WonderLantern Z7 lab

EXPERIMENTAL CAMERA FIRMWARE RESEARCH. A failed or incorrect flash can permanently brick a camera, destroy data, or require paid repair/replacement. Use entirely at your own risk. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the authors/contributors accept no liability. No warranty or verified emergency recovery is provided. Read RISK_NOTICE.md.

Independent, modified research workspace for the original Nikon Z7 C 3.80. This is not an official Nikon or Wonder Lantern release. Component licenses, credits and notices are preserved; see UPSTREAMS.json.

Experimental 3x3 grid preview

Experimental source/patcher prerelease v0.1.0-grid-preview.1

The preview adds 3x3 / 4x4 / Off to the native framing-grid menu, with the choice stored in the camera's existing internal settings. It has no timed reversion. The owner reports that the latest build is installed and keeps 3x3 after more than ten seconds switched off on one original Z7. That limited result is not certification or proof of compatibility with every Z7.

Source/patcher release only: no stock or modified Nikon firmware BIN is redistributed. Build the exact reviewed image locally using your own official Z_7_0380.bin. Start with the release/build guide, then read the exact-candidate assessment. Target scope is original Z7 C 3.80 without Nikon's paid RAW-video upgrade; other bodies/versions, including Z7 II, are not supported by this preview.

The exact image passed 107 instruction checks, 16 assisted QEMU checks and 12 selected updater probes. Test boundaries and remaining gaps are documented in NATIVE_GRID_SETTINGS.md. Owner hardware results are recorded separately in evidence/20261026-grid-saved-owner-hardware.json. Off intentionally clears the selected type; presets/import/export, indirect consumers, wake behavior, extended use and failure recovery need further review.

Other lab experiments

The source also retains earlier sound, splash and added-journal-record work. Those are not included in the grid preview's generated image. Automatic shutter sound still has the reported live-view repetition defect; its port audit hold remains. Do not substitute older presets or the held 90-record journal prototype for the preview's --native-choice build. For continuing development, read HANDOFF.md.

Earlier assisted-emulator runs passed 21 general UI checks and 17 sound-submenu checks for each sound-capable preset. Those results establish selected emulator behavior; they do not clear the capture-trigger defect or establish physical capture timing, recording, recovery or compatibility with other camera models.

Contents

• z7-qemu/: complete source overlay and tools, with local changes included.
• z7-firmware-extensions/: complete patcher source, including all sound fixes.
• tools/: local build, validation, setup and launch helpers.
• HANDOFF.md: laptop setup, results, next steps and known gaps.
• SOUND_MENU_FIX.md: fault analysis and corrected addresses.
• AUDIO_PLAYBACK_FIX.md: WAV specification check and corrected Z7 playback admission.
• FLASH_ASSESSMENT.md: private EG preparation, updater evidence and hardware recovery limits.
• SHUTTER_TRIGGER_FIX.md: capture-hook correction and diagnostics after working Preview but silent capture.
• CAPTURE_START_FIX.md: normal-callback correction after the silent/mechanical diagnostic comparison.
• SILENT_PROPERTY_FIX.md: verified native Z7 silent-mode property and tests through the original getter.
• PORT_AUDIT.md: current flash hold and independent Z7 evidence gaps after the owner's port-safety concern.
• LIVEVIEW_SOUND_REGRESSION.md: reproduced unwanted admission and owner-confirmed OFF containment.
• CAPTURE_EVENT_TRACE.md: original callback execution and stock live-view counterexamples.
• STILL_FILE_TRACE.md: record-bearing file notification as a backward-tracing anchor; no replacement hook selected.
• SPLASH_SCREEN_FEASIBILITY.md: private stock resource findings and the proposed startup image approach.
• LAB_REPORT.md: complete lab history.
• UPSTREAMS.json: original repository and commit provenance.
• evidence/: source-only validation summary; no firmware or camera screenshots.

The two component directories are vendored source snapshots, not submodules. Their upstream licenses and notices remain in place. This repository is a modified research workspace and does not claim to be an official WonderLantern release.

Windows app

The lab also supports native Windows using an isolated MSYS2/UCRT64 build. It does not require WSL. After setup, double-click Start-Z7.cmd to open the local browser app, or run ./Run-Z7.ps1 from PowerShell.

For a fresh build, obtain the official Z_7_0380.bin in Downloads and use Python 3.12+:

.\Setup-Z7.ps1
# Or select an unregistered Python explicitly:
.\Setup-Z7.ps1 -PythonPath C:\path\to\python.exe

The helper checks the firmware hash, creates a private Python environment, downloads a digest-checked MSYS2 environment under .private/toolchain/, builds the hash-checked QEMU source and all four firmware presets, and checks the native host contracts and candidate admission. It preserves existing firmware and build directories. See WINDOWS_BUILD.md for rebuilding and validation commands.

Linux / WSL setup

Use Linux or WSL with Python 3.12+. In an already installed Ubuntu environment:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential ninja-build pkg-config python3-venv \
  libglib2.0-dev libpixman-1-dev zlib1g-dev libfdt-dev
python3 tools/setup_lab.py --jobs 4

Obtain your own official Nikon Z_7_0380.bin and place it at .private/stock/Z_7_0380.bin. Check its SHA-256 against the handoff, then:

LAB_PY="$HOME/.local/share/wonderlantern-z7/venv/bin/python"
"$LAB_PY" tools/build_firmware.py --output .private/builds/20261020-09
"$LAB_PY" tools/check_candidate_inputs.py --build .private/builds/20261020-09
"$LAB_PY" tools/launch_z7.py