# My D7000 came today, Yay. Just one concern...



## Netskimmer (May 25, 2011)

I haven't had time to charge the battery or anything but I put my 55-300mm lens on it just to get a look through the viewfinder and the image looks "dirty" everything as a little duller when I look through it and it looks almost as if there is a a kind of film on the viewfinder. Does anyone know if this is because there is no power/battery in the cam or know what else this might be? Got the camera off eBay from a brick and mortar store in NY. They seemed to have a good rep and good positive feedback. The camera is supposed to be brand new/unopened so it shouldn't be dirt.


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## photocist (May 25, 2011)

I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.

Why not just throw the battery in and check...


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## Raian-san (May 25, 2011)

No battery


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## Geaux (May 25, 2011)

Wait to judge when you put batteries in it ....


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## Netskimmer (May 25, 2011)

Geaux said:


> Wait to judge when you put batteries in it ....



That was my plan I just got a little nervous. :blushing:


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

photocist said:


> I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.


Nope! The viewfinder of a D7000 doesn't need the battery.

The viewfinder doesn't require any power. Thats what SLR  (Single Lens Reflex) is all about.

Which store on eBay?


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## Netskimmer (May 25, 2011)

KmH said:


> photocist said:
> 
> 
> > I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.
> ...


 
Camera Land Inc.

http://www.cameralandny.com/


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## OrionsByte (May 25, 2011)

Your lens is probably stopped down to it's smallest aperture. The camera will open it up to it's largest aperture when you turn it on, to let as much light as possible in for the viewfinder.

EDIT: I picked up my D7000 to confirm.  Looking through the viewfinder with the battery out looks exactly the same as when I put the battery in, turn the camera on, and use DOF preview to stop it down to f/22 (the smallest aperture on that lens at that focal length).  I was slightly wrong about one thing though - the camera will open up the lens' aperture as soon as you put the battery in and the lens is connected - it won't wait for you to turn it on.

EDIT 2: Ignore that, it has nothing to do with the lens aperture, which is opened mechanically as soon as you attach the lens (see below).


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

Nikon lenses open to their widest aperture as soon as they are mounted on the camera body. It is a mechanical, not an electrical, process.

Take a look at the aperture lever on the lens mount of all your lenses. Also notice that when you take a lens off the camera, the aperture always closed to it's smallest aperture.

The lens won't stop down to the set aperture until the shutter is released, unless the lens has a manual aperture ring that is not locked at the smallest aperture.


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## OrionsByte (May 25, 2011)

KmH said:


> Nikon lenses open to their widest aperture when they are mounted on the camera body.


 
Right, but apparently only if the body has power.  At least on the D7000.


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

Nope!

Try it. Take the lens off. Then watch from the front of the lens what happens to the lens aperture when you put the lens back on.


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## OrionsByte (May 25, 2011)

Alright, you're right.  That certainly makes more sense.

It definitely _looks_ stopped down through the viewfinder without the battery in though.  So for whatever reason it looks like that, I'd say the OP has nothing to worry about.


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## SrBiscuit (May 25, 2011)

have you adjusted the diopter yet?


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

I bet there is some dust on the focusing screen or the mirror, and that the OP's expectations exceed the reality. It could also be the viewfinder eyepiece has a fingerprint on it.

It is best to adjust the diopter when the power is on, by looking at the information displays in the viewfinder.


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## AJRacca (May 25, 2011)

You need the battery. I did that with my old camera and got scared, but I put the battery in and it was fine.


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## ngaerlan (May 25, 2011)

There should be a little knob on the right hand side of the viewfinder that will set the focus of the viewfinder if things look blurry. 

Nino G. Photography
Nino Gaerlan Photography


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## Overread (May 25, 2011)

KmH said:


> photocist said:
> 
> 
> > I am pretty sure the viewfinder is like some LCD screen that needs the battery.
> ...


 
Actually new viewfinders do need a battery in them. My 7D (canon side) was the same in that without the battery in the viewfinder looked damaged/marked and dull overall. Certainly gave me a shock - far as I know it only needs a trickle of power from the battery, but it needs it to give a proper display and I'd not be surprised if Nikon was using similar tech in their DSLRs now.


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

How do you it like there in the mountains of Cali, Colombia? A lovely city.


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## jands (May 25, 2011)

I just tried it with my D90 and it does look like the viewfinder needs a battery.  I looked through it as I took the battery out and it went dim.  I would guess the D7000 is the same way.


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## chaosrealm93 (May 25, 2011)

maybe the diopter got bumped


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## KmH (May 25, 2011)

Overread said:


> Actually new viewfinders do need a battery in them. My 7D (canon side) was the same in that without the battery in the viewfinder looked damaged/marked and dull overall....- far as I know it only needs a trickle of power from the battery ....


 What does the trickle of power, power?


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## jands (May 25, 2011)

KmH said:
			
		

> What does the trickle of power, power?



When I remove the battery, the grid and if any icons are lit (like no memory card) they disappear as the viewfinder dims to a gray.  Looks like and LCD overlay or something.


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## ausemmao (May 25, 2011)

KmH said:


> Overread said:
> 
> 
> > Actually new viewfinders do need a battery in them. My 7D (canon side) was the same in that without the battery in the viewfinder looked damaged/marked and dull overall....- far as I know it only needs a trickle of power from the battery ....
> ...


 
The overlay. Without power, the overlay isn't completely transparent.


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## Netskimmer (May 25, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses. As many people have guessed, as soon as I got the battery charged and installed the viewfinder cleared right up. I am at work right now but will post some pics when/if I get enough time to take some proper pictures. If not I'll have to wait until I get home.


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## Overread (May 25, 2011)

ausemmao said:


> KmH said:
> 
> 
> > Overread said:
> ...


 
Yeah it some kind of  liquid crystal overlay which thus requires the little bit of power to remain clear


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## AJRacca (May 25, 2011)

Great can't wait to see some pictures


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## Raian-san (May 26, 2011)

All good, sounds like a kid being too excited over a new toy.


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## Netskimmer (May 26, 2011)

Ok, I've been up for 21 hours an it's dark outside so the only shots I could really think of were low light stuff. They were all shot with the 17-50mm

Let me know what you think.

This is a crystal dish from my mothers glass collection with a flashlight behind it. I know it's a little out of focus but I was so bleary eyed when I took it I didn't realize.

1.






2 - 5 are shots of a plasma ball at different exposures.

2.





3.





4.





5.


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## OrionsByte (May 26, 2011)

I love #4.


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## Netskimmer (May 26, 2011)

Thanks, I had a few light sources behind me that I didn't think about so there are a few reflection in them.


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## KmH (May 26, 2011)

The center of the frame is a weak position for your main subject. Place your subject on a rule-of-thirds (ROT) power point.

Also, don't forget you can turn the camera 90° so the long side of the image frame is vertical.

ROT illustration:


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