My D7000 came today, Yay. Just one concern...

[Netskimmer]

I haven't had time to charge the battery or anything but I put my 55-300mm lens on it just to get a look through the viewfinder and the image looks "dirty" everything as a little duller when I look through it and it looks almost as if there is a a kind of film on the viewfinder. Does anyone know if this is because there is no power/battery in the cam or know what else this might be? Got the camera off eBay from a brick and mortar store in NY. They seemed to have a good rep and good positive feedback. The camera is supposed to be brand new/unopened so it shouldn't be dirt.

 

[photocist]

I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.

Why not just throw the battery in and check...

 

[Raian-san]

No battery

 

[Geaux]

Wait to judge when you put batteries in it ....

 

[Netskimmer]

Wait to judge when you put batteries in it ....

That was my plan I just got a little nervous. :blushing:

 

[KmH]

I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.

Nope! The viewfinder of a D7000 doesn't need the battery.

The viewfinder doesn't require any power. Thats what SLR (Single Lens Reflex) is all about.

Which store on eBay?

 

[Netskimmer]

I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.

Nope! The viewfinder of a D7000 doesn't need the battery.

The viewfinder doesn't require any power. Thats what SLR (Single Lens Reflex) is all about.

Which store on eBay?

Camera Land Inc.

http://www.cameralandny.com/

 

[OrionsByte]

Your lens is probably stopped down to it's smallest aperture. The camera will open it up to it's largest aperture when you turn it on, to let as much light as possible in for the viewfinder.

EDIT: I picked up my D7000 to confirm. Looking through the viewfinder with the battery out looks exactly the same as when I put the battery in, turn the camera on, and use DOF preview to stop it down to f/22 (the smallest aperture on that lens at that focal length). I was slightly wrong about one thing though - the camera will open up the lens' aperture as soon as you put the battery in and the lens is connected - it won't wait for you to turn it on.

EDIT 2: Ignore that, it has nothing to do with the lens aperture, which is opened mechanically as soon as you attach the lens (see below).

 

[KmH]

Nikon lenses open to their widest aperture as soon as they are mounted on the camera body. It is a mechanical, not an electrical, process.

Take a look at the aperture lever on the lens mount of all your lenses. Also notice that when you take a lens off the camera, the aperture always closed to it's smallest aperture.

The lens won't stop down to the set aperture until the shutter is released, unless the lens has a manual aperture ring that is not locked at the smallest aperture.

 

[OrionsByte]

Nikon lenses open to their widest aperture when they are mounted on the camera body.

Right, but apparently only if the body has power. At least on the D7000.

 

[KmH]

Nope!

Try it. Take the lens off. Then watch from the front of the lens what happens to the lens aperture when you put the lens back on.

 

[OrionsByte]

Alright, you're right. That certainly makes more sense.

It definitely looks stopped down through the viewfinder without the battery in though. So for whatever reason it looks like that, I'd say the OP has nothing to worry about.

 

[SrBiscuit]

have you adjusted the diopter yet?

 

[KmH]

I bet there is some dust on the focusing screen or the mirror, and that the OP's expectations exceed the reality. It could also be the viewfinder eyepiece has a fingerprint on it.

It is best to adjust the diopter when the power is on, by looking at the information displays in the viewfinder.

 

[AJRacca]

You need the battery. I did that with my old camera and got scared, but I put the battery in and it was fine.