Redness above D5300 Viewfinder

When I focus my subject with my new D5300, AF sensors light up red about a second in the viewfinder. When the AF sensors turn red, I can see some red light above the viewfinder. Does anyone have the same problem? If you don’t see above the viewfinder, move your eye closer to the eyepiece. At a Target store near me, I see the same problem with a D5200, but not with D3300. This Target does not carry D5300 nor D7100.

I have not seen that, so this is a feeble guess. But VR is a red light inside the lens, and I have seen that red in the picture on 30 second exposures of stars (70-200 mm lens in that case). You can turn VR off (and should on a tripod).

It stayed red as long as the AF sensors stay red, about 1 second. It only occurred above the viewfinder, not in the photo. I tested with 15-55 and 18-200. At Target store, it was D5200 with 15-55 lens

I am suggesting to test once by turning VR off once (a switch on the lens), just to see if it makes a difference. If so, then this is pointing at the source. If not, then sorry, my bad try. But it only takes a second.

I had read this thread earlier today and tonight while playing with a sunset, I noticed the same thing. It only lasts for a second and then is gone. Both sides and the top light up with a red glow. At the time I didn't think about checking many settings, but I did have VR off. I was using the 18-55 kit lens at the time.

When ambient light is low, the AF sensors would light up red; that is why it is easier to see. When ambient light is brighter, the AF sensors would turn black, this is harder to see, but they are there. This weekend I am going to test stores demo D5200, D5300 and D7100 to see if it is a design flaw or bad QA. The same problem occurred with my 18-200 and 18-55; it is not the lenses.

Dean, Please keep us updated on what you find. Now that I have noticed it, I'm curious. I have a little less than 100 clicks on my 5300. Thanks

Walt is correct; turning off VR did not fix this problem. I also tried these and they did not fix the problem: - AF-assist illuminator - Number of focus points - Viewfinder grid display - AF-area mode

WayneF said:

I am suggesting to test once by turning VR off once (a switch on the lens), just to see if it makes a difference. If so, then this is pointing at the source. If not, then sorry, my bad try. But it only takes a second.

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Sorry Walt that I “ruin” your D5300. I have an opportunity to return my D5300, but I like Adorama, so I think I will keep it.

Dean, you haven't ruined anything. I only noticed it the one time, but I haven't used it for night/low light shooting much either. If you hadn't said anything, I would have considered it normal. I bought mine 5300 direct from Nikon just a few weeks or so ago, so I am sure I could get satisfaction if I thought it was enough to worry about. Ha!

Just now I took my girlfriends D5300 and tried to see this red light being discussed. I was able to see it and I don't think anything is broken. I'm thinking the light is a reflection of some kind. I say this because not only can I see a sort of gradient red glow, I can also see the selected focus point and the compositional "grid lines" that display in the viewfinder as well. I have to think this is a reflection off the camera's mirror or prism or... Something.

I certainly don't think it's anything to worry about though.

EDIT: It seems the D5300 use a pentamirror viewfinder as opposed to a pentaprism viewfinder like you find on the D7100. The differerce being that a pentaprism is a single, solid piece of solid glass whereas the pentamirror is basically a box composed of three mirrors that work together to perform the same task. The fact we're dealing with three separate mirrors in the viewfinder just strengthens my suspicions that a reflection is what we're seeing here with our D5300's.

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Obviously my d5200 does what I think is the same : the red light spills on the "ceiling" of the camera "pit". Given that it only flashes red for less than a second, and on the assumption that the hud-like interface is shut off when the mirror is pulled up, I doubt it would spill into the sensor and waste my shot so I won't panic until I hear how exactly this is a malfunction.

PaulPosition said:

Obviously my d5200 does what I think is the same : the red light spills on the "ceiling" of the camera "pit". Given that it only flashes red for less than a second, and on the assumption that the hud-like interface is shut off when the mirror is pulled up, I doubt it would spill into the sensor and waste my shot so I won't panic until I hear how exactly this is a malfunction.

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I do NOT see the red reflection in my D7100, which uses a pentaprism viewfinder while the D5200 also uses a pentamirror viewfinder like the D5300. My GF's D5300 also has a couple thousand shots under its belt and the image quality has been consistently extraordinary.

Once again, I really don't think this is an "issue" of any kind, at all. I'm convinced we're dealing with a false alarm here.

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Mr. Fish is correct - or at least I'd put my money on it. What you're seeing through the viewfinder is all reflection-based, and when the LED's light up for the focus point, the source of that illumination is either reflecting across the edge of the Pentamirror mentioned, or you're seeing the actual source light for that illumination. I've not seen it personally on the D5300, so I cannot comment on how distracting it might be, but I suspect I'd learn to ignore it rather quickly. I do know that if I hit the focus button on the D7100 in a dark environment I can see a red illumination around the entire perimeter of the frame. I also have the option to turn off Focus Point Illumination in the Custom Menu, and you may as well which should fix this, though your focus point will no longer go red either.

BTW,

I never claim that it affect the pictures. I just want to see if other people see what I saw. If it only happens to my D5300, then it is a bug not a design flaw. However, it happened to my D5300, Walt’s, and your girlfriend’s; maybe Jake can check it out at a local store where he lives. Is false alarm usually means user error? Not design flaw?

Horoscope Fish said:

I do NOT see the red reflection in my D7100, which uses a pentaprism viewfinder while the D5200 also uses a pentamirror viewfinder like the D5300. My GF's D5300 also has a couple thousand shots under its belt and the image quality has been consistently extraordinary. Once again, I really don't think this is an "issue" of any kind, at all. I'm convinced we're dealing with a false alarm here. ...

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Not sure if that was a question, but ...

I woke up in the middle of the night the other day and the house smell like something was burning. I *very quickly* put on my boxer sports and ran downstairs to find my dad had put on a fire in the fireplace. False alarm.

No "dumb user" or anything like that, but no "flaw" either (at least in mind).

DeanL said:

I never claim that it affect the pictures. I just want to see if other people see what I saw. If it only happens to my D5300, then it is a bug not a design flaw. However, it happened to my D5300, Walt’s, and your girlfriend’s; maybe Jake can check it out at a local store where he lives. Is false alarm usually means user error? Not design flaw?

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By "false alarm" I simply meant what we are seeing is nothing to be concerned about. It's not a flaw with your camera, it's not a bug that needs to be corrected, it's not user-error; it's just the way it is and it's nothing to be concerned about. You may not LIKE what you are seeing, but I don't believe this is a problem that needs to be addressed.

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