Nikon D2X trouble again!

joedmiles · #1 01-22-2007, 03:03 PM

I've just had my D2X back from Nikon after they said nothing was wrong with it and had a shoot on the weekend. It was an engagement portrait session. Tried focussing on the couple with my 70-200mm VR and it kept hunting and hunting and just wouldn't focus at all on them. I took the lens off and used a 28-70mm to see whether it was my lens but it happened again with this lens.

It was definitely a fault with the camera body. After a few embarrassing minutes had passed I put my 70-200mm back on and it worked as it normally would, focussing straight away without a problem.

Has anyone else had this problem? I've got to say I'm getting really fed up now with this D2X freezing and having focussing issues. Just think if it happened on their actual wedding...what would I do. I know I could manually focus it OK but it's just not what you expect from a high end expensive camera like the D2X.

I'm going to have to take it back to Nikon for the 5-6th time now.
Maybe I should switch to Canon!

Joe

larry_angier · #2 01-22-2007, 05:09 PM

I've had similar problems with AF not functioning. Sometimes it was the TC or the extension tubes that I was using; sometimes it was just the lens...

Check you AF settings. Sometimes going to a single point as opposed to the wider-area AF will do the trick.

If it was a lens problem, try cleaning the pins. Sometimes they get a bit of oil or other contaminates on them from usage and need just a fast wipe with alcohol on a que tip do the trick. Also check that the pins are working on the lens. Occasionally they stick.

In any case a back up plan does a pretty good job to get you going, especially with the 70-200 where you can turn off the af on the lens or on the body pretty easily. Sometimes we tend to let the technology get in the way...

EricC · #3 01-22-2007, 05:45 PM

Joe,
I had nothing but trouble with my D2x from almost day 1. The camera went to NPS on 4 occasions over the course of one year. The final solution being that Nikon replaced it with a D2Xs. I have had the Xs since August and it just crossed the 90K click mark without any issues.

The first time that the D2X went to NPS I sent it with the 70-200 to have one check against the other. It came back adjusted. A few months later the AF would not work if an AF-S type lens was mounted. It WOULD work with a standard AF lens. Nikon replaced the lens mount and the AF board. A few months later same thing with the AF-S lenses. Again new mount/af board. Same week that the camera came back the af started working intermittently and the shutter blew. Nikon sent me a D2Xs.

I've had Nikons for near on 30 years (my first while I was in high school) and NEVER EVER had a body fail. I was speechless at first and VERY vocal after the 3rd trip to NPS.

One thing that I did deduce.... when the AF-s issue crops up you must shut the camera off remove the lens slip the switch to (M), mount the lens and turn the camera on. All will work well abiet, you will have to focus manually. If you flip the len's switch to M/A then the camera will lock and you must start over. Or use a non af-s lens until you can get the body back to Nikon.
I now keep a 70-200 and a 28-80 NON af-s lenses in my bag as the backups.

Eric

P.S. Debbie at NPS was an ANGLE during all of this and kept me going with loaners the whole time

God bless Debbie!

Gup · #4 01-22-2007, 05:54 PM

'Just think if it happened on their actual wedding...what would I do.'

I hope your assistant would quickly retrieve one of your back-up bodies!

Now, I understand this is intermittent, but I would love to know if the focus problem ever occurs with your other lenses installed. It could actually be a problem within the lens itself. I have an AF-S 80-200 f/2.8 that caused me some grief before I stopped blaming my D2x and replaced the faulty lens. Never a problem since. (The lens was at Nikon 3x's and returned with a clean bill of health each time).

Good Luck,

Gup

Gup · #5 01-22-2007, 05:58 PM

Eric, it's always good to have an ANGLE.

Keep Smiling!

Gup.

joedmiles · #6 01-22-2007, 06:08 PM

Thanks for all your answers.
Yes you're right-I'd reach for my spare body..but I shouldn't have to in the first place after spending £3000/$6000 approx for it ;-)

I'm sure it wasn't the lenses as the same happened on both lenses...it was almost like my camera was being possessed! I was in a 500 year old building at the time so maybe that's what it was!

I think I'll go down Erics route and be more vocal about it as I've been far too laid back and nice to the Nikon guys. I'll see if they can switch me over to a D2Xs...you never know. Maybe I need an Angle on my side!

EricC · #7 01-23-2007, 12:35 PM

Note to self.......... no more automatic spell checking.

Joe in my case I know that it was not the lenses. I still have all the same glass and it works fine on the new D2Xs and D200 and even (a now dead) Fuji S2.

For that matter my glass always worked on the loaner bodies that NPS sent to me.

Eric