D200 Repair - AGAIN!!

[samantha_bender]

Some of you may have read my post on 6/13 about my D200 being sent in for color

banding and poor autofocus. Well, I finally got my camera back last week - did

some shoots and thought all was good. Took the D200 to a wedding this past

weekend and guess what - the camera started having the SAME focus problems

during the shoot. Ok, I've had enough of this - and it's about time for Nikon

to get it right (this will be my THIRD time sending it in for repair since

January!) Any advice about how to handle this with Nikon?

Thank you in advance!

[johnmarkpainter]

Can you post some of your banding pics? Some things I have read make it sound like it

isn't a big deal.

 

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d200-banding.htm

[aaron_lee___minneapolis__m]

take all things Ken Rockwell with many grains of salt.

[savagesax]

Where did you buy the camera? Ask the store for the name of the Nikon Rep. Give that person a call. Usually they are pretty cool and you may wind up with a new camera. Nikon wants your business. The reps carry a lot of power.

[ramon_v__california_]

it's about time you have that camera replaced by the store or by nikon.

[Jerry_]

"...the camera started having the SAME focus problems during the shoot."

 

 

 

 

Granted, the camera may be at fault, but you do know how to focus the camera, then switch off the focus lever? That is one simple way to get the camera to keep focus on the subject without wandering off on its own.

 

 

 

 

It is really hard to figure out what the custom settings are on the camera you are having problems with.....

[ShunCheung]

First of all, apparently Samantha's D200 no longer has any banding problems, right? So the remaining issues are focusing related.

 

So when Samantha got her D200 back after the 2nd repair, she did some testing and it seemed fine. Was that testing done with many lenses? It was only later on during a wedding that the same focusing problem returned.

 

Usually, after a repair, Nikon would specify what was fixed. Did they replace any parts or it was only adjustments in the 2nd repair?

 

The D200's banding problem is very well known, but at least I am not aware of any wide-spread problem with focusing. Granted, the D200 is the very first SLR that uses the Multi-CAM 1000 AF module, so our experience with that is somewhat limited. What is the nature of the problems and are they with certain lenses only?

 

As Thom Hogan once pointed out, for focusing problems, frequently one should send the lens/lenses along with the body to Nikon for caliberation. In case the problems are specific to certain lenses, if you only send the body, you will probably be doing this over and over and over and still will not get it completely corrected.

[samantha_bender]

The banding has been fixed - and honestly, I'm not sure where my sample pics are since this is no longer a problem. But, yes, it is a big deal on a $1,600 camera - banding should not be present.

Focusing - I've tried almost every setting present - including manual. The focusing is EXTREMELY inconsistent but, the reps at the Nikon service center agree there is a problem.

My problem is that I don't want to keep sending it in for repair - I have a backup but still this is my main body and I need my camera!

[edwin_mendoza]

Samantha,

 

They do not care, I had the same serious issues with my D70 and sent it is 3 times as well. They do not care. I did get a refund for the shipping after a coupl of letters. I got over it and so will you, It will just take time to heal.

[EricM]

demand a new body.

[ShunCheung]

If Nikon agrees that this is a problem and cannot fix it, demand a replacement. I don't see any other option.

 

Again, it is also very expensive for Nikon to keep fixing your camera. It is not in their interest either that you keep sending it back.

[robert_hooper1]

Susan,

 

I suggest you write a very polite, but succinct letter to Masai Toshiyuki describing your camera failure and efforts to repair it through Nikon. Attach any corroborating documents. Let Mr. Toshiyuki know you are a professional photographer and require reliable equipment. Ask him to please replace your D200.

This approach has been mostly effective for me over the years. Once I even got a personal call from Skip Cohen, the then President of Hasselblad USA. The key is to clearly articulate the problem and exactly how you think it should be resolved, (in this case a replacement D200).

 

 

Mr. Masai Toshiyuki

 

President and CEO, Nikon Inc.

 

Fuji Bldg., 2-3, Marunouchi 3-chome,

 

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8331

[robert_hooper1]

Sorry, I meant Samantha.

[bill_webb2]

Samantha,

 

See report on "corduroy effect" or color banding here - http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D200/D200A.HTM

 

This report leads one to believe that the effect varies in intensity and noticeability from camera to camera (and I suppose from exposure to exposure) and may not be an issue for many people. I have not noticed it with mine but I have shot fewer than 1,000 photos with it so far (and posted none, yet).

[gary_lester1]

Hi!

Just a suggestion before you send the D200 back in or get any more frusterated with the

focus.

Have you familiarized yourself with the way the cameras zone focusing works? Often I find

that people think they know but really only know part of the functions.

Try these settings.

-Go to custom setting A5: Focus Tracking with lock on and set to Normal.

-Custom setting A8: Focus area selection and select No Wrap.

-Focus Mode which is set on front of camera to the left of lens mount. Set to C or

continuous

-Next go to the AF-C Mode priority in on the Custom Settings menu and select Focus.

I know this is against natural instinct but select Focus not Release and Focus or Release.

-Next go to AF-Activation and select On. This means that you will have to press the AF-On

button to the right of viewfinder to focus instead of just pressing the release as you are

probably used to.

-Trust me...you'll see why in a minute!

-Now on the back of the camera set the AF-area mode to Dynamic-Area AF. If you are

looking at the back of the camera you will flick the switch to the second from bottom

setting. That is the rectangle box with the crosshair looking dot array.

-Finally go to Focus-Zone Selection in Custom Menus. Select either the eleven or seven

frame area.

 

Now go out and prepare to be startled by the speed of focusing the D200 now exhibits!

What you need to remember is that you will hold the camera so that you can first hit the

AF-On button located to the right of the viewfinder to focus and then engage the shutter

release with your fourfinger while continuing to hold down the AF-On button.

What is happening now is that you are using Nikons multi-zone and predictive focusing

while seperating that action from the metering. When you use the shutter release to focus

and meter while using factory settings or really almost any other combination of above

settings other than what I mention above pictures of anything moving will never be in

sharp focus because of the split second it takes to press through the shutter release. This

is magnified when shooting in low light and/or at wide open aperture.

 

 

See what takes a while to understand is this. If you are set to Focus Mode S and using

Release and Focus than focus will lock on to early. That is great for a static subject but

not good for a moving one . Use S and C Mode in combination with the AF-On button and

Dynamic Focus so that the camera will track the moving subject. You need to use Focus

Lock because otherwise focus can jump off if a higher contrast subject appears in the

viewfinder. Often users set that to off thinking that it is meant only for when an object

passes between you and the subject. Also using the Spot metering at the same time as

Focus and Release means that you are only uisng One zone out of the Seven or Eleven

zones available to focus.

With the above settings you have enabled Predictive Focus Tracking! Keep holding that

AF-On button down as you begin a burst sequence and you will follow the action clearly.

With the settings above you turn on all of the zones and focus will track across them all.

 

 

Try it and you will see! The difference will surprise you I am sure. This makes the D200

autfocus professional level fast.

Good luck!<div></div>