Nikon released firmware for the Z6, Z7, Z50, and Z5 with updates to the cameras regarding autofocus. In my case I have a Z5 and updated the camera to v1.20.
This camera update completely broke compatibility with the adapter’s v1.31 firmware, which is the latest one currently provided on Altson’s English website. Their Chinese website has v1.41, but I have no idea if that is broken with Nikon’s update or not. I didn’t know they had different versions on each site until the I got a response from Altson.
Here is me email to them:
The CEF-NZ adapter stopped working due to Nikon’s latest Z camera
firmware update. I heard from a viewer of my videos that you provided them an update to fix the CEF-NZ adapter. I checked out your website, but the last update was from 2020. Will you be providing the update on your website? I’d like to have a webpage link to provide my viewers of this video:
https://youtu.be/nAzDH3NZmtc
Here is their response (with an attached firmware file):
Yes, here we go. as our website doesn’t update English version, you may failed to get the newest firmware. Will send as an attachment. Please go and have a try. Any problem, feel free to contact me. Thank you for your inquiry. GOOD DAY!!!
It’s odd that they didn’t update their website when I asked them to directly. A viewer of my video also emailed them before I did so they clearly knew about the problem. What’s the deal here? They still sell the adapter (as of when I posted this article).
If you have the issue then your best bet is to first check their website to see if they updated it. If not, I’d then suggest emailing them to ask for the latest firmware update. By the time you see this hopefully the situation is totally resolved.
If neither of those are possible, then as a last resort I’ve uploaded what they sent me to my website…
DISCLAIMER: I will not be held liable in any fashion if you download this from my website and have issues or whatever else could go wrong. I’m simply providing what Altson sent me through e-mail in case they stop providing that service. Do not contact me about this.
Download the v2.01 CEF-NZ firmware here (~46kb).
Don’t ask me how to update the adapter. If you can’t figure that out then you shouldn’t be messing with it. Contact Altson for help.
So far all I’ve done is update the adapter and quickly try it with the Nikon Z5 camera plus a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens. At the very least aperture and autofocus work again! Clearly I am unable to try this with other Z cameras, but I’m going to assume they work very similarly so if the Z5 works then at least the Z6 and Z7 should too.
Hopefully Altson will update their website.