Weird shutter fault on a D70

[markwilkins]

Hi all! Just wanted some thoughts on this.

 

As I was departing on an overseas trip a couple of days ago, I attempted to take a picture

with my relatively new (a few weeks old) D70 and got nothing but "Err" on the display.

Apparently the mirror was stuck in the up position, because pressing the button again

caused it to return and cleared the "Err" condition.

 

Just to see what was going on, I removed the lens and locked up the mirror. The shutter

appears to consist of a series of thin metal curtains with protrusions that extend upward

across the curtain above and are held together by screws. One of these hinged

protrusions had somehow caught on the edge of the gate (the metal frame around the

sensor, normally immediately in front of the shutter) and a couple of the curtains looked

like they were bowed outward.

 

Figuring that warranty service was in this camera's future anyway, I gingerly used a

fingernail to dislodge the shutter from the gate, then tried to take a picture. Amazingly, it

worked! Since then, I've shot about 15 pictures with the camera and it's worked fine.

 

So, my questions are:

 

* Anyone have any idea what might have caused this fault in the first place?

 

* Anyone have any idea what kind of mechanical damage this might have caused?

 

* Should I just use the camera until it fails or does it make sense to send it in for service

immediately upon return?

 

-- Mark

[lex_jenkins]

Actually, that's pretty much one of the recommended field desperation methods for fixing that problem.

 

Usually when focal plane shutters with multiple curtains get whapperjawed it's on film cameras when the user accidentally pokes a finger through the curtain while loading or unloading film. I have no idea what would cause that on a D70 (I'm guessing a minor flaw in the track the shutter follows) but I'd definitely send it in for a checkup while it's still under warranty.

[RaymondC]

I got ur problem as well as wide aperturese I got black shots so dark than u can't push process in Nikon Capture. I sent back to Japan and got a aperture circuit board replaced.

[ravi_swamy]

My D70 started flashing "Err" about every 5th picture and the mirror would stay up. Hitting the shutter button again would cause the mirror to come down. Then it started happening every shot and finally it wouldn't take any pictures. I sent it to Nikon and they replaced the shutter. Works fine now.<p>I never saw anything strange with the shutter blades and never tried touching them.

[markwilkins]

Thanks guys. I will definitely send the camera in for service once I return from my trip,

which will last about another week. In the meantime, I'll keep using the camera and see

what happens. Hopefully, I'll get some good pictures in the meantime. :)

 

-- Mark

[keith_penner1]

I just had that happen. Time for me to rethink keeping the D70 and having it repaired or get a newer D80 or D300 or D3 etc.

I had one last thought "What do I have to loose?" and so

 

I BANGED THE SIDE OF THE CAMERA

 

(holding in my right hand and banging the left side {front forward} with my left hand (meaty part of the palm under the thunb) and

 

PING* CLACK kachung!!!

 

IT CAME BACK TO LIFE!!!!

hahahaha....I couldn't believe it!

 

Dont know how long before it ERR's again but it seems it was some kind of internal shutter connect problem that I have (temporarily) solved.

 

Until next time....it saves me from running immediatly to Nikon, but I think I will be getting a backup body VERY soon.

 

Good Luck with your last ditch attempts.