Is My Camera Broken

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Hi,

Just bought a D70S from a friend. Every pic I take is a blank white photo on preview. Hooked up to PC and it's blank white with a pink hue to some objects. I think it's an exposure issue. Tried the following to fix it:

Different lens
All modes
All ISO settings
LCD brightness
Shutter exposure +/- button
Factory reset
Replacing battery

I'm totally new to SLR's so I need help. The camera won't detect itself on my PC. Also the menu keeps switching off when i'm scrolling through options etc. All in all this is a frustrating intro into SLR cameras.

Read an article form 2005 Nikon admitted this model does sometimes have exposure sensore issues. They said they'd replace them even outside of warranty. Not sure if that'd happen 8 years later?

Please can someone help?



Ed
 
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raggamuffin

Senior Member
Yes even in green automatic mode, as well as every other mode I tried. I'm surprised he didn't test it before selling it to me. I work with him though so I can easily give it back to him and get my money back. He said he barely used it. I think it's been stored in it's bag for years.

It came with the manual and I tried the exposure settings. but now pressing the exposure button and the wheel to scroll through them no longer works. Also the PC no longer detetcs the camera and the menu won't stay on long enough to scroll through options.

It's infuriating.

Ed
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
Based on your description of what's going on it's starting to sound to me like you've bought a basket-full of problems. Personally, I'd hand this camera back to my friend, get my money and buy elsewhere. That, or have it looked at by a professional for a proper diagnosis.

Good luck with whatever you decide.


......
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Yeah i'm starting to think this is the most sensible option. When I told him about every pic having serious exposure issues he said he had no idea and to try a factory reset.

He even told me when he sold me the camera he bought it on a whim and had no real idea how to use it properly. Thing is, it's got a couple of decent lenses etc. I'm tempted to get a chunk off what I paid for the camera but keep the lenses and get a brand new SLR.

Will other Nikons fit the lenses I have?

Ed
 

mikew_RIP

Senior Member
My D70 was stored in a bag for a lot of years,it still works but exposure is unreliable,not bad with flash though.the battery may need couple of charges to bring it back,just seams strange that your friend never really understood it but he knows about a factory reset.
If the lenses where stored with it check them carefully for fungus growth inside on the elements.

mike
 

wud

Senior Member
Which lenses comes with the camera?

I would get my money back. Even if you get some of it fixed, it sounds like there could be several problems.
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Hi all,

Thanks for the detailed replies. I'm going to charge the battery fully noaw and see if it has any effect. As for the lenses it has:

Nikon DX SWM ED IF Aspherical 67 - 18-70mm
Nikon AF NIKKOR 70-300mm

Both lenses were stored with the front band back covers on. I can't see any fungus, a few specs of dust but that's it.

He also threw in the bag, 2 batteries and a tripod as well as the 2 lenses. But if you think it's worth returning the whole kit and simply buying a brand new one, I can do that.

I'll let you know how it goes after fully charging the battery.

Ed
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Battery charging has fixed the PC connection and menu problems. The white/pink image issue persists. Managed to get a raw file for any tech savvy people to have a look at but i'm not sure where I can upload it because the forum attach file option is giving me an error. So for now all i can do is a JPEG

Ed DSC_0071.jpg
 

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
I pulled my 20mm f/2.8 AF lens out after not using it for a long time. The aperture is stuck and won't stop down which meant all the photos were overexposed (sent my lens in for repair). Does this problem happen with both lenses? You should make sure the problem is the camera body first. If it happens with both lenses, then it's probably a camera body issue.
 

Marcel

Happily retired
Staff member
Super Mod
Battery charging has fixed the PC connection and menu problems. The white/pink image issue persists. Managed to get a raw file for any tech savvy people to have a look at but i'm not sure where I can upload it because the forum attach file option is giving me an error. So for now all i can do is a JPEG

EdView attachment 53148

Yes, your camera is broken. I don't know what is wrong with it since I'm not a camera tech, but it does not seem to produce great photos.

Just one thing before, did you also try in "Manual" mode? go outside, use iso 200, f11, 1/500s and then f5.6, 1/4000.

But from the looks of it, I would not buy this camera and if someone had sold it to me, I'd bring it right back to him for a full refund.
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
I told my friend. He's upset, thinks I dropped the camera and said it worked fine when he last used it. Thing is I remember when he showed me the camera, he took a pic and it appeared a sa blank white photo on the preview screen. But he switched it off and I thought nothing of it as i'm not camera savvy.

I've explained to him everything i've tried (including switching lenses). He just come back to me saying he tried it last night and it was all fine. I asked him if he hooked it up to his PC to check the photos but all he said was he used it the other night and all the pictures were fine.

The image was set to JPEG when I got it so I don't think I can ask for the file(s) of pics he took to check the .exif info. Also he wiped the card before giving it to me.

Now i'm thinking i'm doing something wrong? But what? A factory reset and switching lenses etc should show if anything other than the camera was to blame? Was tempted to pop into the local camera shop Jessops to ask them. Thought i'd ring first and seems they've closed down...this really isn't a smooth introduction to the world of photography I must say. I think i'm more annoyed that my friend is upset with me and doesn't seem to believe I did nothing to the camera whatsoever. It was given to me in green auto mode and never once took a proper picture.

I know how to set manual and the ISO but can you explain the f11, 1/500s and then f5.6, 1/4000

UPDATE - He said he'd take it on Monday, take it home, open it up have a look etc. So at least he's willing to help. I'm hoping i'm just overlooking something. That's why I'm really trying to get as much info or help as possible before Monday.

Thanks,

Ed
 
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Fred Kingston

Senior Member
Ed... If he determines that the camera is functioning correctly, and if you decide to pursue it again,... I'd suggest that, you arrange for him to spend some time with you verifying that it is working correctly and that while he is sitting there, you can take satisfactory pictures...
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
As far as I can tell you've done everything that could be asked of you.

You've tried different lenses, different (charged) batteries, the camera is in full Automatic (though you've tried other modes as well) and you've done a factory reset. There's only so many ways you, as a consumer, can screw up a shot THAT badly without the help of the camera being broken and you've pretty much eliminated them all. If this turns out to be user error I'll eat my running shoes and post the video. I also find it really hard to believe this camera was taking great pictures, got handed off to you and now is producing shots like the one you posted. I don't know my friend but I'm going to say this one more time... I really think it might be best to simply undo this deal and go buy elsewhere.

Doing business with friends, in my opinion, is rarely a good idea.

......
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Hi guys,

Thanks for all the advice. It's really been helpful. I'll let him have a look at the camera. If he thinks it is fixed i'll ask to look at images he's taken and also see it take working photos when i'm with him. Failing that i'll look to get a refund and get a new camera.

Considering it's age I could get a better camera brand new and to be honest with the same 2 lenses he was offering and accesories, it is quite affordable to buy a new one. But i'll wait to see what he says and also to see if I hear back from Nikon. If they're willing to fix it i'll feel less guilty about giving him back a dud camera.

I think I will stick with another Nikon though. I won't let this experience deter me from getting another or starting up a hobby of photography. Thanks again, i'll keep you posted about happens next.

Ed
 

raggamuffin

Senior Member
Final update. I bought a D3200 as my friend is just being difficult. I told him this morning that Nikon replied saying the camera is out of warranty and they'd charge to repair it. He still has difficulty accepting I wasn't to blame even though I pointed out the 2 pictures he took before I gave him the money had the same exposure issues.

He told me that he failed to see the camera sensor can break though without use. I explained it wasn't working when he took the pictures but he remains convinced It was absolutely fine when he last used it. Saying he was reluctant to just chuck money away on it now i’ve bought it and all of a sudden it doesn’t work.

My question now is will lenses that fit a D70s fit a D3200? If so i'd consider keeping the lenses and tripod. But it all depends on whether or not they fit. He's being very difficult in terms of giving my money back it seems and keeps stating it's odd it doesn't work and even odder that I've now bought a new camera. To be honest if a camera is faulty and I want to spend my week off from work taking photos, it's not really that odd to buy a replacement camera.

He keeps saying it'd be better just to fix the D70s and ranting about how it'll be a better camera and how i'm wasting my money buying a new camera. Certainly persistant i'll give him that, but I don't believe him, he just wants to keep my money and try and make it seem worth my time to get this 8 year old camera fixed.

Ed
 
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