D600 - anyone experienced these problems? (Not a dust issue)

<p>The camera is about 45 days old. When it was just out of the box, I noticed that sometimes the menu would unexpectedly close when I was changing something. Didn't happen often. Then, one day I got the ERR message; cured that by releasing the shutter a couple of times per the user manual; another time, three photos in a row were overexposed while using aperture priority...not just the background, but everything in them...subject, background, all. I assumed it was user error somehow, and perhaps it was. On a different day, I noticed that after changing from M to A that the meter on the bottom of the viewfinder was still there, as though I were still in M mode, but moving the control wheel for the shutter didn't change it, but moving the aperture control did change aperture values. I turned the camera off, then on and that seemed to fix it.<br>

Then, last night I performed a firmware update. I've done these a few times on the other camera I had with no problems, and I followed the directions here the same as always; format the card, put the bin file into the directory root, don't run off camera until told to do so, etc.<br>

But the camera told me there wasn't enough battery charge to perform the update. The battery was at 57%. Ok, so I selected NO to the upgrade, turned off the camera, swapped batteries, then then ran the update again. This time, all seemed normal, but when I accessed the menu to format the card again, the camera froze. No buttons worked - couldn't turn it off, even - and I eventually removed the battery. Then I double checked the battery insertion, swapped out the SD cards (because I noticed the green light indicating installation of a card hadn't come on) and this time the LCD had white rectangular boxes throughout the display.<br>

Rinse and repeat - next try had garbled letters on LCD, then freezing; next try had normal operation for about 3 minutes, then froze; next try had a pink and blue LCD, then froze.<br>

So, anyway, any ideas about what might have caused this? The update? Anyone experienced anything similar? The camera is currently on its way to Nikon repair, I'm just hoping there will be a positive fix and not a run around. I'm a little concerned that Nikon's warranty info said that the warranty does not cover software issues. Is firmware = software?<br>

Just wanted to share some angst.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Hello,<br>

It is possible to "brick" your camera performing a firmware upgrade, and it sounds like this may of happened. But as you state your camera was already faulty.</p>

<p>It must be a worry but I can not imagine Nikon trying to avoid repairing your camera, by blaming you for the fault.<br>

I expect your fixed camera will be back in your hands soon.<br>

<br />Cheers</p>

 

<p>Does removing the lens change anything? I have not had any issues with my d600 other than a small<br>

dust bunny....just a normal dust bunny...nothing more.</p>

I will stand firmly by my sometimes unpopular position that when you buy a new camera and suspect that anything is

malfunctioning within the full refund period, return it and get another one. The camera should WORK. If not, bring it back.

For the money they charge for these machines, I want it to work correctly from the onset. I'm not going to be sitting

around performing science experiments.

<blockquote>

<p>I will stand firmly by my sometimes unpopular position that when you buy a new camera and suspect that anything is malfunctioning within the full refund period, return it and get another one. The camera should WORK. If not, bring it back.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Once you are fairly sure that a new camera is indeed malfunctioning, that is exactly what I would do, as well. However, my experience is that a majority of those problems are merely user errors. IMO people should do some checking first; once you are quite convinced that the problem is in the camera, by all means exchange for another one, and hopefully it is not in short supply so that you don't need to wait for an exchange.</p>

<p>Otherwise, I have seen people who go through one new camera after another, but since they are making the same errors, they feel that every one is bad.</p>

<p>Somehow I just have good fortune with new cameras. Currently I have a D7100 on loan from Nikon and a 35mm/f1.4 from Sigma. Both are great. I have yet to come across one defective Nikon DSLR since I bought my first one, a D100, in 2002. I have bought 7 Nikon DSLRs off the shelf plus receiving another 7 or 8 from Nikon for testing. None has had any problems.</p>

Shhhhhhh, lol, don't jinx it Shun ;-)))))

<p>No, didn't try it without a lens.<br /> I agree that if this had happened during the first 30 days, I would have sent it back, no question.<br /> My prior statement of "just out of the box" was actually a period of a couple of weeks. The problem (as I now view it) was not able to be duplicated. In other words, the menu functions mostly worked fine; and yes, with my large fumbly fingers I assumed I had inadvertently hit Ok instead of the up or down. Ditto with the ERR message...was it something I did inadvertently? Only happened once, so it's hard to say.<br /> Strange over exposures surrounded by many normal pictures? Sounds like user error.<br /> It's only in hindsight (and after the money back period) that all these things seem like precursors to a more catastrophic failure.<br /> Plus, like Shun, I'm usually very lucky with gear and have had no so-called "bad copies" or other malfunctioning items, until now. <br /> I completely agree with you, though, and will maybe be more alert to potential problems in the future.<br /> Thanks for the replies.<br>

And, yes, Shun, now you've done it! Sensor dust will rain down upon you!</p>

<p>I have bought twelve new Nikon pro cameras since 1979 and never had a mechanical or optical fault in one yet. The only thing I can say that wasn't 100% was the ribbed rubber insert on the front of the DP12 finder on my F2AS didn't have the ribs parallel to the edge; it had been cut at a slight angle. Also, on a new F3 the viewfinder showed a very slight bump on the edge at the bottom from the metal frame template. Neither of these things affected the use of the cameras but were strangely annoying at the time.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I've gotten ERR from a couple of things - 1. Dirty lens contacts on body and lens, 2. overheated sensor from video shooting, and 3. dirty contacts on a battery. Clean everything with rubbing alcohol. If that doesn't do much, it's a ship trip to Nikon, unfortunately. There are SO MANY fine wires and low-voltage devices on our cameras... anything can happen. </p>

<p>Good luck!</p>

<p>ERR showed up on my D800E when the SD card was not making good contact, and cured by taking it out an putting it in again. This may have nothing to do with Joseph’s problems.</p>

<p>I got a bad D600 in December. Amazon swapped it for a good one instantly. Joseph, it sounds like your camera is bad.</p>