Nikon D90 problem - is it terminal (and if so what next)

[KmH]

Just saw that little thing at the bottom right (the people with the 'auto' next to it). Is that a night mode? Switch it off if you can.

That indicates Active-D Lighting is set to Auto.

 

[Rodwsmith]

Thanks Keith. A glimmer of hope, but no alas.
Auto Bracketing is set to AFflash, the factory setting, and no bracketing is on, having referred to the manual, thank you for taking the trouble to look that up for me..

Is it possible that a 'dying' image sensor could cause this? And is such a thing reparable for an economically viable price do you think?

I have no complaints - the camera is seven years old - but I have several trips coming up and would like to have a DSLR with me. I'm not a great photographer, but I'd like to think I am better than my iphone! So I need to plan the purchase of something else (if that is what I need do). I travel a lot for work, and indeed am away for a long time after Friday, so I have no chance really to have this camera repaired, even if it is reparable.

With selective deleting I can still make it work, but the point-and-click attributes of it are a major attraction, and while this problem persists, I have lost that.

Thank you again, I appreciate your taking the trouble to try to help me.

 

[robbins.photo]

Thanks Keith. A glimmer of hope, but no alas.
Auto Bracketing is set to AFflash, the factory setting, and no bracketing is on, having referred to the manual, thank you for taking the trouble to look that up for me..

Is it possible that a 'dying' image sensor could cause this? And is such a thing reparable for an economically viable price do you think?

I have no complaints - the camera is seven years old - but I have several trips coming up and would like to have a DSLR with me. I'm not a great photographer, but I'd like to think I am better than my iphone! So I need to plan the purchase of something else (if that is what I need do). I travel a lot for work, and indeed am away for a long time after Friday, so I have no chance really to have this camera repaired, even if it is reparable.

With selective deleting I can still make it work, but the point-and-click attributes of it are a major attraction, and while this problem persists, I have lost that.

Thank you again, I appreciate your taking the trouble to try to help me.

I would imagine you could probably pick up a used D90 for less than what one would cost to repair, depending on prices in your local area. It's an older camera model so not really in high demand anymore.

 

[Derrel]

At my home town pawn shop, one that has a pretty good emphasis on photo goods, a used D90 brings about $99 with a battery and charger, so there's not much sense in repairing one or having a new sensor put in, since just turning a single screw at a camra repair place is easily $75, just for an estimate--and nowadays, Nikon is not selling repair parts to many non-authorized repair facilities, so...when a D70,D80, or D90 conks out, it becomes a replace rather than repair type of situation.

Trouble shooting: the FIRST thing to do is to do a two-button re-set of the camera, to get it back to a known base state. This is absolutely essential on a d-slr.

Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.

Third: Set the lens to wide-open, f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2.
**********
By shooting step 2 at f/11 and manual shutter speed, you can see if the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing, or not.

By shooting step 3 at wide-open, you have a constant aperture that will allow you to see if there's a shutter timing problem.

Reviewing the Step 2 and Step 3 image sequences, five shots at each different exposure setting, your histograms ought to be very much identical.
**********
Your first two shots in this post were done at ISO 3200, but one has a 1/250 shutter speed, the other has a 1/500 speed. That makes me think bracketing was on. AGAIN, do a two-button re-set of the camera!!!! Get the camera back to the factory defaults. There are so,so many possible issues that this is the only way to begin to troubleshoot a camera issue that you cannot quite figure out immediately.

 

[Rodwsmith]

Thanks Derrel

I have done the two button reset several times, (and the only change subsequently is to image jpg + raw)

Here are the things I have already done:
- Changed battery.
- Removed lens (usual is Nikkor AF-S 18 - 200). Cleaned contacts on both lens and body.
- Checked firmware is up to date (in fact there was an update [L2.013] so I installed that)
- Tried two other lenses - same problem, so it cannot be the lens
- Restored all settings (with and without lens attached - someone suggested the latter might make a difference)
- Set the ISO to 200, and turned off ISO sensitivity control
- Tried every permutation of completely automatic (with and without built-in flash), S, A, & M

And then everything everyone has recommended on this thread, with the above results. The histograms are completely different, even when every other setting is identical.

I'l try your suggestions (2) and (3) tomorrow (it is late here now). Bracketing has never been on (to my knowledge), but it certainly was not when the above sequences, after Keith's posts in this thread, were taken (or indeed at all if a reset removes the setting)
(A reset was the first thing I tried - I don't want to waste anyone's time.)

I'll let you know...

Cheers

Rod

 

[Dave442]

I would take Derrel's advise and just pick up another D90 or move up to the D7100/D7200 or such if that is in the budget. I have a couple D200 bodies, one given to me and the other I picked up for $200 with grip, batteries and charger. These are like disposable cameras, great for travel and good for a backup body.

 

[coastalconn]

Judging by your samples, my guess is that the lever that controls the aperture is malfunctioning. That would explain the different exposures at the same exposure settings. This still could be a faulty connection between the camera and lenses. How did you clean the contacts on the camera itself?

 

[KmH]

Yep, it could be the aperture actuation motor in the camera is going belly up.

 

[Rodwsmith]

Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.

Third: Set the lens to wide-open, f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2.
**********
By shooting step 2 at f/11 and manual shutter speed, you can see if the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing, or not.

By shooting step 3 at wide-open, you have a constant aperture that will allow you to see if there's a shutter timing problem.

Reviewing the Step 2 and Step 3 image sequences, five shots at each different exposure setting, your histograms ought to be very much identical.

Thanks again Derrel.

So I followed your instructions to the letter: first five, f11, manual shutter speed set to metered recommended level:










Then I did "f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2."











This looked - superficially - quite promising (although there are differences), so I carried on, and then this happened:


(Five shots further on, but with no changes to the camera or settings at all by me)

Personally I'm not sure how to interpret all this and whether the problem is "the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing"

(PS, this was done with a brand new battery)

I did get the occasional 'err' message and sometimes the camera would wiggle the aperture on the lens before attempting the shot, which might then necessitate a second press on the remote control.

I started this thread in the (albeit vague) hope that someone would say "oh - that - always happens to D90s. All you need to do is turn it on and off again and stare at an owl while drinking green tea" or something.
So I guess the camera is shot. Unless the above suggests to someone a quick fix.

There seems to be a fair few deals on a D7100 body. I guess the 7200 is replacing the 7100. I can get one for £485 UK (as I say I don't think this can possibly be the lens as it does the exact same thing with two other lenses - unless the camera has somehow managed to break lenses).
Would this be a good choice for me? I haven't lost faith in Nikon, although it seems a shame to throw away something so seemingly well built, the D90 is seven years old and has served me well. It's been to the top of Kilimanjaro, and the north pole, and seen the Terracotta Army and Times Square - I really can't complain..!

Once again, I remain enormously grateful to you who have taken the trouble to contribute to this thread and offer assistance - much appreciated.

Rod

 

[robbins.photo]

Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.

Third: Set the lens to wide-open, f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2.
**********
By shooting step 2 at f/11 and manual shutter speed, you can see if the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing, or not.

By shooting step 3 at wide-open, you have a constant aperture that will allow you to see if there's a shutter timing problem.

Reviewing the Step 2 and Step 3 image sequences, five shots at each different exposure setting, your histograms ought to be very much identical.

Thanks again Derrel.

So I followed your instructions to the letter: first five, f11, manual shutter speed set to metered recommended level:
View attachment 118242

View attachment 118243

View attachment 118244

View attachment 118245

View attachment 118246

Then I did "f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2."

View attachment 118249

View attachment 118250

View attachment 118251

View attachment 118252

View attachment 118253

This looked - superficially - quite promising (although there are differences), so I carried on, and then this happened:

View attachment 118254
(Five shots further on, but with no changes to the camera or settings at all by me)

Personally I'm not sure how to interpret all this and whether the problem is "the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing"

(PS, this was done with a brand new battery)

I did get the occasional 'err' message and sometimes the camera would wiggle the aperture on the lens before attempting the shot, which might then necessitate a second press on the remote control.

I started this thread in the (albeit vague) hope that someone would say "oh - that - always happens to D90s. All you need to do is turn it on and off again and stare at an owl while drinking green tea" or something.
So I guess the camera is shot. Unless the above suggests to someone a quick fix.

There seems to be a fair few deals on a D7100 body. I guess the 7200 is replacing the 7100. I can get one for £485 UK (as I say I don't think this can possibly be the lens as it does the exact same thing with two other lenses - unless the camera has somehow managed to break lenses).
Would this be a good choice for me? I haven't lost faith in Nikon, although it seems a shame to throw away something so seemingly well built, the D90 is seven years old and has served me well. It's been to the top of Kilimanjaro, and the north pole, and seen the Terracotta Army and Times Square - I really can't complain..!

Once again, I remain enormously grateful to you who have taken the trouble to contribute to this thread and offer assistance - much appreciated.

Rod

I think you'd love the 7100. I shoot one myself and it is a fantastic camera, it's still one of the best aps-c sensor cameras available on the market.



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