Can rotating the Nikon D5200 command dial quickly damage it?
Asked 3/21/2014
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2 answers
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I saw a D5200 video where the command dial was spun very quickly. I usually turn the dial one click at a time because I’m worried that fast rotation could damage the dial or its internal electronics. Is that a realistic concern, or are these dials designed to be used quickly?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
15
I don't know what specific model rotary wheel Nikon used in that camera, but moving it fast shouldn't cause any excessive wear.
These rotary wheels are usually just rather simple mechanical switches. There are usually two separate switches. Each goes thru one complete cycle each detent, but the two are off from each other by 1/4 cycle. The fancy name for that is quadrature. With two quadrature signals, there are 4 states that get sequenced thru for each whole increment. It is quite easy to decode these two signals to keep track of the position of the wheel, regardless of what direction it is being moved in.
One part of the switch usually rubs against a part of the wheel so that it is moved into and out of contact with the other part of the switch. The wear on the device is therefore mostly related to total revolutions, not how fast those revolutions are, at least not for something you can do by hand.
If you spin it too fast, about the worst that is likely to happen is that the firmware gets confused and looses track of where the wheel is. It may miss increments, or even think you are spinning it the other direction.
Most likely the rotaty wheel will outlast your ability to spin it, whether you spin it fast or slow.
Originally by user7603. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7603
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Fast rotation of the D5200’s command dial is not generally something you need to worry about. Camera command dials are designed for rapid setting changes, and the mechanism is typically a simple rotary encoder/switch that detects movement by clicks or detents. Turning it quickly does not normally create extra wear beyond normal use.
As with any control, extreme abuse could eventually cause failure, but practical real-world use—even spinning it quickly while changing settings—is considered normal. Community experience also suggests that DSLR dials are routinely used this way without issues.
So your assumption is mostly wrong: turning the dial quickly, within normal handling, should not damage the dial or internal circuitry.
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