Clackers' Beginner Tip 1: Updating Firmware

**clackers** · 12-23-2021, 12:51 AM - **15 Likes**

The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com

'Grandad, how do stars die?', Olivia asked me, full of wonder.

'Drugs, normally', I replied.

It got me thinking, we all learn, and there are beginners in this group too ... why not some tips on basics, like upgrading firmware on our cameras?

It's a specific process, the actual instructions and necessary caveats for each model are on the Ricoh website:

Software Downloads : Support & Service | RICOH IMAGING

but here are some tips beforehand:

1. I always upgrade firmware when it becomes available. I'm in IT, and can tell you that with changelogs, there is a list the company engineers, and a list that gets revealed to the customers, and they're very different. The fixes can be for situations or hardware combinations that the testers and brand ambassadors never discovered in their limited time with the product, or embarrassing oversights. You protect them by simply saying something like 'General performance stability'.

2. Don't assume anything, take out your battery and charge it up beforehand. We've all seen how when a device is turned on, the battery at first registers full strength until its true state is revealed. The power cutting out during a firmware upgrade can 'brick' your camera, requiring a fix at the factory or authorized repairer.

3. On your computer, download the .zip file. It's not self-extracting even though the website says it is, you need a program of some kind (Windows itself will do this) that will let you double click on it, then take out the .bin file inside. That's what goes on the SD card you'll use for the upgrade.

4. You have to put the .bin file directly into the SD card, not into any folder that's on the SD card. If you format the card beforehand in your computer, that's ideal. If you format in your camera, that happens to make a 'DCIM' folder. Resist the temptation to put the file there, just as Hollywood stars should resist the plate of powder being offered them.

5. Now put the card into the camera ... if there are two slots in yours (you rich b*#$%^!), it needs to be Slot 1.

6. Hold the menu button down while you switch the camera on to begin the process.

Good older video on this here: Pentax Firmware Update Guide - Tutorial Videos | PentaxForums.com

Last edited by clackers; 04-10-2022 at 07:21 PM.

**BigMackCam** · 12-23-2021, 02:02 AM

Excellent tips, Ian. Good on you for posting this.

Might I offer a small addition to point 2? Where possible, it's best to use an OEM Pentax battery, or else a good-quality 3rd party battery that's known to work well under higher load. Some batteries (I have a couple in my cupboard) will show their weakness when used in Live View and/or with the built-in flash (on cameras that have one). Such batteries aren't ideal when updating firmware...

**roberrl** · 12-23-2021, 02:02 AM - **2 Likes**

After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed.
I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while.
Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure?
And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears.

**BigMackCam** · 12-23-2021, 02:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by roberrl

After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed.
I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while.
Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure?
And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears.

Technically, the safest approach is to use the official Pentax DC power supply for your camera, rather than relying on any battery. Of course, even a PSU can fail... but the performance under load is more predictable and less likely to change significantly with age and use.

Sadly, I don't always practise what I preach... I have the power supply for my K-3, and I don't believe I've ever used it for firmware updates

I've always used a known-good OEM battery...

Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-23-2021 at 03:55 AM.

**clackers** · 12-23-2021, 03:02 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Excellent tips, Ian. Good on you for posting this.

Might I offer a small addition to point 2? Where possible, it's best to use an OEM Pentax battery, or else a good-quality 3rd party battery that's known to work well under higher load. Some batteries (I have a couple in my cupboard) will show their weakness when used in Live View and/or with the built-in flash (on cameras that have one). Such batteries aren't ideal when updating firmware...

Yes, Mike, very early on I bought a couple of third parties and not only did they have much less capacity, they had alarmingly narrow drop offs from yellow to empty.

**clackers** · 12-23-2021, 03:05 AM

Originally posted by roberrl

After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed.
I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while.
Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure?
And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears.

Yes, after all these years, I still have that moment before running any vital script on a production server or clicking on 'OK' to an important installation. I first make sure that the Backup Gods have been kind to me.

redpit · 12-23-2021, 03:45 AM - **1 Like**

Thanks for the advice Ian. I have no IT knowledge but I feel when some people are getting into the trouble to develop/release some new firmware it is not something they did just to kill some time, it is refining that comes through real world testing, so I always get the latest firmware.

**clackers** · 12-23-2021, 03:56 AM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by redpit

Thanks for the advice Ian. I have no IT knowledge but I feel when some people are getting into the trouble to develop/release some new firmware it is not something they did just to kill some time, it is refining that comes through real world testing, so I always get the latest firmware.

Yeah, I can tell you that products get released with engineers pointing to a list of known bugs not yet addressed.

But unless they are of critical importance, the product is put for sale anyway, to be fixed later on.

A bug so bad that the engineers can convince management to hold off is called a 'showstopper'.

When Pentax say that a camera or lens will not be available this quarter as previously announced, that's actually a good thing!

redpit · 12-23-2021, 04:06 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by clackers

When Pentax say that a camera or lens will not be available this quarter as previously announced, that's actually a good thing!

That is a sentence posted to different thread of the forum would trigger angry reactions but it is so true and well put in here

35mmfilmfan · 12-23-2021, 04:20 AM - **1 Like**

Unless it would violate some rule of which I am unaware, why not make this a sticky ? I'm sure that many of us would benefit from instant access to these wise words, instead of having to do a search.

Many thanks, anyway, to all who have contributed - advice from those who have travelled the road is often more useful than a map or Satnav !

**FozzFoster** · 12-23-2021, 10:14 AM - **4 Likes**

Nice one clackers!
Your tips are much more thorough than mine, but ima link it here anyways

Before I started using a screen capture software that can record Windows Explorer... yeeh I should redo this one haha

Youtu.be

**Michail_P** · 12-23-2021, 11:19 AM - **1 Like**

Very thoughtful post. Simple things are not to be always taken for granted. There are times we get in trouble with the simplest things.

stevebrot · 12-23-2021, 12:18 PM - **2 Likes**

Originally posted by clackers

I'm in IT, and can tell you that with changelogs, there is a list the company engineers, and a list that gets revealed to the customers, and they're very different. The fixes can be for situations or hardware combinations that the testers and brand ambassadors never discovered in their limited time with the product, or embarrassing oversights. You protect them by simply saying something like 'General performance stability'.

Thank you for sharing this very telling comment along with your other excellent points of advice on the firmware updates. If we were privy to what the product engineers see on their side of fixes and feature requests as well as the outcomes of "bug scrubs", I suspect that general respect for the process in general would increase among users of this site.

Steve

stevebrot · 12-23-2021, 12:26 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by BigMackCam

Technically, the safest approach is to use the official Pentax DC power supply for your camera, rather than relying on any battery. Of course, even a PSU can fail... but the performance under load is more predictable and less likely to change significantly with age and use.

Sadly, I don't always practise what I preach... I have the power supply for my K-3, and I don't believe I've ever used it for firmware updates

I've always used a known-good OEM battery...

I don't have the official Pentax K-AC132 adapter, but I do have the excellent value HQRP equivalent.

https://www.amazon.com/HQRP-Adapter-Pentax-K-AC132-Digital/dp/B00RGSSTIO?tag=pentaxforums-20&

That said, I too, have never used it for firmware update, though doing so would not be a bad idea.

Steve

**AstroDave** · 12-23-2021, 01:11 PM - **3 Likes**

Originally posted by clackers

'Grandad, how do stars die?', Olivia asked me, full of wonder.

Actually, they run out of hydrogen down in the core!

If she (or you) really want to know more, just ask (or try to find an Astronomy 101 text book).

12-23-2021, 12:51 AM - 15 Likes	#1
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397	Clackers' Beginner Tip 1: Updating Firmware The rest of the series here: Clackers' Beginners Tips (Collected) - PentaxForums.com 'Grandad, how do stars die?', Olivia asked me, full of wonder. 'Drugs, normally', I replied. It got me thinking, we all learn, and there are beginners in this group too ... why not some tips on basics, like upgrading firmware on our cameras? It's a specific process, the actual instructions and necessary caveats for each model are on the Ricoh website: Software Downloads : Support & Service \| RICOH IMAGING but here are some tips beforehand: 1. I always upgrade firmware when it becomes available. I'm in IT, and can tell you that with changelogs, there is a list the company engineers, and a list that gets revealed to the customers, and they're very different. The fixes can be for situations or hardware combinations that the testers and brand ambassadors never discovered in their limited time with the product, or embarrassing oversights. You protect them by simply saying something like 'General performance stability'. 2. Don't assume anything, take out your battery and charge it up beforehand. We've all seen how when a device is turned on, the battery at first registers full strength until its true state is revealed. The power cutting out during a firmware upgrade can 'brick' your camera, requiring a fix at the factory or authorized repairer. 3. On your computer, download the .zip file. It's not self-extracting even though the website says it is, you need a program of some kind (Windows itself will do this) that will let you double click on it, then take out the .bin file inside. That's what goes on the SD card you'll use for the upgrade. 4. You have to put the .bin file directly into the SD card, not into any folder that's on the SD card. If you format the card beforehand in your computer, that's ideal. If you format in your camera, that happens to make a 'DCIM' folder. Resist the temptation to put the file there, just as Hollywood stars should resist the plate of powder being offered them. 5. Now put the card into the camera ... if there are two slots in yours (you rich b#$%^!), it needs to be Slot 1. 6. Hold the menu button down while you switch the camera on to begin the process. Good older video on this here: Pentax Firmware Update Guide - Tutorial Videos \| PentaxForums.com Last edited by clackers; 04-10-2022 at 07:21 PM.*

12-23-2021, 03:05 AM	#6
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by roberrl After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed. I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while. Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure? And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears. Yes, after all these years, I still have that moment before running any vital script on a production server or clicking on 'OK' to an important installation. I first make sure that the Backup Gods have been kind to me. Last edited by clackers; 12-23-2021 at 03:48 AM.

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12-23-2021, 02:02 AM	#2
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,672	Excellent tips, Ian. Good on you for posting this. Might I offer a small addition to point 2? Where possible, it's best to use an OEM Pentax battery, or else a good-quality 3rd party battery that's known to work well under higher load. Some batteries (I have a couple in my cupboard) will show their weakness when used in Live View and/or with the built-in flash (on cameras that have one). Such batteries aren't ideal when updating firmware...

12-23-2021, 02:02 AM - 2 Likes	#3
roberrl Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Oxford, UK Photos: Gallery Posts: 345	After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed. I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while. Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure? And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears.

12-23-2021, 02:47 AM - 1 Like	#4
BigMackCam Digitiser of Film Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: North East of England Posts: 20,672	Originally posted by roberrl After a lifetime in IT I'm also keen to keep up to date but there's always a moment of uncertainty as you switch on with the menu button pressed. I've just enjoyed it when upgrading a new-to-me K3 with a fully charged battery and reading the instructions twice as it's been a while. Will this be the time the previously perfect battery fails? Did I use a Pentax battery or a copy? Will there be a card failure? And then the moment of relief when COMPLETE appears. Technically, the safest approach is to use the official Pentax DC power supply for your camera, rather than relying on any battery. Of course, even a PSU can fail... but the performance under load is more predictable and less likely to change significantly with age and use. Sadly, I don't always practise what I preach... I have the power supply for my K-3, and I don't believe I've ever used it for firmware updates I've always used a known-good OEM battery... Last edited by BigMackCam; 12-23-2021 at 03:55 AM.

12-23-2021, 03:02 AM - 1 Like	#5
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by BigMackCam Excellent tips, Ian. Good on you for posting this. Might I offer a small addition to point 2? Where possible, it's best to use an OEM Pentax battery, or else a good-quality 3rd party battery that's known to work well under higher load. Some batteries (I have a couple in my cupboard) will show their weakness when used in Live View and/or with the built-in flash (on cameras that have one). Such batteries aren't ideal when updating firmware... Yes, Mike, very early on I bought a couple of third parties and not only did they have much less capacity, they had alarmingly narrow drop offs from yellow to empty.

12-23-2021, 03:45 AM - 1 Like	#7
redpit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Greece Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,857	Thanks for the advice Ian. I have no IT knowledge but I feel when some people are getting into the trouble to develop/release some new firmware it is not something they did just to kill some time, it is refining that comes through real world testing, so I always get the latest firmware.

12-23-2021, 03:56 AM - 2 Likes	#8
clackers Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Melbourne Photos: Albums Posts: 16,397 Original Poster	Originally posted by redpit Thanks for the advice Ian. I have no IT knowledge but I feel when some people are getting into the trouble to develop/release some new firmware it is not something they did just to kill some time, it is refining that comes through real world testing, so I always get the latest firmware. Yeah, I can tell you that products get released with engineers pointing to a list of known bugs not yet addressed. But unless they are of critical importance, the product is put for sale anyway, to be fixed later on. A bug so bad that the engineers can convince management to hold off is called a 'showstopper'. When Pentax say that a camera or lens will not be available this quarter as previously announced, that's actually a good thing!

12-23-2021, 04:06 AM - 1 Like	#9
redpit Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Greece Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,857	Originally posted by clackers When Pentax say that a camera or lens will not be available this quarter as previously announced, that's actually a good thing! That is a sentence posted to different thread of the forum would trigger angry reactions but it is so true and well put in here

12-23-2021, 04:20 AM - 1 Like	#10
35mmfilmfan Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Norfolk, UK Posts: 4,329	Unless it would violate some rule of which I am unaware, why not make this a sticky ? I'm sure that many of us would benefit from instant access to these wise words, instead of having to do a search. Many thanks, anyway, to all who have contributed - advice from those who have travelled the road is often more useful than a map or Satnav !

12-23-2021, 11:19 AM - 1 Like	#12
Michail_P Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: Kalymnos Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,006	Very thoughtful post. Simple things are not to be always taken for granted. There are times we get in trouble with the simplest things.

12-23-2021, 12:18 PM - 2 Likes	#13
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by clackers I'm in IT, and can tell you that with changelogs, there is a list the company engineers, and a list that gets revealed to the customers, and they're very different. The fixes can be for situations or hardware combinations that the testers and brand ambassadors never discovered in their limited time with the product, or embarrassing oversights. You protect them by simply saying something like 'General performance stability'. Thank you for sharing this very telling comment along with your other excellent points of advice on the firmware updates. If we were privy to what the product engineers see on their side of fixes and feature requests as well as the outcomes of "bug scrubs", I suspect that general respect for the process in general would increase among users of this site. Steve

12-23-2021, 12:26 PM - 1 Like	#14
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by BigMackCam Technically, the safest approach is to use the official Pentax DC power supply for your camera, rather than relying on any battery. Of course, even a PSU can fail... but the performance under load is more predictable and less likely to change significantly with age and use. Sadly, I don't always practise what I preach... I have the power supply for my K-3, and I don't believe I've ever used it for firmware updates I've always used a known-good OEM battery... I don't have the official Pentax K-AC132 adapter, but I do have the excellent value HQRP equivalent. https://www.amazon.com/HQRP-Adapter-Pentax-K-AC132-Digital/dp/B00RGSSTIO?tag=pentaxforums-20& That said, I too, have never used it for firmware update, though doing so would not be a bad idea. Steve

12-23-2021, 01:11 PM - 3 Likes	#15
AstroDave Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: May 2007 Location: Flagstaff, Arizona Posts: 1,637	Originally posted by clackers 'Grandad, how do stars die?', Olivia asked me, full of wonder. Actually, they run out of hydrogen down in the core! If she (or you) really want to know more, just ask (or try to find an Astronomy 101 text book).