How to decode the Nikon DSLR firmware

The firmware for the current generation Nikon DSLR camera’s have the firmware files packed into a single package, and this is then ‘encrypted’.

The package files is just XOR’ed with a three layer nested XOR pattern.

The first layer is a 256 byte pattern that is repeated across the file, then next over this there is a 256 byte pattern that is applied one byte at a time across each layer one pattern iteration. This is repeated again with another (layer three pattern) of 256 bytes that are applied, one byte at a time across the layer two pattern. Thus creating a one time pad that covers 2^24 bytes or 16MB. And what luck the largest firmware package Nikon has produced for the D3100 is 16MB.

So the code to un-XOR a file:

static void ExactFirmware4(string fileName)
{
  if (File.Exists(fileName))
  {
    BinaryReader br = null;
    BinaryWriter bw = null;

    try
    {
      br = new BinaryReader(File.Open(fileName, FileMode.Open, FileAccess.Read, FileShare.ReadWrite));
      bw = new BinaryWriter(File.Open(fileName + ".out.bin", FileMode.Create, FileAccess.Write, FileShare.ReadWrite));

      int count = (int)br.BaseStream.Length;
      byte[] data = br.ReadBytes(count);

      for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
      {
        int ord1_idx = i & 0xFF;
        int ord2_idx = (i >> 8) & 0xFF;
        int ord3_idx = (i >> 16) & 0xFF;

        int b = data[i] ^ Xor_Ord1[ord1_idx] ^ Xor_Ord2[ord2_idx];
        int fix = Xor_Ord3_Eye[ord3_idx] ^ fixKnownTRUE[ord3_idx];

        data[i] = (byte)(b ^ fix);
      }

      bw.Write(data);
    }
    finally
    {
      if (br != null)
        br.Close();
      if (bw != null)
        bw.Close();
    }
  }
}

The code above refers to four Xor data sets. The first two Xor_Ord1 and Xor_Ord2 were found by just looking at the files. The fixKnownTRUE was found by searching all possible comibinations of XOR mask, and then search for text like ‘Nikon’ or other words observed in the older non-encrypted firmware files. Then the last set of data Xor_Ord3_Eye were found by looking at the transitions from block to block, and where one end with fifty 0xFF and the next had fifty 0xAD the next value was 0x52. That left a very few number of blocks that still were unknown, and for those I mainly used the difference in file alignment between the two D7000 firmware releases to see the same byte clean and encrypted.

So the actually useful stuff, the XOR data patterns:

static byte[] Xor_Ord1 = {
0xE8, 0xFE, 0x46, 0xE3, 0x7D, 0xAB, 0x5C, 0xB9, 0xA5, 0x53, 0xC4, 0xC7, 0x32, 0xCD, 0x9C, 0xED,
0x94, 0x67, 0x4E, 0x5B, 0x48, 0x3A, 0x52, 0xB6, 0x34, 0xF7, 0x8E, 0x12, 0x90, 0x98, 0x82, 0x3C,
0x09, 0x2B, 0x68, 0xA8, 0x24, 0xD5, 0x10, 0x9D, 0x9A, 0xD9, 0xA9, 0x7F, 0x50, 0x4B, 0xDD, 0x9E,
0x62, 0x1C, 0x6A, 0x64, 0x02, 0x11, 0xDA, 0x4A, 0x6E, 0x35, 0xBD, 0xA0, 0xB1, 0xD7, 0xDE, 0x83,
0x5D, 0xE5, 0x5E, 0xCC, 0xDB, 0xAC, 0x18, 0xE2, 0x25, 0x69, 0x07, 0xBC, 0x39, 0x97, 0x14, 0xEB,
0xB2, 0x73, 0x36, 0x8A, 0x99, 0xB8, 0x1E, 0x2E, 0xEF, 0x93, 0xBA, 0xEE, 0xF5, 0xC5, 0x7B, 0x74,
0x8D, 0xE1, 0xC3, 0x4F, 0x41, 0x42, 0x6C, 0xE6, 0xA2, 0x06, 0x6F, 0x85, 0x2A, 0x2F, 0x1B, 0x38,
0x08, 0xAF, 0x44, 0x00, 0x33, 0x63, 0x91, 0x22, 0x87, 0x70, 0xB0, 0x43, 0xB5, 0x66, 0xE0, 0xFF,
0x30, 0xAD, 0x8F, 0xC1, 0xF4, 0xEA, 0xF9, 0xF6, 0x51, 0xD6, 0xD4, 0x3E, 0x04, 0x72, 0x3D, 0x54,
0x78, 0xC0, 0x7E, 0x26, 0xFA, 0x56, 0x58, 0xC9, 0x55, 0xC8, 0xA6, 0x16, 0x23, 0x84, 0xB7, 0xCB,
0x45, 0x7C, 0xD8, 0x7A, 0x27, 0x2D, 0xCA, 0x03, 0x3F, 0x17, 0x0B, 0x57, 0xBB, 0x3B, 0xF0, 0x49,
0x1F, 0xD1, 0x86, 0x80, 0x95, 0x20, 0x6B, 0xC6, 0xBF, 0xAA, 0x79, 0xD2, 0x75, 0xCF, 0xAE, 0xD0,
0x5F, 0xF1, 0x61, 0xF3, 0xFB, 0xCE, 0x29, 0x65, 0x0F, 0x31, 0x2C, 0xFD, 0x76, 0x0C, 0x4C, 0x4D,
0x60, 0xF8, 0x88, 0x6D, 0xA4, 0xEC, 0x9B, 0x92, 0x47, 0xA1, 0xE4, 0x21, 0xFC, 0x81, 0xA7, 0xC2,
0x0E, 0xA3, 0x40, 0x0D, 0x8B, 0x59, 0x96, 0x37, 0xE7, 0xF2, 0x77, 0x1D, 0x28, 0x0A, 0x8C, 0x5A,
0x15, 0x9F, 0x01, 0xB3, 0xD3, 0xBE, 0xB4, 0x1A, 0x89, 0xE9, 0x13, 0x05, 0xDF, 0xDC, 0x71, 0x19,
};

static byte[] Xor_Ord2 = {
0x76, 0x0F, 0x43, 0xD9, 0xDB, 0xDC, 0x9B, 0x49, 0x4E, 0x42, 0xB7, 0x9F, 0xEC, 0x55, 0x19, 0x11,
0x58, 0x23, 0x69, 0xA2, 0xB8, 0x68, 0xE8, 0x2B, 0x91, 0xF3, 0x1A, 0x34, 0xED, 0x0A, 0x06, 0x89,
0xB2, 0x79, 0x2A, 0xC8, 0xEE, 0xA3, 0xB5, 0xD0, 0xFD, 0x17, 0xF9, 0xCE, 0x74, 0x39, 0x47, 0xC5,
0xC1, 0x5D, 0x86, 0x7F, 0x6A, 0xAB, 0xE5, 0xF5, 0xC9, 0x96, 0x71, 0x1C, 0x09, 0x25, 0xD3, 0x8C,
0x0C, 0x02, 0xB1, 0x48, 0x7C, 0x46, 0x3E, 0x08, 0x7B, 0x01, 0x54, 0x6B, 0xB9, 0x4F, 0xCD, 0xF1,
0x51, 0x50, 0x59, 0xA4, 0xA7, 0x6C, 0x3F, 0xB6, 0x9D, 0xBC, 0x4C, 0x9E, 0x16, 0x37, 0xA1, 0xC0,
0x6E, 0xE2, 0xDA, 0x3D, 0x22, 0xCB, 0xE7, 0x5B, 0x98, 0x53, 0x92, 0x36, 0x90, 0xAC, 0x31, 0x24,
0x21, 0xC6, 0x63, 0x35, 0xB4, 0x5C, 0x1F, 0x77, 0x4A, 0xE4, 0x0D, 0x13, 0x8D, 0xC7, 0x99, 0x7E,
0x81, 0x3C, 0x60, 0x28, 0xF0, 0xBF, 0x82, 0x2C, 0x78, 0x7A, 0x5F, 0x93, 0x84, 0x70, 0xEA, 0x9A,
0x8E, 0xD2, 0x27, 0xE0, 0xCF, 0x6D, 0x10, 0x9C, 0x56, 0x07, 0x12, 0xFA, 0x26, 0x97, 0x80, 0xE3,
0xE1, 0x61, 0x8A, 0x75, 0xA9, 0x5A, 0xDE, 0x1E, 0x5E, 0x4D, 0x66, 0x0E, 0xBA, 0x4B, 0x20, 0x40,
0xA8, 0x8F, 0x52, 0x7D, 0xDF, 0xE6, 0xAF, 0x6F, 0xBE, 0xFC, 0x94, 0xA0, 0x3A, 0x33, 0x45, 0x14,
0x62, 0x00, 0x87, 0xAE, 0xB3, 0x8B, 0xD4, 0xCA, 0xFF, 0xE9, 0x04, 0x88, 0xCC, 0x41, 0xD7, 0xD6,
0xBB, 0x95, 0x32, 0x18, 0xF8, 0x72, 0x65, 0x3B, 0x29, 0xAD, 0x44, 0x1B, 0xC2, 0xD8, 0x1D, 0xA5,
0xDD, 0x67, 0xD5, 0x30, 0xA6, 0xEF, 0x2F, 0xF2, 0x83, 0x2D, 0x03, 0xBD, 0x15, 0x2E, 0xD1, 0x73,
0x57, 0xAA, 0xFB, 0x85, 0xF4, 0x64, 0x0B, 0xC4, 0xF7, 0xEB, 0x38, 0xC3, 0xF6, 0x05, 0xFE, 0xB0,
};

static int[] Xor_Ord3_Eye = {
/*0*/ /*1*/ /*2*/ /*3*/ /*4*/ /*5*/ /*6*/ /*7*/ /*8*/ /*9*/ /*a*/ /*b*/ /*c*/ /*d*/ /*e*/ /*f*/
/*00*/ 0x00, 0x25, 0x06, 0xbb, 0xe3, 0x82, 0x70, 0xce, 0x86, 0xfb, 0x100, 0x3a, 0xf8, 0xbf, 0x76, 0xf5, /*00*/ // 0x0a is 0x00, therefore put 0x100.  
/*10*/ 0xc3, 0xf6, 0x9d, 0x9e, 0x10, 0x00, 0xfc, 0x9c, 0xdd, 0x12, 0x46, 0x93, 0x4f, 0xa6, 0xad, 0x68, /*10*/  
/*20*/ 0x94, 0xb8, 0x22, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x08, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xa9, /*20*/  
/*30*/ 0x3e, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xaa, 0xba, 0xb2, 0xd0, 0x79, 0xa5, 0x00, 0x00, 0x6a, 0x00, 0xd4, /*30*/  
/*40*/ 0x83, 0x55, 0x87, 0x9b, 0x5c, 0x27, 0xab, 0x77, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*40*/  
/*50*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*50*/  
/*60*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0xcb, 0x71, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*60*/  
/*70*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xbe, 0x37, 0x90, 0xe8, 0x3b, 0x92, /*70*/  
/*80*/ 0x35, 0x4b, 0xd2, 0xd7, 0xd8, 0x0e, 0x51, 0x8b, 0xb0, 0xec, 0x4c, 0xb9, 0x59, 0x2e, 0x66, 0x54, /*80*/  
/*90*/ 0xb5, 0xd1, 0x00, 0x1E, 0x0f, 0x5a, 0xc4, 0xcd, 0xeb, 0x4e, 0x7c, 0x74, 0x8e, 0xfa, 0x81, 0xe2, /*90*/  
/*A0*/ 0x7f, 0x9a, 0xa8, 0x5f, 0x32, 0x89, 0x98, 0x07, 0x39, 0xc0, 0x38, 0x1f, 0x01, 0xe0, 0x8d, 0x1d, /*A0*/  
/*B0*/ 0xf3, 0x96, 0x57, 0xa0, 0x0b, 0xed, 0x09, 0x18, 0x8c, 0xf4, 0x0d, 0x21, 0xd9, 0x23, 0x78, 0xa1, /*B0*/  
/*C0*/ 0xc1, 0xfe, 0x3c, 0x30, 0x73, 0x5d, 0x40, 0x99, 0xb6, 0x6c, 0x7b, 0x14, 0xca, 0xc2, 0xe6, 0x8a, /*C0*/  
/*D0*/ 0xe9, 0xae, 0x7a, 0xd6, 0xf1, 0x3d, 0xa4, 0x34, 0x2b, 0xda, 0x63, 0x84, 0xb3, 0xaf, 0x88, 0xb7, /*D0*/  
/*E0*/ 0x45, 0x97, 0xdc, 0x20, 0x17, 0x3f, 0x4a, 0x52, 0x03, 0x33, 0xdf, 0xd3, 0x04, 0x69, 0x91, 0xf0, /*E0*/  
/*F0*/ 0xf9, 0xcc, 0x50, 0x44, 0xff, 0x80, 0x58, 0xf7, 0xc9, 0x60, 0x6b, 0x53, 0xa7, 0x85, 0xee, 0x1c, /*F0*/  
};  
  
static byte[] fixKnownTRUE = {  
/*00*/ 0x2f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*00*/  
/*10*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xea, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*10*/  
/*20*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xe1, 0x62, 0x5b, 0xcf, 0x67, 0x00, 0xe7, 0x48, 0x0c, 0x7e, 0x7d, 0xb1, 0x00, /*20*/  
/*30*/ 0x00, 0x1b, 0xc5, 0x0a, 0x11, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xdb, 0xc6, 0x00, 0xa3, 0x00, /*30*/  
/*40*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x36, 0x42, 0x61, 0x2d, 0xb4, 0x4d, 0x1a, 0x9f, /*40*/  
/*50*/ 0x64, 0x8f, 0xd5, 0x43, 0x05, 0x24, 0x72, 0x02, 0x41, 0x15, 0x6d, 0x6e, 0x47, 0x26, 0x65, 0x13, /*50*/  
/*60*/ 0x49, 0x95, 0x00, 0x00, 0xef, 0x6f, 0x2c, 0xbd, 0xfd, 0xac, 0x31, 0xde, 0x2a, 0x5e, 0x29, 0xa2, /*60*/  
/*70*/ 0xbc, 0x28, 0xc7, 0x56, 0xc8, 0x16, 0x75, 0xe4, 0x19, 0xf2, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*70*/  
/*80*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*80*/  
/*90*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0xe5, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*90*/  
/*A0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*A0*/  
/*B0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*B0*/  
/*C0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*C0*/  
/*D0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*D0*/  
/*E0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*E0*/  
/*F0*/ 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, /*F0*/  
};  

This was a very satisfying puzzle/project. Finding the layers of XOR was like parse the parcel as each layer was found.

I’ve read a lot of forum threads about people wanting the verious versions of the Nikon firmware hacked, it’s not happened so far, so I’m not to concerned what I’ve done, has distroyed value for Nikon.

So while it could be fun to sit down and try reverse engineer the code, I think I’m more interested using my camera to take photo’s.

[Updated: 26th Nov] fixed x93, x94, x95 in Xor_Ord3_Eye as these were missed

 

Interested in more, come join the us at Nikon Hacker, or use the Online Patch Tool (Help)

Comments:

mojo43 2011-11-18 14:10:08

Damn, I would prefer that you hacked the firmware and then use the camera! :)

I wonder if this will information will bring any new help to the table. Thanks for posting!!


Simeon 2011-11-18 15:24:38

It might bring some action. Could be neat.

The only sensible thing that I would like is the ability to stop the single spot AF point moving when the arrow keys are bumped.


mojo43 2011-11-18 17:47:59

I am dying for manual white balance in kelvin units. The d7k has this feature, I sure wish the d5100 had them. Oh that and manual control for video!


mojo43 2011-11-19 08:12:55

Hi Simeon, FYI

We have been chatting about it here: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?266826-How-do-you-increase-Nikon-s-bit-rate-of-20-Mbps

Also Vitaliy (did the GH13 Hack) posted about it here:

http://www.personal-view.com/talks/discussion/1494/nikon-firmware-seems-to-be-decrypted

The ball is rolling, great work!!!


Eric Calabros 2011-11-19 13:56:20

You can’t imagine how many people wait for you do that “fun” job


Nick Driftwood 2011-11-19 14:16:15

This is an interesting development. We use a D7000 but not as much as the Panny GH2s. If the hack gets developed within ptools or something, could be well interested in supporting it with test patches.


Ian 2011-11-19 17:05:15

It’d be great to be able to get the FN button to control ISO in the viewfinder.


someone 2011-11-19 17:21:56

[comment complete rewriten to remove original contents but it was something like…]
Comment referring to Hex-Rays.IDA.Pro.Advanced downloadable via a torrent site.


Simeon 2011-11-19 17:27:38

There’s a difference in my mind between altering the firmware on your camera, and using copies of commercial software. This is not taking value out of Nikon’s pocket, where-as the later is taking from Hex-Rays.


Andrew Roos 2011-11-19 23:42:55

It’s not actually a one-time pad, since in a one-time pad all the encoding symbols are independant of each other. It has some resemblance to the rotor systems used in World War II (German Enigma, US Sigaba, British Typex, Japanese Purple etc) but is less sophisticated as each of the component operations is a linear addition (mod 2), rather than the general substitution implemented by wired rotors. Anyway, well done in deciphering it.


Simeon 2011-11-19 23:51:56

Well if your the same Andrew Roos that wrote the weakness of RC4 paper, I’ll give your statements much weight, in regards to the not a one-time-pad nature of the XOR stream.


Andrew Roos 2011-11-20 09:15:30

Yip, that’s me. Well done to you.


TBO 2011-11-20 21:37:10

+1 for this!

Better control on auto ISO would also be very welcome… i.e. set the shutter speed as max(X, 1/(Focal Length * Y)), where X and Y are user configurable. You could set X to the lowest you ever want to shoot (say 1/30s), and Y to a multiplier for the hand-holding rule of thumb (i.e., 2 would result in a speed of 1/210 for a 105mm lens and 1/100 for a 50mm lens; 0.75 would result in 1/80s and 1/40s respectively).


Ralf 2011-11-21 06:38:13

A fairly clean known cypher text attack, without reverse engineering what the hardware actually does. Very nice!


Nikon DSLR Firmware Encryption Cracked, Let the Hacks Begin! | NikonHQ 2011-11-26 06:17:40

[…] project for Nikon DSLRs, though that may soon change with the announcement by Simeon Pilgrim on his blog that the encryption used for Nikon firmware has now been […]


fabrys 2011-11-28 07:22:53

It will be great to see also a hack wich allow manual controls on video on the D5100 !


umesh walwaikar 2011-11-28 15:25:51

If one could add sound level monitor and exposure levels monitor like in canon 5d mk2 it would be great. please please do something about it !!!!!!!!


Zain 2011-11-29 12:32:38

Hello Simon.
is it possible to fix / set manual exposure in video mode for Nikon D5100 ?


Simeon 2011-11-29 13:06:25

As I say at work, “anything is possible with software… maybe just not feasible in the time frame your thinking….” honestly I can’t predict how long it will take to understand the firmware enough to identify the applicable things to change, or if things can be changed to how they are wanted, or who is interested in that part. As noted elsewhere, I brought my D5100 for pictures and I am not interested in video.


jojo 2011-12-14 08:37:35

Is there news about the firmware ?


Simeon 2011-12-14 19:03:57

No news, I’m on work travel presently, and then on personal travel after that, for next 3+ weeks. I then have more work travel, so I’m not expecting much time in next 3-5 weeks.


Barry 2012-01-26 15:36:33

Do you think a hack for the Nikon d40 would be possible?


Simeon 2012-01-27 16:57:54

Yes, it’s as equally possible as the D5100, as it use the same processor, and the base OS is the same.


roman 2012-02-01 08:16:07

Common, man!
Give us 720 60fps in d5100 :))


Barry 2012-02-07 15:42:45

What would be. Realistic timescale for a new update for a d40?


Simeon 2012-02-07 15:46:29

Currently, never, based on nobody is working on it, and it’s not an active target for those doing work.

But when we understand the general firmware layout “flow” and there is a “do-able” alteration for D40, then I could imagine someone doing it.


Eneas 2012-02-28 20:32:09

I live in the Dominican Republic and I work with video. I only bought the D5100 cause it was the only one I could find when I went to the states and I went to the camera store on my very last day there. It’s a great camera but as I was using it I realize it didn’t had manual control or 60fps while shooting. It would be great if you could include those. Also 2 things, Do you have an account on twitter so I know as soon as the new firmware is available? And I will have no idea how to hack it, so could you please upload a youtube video explaining how to? (I’m kind of asking a lot, sorry)


Simeon 2012-02-28 20:39:19

Hello Eneas, yes I do have a twitter account, it’s very un-imaginatively simeonpilgrim, thus https://twitter.com/#!/simeonpilgrim.

Honestly, I’m not sure of a time frame for features that people might actually want, as we are at the beginning of this adventure, and are just working out, how the simple stuff even works.


Barret L/ 2012-03-20 09:10:26

Somebody give us Autobracketing on the D3100!!!
A preety capable camera lacking so simple features :D


Simeon 2012-03-20 09:14:41

I’m pretty sure it’s been asked for, but the place to ask for this is over here: Nikon Hackers: Feature Requests


Barry K 2012-03-25 09:50:21

So glad I looked at exactly what you accomplished. Insanely cool! Alan Turing would be proud! I would love to work toward enabling some of the features others have requested. Is there any sort of grunt work that needs to be done? My coding/hacking skills are limited (I write code and scripts for CAD management related applications) but I do own a D5100 and would love to help any way I can.


Simeon 2012-03-25 09:58:14

Hi Barry, if you head on over to nikonhacker.com that’s where the project is proceeding.

I’m not sure we have an “here’s where we need help” section, but it may help you see what we are up to, and then how to help will come to you.

Simeon


Josef 2012-03-29 10:59:38

I would kill for some decent d7000 audio control and (visual) monitoring, the audio settings even with an external mic are just not enough to avoid clipping when recording a live concert.


Andrew L. J. H. 2012-04-16 18:49:36

Hey Simeon,

May I ask will any of the hacks be compatible with the d5000? I just don’t want to be too excited about all this in case it won’t. :D


Simeon 2012-04-16 20:48:19

At this point, not the D5000 is not supported, and will not until ether, Nikon releases a firmware update for this device, or we learn how to dump the firmware from a running unit, or we learn how to dump the firmware from a disassembled unit.


Andrew L. J. H. 2012-04-17 16:00:20

Sorry to hear that. :/ Thanks for the answer anyway.


Leo 2012-06-06 12:10:07

I just read through all the stuff and now I’m curious for the firmware hack now. Especially for the D7000!
So how far is the development?
Are there any releases coming soon?

btw it’s very cool that you do this stuff!!


Grant 2012-07-11 12:33:11

I am a pro photographer and NPS member. Been using the D3 since launched when I moved from Canon. The biggest thing I missed was the Custom settings u get on the 5d series. Instantly change EVERY parameter. Eg you are shooting an event in manual mode with off camera strobes at ISO 400, f5.6 1/200 sec, then u see something you want to shoot with Auto ISO set to run to 6400ISO, custom white balance, at f1.4. With the 5D it is one click away. With Nikon it is a poor joke. Am teetering on going back to Canon due to this. Would love to program this if I was savvy enough but have no idea where to start. If any programmer wants to help work through this then please contact me.