Critical UI deadlock issue on the Nikon Zf camera with firmware update C version 3.00

4 days ago
Categories: Nikon Zf
Tags: Firmware updates, Nikon Zf

Critical UI deadlock issue on the Nikon Zf camera with firmware update C version 3.00 (sent by a reader):

This issue was confirmed by Nikon support in Japan. Under specific settings, the camera loses the ability to display the live view on the rear LCD and cannot exit the i-menu state. Only selfie-mode (LCD rotated 180°) temporarily bypasses the lock. Below are the exact conditions and steps:

Affected settings

Custom Setting f2: Reassign DISP button to anything other than “DISP”
Monitor mode: “Auto monitor switch (only when monitor is closed)”
Monitor usage: Finder priority 2 only

Steps to reproduce

Fold the LCD inward (facing the camera body).
Without looking into the EVF, press the i-button once → i-menu appears.
Open the LCD (but not to the 180° selfie position).

Actual behavior (bug)

The rear monitor remains stuck, displaying the i-menu.
Live view never appears (LCD shooting is impossible).
Half-pressing the shutter, switching AF modes, using other buttons → no exit path.
Closing the LCD restores EVF shooting, but reopening it re-enters the locked i-menu state.
The only recovery options are:

1. Restore DISP functionality, or
2. Initialize the camera.

Expected behavior:

A half-press of the shutter should close the i-menu and immediately return to live view, as it does when the LCD is still folded.

Additional notes:

The behavior indicates that the UI state machine has no valid transition from

(LCD-open + i-menu-on + FinderPriority2 + DISP unassigned).
The camera enters a “display pipeline deadlock,” with selfie-mode being the only branch

that forces a full display-mode override.

State diagram (simplified):

Major Nikon Zf firmware update version 3.00 released with the new “Film Grain” feature and much more

Additional information on the major new Nikon Zf firmware update version 3.00 with “Film Grain” feature