Nikon ZR Firmware 2.00 Detailed – Log3G10 in H.265, Selectable High ISO NR and 3D LUT over HDMI

Firmware Update

by Nino LeitnerToday

Subscribe to News - Software

Nikon has published the full feature list of firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon ZR, the first major update for its RED-developed full-frame cinema camera. The update brings Log3G10 and REDWideGamutRGB to H.265 recording, a selectable High ISO NR level, more assignable controls, focus peaking with a LUT applied in R3D NE, 3D LUT output over HDMI, and a fix for black-level flicker in low light. Nikon says the firmware is scheduled to be available before the end of the year, but it still gives no exact date.

The Nikon ZR has been on the market since October 2025, and its firmware history so far is short. Version 1.10 arrived in January 2026 with wired timecode sync, RED file naming and more, and version 1.11 in March fixed two bugs. In August, we reported that Nikon ZR owners were still waiting for a big firmware update, and in September, Nikon made the development announcement for firmware V2.00 with three confirmed features. The announcement of November 3 adds several items to that list. Let’s take a look at what it includes.

RED color science in a smaller file

The main change is a new tone mode option for H.265 recording. Until now, Log3G10 was not available for H.265 recording. With firmware 2.00, Log3G10 gamma and the REDWideGamutRGB color gamut are also available when the camera records H.265. According to Nikon, this gives footage in the compact H.265 format “the high color-grading latitude made possible by RED color science, with its smooth tonal gradation and exceptionally wide color gamut.”

For productions that do not need RAW on every shot, this means one Log3G10 color pipeline for both R3D NE and H.265 material, with much smaller files from the second. LUTs built for Log3G10, such as the Phantom LUTs for the Nikon ZR, target the same curve. H.265 on the ZR stays a 10-bit 4:2:0 codec, and Nikon has not said whether the update changes its processing.

Four levels of High ISO NR

The second feature from the development announcement is a selectable [High ISO NR] level. Nikon lists four settings, available when the camera records H.265 with Log3G10 or N-Log. The company describes the range as going “from shooting that prioritizes inherent textures to shooting that calls for smooth rendering with minimal noise.” Nikon gives no further details on what each level does. In September, we noted that this setting matches how the Nikon Z6III already handles high ISO noise reduction in H.265.

Another image processing change was not in the September announcement. Nikon says new processing “suppresses frame-by-frame fluctuations in black level, reducing flicker that tends to occur in low-light conditions and in dark areas of the frame.” The press release does not say which recording formats this applies to.

More assignable controls

Firmware 2.00 also extends the customization options. ISO sensitivity, exposure settings, white balance (WB) and white balance color temperature (WBK) can now be assigned to the command dials. In addition, [3D LUT/View Assist] can be assigned to an Fn button, so the operator can switch between the two with one press. Nikon’s position is that these changes let the operator adjust settings “without taking their eyes off the monitor.”

Monitoring: focus peaking in R3D NE and LUTs over HDMI

The third feature from September is focus peaking during R3D NE recording. The missing focus peaking in R3D NE was one of the most frequent owner complaints we listed in August, and one of the gaps that reviewers, us included in our Nikon ZR review, pointed out at launch. In the final wording, Nikon says focus peaking is now supported “even when a 3D LUT is applied during recording in R3D NE format.”

The ZR can also apply a 3D LUT to its HDMI video output. This lets an external monitor or a director’s monitor show a rendering close to the graded image, without loading the LUT on the monitor itself. The camera has a micro-HDMI port, and accessories such as the SmallRig micro-HDMI to HDMI adapter are made to protect that connection on a rig.

What is still missing

Open Gate recording and a desqueeze display for anamorphic lenses are not part of firmware 2.00. In its September announcement, Nikon said it is developing both features “with the goal of incorporating them in ZR firmware in 2027.” Several other requests from owners are also not in the November list, among them internal false color, an exposure meter in R3D NE, more compressed R3D NE options, and a lighter 10-bit 4:2:2 codec than ProRes 422 HQ. Third-party tools such as the ZR CTL control app continue to fill some of these gaps. In September, Nikon also said that RED is updating its RED CONTROL and RED CONTROL PRO apps to support the ZR.

Price and availability

Nikon says firmware version 2.00 for the Nikon ZR is “scheduled to be available before the end of the year,” with no exact release date. The Nikon ZR body is available at B&H for $2,196.95 and at CVP for €1,804.69.

Are you a Nikon ZR owner, and which of these features will you use first? Is Log3G10 in H.265 enough for you, or are you waiting for Open Gate in 2027? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments below!