Proving once again that a digital camera is a computer with a lens on front, yesterday I upgraded the firmware (or BIOS) of my Nikon D300. This was a simple process. I downloaded the file containing the up-to-date firmware to my Mac (of course, you can use a Windows PC as well). I de-compressed the file, and copied it to the root directory of a Nikon D300 formatted memory card attached to the computer with a card reader. Next, I loaded the card into the camera. From the camera’s Setup menu, I chose Firmware, followed by Update, and confirmed the command.

You do need to be careful not to turn the camera off while the firmware is updating, and to follow instructions for the process precisely (a link to detailed instructions appears below). There are two sets of firmware, for the D300, A and B; this upgrade only concerns the A firmware.

As of the date of this story, the most current revision of the firmware is 1.02A. Most people who own D300s will have older versions, and probably should upgrade. You can check your firmware version by choosing Firmware from the camera’s Setup menu.

Links: Detailed instructions for the Mac; Download for the Mac; Detailed instructions for Windows; Download for Windows.