These are all good questions to ask the support agent where you buy your back. The answers below are pretty general, but I give very specific advice to our customers based on what I know about their usage of the equipment.
Digital Backs: Most Phase firmware upgrades can be done by the user using a mac/pc and a firewire cable. phaseone.com has a downloads > digital-back-firmware section for this. One exception is the handful of 65+ models which shipped prior to the completion of Sensor+ technology. For this unique update Phase is swapping updated backs to users over the next several months to minimize out-of-hand time.
Lenses: firmware updates for lenses are pretty rare. There is a firmware update for the
Mamiya 75-150mm which fixed a problem where the lens would stop down (DOF preview) unexpectedly. There is a firmware update for the Phase One 80mm which slightly reduces black out time at wide aperture. These updates would normally be done at the same time as a body firmware update or as part of a repair.
Body: firmware updates for the AFD2 and AFD3 must be done at the factory. Future bodies are likely to have user upgradable firmware, but we won't know that for sure until such bodies are released.
Doug Peterson (e-mail Me)
__________________
Head of Technical Services, Capture Integration
Phase One, Canon, Apple, Profoto, Eizo & More
National: 877.217.9870 | Cell: 740.707.2183
Newsletter: Read Latest or Sign Up