Images: Viltrox and Tamron

Nikon users looking to update their camera's firmware should first remove any third-party lenses, according to warnings from Viltrox and Nikon. Failing to do so could cause issues with lens functionality. Tamron also warns that its lenses don't work properly with the Z8 Ver 3.00 firmware.

A warning on the newly released Nikon Z8 firmware download page says, "Do not update the camera firmware with lenses other than Z-mount NIKKOR lenses or mount adapters other than FTZ II/FTZ attached." It goes on to say that not following that warning could cause "camera malfunction."

Viltrox also has a statement on its website saying essentially the same thing as Nikon. "We’ve recently become aware of a new notice issued by Nikon, advising users not to update their Nikon camera firmware while a third-party lens is attached, as this may cause potential issues or malfunctions," the statement reads, in part. Viltrox instructs users to reach out via info@viltrox.com if they experience issues after a firmware update.

While the companies don't specify what the potential malfunction is, it appears that the Z8 update could impact communication between the camera and lens, causing issues with autofocus or potentially rendering the lens inoperable.

Tamron has also issued a statement about the new firmware, but it appears to be about issues occurring after the upgrade, not during it. "We have confirmed that our interchangeable lenses for mirrorless cameras do not function properly when used with the Nikon Z8 (Ver. 3.00) that has been updated to the latest firmware," the machine-translated statement says. That implies that the new firmware isn't playing nice with the lenses, though the company says it's working on a fix.

DPReview readers have been sharing what they've encountered since updating their Z8's firmware on our forums. One DPReview reader shared that all of their Tamron lenses stopped working after updating the Z8 firmware. Another said their Tamron 70-300mm only works when the Focus Limiter setting is off after updating the Z8 firmware.

The issue seems to be exclusive to the Z8 firmware and not smaller firmware updates that recently came out for Nikon's other cameras. However, to be safe, it's best to remove any third-party lenses or third-party adapters before updating any Nikon firmware. If you've already updated your Z8 firmware to Ver 3.00 and are having issues, you could try downgrading to Ver 2.10.