D70s CF Compartment Problem

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My pride and joy has been relegated to a non-functioning pile of ... technology - Help & Advice please ?

Mine is a new (2 weeks old - but please don't suggest it should have been a Canon !) D70s and today, after changing CF cards it packed up functioning with 'FORM' showing in the top panel. After trying unsuccessfully to Format I eventually checked out the CF compartment. :confused-

Two of the pins appear to be folded over to 90 degrees - one right in the middle and another at one end and I am bemused as to how. As it is a new toy I have been extra ultra careful with everything as you might expect. As far as I can see it is not possible to put the card in at anything other than the right way round and at the correct alignment. :annoyed: I really don't think I could be so stupid ! :stupid:

I believe this might be some sort of misalignment issue but Nikon say it is not a warranty matter - my cost to repair no idea how much or how long I have lost the toy for! :nunu:

Please - has anyone ever come across such a problem with a quality end DSLR before ? :eyesup: I would seriously apprecaite any feedback ?
 
Like you i am a little bemused how these pins could have gotten bent with insertion of a CF card, after all thats what the damn socket is for !

Have never heard of anything like this, but it does sound like a quality control issue more than anything else ! Trouble is proving it !

(should have bought Canon ;)) LOL


Dont worry i dont subscribe to one is better than the other ! :nut:
 
is it poss that a little stone (or other hard thing) was stuck on a CF card when it was inserted, that would do the trick?
 
I just had a google for d70 cf pins bent and looked at groups and web.

Didn't read enough to come to a conclusion but it seems the pins can be bent if you put the card in SIDEWAYS and push. You probably think that as unlikely as the posters in the groups results but it seems Nikon would not accept any other conclusion.

Saw mention of $281 for repair somewhere so that will be £281 ?

Try searching around a bit more - if it is a common fault and only on d70 maybe you can complain harder for a free fix.

Good luck.
 
A search of the the nikon d70 forum on dpreview shows that this certainly has happened before. I'm certain it's not a nikon specific problem having seen canon users with similar woes and is probably caused by over excited insertion (ooer missus) of the cf card.

My guess is it's bullet biting time. :(
 
Unless of course you feel brave and have a pair of very thin pliers or some such and are willing to attempt to straighten them yourself?
 
RobertP said:
but it seems the pins can be bent if you put the card in SIDEWAYS and push. You probably think that as unlikely as the posters in the groups results but it seems Nikon would not accept any other conclusion.
Click to expand...

Hmmm i just looked at my 20D and tried to put the card in any way other than the right way and there is absolutely no way it can be done that i can see ! sounds like Nikon spinning a yarn to me !
 
The only other way I could see this happening is if you have been pulling the cards out, instead of ejecting them, but it sounds more likely that these pins may have been weakened already.

Not much help I'm afraid. You could always return it to your store as faulty and see if they are any more sympathetic (worth a try unless you mail ordered it).
After all 2 weeks is all you have had, I believe the store is responsible for 28 or 30 days.
 
And.... if you are going to have to pay for it anyway.... why not just straighten the pins yourself? (or get a clever kid to do it).

Jewelers loupe and screwdrivers... maybe long thin tweezers. Worst case result is you snap the pins off and have to get it repaired anyway.

I have done it with a processor chip with a dozen flattened pins but the access was somewhat easier :eyesup:
 
Warspite said:
The only other way I could see this happening is if you have been pulling the cards out, instead of ejecting them, but it sounds more likely that these pins may have been weakened already.

Not much help I'm afraid. You could always return it to your store as faulty and see if they are any more sympathetic (worth a try unless you mail ordered it).
After all 2 weeks is all you have had, I believe the store is responsible for 28 or 30 days.
Click to expand...

May be worth a go on sales of goods act, just double check that its not possible to get the card in anyway other than the right way first ! then tell the shop there is physically no way it could have been damaged by you !
 
IanC_UK said:
Hmmm i just looked at my 20D and tried to put the card in any way other than the right way and there is absolutely no way it can be done that i can see ! sounds like Nikon spinning a yarn to me !
Click to expand...

And I tried it with my 20D and could have easily damaged the pins.

Note SIDEWAYS - not back to front or upside down. The card has a shorter edge on its side
 
Even still, pulling a CF card shouldn't bend the pin.

The only way it could have been caused, is by something pushing on the END of the pin, the resulting force pushing the pin to the side (ie bending it).
Edit : Just realised the sideways thing works, so I suppose that's possible in the head of the moment. But personally for reassurance, and subconcioulsy, I tend to rub my thumb on the little lip at the back of the CF card, to tell me it's the right way roung (that, and the label etc etc).

It's a puzzler, for sure.
 
Marcel said:
Even still, pulling a CF card shouldn't bend the pin.

The only way it could have been caused, is by something pushing on the END of the pin, the resulting force pushing the pin to the side (ie bending it).
Edit : Just realised the sideways thing works, so I suppose that's possible in the head of the moment. But personally for reassurance, and subconcioulsy, I tend to rub my thumb on the little lip at the back of the CF card, to tell me it's the right way roung (that, and the label etc etc).

It's a puzzler, for sure.
Click to expand...

But pulling it out (;)) enevenly could bend the pin slightly out of alignment so when you next insert a card it doesnt align any more and instead flattens the pin. Thats what I mean.
 
I had this happen with a compact years ago and it's still a mystery how it happened. After scratching my head for a while I fixed it myself as follows.

Take one paper clip, one of the heavier ones, and straighten it out. Using a pair of pliers, bend one end to 90 degs, then cut off any excess so you have a very short spur - perhaps 1/16 inch or less. This tool is all you need to raise the pins, and then something like a small electrical screwdriver to then tease them back into position. The pins are very pliable and there's little danger of them breaking off.

Even if the camera doesn't then work - as long as the pins are properly aligned and a card can be inserted they'd have a hard time refusing the warranty work. If anyone thinks this is less than honest, I hear you, but I'm also of the view that the pins weren't right to start with for this to happen.

I have since noticed that CF cards do vary in the apparent size of the little mating holes (ooer) with some seeming a little larger which possibly gives enough play for this to happen.

Good luck mate, I hope you get it sorted. :)
 
Thanks everybody - some great responses and helpful tips I really appreciate it !

Lets get to your ideas;

As for bending for any reason ... I suppose I could accept as an outside possibility a single one ... but really two at once and not even together ... that has got to be stretching the bounds of incompetent probability surely ?

I don't think I am brave enough to go for it myself and there really is so little room to play with - knowing my luck I would do more damage than good !

As for the suppliers - Jessops in Cambridge - "you should have taken out our accidental damage insurance and you would have been covered. This is not a guarantee matter accepted by Nikon" - effectively tough mate ! Great service from a great retailer ... not ! They were the only ones to come up with the goods at the time though.

Sorry - not sorted the quotes bit out yet but ... as for "pulling it out" - like putting it in any which way but the right one it just is not possible as Nikon seem to have addressed all the daft things consumers are likely to get up to ! You could, I suppose if you levered it our with a screwdriver or something but why would you when there is a perfectly sensible alternative ?

For now I need to see if Nikon can get it repaired in time for my holiday in two weeks ... fat chance I hear you say !?!

Again - thanks for the advice and suggestions ... I will take the advice about net-searching and, if I get anywhere let you know as and when.
 
Looks like your gonna have to send it in.
I do its a shame that after only two weeks of being a customer your already being shafted when they should at least be assisting you to find a solution though - especially with their markup.

Good luck and let us know how you get on - its going being a frustrating period now though, with no camera :shock:
 
I have to ask - was this a sealed box when you bought it from Jessops, or could it have been used for demonstration?
 
Warspite said:
I have to ask - was this a sealed box when you bought it from Jessops, or could it have been used for demonstration?
Click to expand...

Ha ! At least I have sorted the quote thingy ... quite simple really ! :banana:

Yes it was - they had only received it the day before I picked it up and everything stacked up properly ... totally minted.

Disappointing after sales though from such a prominent retailer.
 
You may find your household insurance will cover it - worth a call?
 
I'm sorry if I’ve missed something here but myself personally, I’d take it back to Jessops under there 30 day money back guarantee. Even if you took it back to another branch and just tell them that it is no longer writing to the cf card or whatever, let them figure it out and play ignorant. I wouldn’t be sitting with a 6 or 7 hundred quid camera after only 2 weeks with bust pins…….I went through at least 10 cameras in and out of shop before finding one I was happy with and Jessops where really cool with it.
I am not a dishonest person BUT even if I had to lie and say “It keeps switching off” or some other rubbish, at least that way they wouldn’t check the pins….in fact under the 30 day warranty they would take your word and exchange…..Rather than be stuck with something that needs money spent on it for it to work after just buying it.
I’m sorry if this goes against others morals…..but it’s not costing the retailer anything as they’d just send it back to Nikon.

Edit: Just read that it says "FORM" on the top of the camera...but I'd still take it back to the shop.
 
RobertP said:
You may find your household insurance will cover it - worth a call?
Click to expand...

Thanks Robert - will check this out when I know what the damage is going to be !
 
KenCo1964 said:
I'm sorry if I’ve missed something here but myself personally, I’d take it back to Jessops under there 30 day money back guarantee. Even if you took it back to another branch and just tell them that it is no longer writing to the cf card or whatever, let them figure it out and play ignorant. I wouldn’t be sitting with a 6 or 7 hundred quid camera after only 2 weeks with bust pins…….I went through at least 10 cameras in and out of shop before finding one I was happy with and Jessops where really cool with it.
I am not a dishonest person BUT even if I had to lie and say “It keeps switching off” or some other rubbish, at least that way they wouldn’t check the pins….in fact under the 30 day warranty they would take your word and exchange…..Rather than be stuck with something that needs money spent on it for it to work after just buying it.
I’m sorry if this goes against others morals…..but it’s not costing the retailer anything as they’d just send it back to Nikon.
Click to expand...

I suppose, apart from morals and honestly it didn't occur to me to take it back as being dissatisfied with it but it has already gone off to Nikon - once repaired I do intend taking it up with Nikon UK (Jpn if necessary until I get some definitive response !).

Other thing is there is a shortage of D70s and I really do like it ... apart from being a little fed up at the mo !

Appreciate your comment and ideas though - would have thought about it earlier !

Edit: Just read that it says "FORM" on the top of the camera...but I'd still take it back to the shop.

Would not say "Form" if the card was not in so this wouldn't necessarily be a problem. Damn - the more I think about it the worse I feel at missing this opportunity - never mind appreciate the inputs
 
KenCo1964 said:
I'm sorry if I’ve missed something here but myself personally, I’d take it back to Jessops under there 30 day money back guarantee. Even if you took it back to another branch and just tell them that it is no longer writing to the cf card or whatever, let them figure it out and play ignorant. I wouldn’t be sitting with a 6 or 7 hundred quid camera after only 2 weeks with bust pins…….I went through at least 10 cameras in and out of shop before finding one I was happy with and Jessops where really cool with it.
I am not a dishonest person BUT even if I had to lie and say “It keeps switching off” or some other rubbish, at least that way they wouldn’t check the pins….in fact under the 30 day warranty they would take your word and exchange…..Rather than be stuck with something that needs money spent on it for it to work after just buying it.
I’m sorry if this goes against others morals…..but it’s not costing the retailer anything as they’d just send it back to Nikon.

Edit: Just read that it says "FORM" on the top of the camera...but I'd still take it back to the shop.
Click to expand...

I have never ever ever ever ever ever ever taken that approach ever ever. Not in my life time, and certainly never not at all no never when I got my 350D and it had a blob of dirt on the focusing screen and my attempts to get rid of it were met with a horribly dirty sensor and a much more mucky focusing screen.

I'd never take it back and act innocent. I'm too honest guv. Honest.
 
Marcel said:
I'd never take it back and act innocent. I'm too honest guv. Honest.
Click to expand...
Well you all seem in agreement that this is highly unlikely to be caused through misuse and probably a defect of the camera, so why should anyone have to spend ANY further money on something that was probably faulty to start with….I also feel for the guy, I know how I’d feel if I’d just splashed out on a camera…only to have to send it away for god knows how long at MY cost…even if it does get repaired AND reimbursed of all costs, It’s still a huge inconvenience. Especially when Jessops have a “No quibble 30 day money back guarantee”
 
KenCo1964 said:
Well you all seem in agreement that this is highly unlikely to be caused through misuse and probably a defect of the camera, so why should anyone have to spend ANY further money on something that was probably faulty to start with….I also feel for the guy, I know how I’d feel if I’d just splashed out on a camera…only to have to send it away for god knows how long at MY cost…even if it does get repaired AND reimbursed of all costs, It’s still a huge inconvenience. Especially when Jessops have a “No quibble 30 day money back guarantee”
Click to expand...

Sorry, forgot the obligatory ;) on the end of my post ;). Changes the whole tone of my post somewhat ;)
;) ;)
 
Marcel said:
Sorry, forgot the obligatory ;) on the end of my post ;). Changes the whole tone of my post somewhat ;)
;) ;)
Click to expand...
Don't worry about it, I always forget the :)
I can't understand why only 2 pins have been bent, if the card was inserted incorrectly surely this would have damaged/bent all the pins..the lenght of the incorrectly inserted card????
Still, I hope it gets sorted.
 
^^ Likewise. Unless a bit of grit was under the card when it was inserted (or the pins were bent already) i fail to see how only two pins could be bent over and the rest are intact.

As others have said you could try very carefully bending the pins back upright but they are very brittle indeed and it's quite likely you will end up snapping them. Good luck whatever you decide to do.
 
I haven't read through all of the posts here, but we had a spate of this happenning with the D100 cameras we teach the 'Special' people in Hereford with. At the last count there were 15 being sent back for repair. Bear in mind that our 'operators' have to work in very, very stressful working environments and in conditions not conducive to calmness; dark, wet, dangerous, etc. Putting a CF card in backwards does 'just happen' sometimes.
I even saw a guy drop-kick a D1 into touch when it displeased him. With these guys, one doesn't ask why.

The card compartment on the D100 (and probably on the D70 as well) is hi-impact plastic and a card can be forced in backwards.
No, Nikon will not fix it under warranty - (clumsiness is not a warranty issue).
Maybe a friend or relative was having a play with your new toy?

I have 'fixed' two D100 bodies myself (bear in mind it will void any other warranty) by carefully bending the pins back with a jeweller's screwdriver and then inserting and re-inserting a CF card a few times. I did this to get cameras back into the field as soon as possible with the knowledge that there was nothing to lose if I further damaged the camera.
On my personal kit? No Way. Send it back and pay up.
 
Arkady said:
I haven't read through all of the posts here, but we had a spate of this happenning with the D100 cameras we teach the 'Special' people in Hereford with. At the last count there were 15 being sent back for repair. Bear in mind that our 'operators' have to work in very, very stressful working environments and in conditions not conducive to calmness; dark, wet, dangerous, etc. Putting a CF card in backwards does 'just happen' sometimes.
I even saw a guy drop-kick a D1 into touch when it displeased him. With these guys, one doesn't ask why.

The battery compartment on the D100 (and probably on the D70 as well) is hi-impact plastic and a card can be forced in backwards.
No, Nikon will not fix it under warranty - (clumsiness is not a warranty issue).
Maybe a friend or relative was having a play with your new toy?

I have 'fixed' two D100 bodies myself (bear in mind it will void any other warranty) by carefully bending the pins back with a jeweller's screwdriver and then inserting and re-inserting a CF card a few times. I did this to get cameras back into the field as soon as possible with the knowledge that there was nothing to lose if I further damaged the camera.
On my personal kit? No Way. Send it back and pay up.
Click to expand...

Thanks Arkady - and another huge thank you to everyone else too ... as a fairly new member I did not expect such a great help from everyone.

Arkady - I assume the D100 instances were somewhat understandable you have to admit the circumstances were probably a little unusual ? :confused-

My D70s is only two weeks old, no-one, but no-one else has even touched it and I have been paranoid about the care I have taken with it and not forced anything in anywhere. And aside from forcing, as far as I can see the CF cards do not go in any other way than the correct one ! :Ponders:

I have sent it back, and will have to pay up to get it back but I will inform Nikon UK of my immense dissatisfaction with this whole saga - not to mention their offhand treatment and Jessop's attitude to it all ! :annoyed:

Cheers ... and thanks again all ! :thumb:
 
Some were a genuine case of stress, but most were 'rubber thumbs' - brute force and ignorance plays a big part in these guys' ways of doing things, despite what the TV and movies would have you believe.
We started charging them for damage that was in our view 'preventable' and almost overnight the trouble stopped (in a 'normal' army unit this is par for the course, but with 'Special Needs' troops it's often overlooked as they usually have more important things to worry about. However, this was in a Training Environment, not Operational and there's just no excuse for clumsiness and stupidity. As we pointed out when the Big Bosses complained about our 'prissy' attitude - if the operator damages the camera while on a job, the job is wasted. It may have been that the 'job' was a recce that was the culmination of a covert entry into a hostile country involving submarines or unmarked transport aircraft, helicopters, free-fall HALO insertion and miles of marching over mountainous terrain - millions of pounds of time and effort wasted just because the CF card was inserted back-to-front. He took our point and now they get billed for damaged equipment).

You also have to see it from Jessop's and Nikon's point of view - how much more likely is it that the customer b*ggered up his own camera than the pins 'just bent themselves'?
 
You also have to see it from Jessop's and Nikon's point of view - how much more likely is it that the customer b*ggered up his own camera than the pins 'just bent themselves'?[/QUOTE] :confused-

Maybe so - but, assuming all things are indeed equal, how as likely is it the pins may have been faulty and perfectly correct insertion of a CF card results in a bent pin ... or two in my case ? At the end of the day I am resigned to having to pay for now - clumsy, stupid or just plain unlucky but ... and it is an uphill but I will take the cause forward one way or another. :Ponders:

Thank you also for the info behind the D100 story !
 
Just a thought for when it comes back...make sure that you check all your cards for any possible damage or blocked holes etc before inserting them into the repaired body. On the offchance that they caused the problem in the first case I would hate for you to have the same thing occur. It's a bad thing to happen once but twice doesn't bear thinking about.
 
True - hadn't considered that - always keep your cards in the hard plastic card-case and inside a soft wallet.
Chucking them in your pocket gets them full of fluff and biscuit crumbs.
 
LOL How true, although I'll be buggered if I know where the biscuit crumbs from...who keeps open biscuits in their pockets? :lol:
 
No-one - it's like the tomato bits in yer vomit - the faeries put them there...
 
Arkady said:
No-one - it's like the tomato bits in yer vomit - the faeries put them there...
Click to expand...

tomato, i'd always thought they were carrots! :Ponders:
 
Carrots and tomatos? That reminds me..what is it with sweetcorn..goes in yellow and come out the same--thats just plain wrong :Ponders:
 
Steve said:
Just a thought for when it comes back...make sure that you check all your cards for any possible damage or blocked holes etc before inserting them into the repaired body. On the offchance that they caused the problem in the first case I would hate for you to have the same thing occur. It's a bad thing to happen once but twice doesn't bear thinking about.
Click to expand...
:Ponders:

thanx Steve - should be easy for me, being new to DSLRs I only have one CF card so far - will check it when I get home this evening !

I had a thought, given their excellent pre-disposition for after sales service, and assuming my P & J is not returned in time for my holiday in two weeks (highly unlikely !) I may just have to purchase a new D50 from them to take on holiday.

If it subsequently proves unsatisfactory compared to my original choice I suppose I could then return it as being unsatisfied, within their terms, and request all my money back ... or could I ??? :whistling

Anyway, thanks again everyone,
 
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