D70 shutter lockup ?? Help

[shutterbug]

Had some problems with my D70 on Saturday. The inside shutter locks up I think ? An err message comes on top LCD. Picture is still taken but when I look though the viewfinder it is all BLACK. I press the Shutter button again, it is back to normal. It happened on P mode and also on M Mode

I tried to make the same thing happened at home...but cannot get it to happen again.

[beetleboy]

Sounds like you've discovered a secret feature!! Let us know if you can replicate the "problem"!!

Liam =]

[gecko]

How much battry life did you have?
One of my old nikon film bodies does this when battery pwr is low

Gecko

[shutterbug]

Battery was full....

When it happened, I turn it off, took battery out...still err message until I pressed teh shutter, it clicked and it was ok again...

[lejazzcat]

Had some problems with my D70 on Saturday. The inside shutter locks up I think ? An err message comes on top LCD. Picture is still taken but when I look though the viewfinder it is all BLACK. I press the Shutter button again, it is back to normal. It happened on P mode and also on M Mode

I tried to make the same thing happened at home...but cannot get it to happen again.

I had the same problem - a sticky shutter i think - the camera has a electronic shutter as well so you still get a correctly excposed shot . As you say , a second press releases the mechanincal shutter.

This happened for about 2 months and it really pissed me off - every ten shots it would happen .
But, thankfully, its seems to have stopped now .
I suggest if you have warranty to have it checked and cleaned ( i didnt )
The boys here thought it was a noise reduction delay- it wasnt . It sstill happened after that was turned off..

Good luck with it .
Im thinking as the mech shutter is same as the N60's we can expect alot of shutter failures from this mid priced body .
The D2X is sounding very attractive

[shutterbug]

Yep..image still exposed correctly.second press releases shutter.

When i got home I tested it again with 1gig card....I fired away until the card was full....it did not happened once.....

I use it as a backup this weekend and see how it goes, might hav eto upgrade soon D2X or D2Hs

[tasadam]

I found this thread by searching for "err" and was surprised to see how recent it was.

My camera has done the same thing - sort of - twice.

The 1st time was a couple of months ago - at a shoot for my Niece's 4th birthday party. Just as the presents are being unwrapped, my shutter locked and I kept getting ERR in the display. Turned the camera off and on several times. Tried new battery. Tried different memory card. Even swapped lenses - assuming perhaps poor contact between body and lens. All to no avail. Turned it off and on more than 20 times trying to get it to come right. Eventually it did - by then, the presents were opened and she was already wearing the fairy costume we'd bought her. Most disappointing.

Expressions last an instant, photos last a lifetime.

The second time this happened on my camera I got it working again after about 15 turn off / turn on's, but this time I tried something different - turn off, hold shutter button down, turn on, ERR shows - do the same again.
It did get the camera working again, a bit quicker, but was most frustrating.

The sad thing is that I cannot replicate this error - I assume it's the shutter (mirror movement [there is no "shutter"]) getting stuck.

I bought this camera late December 04 from Birddog.

What should I do regarding getting it serviced / fixed?

[birddog114]

I bought this camera late December 04 from Birddog.

What should I do regarding getting it serviced / fixed?

You still have your warranty with you, haven't you?
Simple answer! send it back to Maxwell for service!

[tasadam]

I bought this camera late December 04 from Birddog.

What should I do regarding getting it serviced / fixed?

You still have your warranty with you, haven't you?
Simple answer! send it back to Maxwell for service!

Thanks Birddog
Will give them a call.

EDIT - Sent them an email.

[Antsl]

I have had the same thing happen to me on a few occasions nows and twice while I was working on assignments (clients in tow etc!). I put it down to a fault in the mirror design.. it is catching on the return and then locking up the system. My thoughts are now that when it happens, remove the lens and very very carefully pull down the mirror.... this should reset it and you should be going again. The main thing that you want to avoid is touching the mirror as you do this, it is a semi silvered surface and the nasty oils in your skin will ruin it.

I have to say that I have been dissappointed by the build quality of my D70s... a corner of the LCD display has failed, the mirror has been causing this lock up that others are obviously experiencing and the only time that I have asked the built in flash to pop up (with the purpose of driving the SB800 remotely) it has failed to popup! My thoughts are that as soon as the D200 becomes available I will be getting a warranty repair done on the D70s to fix all its woes and then I will be trading up. The D70s was always going to be a short term camera and while I like the results I dont think I am going to miss it!

[Onyx]

Your shutter's dying. For me, it was 6 months between the first instance of it happening and the first time it reocurred. Then, it got more frequent, up until every shutter release required a second to bring it back down.

If out of warranty, it's ~$300 cheap as chips to fix. IMO certainly not worth fretting over the limited shutter life of amateur models like the D70 vs pro/semi-pro's models with rated 100k+ actuation lifetimes.... unless it's your only camera!

[tasadam]

I said this about my D70

I assume it's the shutter (mirror movement [there is no "shutter"]) getting stuck.

I was wrong.

I was using my camera again on the weekend. Taking lots of photos of old motorbikes at Symmons Plains track.
I had taken a few hundred when I got the err come up again.

I held the shutter button down and turned the camera off and on - took about 10 tries and finally I got it working again. That seems to be what I have to do to get it working.

Anyway it worked for another 3 or 4 frames then failed again.
This time I noticed that instead of the mirror being down, it is stuck up.
Under the mirror, I can see a normal shutter over the sensor. Well I didn't know that was there.

So with the lens off I look in to the camera as I hold the shutter button down and turn the camera on - I see the shutter move as if it is taking a photo, then it goes into err again, all with the mirror stuck up.

Tried for more than half an hour but can't get it fixed, it's really busted this time.

It is still under warranty so is going back for repair today.

And to top things off, when I got back to my bike (the one in my applet), someone had backed into it and knocked it over!! :shock: Bent rear brake lever, scratched muffler, handlebar knob trashed, and main pretty fairing all wrecked. At least I was able to ride it home.
Fortunately the guy that did it was still there and gave me his details, he is insured. PHEW!!

So when I get my camera back, I will post with what was done, or at least what they tell me.

[tasadam]

Well it's been 2 weeks now.

The assessor has been and approved the quote for the motorbike. A bit over $5000 damage
Now I have to wait for parts to come in.

I contacted Maxwell today about my D70 and they told me the job is booked in for an estimate (quote)... They were looking into it but 2 hours later the estimate arrives by email.
Aperture control base plate and sub control PCB, plus miscellaneous...

I sent the receipt and warranty copy with the camera. Hhmmm...
Hopefully they're getting on top of it - I'm missing it.
Emailed the receipt and warranty stuff (again).

I think this D70 goes to the wife and I'll get a D200
Wife doesn't seem to mind this plan.

I feel a severe case of "lens lust" coming on....

[tasadam]

Err, hold that thought.

I could bag Maxwell out here, about how they want to charge me for the repair because it is "damaged"...

I am waiting to speak with the service manager before going there.

[birddog114]

Err, hold that thought.

I could bag Maxwell out here, about how they want to charge me for the repair because it is "damaged"...

I am waiting to speak with the service manager before going there.

Hi tasadam,
Read your email! it appeared to me the aperture control level was bent and it's not covered under warranty.

The aperture control lever is the one you can see it when you remove the lens and at the mount of the camera, and it's always happenned as an accident or accidentally or using some other types of mounting.

The damage could be, it was bent due to mis-alignment when the lens mounted or some other reasons, I could not verify it due to not having the camera in my hand.

Yes, you have the rights to fight with them and they do have the rights to excuse.

If it's the case, what can I say?

[tasadam]

Thanks Birddog, at least now I know what part of the camera the Aperture control lever is.

It is strange that the camera had come up with the "err" a couple of times and to get it working again, I needed to turn the camera off and on - several times, possibly between a dozen and 20 times to clear the error.

It happened only twice, about a month apart I can't really remember. Maxwell were quoting a repair turnaround of 3 weeks so I decided to keep it for now, still enough warranty left.

Then when it happened again, it was at a shoot where I had taken 364 photos within half an hour then the err came up again, turned off & on a few times and the camera worked - but only for a couple of photos, then it died all together with the mirror stuck up - and they are blaming the bent lever...

As I say, I will wait and see - I am still hopeful of an amicable outcome.
I wonder how a bent lever causes a faulty "Sub PCB"... I wonder how a bent lever causes a camera to work fine for several thousand shots then fails with the mirror stuck up.

[birddog114]

You live, know and learn the tactics from Maxwell well!

The replied emails from Simon (Maxwell) are crappies, good excuses and those excuses are always from them same as the girl named Dominique.

They realized they're been bashed, tortured, hatred mails etc... but they never change and never will. They deserve it aren't they?

They lost lot of business in the past years, since the internet shopping age was popular, 60% of the gears which Nikon users in Down Under came from difference source overseas.

Come over here and joint the riot against Maxwell soon to be started!

[marcotrov]

That's dissapointing to hear but not surprising Tasadam. Sounds like I might have to reconsider whether I purchase the D200 from Maxwell's or Mr poon with extended warranty.
cheers
marco

[tasadam]

They lost lot of business in the past years, since the internet shopping age was popular, 60% of the gears which Nikon users in Down Under came from difference source overseas.

Well...

In my hands at the moment, just collected from the bedroom where my wife and I have been discussing, are print outs of the following:

Nikon D200 info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon D200 review (all of it) from DPreview site
Nikon 18-200VR review from Ken Rockwell site
Nikon 24-120 AF-S VR info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 12-24 AF-S DX info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 50mm f1.4 info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 105mm f2.8 micro info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 200-400 f4 VR info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon 80-400 f4.5 - 5.6 VR info and specs from Maxwell site
Nikon TC-17E II info and specs from Maxwell site
Sigma 12-24 EX DG HSM details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX DC HSM details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma APO Macro 150 f2.8 EX DG details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma Macro 105mm f2.8 EX DG details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma APO 70-200 f2.8 EX DG HSM details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma APO 80-400 f4.5 - 5.6 EX OS details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma APO 120-300 f2.8 EX IF HSM details from Sigmaphoto site
Sigma 18-50 f2.8 EX DC details from Sigmaphoto site
And a number of other print outs not worth mentioning.

All printed in pretty colour. We were in great discussion about how I need a D200 and how she needs to give the frustrations of the Olympus C770 away and take the D70 from me.
We had agreed that far, and were in the process of deciding what lenses we should get.

I was going to get a Nikon 18-200 VR for her everyday lens on the D70 and will keep the 18-70 kit lens from that for me. We were also planning on -
the Nikon 50mm f1.4,
Nikon 80-400 VR (or maybe the Sigma equiv. if as good),
Nikon or Sigma 105 f2.8 micro,
and eventually a 12-24 and a teleconverter of some sort.

Then when the need arose, I would scrap the kit lens and either get another 18-200 VR for me, or go for a lens that would offer F2.8 across a range, say the Sigma 18-50 f2.8 or maybe a 70-200 VR. A bit of thought was still needed there to decide what I will be taking and where I will have most need for wide aperture before finishing the "shopping list" on that score.

Well now all that is off the boil. Wife has said if we need to pay to have our camera fixed, then that's IT. That means no D200, no new lenses, no DVD player with digital video out for my home theatre, no more technology. Period.
Wife and I are both feeling kicked in the guts over this. It seems everything when it comes to technology for us is jinxed or we get the run around from repairers and it ends up costing us.
A history of breakdowns can be found here.
I have a good home theatre system. A history of the hassles can be found here for people with too much time on their hands. Sorry about breaking the rule about posting links to other forums but (a) it's not a camera forum, and (b) it's topical. And (c) it's about me.

As I said in my previous post, I am still hopeful of an amicable outcome. Meanwhile, I'm over-stressed at the thought of all this, and camera-less for nearly 3 weeks now.

Stay tuned to hear all about what Maxwell have said to me should the solution in this case be "less than amicable"...
At the moment I am pretty P!SSED with them but will give them a chance to respond.

[tasadam]

Where things now stand...

Still no camera.
Maxwell took ages to get back to me but finally did (before Christmas). I negotiated the price down by more than half so have agreed to pay that and am hoping to get my camera back soon.

What did I get for Christmas?
1. Wife paying repair bill on the D70
2. Permission to buy the D200 - when we can afford it.
A fantastic Christmas indeed, wouldn't you say? I'm very lucky considering where things could have gone...

I need to find out more about this bent aperture control lever and ensure it doesn't happen again. I don't recall reading about this anywhere else before - and I'm usually pretty careful with my stuff.

Now time to get off this internet and phone Maxwell (again) and find out how much longer I need to wait before I get my camera back. It's been 6 weeks today.

Sorry if this seems off topic, these problems arose when my shutter locked up so I added it to this thread.

[whiz]

Well, I've been getting the error message and mirror lock for a while now. No physical damage to my camera.

Cost me a few shots of the New Years Day fires in Woy Woy..


http://www.glide.net.au/gallery/

I'll put my D70 in for servicing when my D200 turns up.

I'd be interested in knowing what they charged you to get it fixed though.

[tasadam]

I'd be interested in knowing what they charged you to get it fixed though.

I'll post details once I get it back.

I phoned them yesterday, mine was 3rd in the queue and they said "maybe by the end of the week". That will be nearly 7 weeks.

Going bushwalking tomorrow. No camera to take. Not happy.

[tasadam]

So I phoned them Tuesday and they said maybe by the end of the week. I tried paying then so they can send it as soon as it was fixed, but they can't accept payment until it's done.

I asked them to CALL ME as soon as it was ready so I can make immediate payment and get it sent overnight. They said this would not be a problem and confirmed my mobile number.

The reason I wanted them to phone me was because I knew I would be away from my email.

Wednesday morning they send an email to say the camera is fixed and awaiting payment. No phone call. Problem was that I did not get the email until Friday. They can't even follow a simple request.
So I ring them Friday and tell them they were supposed to ring me. I tell them I want to pay so they can send it overnight and she puts me through to someone else for payment.
Instead of getting someone, I get voicemail saying please speak clearly and slowly and someone will get back to me by the end of the next business day - which really means by Monday.

So I hang up and ring back, got someone else, and they took payment details and entered into the system to "please send overnight for Monday delivery".

Subsequent to this, I have send an email telling them what I think.

I don't know whether I could be more pissedd offf at Nikon at the moment.
If my camera doesn't arrive back Monday, I will find out!

[birddog114]

Move to Sydney and deal direct face to face with them instead of talking over the phone. Eye contacts is always good and perfect.

[tasadam]

Well it's back from repair. Finally. It walked in the gate this morning at 8:55 am. And I've hardly touched it. Wife has been busy learning how to use it. Think I will be getting the D200 sooner rather than later...

[ipv6ready]

Just a thought has anyone had trouble with a d100 shutter? Mine is over 25,000 clicks as far as i can guess, just from the file numbers, I have factroy reset a few times so it went back to zero.

Since replacement which Maxwell fixed out of warranty. Very lucky and nice of veronica I think she use to work there.

One thing though...on my f90 I bet i would not have clicked over 2000 as i only put through maybe 700 rolls.

Since going digital, my clicks are lot more liberal. Much more testshots etc.

What is the F80 shutter rated at? Anyone know?

Thanks