Serious Help with some decisions - D700 to.... D3?

Mark Dickinson

Im having trouble with d700 hot shoe flash, has been replaced 2x on one camera and 1x on another.

Links to the known problems: PROBLEMS

Well the solution is simple?

-Pay for the repair (nikon is not helping even though it was fixed under warranty, 2x and now can't promise to fix it out of warranty at no charge. about 350.00 x 3 cameras.

-Clean the hot shoe and hope for the best (already did but its intermittent)

-Buy a new camera (wait for d800, or d3s/d3x) It looks like the upgrade for very minor improvements is 3k. Has anyone first hand benefits over the two. (found this website http://snapsort.com/compare) that was pretty nice to compare

-Shoot off camera flash only with pocket wizzards (they fit snug and better but still are a little intermittent in hotshoe working.

- Switch totally to Canon (but some are reporting same issue) and I already own and shoot macro with 5dii, and have 85mm 1.2, 180mm 3.5 macro, as well as 35mmL.

-Nikon I am invested into about 40k in lenses and to switch would kill me and adapters would make functionality go pptttttt!


SO I am so baffled on what to do to stop these headaches from consuming me. There was anyone experiencing any of these issues let me know about the hot shoe or some suggestions you might have for a resolve.

Angelo

Mark

I've moved your thread to the "GEAR" forum hoping you'll get some great advice here! Good luck

Mark Dickinson

Thanks sir, I appreciate it.

Harryb

I haven't used a D700 so I can comment on your problem. I would not wait for an upgrade. With all of Nikon's problems due to natural disasters waiting for an upgrade will probably take you into late to 2012 before one is availabe so I wouldn't recommend that option.

I have dealt with Nikon's repair and service folk though. I had a problem with my D2h a few years back. It was a known problem and one that kept recurring. Since your problems date back to the warrenty period you should be able to have this problem resolved with minimal to no expense. I had to get ugly with them and go up the line until I spoke to some higher ups. They reluctantly agreed to repair the problem at no cost and when they were unable to resolve it they sent me a new D2Hs.

In any case your best option financially would be to have the cameras repaired.

If you have the $ upgrading to a D3s would be optimal but you would still need to get your cameras repaired for resale.

ziggy53

As far as I know all professionals have "some" occasional and intermittent problems with flash shoe to camera hot shoe connections. Some people use improvised shims to help make a better connection, while others actually bend the hot shoe frame to force the flash shoe to be snugger and less sloppy.

The flash shoe "foot" can be prone to some breakage, especially in the wintertime, and wear can make the connection sloppy over time.

A radio wireless system really can help as it puts less stress on the camera's hot shoe, as well as not needing constant insert and removal from the shoe (depending on how you use it).

---

What is your frequency of occurrence? Is this a one in every hundred event, or does it happen more frequently than that?

Have you taken both camera and flash to an authorized Nikon service center at the same time, so that they can test the system together?

How do you carry your camera and flash?

Are you suggesting that the Canon 5D MKII has been more reliable in this regard?

If cleaning helps the problem then regular cleaning is probably part of the solution. Have you discussed the issues with other local photographers to see if this is a localized problem? (Sea spray/saltwater, for instance.)

Mark Dickinson

Ziggy, Its 100% on one camera unless I twist the flash to the left. and intermittent but will happen regulary on the other camera when the flash is on. The pocketwizzards expierence the same problem, except it just doesn't fire unless I twist it left. I cleaned the hot shoe with q-tip, fine synthetic (plastic) steel wool), and denatured alcohol. It made it a little better. I used qtips cut with cutical clippers to make it fit under the shoe.

I have not discussed it with locals, but on the net there's widespread problematic reports just like this one on google with blogs and boards.

zoomer

I am going to assume the CLS system using the built in flash is insufficient for your needs.
Never had the problem you are seeing with my d700 cause I have never used the flash plate.
Use the one on my d3 all the time and no problems there either.

Sounds like as painful as it is the repairs are the way to go. Any other avenue would be much more expensive and doubt you would be comfortable selling your current cameras in their defective state...so you would need to repair them anyway.

Sure sounds like Nikon should step up and help with this...have you exhausted all avenues there? Unless your work environment is causing the problem...then it would get iffy.

Hope you can come up with a workable solution.

Mark Dickinson

Hi The Cls is nice, but im not into going into the menu to switch I have the pocketwizzard tt1/tt5. The hotshot still goofs up with it on but its better.


I don't think its environmental since I live on the east coast, and yes do shoot the beach, the amount of issues on the inter-web is saying its a problematic defect.


I think Ill research Id love the full body, but even getting that is the same as what I got with few boosts. Thank you for the support

Matthew Saville

Wow, this is the first I've ever heard of such an issue. My D700 has worked just fine with flash, on-camera and off, so I'm a bit puzzled. Is this the result of wear and tear? Or a MFG defect / bug?

I'm inclined to say that you've got a lemon, except that it happens on more than one camera for you. Personally though, I guess I'm just kind of a Macguyver, and I'd go for the bending trick. I mean hey, if Nikon isn't willing to offer the warranty, then you don't have much to lose.

The only flash problem I ever have on my D700 is the PC sync port, which tends to lose connection and get bent. I just solve the problem by putting the radio trigger on my hotshoe, and shooting with my on-camera flash in my hand. I look pretty ridiculous doing it, but I've gotten so used to it and the results are awesome if you're going for that dramatic photjournalistic look, say for example on a dance floor.

=Matt=

Mark Dickinson

Matt,

yes it's exactly wear and tear, i've had it replaced. I shoot (this is probably my flaw) flash then take it off and put it on. When I cleaned the connections it was black and you could tell it was in need of a cleaning (almost like how stand screws get that metal on metal friction).

All three of the cameras are doing it, so def not a lemon, and it seems to be reported everywhere. it starts with the autofocus illumination light coming on manually then it will pop a flash off once in a while with out doing anything. I figured Id jump to the d3? and shoot with that I love the low light so it will prob be s I think, but I also shoot with 400 2.8 on some events so the x is always attracting me. blah ohwell ohwell. I do think the macguiver thing will work I tapped my old one down with wood and hammer last time seemed to do the trick but its just aggravating. And Im not a big fan of the canon equivilent for full time shooting (I do my ring, and some portrait work with it with 85 1.2/180mm macro. Life... hah. Oh im over pc sync too. Im sure you have but, Matt have you used the pocket Wizzards? I think that last sampe of off camera flash with a couple on a rocky beach was remote but not sure what system. I was syncing 1/8000 sec with the pocket wizards with offcamera sb900

Mark Dickinson

Matt, I was browsing, this shots got me saying hmm, was that shot with an old 100mm? says apeture is at 2.5. http://photos.matthewsaville.com/Main/2011-Blog-Images/MS15371/1209739699_kCrpD-O.jpg

Matthew Saville

Mark Dickinson wrote: »

Matt,

yes it's exactly wear and tear, i've had it replaced. I shoot (this is probably my flaw) flash then take it off and put it on. When I cleaned the connections it was black and you could tell it was in need of a cleaning (almost like how stand screws get that metal on metal friction).

All three of the cameras are doing it, so def not a lemon, and it seems to be reported everywhere. it starts with the autofocus illumination light coming on manually then it will pop a flash off once in a while with out doing anything. I figured Id jump to the d3? and shoot with that I love the low light so it will prob be s I think, but I also shoot with 400 2.8 on some events so the x is always attracting me. blah ohwell ohwell. I do think the macguiver thing will work I tapped my old one down with wood and hammer last time seemed to do the trick but its just aggravating. And Im not a big fan of the canon equivilent for full time shooting (I do my ring, and some portrait work with it with 85 1.2/180mm macro. Life... hah. Oh im over pc sync too. Im sure you have but, Matt have you used the pocket Wizzards? I think that last sampe of off camera flash with a couple on a rocky beach was remote but not sure what system. I was syncing 1/8000 sec with the pocket wizards with offcamera sb900


<a href="http://www.mdpstore.com/Weddings/Brittany-and-Ian-Wedding-Anna/19752492_7stmHK#1566399436_dZ4G2mP-A-LB&quot; title="DSC_2546"><img src="http://www.mdpstore.com/Weddings/Brittany-and-Ian-Wedding-Anna/i-dZ4G2mP/0/M/DSC2546-M.jpg&quot; title="DSC_2546" alt="DSC_2546"></a>

No, I'm not using the Pocket Wizard TTL system, I just use a low-tech cheap trigger. My policy is, the more complicated things get, the more there is to go wrong.

I guess I'm just a little surprised that I've never heard of or experienced the flash issue, since I'm pretty dang rough on my gear as it is. My grip rubber falls off every 6 months without fail, on whatever my main body is. Maybe I use flash less than you, I suppose. I am more of an ambient shooter, even though I end up using flash once a week for one purpose or another.

Any way, when in doubt, upgrade to the more well-built equipment. Or, try a hammer or a shim... It stinks that Nikon can't permanently fix the problem, though. :-\


BTW, yes that image was made on a manual focus lens. Nikon doesn't have 90mm in their MF lens database, so I just use 100mm. But the lens is actually a Tamron 90mm f/2.5 macro, I love it for portraits (and of course macro) Sharp as heck!

=Matt=
=Matt=