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Hi all - first time posting.... be gentle...

I've got a D70 that I've owned for "the length of the warranty" plus aboot 2 weeks, and it has, of course, now chosen to go titsup on me.

It's a D70, and the problem I'm having is that it can no longer seem to meter correctly.
When I try to compose a photo (pressing the shutter button) it:
- flashes the "ISO Auto" part of the display with a steady on/off rhythm
- starts to flip through values for shutter speed and aperture seemingly randomly (although it will many times settle the aperture on F4 {on a 2.8-32 lens})
- constantly dims/brightens the display through the viewfinder, but not at a steady rhythm like the ISO Auto indicator.

....and if it's not obvious, it cannot take photos worth mentioning (it's last-ever photo is here - what should have been a sunrise in my side mirror)

I have tried all shooting modes (same)
I have tried multiple lenses (same)
I have updated the firmware (from 1.2 to 2 - no fix)

And of course, I am now 30 days away from the vacation of lifetime (heading to Rangiroa) and face the potential of not having this camera.

I will be sending it off to Nikon in the AM, but just wanted to log on here and see if anyone had any suggestions, even if it's another forum to check out.

I am not impressed by this camera - at all. Both in the construction of this thing, the washed-out photos it takes, and now the longevity. Maybe I just got a lemon, but I've got a $179 Fuji that takes better photos than my D70/Nikkor and 1/10th the price. I love my F5, but Nikon really can't do digital. I told myself that I had to go Nikon because of the lenses I owned - now I may just ditch it all and go Cannon.

Maybe I did get a lemon - I was in Muir woods last month with a friend with the same camer/lens combo, and we'd take photos side-by-side and his were clear and vivid, and mine looked like prints that had been left in the sun for a month.

TIA
Don

First of all, welcome to our place.

johnny-longtorso wrote:It's a D70, and the problem I'm having is that it can no longer seem to meter correctly.
When I try to compose a photo (pressing the shutter button) it:

- flashes the "ISO Auto" part of the display with a steady on/off rhythm
- starts to flip through values for shutter speed and aperture seemingly randomly (although it will many times settle the aperture on F4 {on a 2.8-32 lens})

What mode are you shooting on and what lens?

I'm inclined to ask if, based on you mentioning further down that you use an F5, if this is not an accidental bit of user error and haven't properly set the aperture ring up for the D70, depending of course on the age and type of the lens.

- constantly dims/brightens the display through the viewfinder, but not at a steady rhythm like the ISO Auto indicator.

I'm not entirely sure what this one means.

....and if it's not obvious, it cannot take photos worth mentioning (it's last-ever photo is here - what should have been a sunrise in my side mirror)

While you haven't put up any EXIF data in that image, I'd say either you have a problem with a camera or it's user error, and I'd be more inclined to look at the latter.

It's not meant to disrespect you by any means, but depending on certain speeds you may be travelling at, getting a focus lock on a rear view mirror at whatever F stop you're trying to pull, and it kind of looks like your focus point was more to the left where the rear view mirror connects to the door panel... well, they're all factors I'd consider when looking at that image.

I am not impressed by this camera - at all. Both in the construction of this thing, the washed-out photos it takes, and now the longevity. Maybe I just got a lemon, but I've got a $179 Fuji that takes better photos than my D70/Nikkor and 1/10th the price. I love my F5, but Nikon really can't do digital. I told myself that I had to go Nikon because of the lenses I owned - now I may just ditch it all and go Cannon.

You know, I've only heard of one person ditching a D70 so far, and from what I recall about him (this was one of our American forum member's friends) he had migrated from a Nikon film camera, knew quite a bit, and yet suffered from a case of the old mighty RTFM syndrome, but didn't take heed and would consistently get bad results no matter what he did... and so he dumped the camera.

Saying that, I'm in no way suggesting that this is simply a case of RTFM.

However, very few people have complained about the image quality being washed out... usually that comes down to the person shooting the image and a lack of quality exposure.

Very few people complain about the construction of the D70... people drop it and it survives with some marks, which is more than what you can say for most of the competitors equipment targeted around the same price range and is the sort of quality most people have come to expect out of a Nikon camera.

Longetivity wise, aside from the BGLOD issue, these cameras seem to last quite a while, around 10,000-25,000 shutter activations before anything drastic like a shutter replacement is required.

Maybe I did get a lemon - I was in Muir woods last month with a friend with the same camer/lens combo, and we'd take photos side-by-side and his were clear and vivid, and mine looked like prints that had been left in the sun for a month.

Perhaps you did get a lemon.
I've seen a couple of problems on mine that are just popping up in an-almost-a-year's worth of using this camera.
However, if your friend is using the same combo and getting better shots, I'd seriously consider reading the manual because it's very possible that in making the jump from film slr to digital slr, you're doing something wrong.

And it's okay.
A lot of people who are bloody experienced with film slr's go in on a digi slr thinking it'll all be the same... and then they get really irritated at the camera because it isn't.
I see it quite often actually, and it's disturbing.

Comparing a digital slr to a point and shoot isn't all that grand, though.
Your $179 Fuji shoots with presets similar to what your Nikon will do on the "Auto" mode.
Once you switch out of those "auto" modes that exist, then you're in the real territory where having a combined knowledge of that digital slr and the film slr will help you, but only if you've really taken the time to look at the manual and see what's different.

I'm sorry I can't help more or if this post has perhaps infuriated you.
I've tried to be gentle but to me, honestly, a lot of what you're describing, perhaps in frustration, sounds like user error.

Good luck, Don.

Nnnnsic wrote:What mode are you shooting on and what lens?

I shoot mostly in Program mode, will occasionally go "auto" if I'm feeling lazy. My program mode has a slightly smaller center metering area, but otherwise is unchanged.
I should have noted that:
- going into Shutter mode causes the aperture to vascilate but eventually settle on "Lo"
-going into Aperture mode merely locks the given aperture value while the shutter speed vascilates.
Lens is a Nikkor G-AFS ED-IF DX 17-to-50 (or 70?)mm IIRC

I'm inclined to ask if, based on you mentioning further down that you use an F5, if this is not an accidental bit of user error and haven't properly set the aperture ring up for the D70, depending of course on the age and type of the lens.

I of course appreciate the "gotta ask the simple questions", but no - there's a specific error display when the aperture ring is not set correctly ("fEE" if memory serves)

Johnny wrote:- constantly dims/brightens the display through the viewfinder, but not at a steady rhythm like the ISO Auto indicator.

I'm not entirely sure what this one means.

While looking through the viewfinder, when depressing the shutter button to "set" the exposure, typically the yellow display at the bottom will light up, bright & steady, while the settings are "locked down" - what is happening to me is that this display is constantly flickering bright -then- dim -then- bright -then- dim, etc.... in an odd flashing pattern.

It's not meant to disrespect you by any means, but depending on certain speeds you may be travelling at, getting a focus lock on a rear view mirror at whatever F stop you're trying to pull, and it kind of looks like your focus point was more to the left where the rear view mirror connects to the door panel... well, they're all factors I'd consider when looking at that image.

That image has no significance other than it was the last one the camera ever took anywhere near correctly. I should note that being from the states - I was piloting the car at the time and did not have time to fiddle with focal length or general composition, it was a "hey!", point, click kinda deal while driving to work.
<snip>

You know, I've only heard of one person ditching a D70 so far, and from what I recall about him (this was one of our American forum member's friends) he had migrated from a Nikon film camera, knew quite a bit, and yet suffered from a case of the old mighty RTFM syndrome, but didn't take heed and would consistently get bad results no matter what he did... and so he dumped the camera.

Again, I appreciate the RTFM comments, but having taken nearly 3000 photos with this camera and read the manual cover-to-cover on many a cross-country flight looking for the one user setting I may have missed I can say with relative certainty that it's not user error. It's decidedly a "new onset" issue where the camera went from taking suitable pictures in the AM to not being able to do anything later that day. No other changes to the camera other switching it on & off a couple times.

However, very few people have complained about the image quality being washed out... usually that comes down to the person shooting the image and a lack of quality exposure.

I won't say they've all been bad, I've had a few winners:
http://www.ocnav.com/images/DSC_0838.jpg
http://www.ocnav.com/images/DSC_0885.jpg
...but by-and-large I've been under-impressed given the cost of the camera.

... However, if your friend is using the same combo and getting better shots, I'd seriously consider reading the manual because it's very possible that in making the jump from film slr to digital slr, you're doing something wrong.

In the spirit of "I-might-be-an-idiot" I will again page through the manual this evening and see if there's anything I may have overlooked.
I suppose I'd appreciate the comment more had I just altered something in the camera config & then found I could no longer get a shot, but as stated it's a sudden onset issue, and there's no amount of fiddling that allows the camera to "settle" and take a photo...

I am betting whatever the metering mechanism is it's fried.

I'm sorry I can't help more or if this post has perhaps infuriated you.
I've tried to be gentle but to me, honestly, a lot of what you're describing, perhaps in frustration, sounds like user error.

lol - nope, no worries. I'm the guy with (theoretically) broken camera, so if I have to defend my honor so be it.... I don't see how any degree of user error could cause the erratic behavior I'm seeing.

Good luck, Don.

Thanks!

Other bits I should mention:
I have tried my standard IBM MicroDrive and a Lexar CF card
The CF socket/pocket pins are in fine shape
I have not had opportunity to try a different battery, but will do that on the ride home tonight. I will say that I left this thing on for a week and the battery on stand-by just does not die!!
I've also tried a Sigma Aspherical D series lens.

Cheers-
Don

Don,

A couiple of things I'd be trying.

First of all. make sure that your battery is fresh and fully charged.

As you suggest, put a different lens onto the front of your camera. See how that works. You mention that you have a friend with a D70; perhaps borrow his or her lens for a test shoot? Also, let him or her use your lens to see how it works on their camera.

All things being equal, each camera should be capable of turning in similar and consistant results.

As an aside, with a G series lens, there is no way that you can forget to set the lens aperture ring to maximum aperture, as the G lens designation is for lenses with no aperture ring.

The behaviour you mention when you switch to A and S modes is normal and expected behaviour. In A mode, the nominated shutter speed will "vascillate" because the camera is selecting a shutter speed to match your selected aperture within the then current lighting conditions. Similarly, in S mode, you'll select a shutter speed, and the camera's metering system will then determine the appropriate aperture setting for those lighting conditions.

But the fact that you're constantly overexposing suggests to me that you tell us what your ISO and exposure compensation settings are. My guess is that (failing a camera fault) your exposure compensation is set to over-expose your images, and you're not paying attention to the indicator on your camera's LCD. Have a look at our forum logo on the top left of this screen, at the +/- indicator directly below the letter S in dSLrForum; is that showing on your camera when it's turned on?

Maybe a silly question, but have you tried a reset???

Even sillier question, is it on Auto ISO?

John - yes, I've tried a reset, both via the menu and via the "2 button reset" on the camera body. Is there an undocumented reset that I'm unaware of? (neither of the above methods seem to affect my user settings like Custom Image Optimization {where the only thing I have altered is the use of the Adobe color profile} )

G - Have not tried anyone else's lenses, only the 2 I own. Will give that a shot.
To be clear, I know that in A and S mode the camera will "hunt" as I compose in the viewfinder, but once I depress the shutter button it should "lock and load" for the exposure, and this is what it's failing to do (in any mode) - it just keeps tossing about. And I should further clarify - it's not like the camera can't decide between a shutter speed of 1/125 or 1/250 - it vacillates between 10 seconds and 1/3000, and/or the full range of available aperture. Exposures are coming out as all black or all white.
And no, I have no exposure compensation set - everything is currently at "Auto" - white balance, exposure compensation, even the annoying AF Assist.

I have tried the camera with ISO Auto both on and off. I had been using it most of the time with ISO set to 200, but ISO Auto enabled.

I've also not mentioned it, but the focus component seems fine - it appears to be working as normal...

I did make another pass through the manual this evening, and other than really esoteric stuff (like loading a white balance profile from an image or how to delete groups of photos) I'm as up on the use of the camera as ever, and the settings currently configured are not dramatic.

I had no idea I'd stumbled upon a forum half-way 'round the globe! (blame Google)

As an aside, it's interesting to note that when on the 1.2 firmware the camera showed that I had 4 shots to fill the buffer, now that I'm on the 2.0 firmware it shows 3 (which is what the manual states will be available in RAW mode)

Your ongoing comments appreciated.

Sounds like a hardware failure issue related to the commonly known BGLOD. Nikon's official statement (regarding BGLOD) has something like "a certain number of these cameras may have metering or AF malfunction", sounds like it fits this category to me.

Thanks for the advice all, the camera is on it's way to Nikon for triage.....

Great forum here, I will have to do some lurking.

Cheers-
Don