ATTN: D300 owners and users - DPChallenge Forums

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 24-85mm f2.8-4.0D

03/17/2008 09:03:08 PM · #1

I've narrowed my search very considerably. I'd love if you guys could all take a couple minutes to try this out and let me know if it works for you.

DON'T WORRY: NOTHING ILL WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR CAMERA OR YOUR IMAGES. THIS IS PURELY TEMPORARY AND IN PLAYBACK MODE ONLY.

1. ISO, f/stop, white balance, battery, CF card, etc should not matter. Try with a 50mm f/1.8 AF, but lens shouldn't matter either.
2. Make sure you're shooting in RAW + M or S Jpeg. You can shoot any quality, but it only works on M or S I've determinted. Turn Image Review On. OPTIONAL: Format CF card
3. Turn your D300 off
4. Turn it back on and take a picture. This does not have to be immediate!!! I waited for 5 seconds to allow the firmware to fully boot and it still did the glitch when I took the first 2 pictures.
5. Hold the Zoom In button immediately after the picture is taken, while the screen is black. Do not allow the buffer to clear.
6. Does your picture look like this on the zoomed playback?
7. Repeat steps 3-6 until it stops (if it happens at all)

Here's the deal: Me and the store manager of National Camera figured out what one of the causes my image glitch is: startup. We found that turning the camera on, taking a picture, and immediately zooming in causes the error to occur 95% of the time. My camera does it randomly as well even with the camera being on and having been used, but this is a start.

Reply or PM me if something doesn't work! I have a few other ideas of things you can change to make it happen. We got it happening consistenly on mine and the store's D300.

THE NEW STEPS I POSTED EARLIER I JUST PROVED AS IRRELEVENT.

Message edited by author 2008-03-18 14:58:06.

Nikolai1024

Nikon D300

03/17/2008 09:10:25 PM · #2

Can't duplicate your problem. Still have my own:
//www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=723921

yann

03/17/2008 09:13:53 PM · #3

How long do you have to wait before zooming in for the problem to not come up?

If it's what I'm thinking it is, Nikon could have fixed the problem by forcing the camera to wait for the image to be fully written out of the camera buffer before letting you zoom in the image... but whatever, if you can "fix" the problem by waiting for the camera to finish writting the file before zooming in, just do that. I might be way in the woods cause I don't have a D300 and I've never seen one so... don't take my words for cash.

03/17/2008 09:14:24 PM · #4

Originally posted by Anti-Martyr:

Does your picture look like this on the zoomed playback?

No. Mine works perfectly following your steps exactly. Tried about 10 times.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

03/17/2008 09:17:51 PM · #5

Ok, couple new steps. Try them, see if it goes weird.

Thanks for your time, guys. This is really helpful, even if you aren't getting my results.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

03/17/2008 09:27:37 PM · #6

Could it be that the LCD has somehow become statically charged?

03/17/2008 09:30:22 PM · #7

Doubt it. Static charge won't effect an LCD screen, I believe. I've shocked my Zune a gajillion times and the screen is fine.

03/17/2008 09:38:11 PM · #8

Originally posted by Anti-Martyr:

Ok, couple new steps. Try them, see if it goes weird.

Still normal.

03/17/2008 09:49:37 PM · #9

D:<

Hmm. This sucks. I'm reproducing it 100% of the time now. You're powering up and taking the image a split second later and holding Zoom In a split second after that, right? You can't let the camera write the card from the buffer, after that it doesn't work. However, it isn't an error with the buffer and me being impatient, because many times it DOESN'T happen when I do the same thing.

EDIT: Sent an email to Ken Rockwell on the bizarre chance that he'll see it amongst all the other junk he gets each day and sits down and tries it. Hopefully I've intrigued him.

Message edited by author 2008-03-17 22:20:01.

03/18/2008 12:33:06 AM · #10

Originally posted by Anti-Martyr:

Hmm. This sucks. I'm reproducing it 100% of the time now. You're powering up and taking the image a split second later and holding Zoom In a split second after that, right?

Right.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II

03/18/2008 01:02:15 AM · #11

Dammit, I feel like a crazy person here! So no one can get it to work? It worked damn near every time for us at the store, on 2 cameras!! ):

surfdabbler

Canon EOS-5D

03/18/2008 02:03:39 AM · #12

There is a firmware update for the D300 to fix some 'banding' problem. Don't know if it applies to your specific problem. Check it out.

dacrazyrn

Nikon D300

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

03/18/2008 02:33:26 AM · #13

How about stop...

"...4. Turn it back on and take a picture immediately.
5. Zoom in on said picture immediately after it pops up. You may need to hold the Zoom In button immediately after you snap the picture.
6. Does your picture look like this on the zoomed playback?
7. Repeat steps 3-6 until it stops (if it happens at all)"

:)

Mr_Pants

SiPix Blink

03/18/2008 03:27:43 AM · #14

Have you tried asking this in the Nikon forums at DPReview?

Gatorguy

Nikon D700

Nikon AF Zoom-Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 VR DG IF-ED

03/18/2008 07:13:14 AM · #15

Personally, I can't think of a situation where I would ever do what you are asking in real life. It's sort of like all the people who took overexposed pictures of light bulbs with the D200 to see if they could force banding.

Originally posted by Anti-Martyr:

I've narrowed my search very considerably. I'd love if you guys could all take a couple minutes to try this out and let me know if it works for you.

DON'T WORRY: NOTHING ILL WILL HAPPEN TO YOUR CAMERA OR YOUR IMAGES. THIS IS PURELY TEMPORARY AND IN PLAYBACK MODE ONLY.

1. Lens, ISO, f/stop, white balance, battery, CF card, etc should not matter. EDIT: Try with a 50mm f/1.8 AF.
2. Make sure you're shooting in RAW + M Jpeg Normal (probably works with other RAW + Jpeg options, but do these ones to humor me), and turn Image Review On. OPTIONAL: Format CF card
3. Turn your D300 off
4. Turn it back on and take a picture immediately.
5. Zoom in on said picture immediately after it pops up. You may need to hold the Zoom In button immediately after you snap the picture.
6. Does your picture look like this on the zoomed playback?
7. Repeat steps 3-6 until it stops (if it happens at all)

Here's the deal: Me and the store manager of National Camera figured out what one of the causes my image glitch is: startup. We found that turning the camera on, taking a picture, and immediately zooming in causes the error to occur 95% of the time. My camera does it randomly as well even with the camera being on and having been used, but this is a start.

Reply or PM me if something doesn't work! I have a few other ideas of things you can change to make it happen. We got it happening consistenly on mine and the store's D300.

NEW STEPS TO DO BEFORE STEP 3:

1. Change your shooting profile to Vivid with +3 saturation, 5 Sharpening, normal Hue.
2. Turn on Active D-Lighting to Normal.
3. Perform Step 3. Make sure you turn the camera on and take the picture in an instant. Immediately after you take the picture, hold the Zoom In button.

tjbel05

Nikon Z9

Nikon NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S

03/18/2008 08:09:33 AM · #16

Max,

I have tried the settings you emailed me...I can't get my camera to do what yours is doing. I have tried a few times...My camera doesnt do that. good luck with your search for a cure.
Tammy

03/18/2008 10:18:37 AM · #17

Originally posted by Mr_Pants:

Have you tried asking this in the Nikon forums at DPReview?

Or also try asking at Nikonians as well. I think you might get a larger sample.