jim_fenton3

I continue to shoot the loaner D2Xs Nikon sent me with the last replacement D300 body.

That D300 continues to have really poor AF with my 500 VR, AF lockup, inability to acquire and intermittent low battery lockup.

My last communication from Nikon was to use the D2Xs loaner and basically sit tight while Nikon looks into this.

The D300 for the most part just sits currently.

Folks....

A) Nikon is aware of it and is looking into it. The problem is that they'll need to find cameras where they can reliably reproduce this to study just what the heck is causing it. On one body, the shot 3,000 frames with my cmaera dn my brand new 500 VR and found no issues...and it failed 26 images after I got it back.

B) I'm on body #5 and that one has failed and I'm currently shooting a D2Xs loaner instead. The D300 sits and Nikon advises they'll be in touch as soon as they have some information.

C) Along with the loss of power / lockup, I experience really bad AF ability, especially out past 25 yards and at times, the camera will attempt to focus and just lock up while doing so.It's almost as if the AF is ratcheting or stuttering (no...VR isn't on) and I'm thinking that all of this is interrelated.

D) It isn't the grip or batteries as I've encountered this with grip, no grip, no battery in the camera, etc. I've beeen sent new batteries to try, new CF cards, etc.

E) Lenses I've been using when it occurs: 28-70 AFS, 300 f4 AFS, 500 AFSII and now my 500 VR...both with and without converters.

Personally, I don't doubt the failure rate that the OP is posting, based on my personal experience. I shoot mainly wildlife and have a 500 AFSG-VR mounted most of the time, with and without TC's. I've also experienced these issues with a 300 2.8 VR, 300 f4 and 28-70 AFS.

Body #1 (serial # 997) refused to focus at all when picked up at the store. It was replaced right then and there.

Body # 2 (serial# 1597) worked great for 2 weeks and then AF slowed to a crawl, hunted severely and then the body began exhibiting the DBS / lockup and shooting black frames at 1/8000 of a second, with no other EXIF information. Again, this was replaced by the store after approval from their Nikon rep.

Body # 3 (serial# 5999) worked perfectly for 4,988 images and then began exhibiting the exact same issues. I sent this to Nikon Melville and it was replaced.

Body #4 (serial#25997) worked perfectly for 5,016 images and then experienced the same failures as 2 and 3. It is currently at Nikon.