This image was taken with my new D700 and 17-35mm 2.8 lens. Was shooting in a swamp in the Everglades today and when I opened the files in Photoshop I found this blur in the left side of the image. At first I thought it was caused by humidity getting into the Sing-Ray LB warming polarizer, but as I searched the other images I found it only affected the horizontals. The verticals are fine. About a dozen images have this blur in them, all in the same left side area. Then I came out of the swamp into breathable air and the images shot from then on were also fine, both horizontal and vert. By the way it was extremely hot in the swamp.
The only other thing I can think of is that sometimes when I'm shooting with cable release and mirror up, the camera hesitates for quite a while before the shutter fires.
Did you look at the chip inside? Could it be that there is a smudge or other obstruction on the chip? You can lock the mirror up for cleaning and take a look with a strong light. Also, did you try the automatic chip cleaning feature? Have you tried other lenses to see if it is either the camera or the 17-35mm? Just a thought or two....
I don't think it’s a shutter problem. It is strange that it only happened on a few frames? The problem with not getting to the bottom of it before you shoot again is that you will get some killer shot and it will have the blur in it. I'd get in touch with Nikon and if you’re a NPS member even better call the NPS rep in your area. I'll be talking to the NPS rep here in DC in the next few weeks and I can bring it up if you want. Just e-mail me one of the bad frames and give a detailed explanation of what you did and think may be gong on and I'll pass it along to him. This is troubling because I shoot in the south east under the same conditions your talking about and I just bought this model camera. If you want, send a bad frame to my work e-mail: wdg@rollcall.com and when I get Mr. Nikons ear I’ll get some answers for you. Keep the incoming size below 10 megs.
Thanks, Douglas. But after further scrutiny this afternoon I found the blur in the verticals as well. These were at the bottom of the frame. There was so much going on in the foreground water that at first I didn't see the blurs.
Now I feel that it had to be dirt, or sticky moisture that may have fallen from a tree branch.
The blur problem coupled with the hesitation of the shutter function had me thinking major shutter problems. I use an MC-30 cable release and will change that out for something else to see if it helps the hesitant shutter. Then when I shoot the same area/conditions, I'll watch the cp and or UV filter carefully for any moisture.
If it happens again I'll certainly let you know.
No problem Wayne. OK yes please let me know. After the D2H and the D200 screw up by Nikon I'm gun shy when it comes to them not fessing up to problems with their cameras. I feel much better after having used the D3 for some time now and its a great camera and I'm hoping for the same results with the D700. So far for me its a great camera but I've only had it for a few weeks. The hesitation of the shutter is also a concern and I will ask about that.
Discussion
5 repliesThe only other thing I can think of is that sometimes when I'm shooting with cable release and mirror up, the camera hesitates for quite a while before the shutter fires.
Any ideas? Does this look like a shutter problem?
This image has had no PP done, just sharpening
Now I feel that it had to be dirt, or sticky moisture that may have fallen from a tree branch.
The blur problem coupled with the hesitation of the shutter function had me thinking major shutter problems. I use an MC-30 cable release and will change that out for something else to see if it helps the hesitant shutter. Then when I shoot the same area/conditions, I'll watch the cp and or UV filter carefully for any moisture.
If it happens again I'll certainly let you know.