Crosshair

Zoom Raider

I saw something just now as I was outside looking for pictures to take.
I saw a fine crosshair running from the focus brackets to the end of the field of view.
Meaning, if the camera focuses in the middle bracket, a crosshair will run all the way
down to the bottom of the view finder.

Also if the bottom bracket is in focus, a crosshair will run all the way from there to the bottom.
If the top bracket is in focus, a crosshair will run all the way up to the top of the view finder.
And if either the left or the right bracket is in focus, then a crosshair will run all the way to the left
(if the left bracket is in focus) or all the way to the right of the view finder, (if the right bracket is in focus).

I have never seen this before. The crosshair does not show up when the camera is off,
but when I turn the camera on, there it is. I've never dropped this camera, never had it in the heat,
no one has ever touched it but me. So what's going on with the camera? I think it's already mulfunctioning,
and I just got it 3 months ago with just over a couple dozen shots. I hate to have to send it off to Nikon,
and wait 8-12 weeks for another one.:rolleyes

Thanks!

Zoom Raider

Hairline


Well, I see that I made a mistake in calling it a crosshair. It's just a hairline,
`cos the lines don't cross eachother. They run from one focus bracket to
another and stops at the very end of the view finder, (as you can see in blue).

While at work, I came up with the idea how to show in here what I mean.
This took me about 20 minutes to think how to do it and to draw it.
The D50's focus brackets are not shaped exactly like I drew them. They're actually
rounded instead of straight, plus there's almost a complete circle around the upper, center
and bottom focus brackets, (and I didn't know how to draw a circle in MS Paint).

So I'm wondering why this line that you see in blue, (which is actually black in the view finder)
is there when I press the button halfway or all the way, and in certian dial settings,
the line will show without even having to touch the button at all.

As you can see, when the center focus bracket is bold, the line will go all the way to the bottom,
(when the bottom focus bracket is bold, the line goes to the bottom, too).
When the left focus bracket is bold, the line will go all the way to the left, when the top one is bold,
it'll go all the way to the top, and of course you know what will happen when the right one is bold.

I've never noticed these lines before, no matter where they show up at. Is this a sign that the
camera's going on the blink? If so, what's wrong with it and about how much will this cost to fix it?

Thanks!

ziggy53

ZR,

I think you need to contact Nikon about this, especially if you are still under warranty.

Contacting them will establish a date to when the problem occured, in case you need warranty repairs now or in the future.

They are also in the best situation to know the cause.

This is a new one to me, but then Canon cameras do different nasty stuff.:):

Good luck,

ziggy53

ziggy53

P.S. It is possible that the finder screen is just a little out of alignment.

With great care, you could remove the lens, cover your finger with a sheet of lens cleaning paper, reach your finger inside the camera and "Gently" press on the finder screen to see if that has an impact on the finder display. Avoid touching the mirror!

Don't do this if you are at all uncertain of your skills. If you have ever replaced a viewfinder screen, you will know approximately how much preasure to apply.

Be careful and gentle, this is your "baby".

ziggy53

Zoom Raider

Thanks, Ziggy!

I don't dare mess with certain parts of the camera, not even the view finder.
So I'll call Nikon as soon as I can find their toll-free number and see what they think the problem is.
I haven't found it yet. I don't even see it on their website.
Been running errands all morning, now I have to get lunch and then start getting ready for work.

I'd rather pay to get it fixed at http://superiorcamera.com if it won't cost an arm and a leg.
I'd hate to have to insure the camera before sending it off and then wait several weeks to get it back.
But the D50 still works. I took a couple after noticing these lines and it still takes nice pictures.

I took the battery out for a moment, then put it back in, thinking that may help, but that didn't do the trick.
It cost $65 to get the sensor cleaned at SC, maybe it'll cost that or less to rid these lines.
I'll take it to SC this Friday and see what they say and the price, and I'll let ya know afterwards what this problem is.

Thanks!

Seefutlung

Looks like a rear window defroster to me. Those Nikons come with everything. Do you have a button with three wavey vertical lines that lights up red when depressed?

Zoom Raider

Seefutlung wrote:

Looks like a rear window defroster to me. Those Nikons come with everything. Do you have a button with three wavey vertical lines that lights up red when depressed?

No, I have no button like that... not that I can find anyway.
My other camera that I use to have, (the N75) its focus brackets
would light up in a dim bold red from thin black.
This D50's focus brackets never light up in a dim bold red.
They just go from slim black to bold black.
I bet if I take this back to where I bought it from here in town,
(WolfCamera) they won't know what's wrong with it.
So I'll have to take it to SuperiorCamera this Friday,`cos I don't dare mess with it.

leek

ZR... It's quite normal...
It's the fine wire that feeds the LCD display in the centre...

All D70s have it, and the D70 user manual actually mentions it as nothing to worry about.

I would expect the viewfinder construction to be the same on the D50... You just need to learn ignore it...

Zoom Raider

leek wrote:

ZR... It's quite normal...
It's the fine wire that feeds the LCD display in the centre...

All D70s have it, and the D70 user manual actually mentions it as nothing to worry about.

I would expect the viewfinder construction to be the same on the D50... You just need to learn ignore it...

Thanks, Leek!

I sure hope this is something for us not to worry about,
`cos I never saw any of these weird fine lines until Monday.
They appear whenever they want to and on certain settings,
and different places... depending on what the focus brackets focus on.

But thanks though! I'll try not to worry about it.
It's just irritating when something like this happens when it never existed before.
Not there one day, then there they are... permanently.

leek

That's what everyone says

Rest assured - they were almost definitely always there, but you hadn't noticed them...

Once you notice them it's difficult not to notice them - If you see what I mean...

Look on the bright side - If you can see those fine lines, it means that your viewfinder diopter is probably correctly focussed :

Zoom Raider

Well, about an hour ago, I looked at my ol' N75 that I use to have that my friend owns now.
His does the same thing. So odd how I never noticed this on the N75 the whole year that I had it,
and then not notice it the 3 months of having this D50. I went to Wolf and SC yesterday
and neither knew what was wrong with it and never even saw such a thing.
But I'm not worried about it, especially after seeing my friend's N75, but it's still a bit aggrevating to me.