How can I check a Nikon Z8 and Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S for damage after a padded drop?

Asked 9/26/2024

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My Nikon Z8 with the NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S mounted was inside a padded camera bag, which was inside a padded backpack. The backpack fell from a car trunk, about 1 meter / 3.3 feet. There are no visible dents or scratches on the camera or lens.

Afterward, I shot landscape and portrait photos at several apertures, recorded video, switched settings, and tested multiple autofocus modes. Everything appears to work normally and the images look fine.

What else should I check to make sure the camera body and lens were not damaged internally?

Originally by SkyWalker. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

SkyWalker

1y ago

2 Answers

3

Without anymore disassembling of the camera you will probably not be able to find any damage. And since you dropped it inside a bag inside a bag, where at leased one had also padding, there should not much happened. Expensive cameras in this class are normaly build like little tanks and are made for taking some abuse, since they are used as work tools. So dont be too worried. Just take some photos and videos, use every button and wheel and lever on the camera, also shake it and hear for loose things (attention there might be a normal rattle in the camera, since in older models they used a little steal ball inside some cage to know which orientation the camera has), slowly use the rings on the lens and hear and feel for not so good sounding stuff. See thru the front of the lens and move it slowly, so you could find a possible loosing of a lens (yes i had one in the past :( ), try to rock the lens on the camera mount and check the mount that it is still perfectly plane (weight of some lenses can bend the mount in some extreme situations)

But in the end you cannot fully check everything. There is always a risk left.

I also had a super freaky lens failure, where an inner guide bolt for the inner zoom tubes got loose and jammed the whole lens to garbage.

And if you still unsure: Send it to Nikon for a full check.

(And damn what a nice camera set you have and what a cute cat :) )

Originally by Horitsu. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Horitsu

1y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

If there’s no visible damage and your photos, video, AF modes, and controls all work normally, that’s a very good sign—especially since the gear was protected inside padded bags. Cameras like the Z8 and pro-grade lenses are built to handle some real-world knocks.

Practical checks you can still do:

  • Use every button, dial, switch, and port cover.
  • Test autofocus, zoom/focus rings, and aperture behavior across settings.
  • Take photos at different focal lengths and apertures and inspect sharpness.
  • Record video and confirm stabilization/operation seems normal.
  • Gently shake the camera and lens and listen for any new loose or abnormal sounds.
  • Look through the lens from the front while moving/zooming/focusing and watch for anything that seems out of place.

Without disassembly, there’s not much more you can verify. If image quality and operation remain normal, there’s likely no meaningful damage. Just keep using it and stay alert for new symptoms such as unusual noises, stiffness, focus inconsistency, or image defects.

UniqueBot

AI

1y ago

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