# Nikon D90 problem - is it terminal (and if so what next)



## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Hello, and in advance thank you.

I love my D90 and have taken some good pictures with it, but recently it developed a fault.
Every so often (I shoot mainly in automatic 'P') it would take a very dark image, underexposed to the point occasionally of almost black. Sometimes it would take a dramatically over-exposed picture.
I sometimes got the 'err' message

Here is what I have tried, after exhaustive searching here and elsewhere on the internet:

Changed battery.
Removed lens  (usual is Nikkor AF-S 18 - 200). Cleaned contacts on both lens and body. 
(This, or something, appears to have cleared the 'err' issue - so far at least)
Checked firmware is up to date (in fact there was an update [L2.013] so I installed that)
Tried two other lenses - same problem, so it cannot be the lens
Restored all settings (with and without lens attached - someone suggested the latter might make a difference)
Set the ISO to 200, and turned off ISO sensitivity control
Tried every permutation of completely automatic (with and without built-in flash), S, A, & M
It appears that the issue is the automatic selection of shutter speed (i.e. in automatic looking at the same subject it repeatedly selects the same aperture, but will select a shutter speed that is alright most of the time, but occasionally far too fast, resulting in the dark image)

The above all seems to have helped but has not cured the problem (I have not have anything over-exposed, or the 'err' message, since)

So I'm perplexed. The problem appears to be with something operating too fast, and therefore not 'sticking'. 
I can, of course still use the camera. I either select the shutter speed all the time and have it set to 'S' - perfectly good discipline, but nevertheless irritating, Or just review and delete the bad images, again not the end of the world, but might mean me missing some of those point-and-click opportunities.

So my questions are these:
- Is it a known problem (light meter?), and if so what (there are lots of results in a google search for 'D90 dark pictures, but the only 'cures' suggested were those above)?
- Is it likely that it can be economically fixed?
- Should I just accept it and look at buying a new body, and if so, which, D7100(?) (Has to be Nikon because of the lenses) replacement D90?

I live in France, and although my French is good, I'm not sure how well I could explain all the above! Repairs in France (of most things) tend towards the very expensive. I can see secondhand D90 bodies costing less, or not much more.

The two images below shot immediately after each other. No 'bright spots' for the camera to meter (focus points identical). "Automatically" picked 1/250 s and then 1/500 s








Thanks in advance for any guidance.

Cheers

Rod


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## goooner (Mar 23, 2016)

It does seem like a metering 'problem'. What metering preset are you using? The 1st seems to be exposed for the table, the next is exposed for the window. Do you have bracketing on?


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Thanks Gooner.
Appreciate your time and help
For metering (and this is now going beyond my comprehension), here are the settings (all the factory/reset)
b1 EV steps for exposure cntrl. 1/3
b2 Easy exposure compensation ON
b3 Center-weighted area (·)10
b4 Fine tune optimal exposure - Matrix metering +3/6, Center weighted metering 0, spot metering 0
e4 Auto bracketing set AE. 
e6 Bracketing order N
Do you recommend I alter any of these settings?

But perhaps these two images show the problem best, taken of the display on the back of the camera:

Everything (it seems to me) is identical: speed, shutter, ISO. The camera was focussing on the same point each time, one second apart. And yet the pictures are very different. What could possible explain this


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## jaomul (Mar 23, 2016)

Id try a different lens, the lens may be not opening or closing enough (sticky apertutre blades) for some shots causing diff exposures at same settings, its worth a go


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## goooner (Mar 23, 2016)

Can you display the focus point as well. I'm quite new to Nikon myself, but the focus point and the light metering are often 2 different 'points'. The best test would probably be to set your camera on a tripod/table. Don't focus on a bright/dark spot (away from the window towards the 'darker' room). Set it to A mode (f7 or 8), set iso to 200 or 400. And take 5 shots with the self timer (2s). The shutter speed should stay the same for all 5 shots, unless the lighting conditions change. 

I'm sure one of the pro's will be along soon to explain this in much more detail.


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## goooner (Mar 23, 2016)

Just saw that little thing at the bottom right (the people with the 'auto' next to it). Is that a night mode? Switch it off if you can.


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## pixmedic (Mar 23, 2016)

set the camera in full manual. 
then take a shot using settings that gets the exposure right based on what the meter is saying. see what it looks like.


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## jaomul (Mar 23, 2016)

It of course could be the meter but the two shots above have same settings and different exposures


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Thanks again all

Jamoul - tried several lenses - same problem.

Gooner. No idea what the little logo in the bottom right is. Seems to be that same with P, flash, and A selected.
So I tried as you and pixmedic suggested:
Completely manual. Set to 1/8s, f7.1, 200 iSO. Blank wall, no changing light. Taken with the remote control
Different "exposures" still happened, and I started to get the dreaded 'err' message again.









As far as I can make out the 'err' message is likely due to a miscommunication between camera and lens (although I don't know how it explains this). Removing and replacing the battery helps, but cleaning the contacts on both lens and body hasn't sorted it.

I have ordered a brand new battery. Those that I have are at least three years old, but they show as fully charged and in fine conditions. This seems to be my last hope that it is something other than a complete-meltdown.

Once again I appreciate your time and help greatly

Rod


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Of course, I'm aware that taking a picture of the camera's screen with my phone compromises this somewhat (in fact in one of them you can see my shadow), but if anything the differences between the photos themselves is even greater. And the graphs should surely be exactly the same? There are no other variables...Or are there?


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## goooner (Mar 23, 2016)

No, it does look strange. Are you recording in jpeg? Maybe try a few RAWs, I guess the camera will convert them for display, but maybe it is doing something with the jpegs.


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## Dave442 (Mar 23, 2016)

What are the 6/7, 7/7 in the first two and 5/5, 4/5, 3/5 in the last three. 

It looks like the classic Bracking is active.


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Nope, RAW makes no difference (worse if anything, but the light is going). These three all shot as rapidly in succession as possible with the remote, on a tripod (gorilla pod) with all manual settings. Everything identical, but three massively different 'exposures'.

So, it seems my original thought that I could continue to use the camera manually was misplaced optimism.

Any ideas?


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Dave442 said:


> What are the 6/7, 7/7 in the first two and 5/5, 4/5, 3/5 in the last three.
> 
> It looks like the classic Bracking is active.



Just the number of the picture in the memory on the card. I have been copying them to a folder on my computer and then deleting them from the card as I go. In the last trio I have twelve pictures left on the card, and these are the 9th, 10th, and 12th. (the 11th was the same as the 10th)

What is "classic Bracking"?


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## KmH (Mar 23, 2016)

See page 92 of your D90 User's Manual.
Bracketing is under and over exposing a series of shots on purpose to ensure getting a good exposure. Nikon calls it AEB - Automatic Exposure Bracketing.
Your D90 has a setting that does that with each shutter release. Shooting/Display Menu e4, pg 191 of your user manual.
The top LCD shows if bracketing is set.

If AEB isn't set, I think the 'ERR' code is because the image sensor in your D90 is dying.


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## KmH (Mar 23, 2016)

goooner said:


> Just saw that little thing at the bottom right (the people with the 'auto' next to it). Is that a night mode? Switch it off if you can.


That indicates Active-D Lighting is set to Auto.


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Thanks Keith. A glimmer of hope, but no alas. 
Auto Bracketing is set to AFflash, the factory setting, and no bracketing is on, having referred to the manual, thank you for taking the trouble to look that up for me..

Is it possible that a 'dying' image sensor could cause this? And is such a thing reparable for an economically viable price do you think?

I have no complaints - the camera is seven years old - but I have several trips coming up and would like to have a DSLR with me. I'm not a great photographer, but I'd like to think I am better than my iphone! So I need to plan the purchase of something else (if that is what I need do). I travel a lot for work, and indeed am away for a long time after Friday, so I have no chance really to have this camera repaired, even if it is reparable.

With selective deleting I can still make it work, but the point-and-click attributes of it are a major attraction, and while this problem persists, I have lost that.

Thank you again, I appreciate your taking the trouble to try to help me.


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## robbins.photo (Mar 23, 2016)

Rodwsmith said:


> Thanks Keith. A glimmer of hope, but no alas.
> Auto Bracketing is set to AFflash, the factory setting, and no bracketing is on, having referred to the manual, thank you for taking the trouble to look that up for me..
> 
> Is it possible that a 'dying' image sensor could cause this? And is such a thing reparable for an economically viable price do you think?
> ...



I would imagine you could probably pick up a used D90 for less than what one would cost to repair, depending on prices in your local area.  It's an older camera model so not really in high demand anymore.


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## Derrel (Mar 23, 2016)

At my home town pawn shop, one that has a pretty good emphasis on photo goods, a used D90 brings about $99 with a battery and charger, so there's not much sense in repairing one or having a new sensor put in, since just turning a single screw at a camra repair place is easily $75, just for an estimate--and nowadays, Nikon is not selling repair parts to many non-authorized repair facilities, so...when a D70,D80, or D90 conks out, it becomes a replace rather than repair type of situation.

Trouble shooting: *the FIRST thing to do is to do a two-button re-set of the camera*, to get it back to a known base state. This is absolutely essential on a d-slr.

Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.

Third: Set the lens to wide-open, f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2.
**********
By shooting step 2 at f/11 and manual shutter speed, you can see if the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing, or not.

By shooting step 3 at wide-open, you have a constant aperture that will allow you to see if there's a shutter timing problem.

Reviewing the Step 2 and Step 3 image sequences, five shots at each different exposure setting, your histograms ought to be very much identical.
**********
Your first two shots in this post were done at ISO 3200, but one has a 1/250 shutter speed, the other has a 1/500 speed. That makes me think bracketing was on. AGAIN, *do a two-button re-set of the camera!!!!* Get the camera back to the factory defaults. There are so,so many possible issues that this is the only way to begin to troubleshoot a camera issue that you cannot quite figure out immediately.


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 23, 2016)

Thanks Derrel

I have done the two button reset several times, (and the only change subsequently is to image jpg + raw)

Here are the things I have already done:
- Changed battery.
- Removed lens (usual is Nikkor AF-S 18 - 200). Cleaned contacts on both lens and body. 
- Checked firmware is up to date (in fact there was an update [L2.013] so I installed that)
- Tried two other lenses - same problem, so it cannot be the lens
- Restored all settings (with and without lens attached - someone suggested the latter might make a difference)
- Set the ISO to 200, and turned off ISO sensitivity control
- Tried every permutation of completely automatic (with and without built-in flash), S, A, & M

And then everything everyone has recommended on this thread, with the above results. The histograms are completely different, even when every other setting is identical.

I'l try your suggestions (2) and (3) tomorrow (it is late here now). Bracketing has never been on (to my knowledge), but it certainly was not when the above sequences, after Keith's posts in this thread, were taken (or indeed at all if a reset removes the setting) 
(A reset was the first thing I tried - I don't want to waste anyone's time.)

I'll let you know...

Cheers

Rod


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## Dave442 (Mar 23, 2016)

I would take Derrel's advise and just pick up another D90 or move up to the D7100/D7200 or such if that is in the budget. I have a couple D200 bodies, one given to me and the other I picked up for $200 with grip, batteries and charger. These are like disposable cameras, great for travel and good for a backup body.


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## coastalconn (Mar 23, 2016)

Judging by your samples, my guess is that the lever that controls the aperture is malfunctioning.  That would explain the different exposures at the same exposure settings. This still could be a faulty connection between the camera and lenses. How did you clean the contacts on the camera itself?


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## KmH (Mar 23, 2016)

Yep, it could be the aperture actuation motor in the camera is going belly up.


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## Rodwsmith (Mar 24, 2016)

Derrel said:


> Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.
> 
> Third: Set the lens to wide-open, f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2.
> **********
> ...



Thanks again Derrel.

So I followed your instructions to the letter: first five, f11, manual shutter speed set to metered recommended level:

 

 

 

 

 

Then I did  "f/3.5 at the shortest focal length, and repeat, with whatever speed is needed for f/3.5 and shoot the IDENTICAL scene as in step 2."

 

 

 

 

 

This looked - superficially - quite promising (although there are differences), so I carried on, and then this happened:

 
(Five shots further on, but with no changes to the camera or settings at all by me)

Personally I'm not sure how to interpret all this and whether the problem is "the iris diaphragm, OR even worse, the camera body's mechanical diaphragm actuation mechanism, is failing"

(PS, this was done with a brand new battery)

I did get the occasional 'err' message and sometimes the camera would wiggle the aperture on the lens before attempting the shot, which might then necessitate a second press on the remote control.

I started this thread in the (albeit vague) hope that someone would say "oh - that - always happens to D90s. All you need to do is turn it on and off again and stare at an owl while drinking green tea" or something. 
So I guess the camera is shot. Unless the above suggests to someone a quick fix.

There seems to be a fair few deals on a D7100 body. I guess the 7200 is replacing the 7100. I can get one for £485 UK (as I say I don't think this can possibly be the lens as it does the exact same thing with two other lenses - unless the camera has somehow managed to break lenses).
Would this be a good choice for me? I haven't lost faith in Nikon, although it seems a shame to throw away something so seemingly well built, the D90 is seven years old and has served me well. It's been to the top of Kilimanjaro, and the north pole, and seen the Terracotta Army and Times Square - I really can't complain..!

Once again, I remain enormously grateful to you who have taken the trouble to contribute to this thread and offer assistance - much appreciated.

Rod


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## robbins.photo (Mar 24, 2016)

Rodwsmith said:


> Derrel said:
> 
> 
> > Second: Take the camera into Manual mode, and meter a simple scene, and shoot five exposures at the same, exact settings. Use f/11 and whatever shutter speed is needed.
> ...


I think you'd love the 7100.  I shoot one myself and it is a fantastic camera, it's still one of the best aps-c sensor cameras available on the market.  



Sent from my N9518 using Tapatalk


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