Today, Leica has released a critical firmware update for the SL3. This firmware update addresses a bug that Leica publicly acknowledged last week where images could be overwritten on the memory card following a battery change when the camera wasn't fully powered down. While not every user encountered the problem, this was a major issue and some users did lose images. Thankfully, once the problem was identified, Leica was responsive in issuing a public warning and rolling out a firmware fix in a matter of days. Along with addressing the core issue, Leica has also included a few minor bug fixes and improved the connection to Leica FOTOS. We strongly recommend installing this update as soon as possible to avoid any accidental loss of images.
Change Log
Error Correction
- Sporadic error that resulted in unnoticed overwriting of existing recordings if the camera was not properly turned off beforehand (e.g., during battery replacement in standby mode or after an unexpected software interruption).
- Correction of errors in the firmware.
Improvement
- Optimization of the Leica FOTOS connection.
Firmware Files
To download the firmware file, simply click the buttons below. You'll need to drag and drop the downloaded firmware file onto an SD card which was freshly formatted in the SL3, then insert the card into your camera with a fully charged battery. Navigate to the Camera Information menu to access the firmware update option. Don't try to open the firmware file on your computer – just copy it onto the SD card into the root directory. Full step-by-step instructions are below.
Installation Instructions
- Recharge the battery to 100% and insert the battery into the camera.
- Remove SD and CFe cards from the camera.
- Prepare a SD card for installation:
a. It is recommended to format the memory card inside the camera.
b. Make sure that the card contains at least 200 MB of free disk space.
c. Copy the firmware file to the root directory of the SD card (not in a folder).
d. Insert the SD card into the SL3. - Switch on the camera.
- Open the Camera Information menu item in the main menu. Under Camera Firmware Version you can see the version of the currently installed firmware and you can install the new firmware under Start Update.
- Confirm the update process if you want to start by selecting Yes.
a. The camera will guide you through the process of updating your camera.
b. Please confirm to save your current settings to SD card before proceeding with the update.
c. The camera starts the update process and informs you when finished.
d. Restart the camera; do not eject the SD card.
e. After the welcome video you can select the language.
f. You now can do some settings via the Leica FOTOS App by connecting the camera with the app. If you have already connected the SL3 to the app, delete it from the app and connect the camera again - The update process is completed successfully.
- If you want to load your user profiles go to the menu item User Profile in the main menu and then Manage Profiles. With Import Profiles you can restore your profiles to the camera again.
Important notes:
- Any interruption of a running firmware update may cause serious and irreparable damage to your equipment!
- You will therefore have to take particular note of the following, when carrying out a firmware update:
- Do not switch off the camera!
- Do not remove the memory card!
- Do not remove the rechargeable battery!
- Do not detach the lens!
- Do not open the cover/remove the memory card or the battery from the camera while the status LED is lit, which indicates memory access. Data on the card may otherwise be destroyed and camera malfunctions may occur.
Leave a Reply