Firmware Update

[melibelle]

This may be a really dumb question but here goes... how do I get the update on my camera? I have searched and searched and can't find instructions or I'm missing them!! 

TIA

[ajraymedia]

Go to canon website and search for your product. You should see a place for software and downloads. Follow those steps and download your firmware. Remember where it is. Open eos utility and plug in your camera via USB. Follow the steps to "download firmware" and browse to find the location you downloaded the firmware file. Select said file and follow the steps indicated from there. Hope that helps.

[Stephen]

Hi melibelle!
So that the Community can help you better, we will need to know exactly what equipment you're using, and the Computer Operating System you're using (Windows XP/Vista/7/8 or Mac 10.x). Any other details you'd like to give will only help the Community better understand your issue! Thanks and have a great day!

[melibelle]

I did find and download the firmware, maybe I'm not using the right software. It's a Powershot sx280. I have a Mac OS 8 I'm not sure about the .# after the 8 I'm not at home. The software I tried using was whatever installed from the cd that was included with the camera. I wouldn't bother but this firmware is suppose to fix the battery problem while videoing. We are leaving tomorrow for vacation so I would love to be able to video!

[Stephen]

Hi melibelle!

The Canon Forums aren't intended for immediate assistance. If you require urgent support, feel free to email our Tech Support Team any time  or call during normal business hours Monday-Friday 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. EST, excluding holidays by clicking HERE. 

We hope this helps!

[ajraymedia]

Ok. You didn't mention what product you had. There have been recent eos firmware updates so I just went with that. As for powershot, try using the other software that came with it or download it from their site. If you call Canon directly they are usually quick and eager to help as previously mentioned by Canon.

[melibelle]

ajraymedia, thanks so much for your fast responses! I'm obviously new here even though I own lots of Canon prodcts this is the first one I've had aproblem with so this is my first time here! Thanks for your patience, I have emailed canon so hopefully I will here back by Monday! 

[melibelle]

So I emailed Canon last night when I got home as suggested. This morning I woke to an email back saying I would have to send it in... My day old camera I would have to send in? REALLY? So in my reply I stated that wasn't an option, why could I not update the firmware myself like everyone else? She wrote back and pointed out there are instructions in the files I downloaded, didn't realize that. So got those opened followed them to a T and the firm update menu is not an option when I have put in the memory card with the .FI2 file on it. So back to square one... Have any of you had this happen? 

At this point I'm thinking of jumping ship... I'm a long time canon owner I have 3 point and shoots and 3 DSLR's and 5 canon lens. I'm truly shocked at the help, or lack of, that I have received with what should have been a simple fix. I really like the wifi capabilities on this camera which is why I upgraded my point and shoot to this camera. I know a lot of others on here have resolved this issue and I would REALLY like to do the same! Besides this hiccup the camera seems to be a great camera and I would like to keep it!

[Limmie]

You do not have to send it in.  I suspect that may be a boilerplate response from them (in all fairness they do have the complete directions posted on their support page and they may figure if a user can't self-help what they need there then it is easier for Canon to do it themselves).  I just bought a 280 yesterday and haven't taken it out of the box, but the serial number is low enough that the guy at the store told me it was likely still running the original firmware. (Despite this being a high-end camera store where they boast knowledgeable service they had not heard of this issue before and were saying pretty much that's what I get from reading reviews on the Internet and it was the fault of the users trying to do things beyond the specifications of the camera, until I told them Canon had already issued 2 firmware updates in less than 6 months  -- so much for my deciding to pay extra at a "service" store when it turns out I knew more about the camera than they did).  Anyway, I know there is definitely (as mentioned earlier by another poster) a file you can download from Canon's web support area.  Do a search for your camera model and you can follow links to the online support and downloads area for that model. You have to enter your computer system information and it will provide a file for download (I downloaded it even before I bought the camera).  You then mount (or open) the .dmg file on your desktop and it contains a .PDF file with instructions about how to do the update, and also the update file itself.  I'm working from memory but you basically copy the file onto a clean (preferably newly formatted) memory card.  A new computer probably has such a drive already built in.  You then transfer the card to your camera and follow some pretty simple instructions to get it to carry through with the update.

[Limmie]

Melibelle,

Are you sure your Mac OS is "8" something?  Is your computer very old?  OS8 is around 15 years old if I am not mistaken and Mac OS has undergone about 10 revisions since then.  It is critical you correctly describe your computer hardware and operating system.  USB was only starting to appear on computers when OS8 was around.  If you do truly have OS8 then it may still be possible to update the firmware but it will be a very different process from doing it under OS10.8