# D700 Shutter won't actuate?



## Trever1t (Dec 23, 2011)

Someone else posted a few days ago about their shutter not actuating in the cold after a while of use and I responded that mine did the same, we both cocncurred it may have been a low battery but today after shooting 200 frames mine stated doing it again!

What it does:

I snap off 6 or 7 frames while holding the shutter release at first stage, or half way down. Without releasing the shutter it just won't respond. Letting off the shutter release and pressing does nothing for about 10 seconds. Buffer indicator say 16, but it certainly acts as though the buffer is full. 

Shooting 14-bit RAW
Continuous Focus mode.
Battery is full enough
Buffer appears ready 
Focus indicator shows this > < not locked but it doesn't matter if I'm in Continuous or Single focus mode. 

Only seems to happen after shooting a while but I may just perceive that, I may be snapping faster frames as I tire...I mean as the shoot gets into the 3rd hour.

What should I look for that I'm not?



EDIT 1/03/2012 SOLVED!! THe on board flash I use to trigger the CLS system was the culprit. It will allow 6 or 7 rapid shots and then need recharge....Doh!! Answer is to be patient or use another SB-800 as a commander but that would bring the weight up on this beast to like 9lbs. Radio trigger is the real solution!


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## Kerbouchard (Dec 23, 2011)

Focus priority or shutter priority?  It is custom setting A1 and A2.


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## Trever1t (Dec 23, 2011)

Shutter Priority when in Continuous focus.


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## Kerbouchard (Dec 23, 2011)

Trever1t said:


> Shutter Priority when in Continuous focus.



Hmm, I got nothing.  I assume you've tried the easy things?  Switching memory cards?  Making sure the memory card was formatted in camera?  Making sure the battery is fully charged?  Cleaning the contacts on the battery?  Doing a reset?


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## Trever1t (Dec 23, 2011)

Haven't done a reset but everything else. 

I need to look at it more in depth, I've just experienced this when shooting frames in quick succession during a model shoot, I bet it's my buffer and I'm not reading my display correctly.


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## Aloicious (Dec 23, 2011)

how cold are we talking? according to Nikon, extreme cold temps will affect moving parts (i.e. shutter)...they recommend staying between 32°-104° degrees Fahrenheit.

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13808/~/can-i-use-my-nikon-camera-in-cold-temperatures%3F


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## Trever1t (Dec 23, 2011)

70* in my home studio.


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## Aloicious (Dec 23, 2011)

yeah, that shouldn't be the cause of any issues. I don't know what else to tell you that hasn't been suggested already..


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## ann (Dec 24, 2011)

Mine starting acting up on Thurs. only I got the err message. The shutter would fire a few times and then nothing. Took it into my local camera shop and the repair guy was still there. UGh, he has to double check about the part with Nikon, who of course aren't open until after the first of year, (Image, taking the holiday off )

Anyway, I tried all the above things to re-group, but it appears I have a serious repair billing coming my way. They think so where in the neighbor of 400-500 dollars.


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

well it's still covered under warranty but I sure hope I don't need repair


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## ann (Dec 24, 2011)

that is good news (sort of ), mine is no longer under warranty and it is making me grumpy


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

So Ann, is yours doing the same thing or is the shutter not responding at all?


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

ok so it's not the buffer...just picked it up cold and shot off 50 frames or so. When the buffer is full it allows shooting at about 1 frame a second. When it is acting up I can't get off a single frame for a 5 seconds or more.


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## KmH (Dec 24, 2011)

The buffer indicator number is an approximation, because image file size varies according to the content of the image.


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

understand but when it acts up it doesn't fire at all for a few moments, then allows me to fire a rapid series of 4-6 frames and then nothing again. When I just put it through a workout it didn't sieze to function, just slowed frame rate to 1/sec. 

All settings same.


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## ann (Dec 24, 2011)

It would work for a few shots and then it would stall (or as the repair fellow said, a hicup) then I would get the error message. Every time we tried various things it would repeat it's little dance.


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

and when you try now it does the same thing? Mine only seems to do it after a couple hundred frames in a short time span? Pick it up right now and it's good to go!


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## ann (Dec 24, 2011)

now it is the shop waiting to hear from Nikon about the part. ugh..........


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

wow, that sucks big time.


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## Derrel (Dec 24, 2011)

Has it been fraternizing with a Canon or Pentax???


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## Trever1t (Dec 24, 2011)

Never!!!!

I keep the Canon well away and out of sight.


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## ann (Dec 24, 2011)

Derrel said:


> Has it been fraternizing with a Canon or Pentax???



I hope not, but it does have a mind of it's own.


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## Trever1t (Dec 25, 2011)

Seems this is a similar issue?   http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/215461-d700-problem-urgent-help-needed.html


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## manaheim (Dec 25, 2011)

All Nikon's (and I assume any camera) will refuse to take a shot if they don't have a focus lock.  What are your light conditions like?  If they drop low enough it will be harder for the cam to focus?  Just an idea.  I would bet you a dollar if you switched it to manual focus it would start shooting again.


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## Kerbouchard (Dec 25, 2011)

manaheim said:


> All Nikon's (and I assume any camera) will refuse to take a shot if they don't have a focus lock.  What are your light conditions like?  If they drop low enough it will be harder for the cam to focus?  Just an idea.  I would bet you a dollar if you switched it to manual focus it would start shooting again.



Huh?  We talked about this in the second post.  The way Nikons perform is based on how they are setup...custom setting a1 and a2 determine whether the camera will release the shutter or not on the D700.


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## Trever1t (Dec 25, 2011)

I tried it in good light and it still didn't function for a few moments. I will double check my settings but pretty sure I have it in shutter priority mode for continuous focus but either way it's like it stops doing what it was  doing ya know. I'm using it in a certain manner for an hour and all of a sudden it starts behaving strange.


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## Trever1t (Jan 3, 2012)

EDIT 1/03/2012 SOLVED!! THe on board flash I use to trigger the CLS system was the culprit. It will allow 6 or 7 rapid shots and then need recharge....Doh!! Answer is to be patient or use another SB-800 as a commander but that would bring the weight up on this beast to like 9lbs. Radio trigger is the real solution!


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## Kerbouchard (Jan 3, 2012)

Glad you got it figured out.  Rapid shots with flash can always give you problems, even with radio triggers...


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## ann (Jan 3, 2012)

Wish mine was such any easy fix.:x


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## Trever1t (Jan 3, 2012)

Yeah, I wish it was too, I hate to hear of issues like that. 

When I say rapid sucession I mean like one per second, long enough for the OCF to recharge and beep.


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