Nikon D80 wont record to SD card

My friend broke her D80 and had it repaired at the factory (dropped it down stairs). When she got it back, she moved and never used it as she didn't have a lens. It stayed in box for three years. I gave her one and unwrapped it this morning. The images she took (including one falling down the stairs) were still on the card. I took a picture and it worked and picture was recorded on the SD card.

 

She asked me a question so I stopped to explain it to her and reset some things on the camera. I changed the image quality to RAW and turned the ISO up to 1600. After 30 min, we took another picture. The shutter moved, the camera appeared to work perfectly but when the image review popped up, it was of the last picture. The picture we took was not recorded. I put the card in my computer to be sure. No image. Older images were all there. Tried taking more. Not recorded.

 

Here is what I did.

 

Card works in my D800.

I formatted the card in the D 80 and it appeared to format correctly. After formatting, I can put it in my computer and see the empty DCIM file.

 

I reset the iamge quality and ISO back to where they were (I know it should be meaningless)

 

I did a factory reset holding the two buttons down.

 

I took the battery out for ten seconds.

 

I updated the firmware

 

I tried it with another card.

 

It seems like it has to go back. Does anyone have any other ideas?

You did all the things I would have recoommended .. My 9 years old daughter received a D80 from a friend of mine last year, so I should 'sort of' know the camera..

I sincerely hope someone here can come up with better ideas!

One additional thing I'd try would be a different SD card - and make sure it's a relatively simple and small capacity SD card. I'd try max. 2GB in size, and no UHS card or other recent specifications. So, a really simple base model 1 or 2 GB card, shouldn't cost a lot.

I had an SD card do this once, but the issue turned out to be the little 'lock' tab had broken on the inside in an always locked position. The thing that bugged me was it didn't always tell me it was locked. I don't know whether the little tab is optically/mechanically detected inside as well as through software? It sounds as if maybe the card writer mechanism is acting up or being very picky about cards. Can it read other cards from other Nikon cameras?

 

Without meaning to sound negative, it's probably not financially worth getting it fixed now as it's rapidly becoming obsolete, spares may be hard to source and refurbs are so readily available at very good prices. If you need the 2 dial style, a D7000 or D7100 would be a real upgrade in pretty much everything....or at the least a D90 so you can have live view.

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be able to format the card if the lock tab were the issue. Other than "try another card", I agree - it sounds like you've tried sensible things. Good luck, and if it's a paperweight, I'm sorry to hear it.

". I updated the firmware I tried it with another card"... I missed the full meaning of this nugget. So the camera can recognise and READ from another card, if it could update the firmware, I guess it must!. I gather it cannot WRITE to this other card either?

.

". I updated the firmware I tried it with another card"... I missed the full meaning of this nugget. So the camera can recognise and READ from another card, if it could update the firmware, I guess it must!. I gather it cannot WRITE to this other card either?

.

 

 

Exactly. It read from the card to update the firmware. And the card works because I can read it in the computer and write to it in the computer. It is just that the camera isn't recording when I take a picture. Wierdest thing I've seen.

The only way I can think of to show the camera actually makes a 'fully formed' image is to try tethering it. If it sends a good pic to a PC or Mac, but nothing to the SD card, then i suppose the card WRITER is shot. The pic shown on the back LCD is internally generated as it can be there with no card installed. I assume DEMO mode works OK?.

In the Custom settings menu , you can set the "No Memory Card" to OK (setting 5 in that menu if i remember well, long time ago..)

If set ot OK possibly the D80 then goes into "Demo Mode" and does not register anything on a memory card, it can even do without memory card in "Demo Mode".

Sooo is it possibly set into the "No Memory Card" or "Demo Mode"?

Nice thinking C.P.M.! I've got to go and charge a battery for my D80. There should be enough juice to test in about half an hour. I'll be back!

Wow must be an extensive "test" if it takes 3 days ... ;)

:oops: There's 2 reasons for the delay..

 

1) I'd forgotten I'd given my 'obsolete' camera to the better half and she'd left it at work.... only just got it back.

2) My D500 and Sigma 50-100mm 1.8 have just arrived:)

 

OK, it is indeed setting 5! When set to OK, it will allow the shutter to trip ONLY if there's no card in the slot, and it then enters DEMO MODE.

 

If there's card in the slot, it won't go to DEMO MODE even if it's full.

 

If the little catch is slid to LOCK, the message Card is Locked appears on the back screen and CHA flashes on the top LCD. It won't do to DEMO if it's LOCKED. and the shutter won't trip.

Hi Allenrowe ,

If you read the answers, you will notice this isseu was solved allready..