New Nikon D600 with ERR Message shutter sounding off and unable to take photos

[CaptainNapalm]

Hi guys. Looking for some help.
I was shooting all day today with my D600 without issue. Toward the end of the day, without warning, the camera just stopped taking photos. This happened all of a sudden, one second I was firing away pictures without issue and the next second the shutter started sounding different (more quiet), a blinking ERR message appeared and no photos would record. I tried to restart the camera, take out the battery, use a different SD card and ensured there was no dirt in the camera or in the lens (there couldn't have been anyway I didn't change lenses all day). Nothing helped and I'm still reading the blinking ERR message when I turn on the camera, when I press shutter button I hear a different (softer) shutter sound and photos just don't record. What's interesting is that the "lock mirror up for cleaning" and "clean image sensor" options are greyed out on my camera and when I try to initiate these features I get a message "your camera can't perform this action in it's current setting or state". Another thing I observed is that when I removed the lens and looked on the inside of the camera where the lens mounts, there is a small metal piece (bracket) on the right side with a visible spring behind it that use to move up and down when the shutter was pressed and now it won't budge. If this was an old camera my first guess would be that the shutter just went but I've had this camera for less that two months and have taken probably less than 3000 photos with it so I'm really confused as to what's going on. The Nikon user manual is no help and I tried to google this issue with not much success. Obviously my next step will be to call Nikon technical support during operating hours and likely visit their service centre to have the camera fixed under warranty but in the meantime I'm itching to know what the problem might be. Can anyone shed some light as to what can be happening with a practically brand new camera that has been well taken care of? Any advice would be really appreciated.

 

[Derrel]

Can you try the "two button re-set" option?

From David Busch's book excerpt on-line "Two-button reset. The Nikon D600’s two-button reset (holding down the Zoom Out/Index and Exposure Compensation buttons [on the back left panel of the camera and the top right surface, respectively] simultaneously for more than two seconds) will not reset your shooting menu banks or Custom Setting menu banks. This particular reset is for basic settings, such as focus point, exposure mode, flexible program, exposure/flash compensation, autoexposure hold, bracketing, flash mode, flash value lock, and multiple exposure settings."

from David Busch?s Compact Field Guide for the Nikon® D600 > Chapter 3 Playback and Shooting Menu Settings > Reset Shooting Menu - Pg. : Safari Books Online

I "think" what you are describing not working right is the lens diaphragm actuation mechanism's arm...

 

[480sparky]

.............. one second I was firing away pictures without issue and the next second the shutter started sounding different (more quiet), a blinking ERR message appeared and no photos would record. ...............

Sad to say, but that's what happened when the shutter died on my D7000.......

From the manual:

Err
Camera malfunction.
Release shutter. If error persists
or appears frequently, consult
Nikon-authorized service
representative.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

Can you try the "two button re-set" option?

From David Busch's book excerpt on-line "Two-button reset. The Nikon D600’s two-button reset (holding down the Zoom Out/Index and Exposure Compensation buttons [on the back left panel of the camera and the top right surface, respectively] simultaneously for more than two seconds) will not reset your shooting menu banks or Custom Setting menu banks. This particular reset is for basic settings, such as focus point, exposure mode, flexible program, exposure/flash compensation, autoexposure hold, bracketing, flash mode, flash value lock, and multiple exposure settings."

from David Busch?s Compact Field Guide for the Nikon® D600 > Chapter 3 Playback and Shooting Menu Settings > Reset Shooting Menu - Pg. : Safari Books Online

I "think" what you are describing not working right is the lens diaphragm actuation mechanism's arm...

Thanks Derrel, unfortunately nothing happens when I execute that button combination.

 

[CaptainNapalm]

.............. one second I was firing away pictures without issue and the next second the shutter started sounding different (more quiet), a blinking ERR message appeared and no photos would record. ...............

Sad to say, but that's what happened when the shutter died on my D7000.......

From the manual:

Err
Camera malfunction.
Release shutter. If error persists
or appears frequently, consult
Nikon-authorized service
representative.

My intuition tells me that it's the shutter that went but it's just hard to believe that a shutter would fail on a practically brand new camera with 2500 pictures to it's name.

 

[480sparky]

My intuition tells me that it's the shutter that went but it's just hard to believe that a shutter would fail on a practically brand new camera with 2500 pictures to it's name.

Mine died at 23-something.

Remove the lens and carefully push the mirror up so you can see the shutter.

 

[Murray Bloom]

Seems like time to service the camera. Things go bad, sometimes. DON'T FORCE ANYTHING!!!

 

[goodguy]

So sorry to hear your camera is not working, I am sure that is really annoying.
Nikon spa is about 20 minutes from us, I wouldn't try to continue to fix it on my own let the pros take care of it, after all its under warranty.
I am sure they will do a good job on it and you will get your camera as good as new in no time.

 

[KmH]

My intuition tells me that it's the shutter that went but it's just hard to believe that a shutter would fail on a practically brand new camera with 2500 pictures to it's name.

It happens with mass produced consumer goods.

While manufacturers work hard to minimize such occurrences, the law of averages is against them making it impossible to completely eliminate.