..

C'mon Adobe !

[martinhopf.ch]

...Nikon to fix? Nothing could show your saturation state, your complete lack  of attitude towards paying customers and your I don't give a **** state better than this statement. Finally get this piece of sw working years after z9 entered the market and stop blaming others for your constant fail. We pay, you deliver. But, I am pretty sure, you even forgot that one too. God beware some real sw company will decide to make a LR style sw right. You will not have one customer anymore the very next day. I am really sorry to have to be so clear. It's so sad you take just the money for years and years and never ever listen to customers. Make it finally stable, fast and reliable. And stop believing in your PM's AI hype. Simply deliver.

[Pascal25969084czab]

Je possède un macbookpro puce M1 max et un Nikon Z9.

Lightroom en mode conecté passe sur Rosetta. Puis Lrc ne erconnaît pas le Z9 même après avoir mis en place les explications fournies sur le site d'Adobe.

Version Lrc : 12.4

Version Nikon Z9 : 4.00

Que faire ?

[KR Seals]

The Z9 firmware V4.0 broke the tethering with LrC. I was able to get full tethering functionality by reverting to the Z9 firmware V3.01 on my MacBook Pro M1 Max

[Marcus P2]

I am also having issues tethering my Z9. It used to work prior to the new lightroom version. But it could also be the new Nikon Z9 firmware that is the problem.

I can only use Capture one now, which works perfectly every time.

A workaround is to tether into capture one and then have Lightroom auto import to a catalogue.

Lightroom suits my workflow for a lot of my photography so I hope Adobe fix the tethering issue so it is as reliable as Capture One software.

[KR Seals]

@Marcus P2 You will see in the pinned top post and others in this thread the reverting to Nikon Z9 firmware V 3.01 will cause tethering to work again. That's on Mac and Windows.

[John R Ellis]

You can download Z9 firmware versions 3.10 and 3.01 from the Internet Archive:

https://web.archive.org/web/20230313172831/https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive5/VsvGB00w6vbV050...

https://web.archive.org/web/20230313172832/https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive5/lzrQZ00gKiYT05B... 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230103222229*/https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive5/WJVJj00ZPALV05... 

https://web.archive.org/web/20230103222240*/https://download.nikonimglib.com/archive5/wKv7w00QH81N05... 

[KR Seals]

That's great to know! I always keep the original FW zip files on a specific Nikon folder on my data drive so I can always go back right away if necessary.

[Jao vdL]

Unfortunately Adobe uses Nikon's API to support tethering and doesn't write their own code for this. Nikon is historically slow to fix their API but they do update their own tethering software. So yeah the issue is with Nikon not yet having updated their API code for third party apps and they broke it by releasing new formware for your camera. Next to reverting to previous firmware, you can also just use Nikon's tethering software and use a watched folder in Classic. This way is nicely Apple SIlicon native and the Nikon Tethering software is https://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/imaging-software/nx-tether.page and it is actually quite a bit better than Adobe's tethering solution in that the live view works well and it has more settings options.  

[JonGib77]

It took an age for Adobe & Nikon to get the Z9 Tethered on LRC - now after numerous updates I cant get it to connect again.  I know there are many people in the same boat.  Tried on both iMac & Macbook Pro using all the latest firmawares and operating systems all upto date.

The Z9 is found on the computers, even Lightroom can see it (as per attached image) but cannot connect to the camera... 

Any suggestions please? (I have followed all the advice on restarting etc etc etc).

 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Did you recently update the firmware on your Z9 to version 4.0?

[JonGib77]

Yes and it is now 4.01