Nikon D300 owners who shoot long exposures should update their cameras. And Sigma SD14 users, all of them. need to update their’s.

According to the Nikon site, the new firmware fixes "An issue that, in rare cases, caused vertical bands (lines) to appear in images captured at shutter speeds slower than 8s has been resolved." That’s it: one fix. If this doesn’t apply to your type of shooting you may want to just wait until the next firmware revision comes out.

Be sure to exactly follow the directions on the website for updating. You’ll need a fresh battery, memory card and some patience. Grab your D300 v1.02 firmware update at Nikons Tech site.

All SD14 users should update to the new v1.06 firmware. Fixes include:

• Accuracy of the custom white balance has been improved.
• One-day advance date counter that occurs with X3F images during an intercalary year was corrected.
• Review image quality on the camera’s LCD is improved.
• Users now have the option to disable the shutter release if there is no CF card in the camera. This option is found in the ‘Preview Style’ menu.

SD14 users can get the new v1.06 firmware from Sigmas website.

Keeping your cameras firmware updated is akin to updating Windows when patches are released. It’s especially important since camera makers rush to get products out the door and into our hands. Sometimes they don’t fully test products and new firmware can fix these errors.