White shadow/line - sensor problem?

[maria_von_staa]

<p>Hi! <br>

I have a Nikon D3100 and in the last few days i've noticed a white line/ shadow on the left side of my pics. I thought that could be the lens, so I changed it and nothing changed. A guy from a photography shop told me that it could be the sensor. does anyone knows what it is and how I could fix it?<br>

<img src="file:///Users/mvsfc/Desktop/Captura%20de%20pantalla%202014-05-01%20a%20la(s)%2018.46.51.png" alt="" /><br>

Here is two examples (left side) . The photos are edited so you can't really notice. In some other photos you can really notice the line. <br>

https://www.flickr.com/photos/115930654@N04/14054657035/<br>

https://www.flickr.com/photos/115930654@N04/14082936644/in/photostream/</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

[pge]

<p>I am going to have to concur with the guy from the photography shop. Time for a trip to Nikon. It seems strange to me that a double image is being created, maybe someone else has experience with this same sort of problem.</p>

[maria_von_staa]

<p>Thanks for answering. <br>

Do you think it's something it's going to cost me a lot? 'Cause my camera is 3 years old and one of the cheapest ones in the market. The body of a new D3100 costs around 370 euros....</p>

[MichaelChang]

<p>Hi Maria, it does look like a sensor issue, and you can verify this with a dark-frame photo by shooting a picture with the lens cap ON under typical camera settings, then examine the result in software. The bright band will be there if the camera is at fault.</p>

<p>A trip to a Nikon service center will be in order if the fault still appears without a lens. <br>

</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>Can you see the line in live view - ever?<br>

- If sensor, then the line should be visible in live view.<br>

Did you test another memory card?<br>

- Just to exclude that away. Easy to test.<br>

At what shutter speeds the line appears, or does it appear at any speed?<br>

Is the line visible in JPG and/or NEF - files?</p>

<p> </p>

[pge]

<blockquote>

<p>Do you think it's something it's going to cost me a lot?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yes I do but maybe I am wrong. It can`t hurt to send it in and get the estimate. I am spoiled in that regard because a Nikon repair facility is only 20 minutes from my house so I don`t have to deal with shipping.</p>

<p>Michael and Kari make good suggestions, I would try all of them.</p>

[maria_von_staa]

<p>Kari Oinonen: <br>

The line do not appear on live view. And yes, I've tried with another memory card and it's still there. <br>

The line is more visible on high shutter speed and in both RAW and JPG files. <br>

I've just done a few tests and now there is also a black line that is visible on live view :(<br>

I'm attaching a photo.<br>

thanks for helping!!!!</p>

[doug_armstrong]

<p>Shutter.<br /> <br />Perhaps someone who knows more of the mechanical details can diagnose it more precisely.<br /> <br />Could any dirt or other stuff ("crud" is the technical term :-) ) have gotten in while you were changing lenses?</p>

[maria_von_staa]

<p>Doug Armstrong, maybe.... but I started noticing so suddenly.... <br>

Anyway, thanks for the help everybody! It seems like I am going to need a trip to Nikon...</p>

[mike_halliwell]

<p>The double image almost looks like a mirror reflection as if the shutter and mirror are out of sync somewhere.</p>

<p>D3100's are barely worth repairing. Time for an upgrade me thinks!</p>

[kari_oinonen]

<p>So it seems to be the mirror and/or the shutter. The black line may point towards the mirror not going up enough or the mirror is too slowly going up. This might make the reflection/line splitting.<br>

For the shutter - it is a Nikon repair job.<br>

For the mirror, check though that everything seems to be at their place. Check also the situation while in the mirror up mode (for sensor cleaning).<br>

Does the camera sound "normal"? And there is no in camera image adjustments in place. - The fault has comething in common with some of your images in flikr - two layers combined.<br>

If these quick checks fail, call Nikon :-)</p>

[geoffs1]

I'm going to guess it's actually a shutter problem.

 

If you can get a free/low-cost repair estimate that's probably worth doing, but I would also think a new camera is the better bet.