My cursed D300 strikes again!

[BuZzZeRkEr]

First it was AF illuminator problems.....now its something completely different! Strange things seem to happen with my D300, SB-800, and quantum turbo combo. It happens mostly when I'm on a big job my D300 starts crapping out...but it's only when I have my SB-800 on.

This time after about 45 minutes into the job my D300 would go into rest/sleep mode (although it is still on) and wouldn't recover...unless I turned off the D300 then turned it back on. I was photographing a fast pace event and didn't have time really to sniff it out, so I just dealt with it for the rest of the event.

After the event I removed the quantum turbo and the problem still occured. Then I removed the speedlight and BAM problem solved!!! I put the speedlight back on, and then the same thing would happen....it wouldn't recover from idle mode (unless I turned the camera off, then back on again). It was late so I just packed everything up and was going to mess with it again in the morning.

Next day....took a few pictures with the speed light off....everything working like a charm. Put on the SB-800 and the problem was there again, except this time WORSE! I took a picture with the speedlight on, then waited till the camera went into idle mode and it didn't recover....except this time when I turned it off then back on...it still didn't recover!!! WTF! So then I tried my trusty SB-600 and the D300 functioned normally. No problems at all. So then I switched back to my SB-800 and the problem was back....AGAIN! In dis-beliefe I called my wife over to show her what was going on. Here is where it gets wierd....when I go to show her the issue the SB-800 and D300 start functioning as normal! WHAT?!?!

Could there be problem be in the speedlight effecting the D300? I donno but I do have a theory....

Since this typically happens on big jobs and where I'm moving around ALOT in hot environments....I'm thinking that the sweat from my forhead pressing up against the D800 gets down into the hot shoe/speedlight contacts causing malfunction. When I am on the jobs where I'm constantly moving especially when it's really hot outside I sweat ALOT. This is my best explanation as to why my D300 seems cursed and has such odd electrical malfunctions that are not consistant. Any other insight as to what the problem might be?

 

[BoostedHoo]

hmmm definitely sounds like a contact issue with your sb800 on.
do you press your forehead on the sb600 also?
if you do then its probably not the sweat issue.

 

[BuZzZeRkEr]

Yeah, I've gotta big noggin I guess you would say. If my eye is in the viewfinder my forhead is touching the speedlight. I was thinking for plastic wrapping the speedlight contacts or something.

 

[AlexColeman]

Don't they have a water guard?

 

[Pure]

Don't they have a water guard?

Only for the 900 as far as I know.

Try the 800 without touching anything and just hit the shutter, while placed on a flat surface. Then try tilting it up towards the sky, down to the ground, etc etc. And see if the problems happens in certain situations. Also try pushing against it with some force in a few directions. If any of these things work to cause the fault, then you're probably losing contact with some of the pins.