D80 acting up. Sudden Battery death, F-- and out of sequence file names

[shoshana]

<p>I'm still using my D80 and up until a couple of weeks ago I was happy with it. Then I tried using my 28-105 lens and no matter how much I cleaned the contacts I got F--. It worked with the 16-85 (VR) so I used that. Next I tried the 70-300 (non VR) and F--. The 80-200 2.8 (non VR) works fine as does the 18-35.<br>

I was annoyed and thought it was a lens problem. I planned on taking them in to be checked along with my D600 flash that's started being erratic.<br>

Now I have a new problem. I use the camera no problem. Put it down and the battery is dead when i try to use it again. Normally I can go 2-3 weeks or more between charging. I don't get any low battery warning, it's just dead. I have charged it 3 times in the last week. The charging takes a couple of hours. The battery reads NEW in the software on the camera (it's the original battery)<br>

And here's the weird part. After I charge the battery and put it back in the camera, the File Name (number) is out of sequence. Say the last picture I took before the battery died was DSC_4156. The next picture I take should be DSC_4157 right? No, it's DSC_4115! (A number before the beginning of the numbers already on the card) This is crazy. The card was not re-formatted while the battery was charging. I did copy the pictures to my computer and I am thinking I need to burn thru 4116 through whatever the first picture on the card is on pics I don't want in order to get it back to the right place. I don't see a way to input the number I want to start with.<br>

I tried cleaning the battery contacts but maybe I need to try harder. I have had dead battery in the past of course but I always got a battery warning and never had the file names go wonky....<br>

I did some research on the web and saw some references to similar problems with the D80 but those people were using different lenses and they were saying it was the body/lens combo. Plus the newest reference was years old. I can't afford a new camera but my insurance will cover repair. <br>

Could the battery just be getting old even though the meter in the menu section seems to think it's fine? I'm using a q tip and alcohol to clean the battery terminals and a cloth to clean the lens/body contacts. Anything else i can try? Thank you!</p>

[elliot1]

<p>Is is the original battery? If so, it is old. It is inexpensive to replace and a good starting point to do some basic troubleshooting.</p>

[shoshana]

<p>Thank you for replying<br>

<br><br>Yes, it is the original battery. I looked on Amazon and it's about $40 for Nikon version. I'm just not sure I want to buy a second battery if the first battery is still good and it's really something else.</p>

<p><br><br><br>

The software insists the battery is fine. It's acting like something is draining the battery while it's just sitting there but I can't imagine what that would be.</p>

[5711]

<p>go to a store that has used equipment, or a friend with the same camera. try different batteries.<br>

those batteries do have electronics in them, and they count the images taken in a life cycle.<br>

at least with the bigger cameras.</p>

<p>the resetting of the numbers howeve ris something i have not seen before and therefore cannot tell you anything.</p>

<p>test a different battery.<br>

do you have a possibility to hook it up with a cable, instead of the batteries?<br>

try this too.</p>

<p>if you got varanty, let it repair<br>

if insurance covers it, let it repair...thats why you got insurance in the first place</p>

[elliot1]

<p>You can get a generic for around $10. It is always good to have a spare. How long have you owned the camera?</p>

[shoshana]

<p>I bought the camera new in 2006. I use it regularly but not a massive amount - I've taken less that 55,000 pictures. </p>

<p>I don't know of anyone else who has the same battery. </p>

<p>Cable? You mean a USB cable from the camera to the computer? I've not tried that. </p>

<p>I think I will have to take it in. Along with the flash and 2 lenses. I'm waiting till after Christmas when there are less packages being sent</p>

[CvhKaar]

<p>A battery from 2006 that still works.. that is great !<br>

Average lifetime of a rechargable battery is between 3 and 5 years 9 often 6-7). then it needs replacing..</p>

<p>Inside the camera is also a small battery for keeping dat and time and also last click number and some other data. when the "big"battery is not in the camera. This small battery also has a finite lifespan and when that failes then you loose data like click count , dat & time etc. so it might well be that this internal battery does not get charged enough when the main battery is failing.</p>

<p>So I agree whith other posts that say : buy a new battry, be it Original Nikon ( if they are still produced) or a good off-brand battery and start from that...</p>

[shoshana]

<p>Thanks y'all! Very good information :)</p>

[shoshana]

<p>additional note: I took pictures to 'catch the numbers up' and was surprised to see the numbers that were already in use on the card were duplicated! So I have a number of duplicate file names on the card. The new pics are just throwaways. Haven't tried looking at them on the computer.</p>

<p>On a different note, I saw that the screen on top got stuck lit up and it was draining the battery - it went from 95% to 89% in just a few minutes. Doing more research... </p>

[5711]

<p>i did not mean usb cable</p>

<p>i ment this:<br>

<a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/820410-REG/Nikon_27055_EH_5B_AC_Adapter_for.html">http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/820410-REG/Nikon_27055_EH_5B_AC_Adapter_for.html</a></p>

[shoshana]

<p>Oh, thank you. I've never seen that before! </p>