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D90 First Steps

firmware update sd card

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3 replies to this topic

#1
daveward

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I am a beginner in this sense:  I just acquired a used but pristine D90...thus I am trying my hardest to move my brain into the digital age.  My prior experience was in the 80's with a Mamiya Sekor 500 tl.  Since then, family and work moved photography waaaaay down the list of priorities.

 

I describe the D90 as a computer that takes pictures....and like my experiences with computers...they are not intuitive to my way of thinking.  But, as I suggest, I am willing and eager to learn/move the process ahead.

 

My initial goal is simple:  take a picture to then determine if the shutter count on this camera is as low as I believe.  As is typical with my approach, I now know just enough to be dangerous.  I have learned that the firmware is not the most current and I have a guide that will allow me to do some camera presets...thus it seems that before doing any presets I should load the most current firmware first.  My wife has an SD card reader but it doesn't match the size of my SD card, so then I looked into just simply connecting the camera to my Mac (and perhaps updating the firmware that way).  Then I learned that to do that I needed the NIKON CD to be installed first.  Apparently that CD wasn't among the items I picked up as part of the recent purchase.   I wasn't looking for it (I know I should have) because I believed that using Photoshop or some equivalent would allow me to skip the NIKON CD piece. 

 

Anyway...not much progress updating the firmware yet.  That's where my first issue is.  I have downloaded the updates from the NIKON site onto my Mac computer but I don't know how to load that information onto the camera.  Should I buy the right card reader?  Buy Photoshop, etc?  What steps would you take given my "ability" to go around in circles when it comes to technology?  Thanks!!!

 

Dave



#2
Adam

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Hi Dave,

 

If you have a USB cord, you should be able to copy over the firmware update that way.  Otherwise, you can use a standard SDHC card reader.  It's possible that your wife has a different type of media slot (i.e. memory stick, cf, micro sd, etc.).



#3
Merco_61

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The D90 is unfortunately the first of the modern Nikons that doesn't have mass storage mode, so you need a SD reader to put the files on your card.

What Mac do you have, most of the modern ones has a SD reader built-in. Otherwise a cardreader is cheap.

You won't need Transfer and ViewNX, iPhoto or Photos can handle the D90 just fine. The same goes for Lightroom and Photoshop CC. If you want the free Nikon software that was bundled with your camera originally, you can download it from the Nikon USA site. You can get Capture NX-D free there too, but then you need ViewNX as well as Transfer is part of the viewer but not the editor.



#4
TBonz

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Hi Dave and welcome to the forums!

 

You might want to take a look at this recent topic in the forums regarding firmware before you do anything.  There are certainly reasons to upgrade, but don't think you have to.

 

I agree with Merco - I've had my MacBook for several years and many do have built in SD card readers.  I know they were standard on MacBooks prior to mine, but not sure when they started being a standard.  If not, no biggie as you can get SD card readers at a fairly low cost.  If you haven't already done it, use your D90 menu to format the card - it will wipe out anything on it so make sure to download any images you might want to save first!

 

Whether or not you decide to upgrade your firmware, check out this site and you should be able to determine the number of shutter actuations on your D90.  I shot D90s for awhile and they are excellent bodies.  

 

We have a pretty helpful and friendly group here, so don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have.







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