Nikon D3 - ERR Message

cpgphotos

cpgphotos

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Casey Gutteridge
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Hi everyone,

Recently my D3 pops up with ERR when shooting sometimes. It comes more often when on Continuous, but still happens on Single as well - It sounds as if the shutter gets stuck open and the photo that gets caught is always over exposed -

It just flashes ERR and once pressing the shutter down again it goes back to normal. It is happening more frequently now.

Can anybody help me with the problem?

I have photos on my flickr www.flickr.com/caseygutteridge to show the EXIF data.


Nikon D3 ERR message by caseyphotos, on Flickr


Thanks Guys and Gals
 
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My Canon 5d did the same for the first time on Thursday , so I would like to know the answer to this one
 
Exif shows a shutter count of 130k+ actuations.
 
Had the exact same symptoms a few weeks ago with my D3 at 126,000 actuations.

The diagnosis was a new shutter I'm afraid.

I got estimates from Nikon (NPS) £582.00 who said the base unit also needed replacing, and Fixation who estimated new shutter at £513.00 over the phone (not including new base plate).

Serious money :'(
 
cpgphotos said:
Argh - looks like the next customer's bill is going to be that extra £582's more!

How long had you had the Camera Chris?

what happens if i don't get it sorted? running a risk?

also do you know if Insurance can cover it?
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I've had the camera 2½ years, my 2 year Nikon cover expired 6 months previously.

I HAD to replace mine, the camera would not take any pictures! From the first ERR message, I probably only took another 20-30 shots before it stopped working altogether.

It will always be a risk taking it on an assignment in its current condition because it WILL let you down eventually. My shutter went towards the end of a wedding. The following week I had to cover 4 weddings (busiest weekend of my year!) without my beloved D3!!!

I looked at hiring a D3 but at £440 per week decided my D300s & D2X would be up to the job!

Without reading your insurance policy, I can't say if you have it covered.... but I very much doubt it unless the fault developed as a result of an accident (I'm sure the assessor would need to see evidence of such an occurance!).

Chris.
 
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If you bought it NEW, then you should have had a 2 year Nikon cover with it.

I don't know if shutter replacment is included within that cover, but Nikon would be the first place I would be phoning in the morning.

Good luck.

Chris.
 
cpgphotos said:
Phone them up and got to send it out to Nikon - need to wait 3 - 4 weeks if there is damage!

Will keep you informed.
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Are you a member of Nikon Professional Services (NPS), or do you own the equipment to qualify? I can't remember the criteria but you have to own a certain amount of what Nikon consider 'Pro' equipment.

If you are a member of NPS you can expect an estimate within *48 hours of them receiving the camera, and repair within *5 working days of you giving them the go-ahead.

*Not sure if these figures are set in stone, but it IS the service they quoted/delivered for me a few weeks ago.

Chris.
 
boyfalldown said:
you need to spend far more money with Nikon then just a D3 to qualify for NPS :suspect:
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Yep, no less than six pieces of Nikon Pro equipment, two of which must be bodies. You also need to be a full time tog.
 
boyfalldown said:
you need to spend far more money with Nikon then just a D3 to qualify for NPS :suspect:
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You are right there, I can't remember the criteria but I vaguely remember it is at least a couple of 'pro' bodies plus 2-3 'pro' lenses and maybe even a flash.


But one D3 definitely is not enough to qualify.

Chris
 
on your current kit list I don't think you'd qualify. Although you would qualify for the NPU scheme which would still get things fixed quicker

To become an NPS member

To become a member:
Write a letter of introduction to Nikon Professional Services (see address below) on your letterhead (or your company's stationery).
Tell us about your photography and request an invitation to join.
You will need to meet the qualifying requirements below after you receive your application.

To qualify:
NPS Sponsor (existing member to verify that you are a full-time photographer)
Current Tear Sheets (published within the last 12 months)
Ownership of a minimum of 2 Nikon Professional Bodies and 3 Nikkor or DX Nikkor lenses
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entry and kit details for NPU are here

http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/pro/Pro_NPU.page?
 
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cpgphotos said:
Top stuff, Just realised I had a few more bits and bobs! 2xD200, 2xSb800, 2xSb900, D3, Nikkor 85mm f1.8/

Ive just signed out the form,

worth giving them a call?

Thanks for help!
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I'd say so, explain that you qualify for NPS but have only just filled out the form, see if they can speed things along for you.
 
cpgphotos said:
I am now a NPS registered.

Just got to get the number and give them a ring - a 5 working day turn around.

better than 6 weeks!
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Good work! Let us know if it actually works out that well.
 
NPS was a wise move :thumbs:

I had the same experience last year, 'ERR' messages and the mirror refusing to close.

Turned out that the mirror mechanism had failed and needed replacing, all to the tune of 500 euros.

The service centre gave me the house D3 while the repair was processed, took around 5 days too. NPS certainly has it's perks.

Hope this gets sorted :)
 
Tyke Tiler said:
The service centre gave me the house D3 while the repair was processed, took around 5 days too. NPS certainly has it's perks.
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You were lucky. Nikon told me all their 'house' D3 bodies had just been returned from The Open & the World Cup and they didn't have any models available that had been serviced since the togs had hammered them at these events!

They did promise to provide one if they could not turn my camera repair around in 5 working days though.

Thankfully my own camera was back within the timescale :)
 
"Err" means "something is wrong". It could be pretty much anything. The actual error code gets logged to a black box chip in the camera. Only Nikon (and authorised pro repairers) can read this.

Mine kicked off a couple of weeks ago. Coincidentally it was about 150K. It needed a new base plate unit (controls aperture) and bayonet (current favourite repair @ Nikon). The BPU is right inside so it was a strip down and rebuild. Estimate was c £500 including new rubbers etc. Actual cost was a little under £400. Work fast tracked under NPS - I couriered out on Monday and had it back the next Monday.

But yours could be something completely different.
 
chip said:
You were lucky. Nikon told me all their 'house' D3 bodies had just been returned from The Open & the World Cup and they didn't have any models available that had been serviced since the togs had hammered them at these events!
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Sorry to hear it mate, however I'd say that rather than myself being the lucky one, it's more that you were unlucky to have a camera failing at the same time as major sporting event.

Glad it got sorted though. So far I've found NPS services to be very consistent.

JonathanRyan said:
"Err" means "something is wrong". It could be pretty much anything. The actual error code gets logged to a black box chip in the camera. Only Nikon (and authorised pro repairers) can read this.

But yours could be something completely different.
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True but the OP mentioned the mirror getting stuck, so proposing that the mirror may be failing isn't an unfair assumption ;)

I was at 45K when my cameras mirror failed.
 
Tyke Tiler said:
True but the OP mentioned the mirror getting stuck, so proposing that the mirror may be failing isn't an unfair assumption ;)
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You're probably right. Err seems often to mean stuff in that area anyway.

One for Nikon at any rate. But it might not be as bad as a new shutter.
 
cpgphotos said:
maybe its a good time to ask what a secondary body is good to have?

worth chipping out on a D3s or something like a D700?
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Depends how rich you are and what you shoot. But I just got a D3S and am amazed by it. Like a D3. But much better :)
 
cpgphotos said:
maybe its a good time to ask what a secondary body is good to have?

worth chipping out on a D3s or something like a D700?
Click to expand...

When my D2X developed a fault at a Saturday wedding I was in a panic because I had a 2 camera shoot starting at 7.30am on Monday morning and only had my D3 (and a couple of D100 bodies in the cupboard :gag:). Due to the early start on Monday renting was not an option, so I HAD to rush out to buy a replacement camera on the Sunday.

The only place reasonably local to me open on a Sunday was Jessops so I bought the best Nikon in the shop.... a D300s.

Whilst it is a pretty good camera, I think the D3 is FAR superior and if I hadn't been under such pressure timewise, probably would have bought another D3. I couldn't justify spending a further grand on the D3s though.

Still, at least I have a backup for my backup now :D
 
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