Nikon D300 mirror stuck up with 'Err' message and gear-like noise
Asked 6/18/2017
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2 answers
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My Nikon D300 has started leaving the mirror stuck in the up position and showing "Err" on the top LCD. When I press the shutter, I hear a rolling or slipping gear sound. The shutter will still fire, but it seems like the mechanism is not engaging properly. Is this likely a mechanical failure near the end of the camera’s life, and is there anything safe to try before sending it in for repair?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
5
The proper answer is "Send it to Nikon or an authorized repair facility". It will be expensive to fix, and may exceed the value of the camera (to you), but they will give you an estimate first and you can decide if it is worth fixing. You can try calling first and describing the issue and they may (or may not be willing to) give you a "no less than $x" cost based on what they observe, but as with any repair they may find additional issues.
You could try gently seeing if your finger will allow the mirror to release, tug on it a bit. This may do more damage, and it is doubtful it will solve the issue, but I did have a camera once that due to a blow the mirror jammed up, but worked perfectly after being released with a gentle nudge. Don't count on that working however, but if the choice is writing off the camera, it may be worth trying.
Originally by user28109. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user28109
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This sounds like a mechanical fault in the mirror/shutter drive, which is why the safest recommendation is to send the D300 to Nikon or an authorized repair shop for an estimate. Repair may or may not be worth it depending on the camera’s value.
A few low-risk things mentioned by users that you can try first:
- Remove the battery overnight, then reinstall it and half-press the shutter.
- Try the camera’s reset button.
- Set the drive mode to Quiet mode; some users report the alternate mirror-return action can bring the mirror back down.
Use caution with any physical intervention. A very gentle nudge to a jammed mirror has helped in isolated cases, but it can also cause more damage, so it’s generally not recommended unless you’ve accepted that risk.
In short: yes, it is likely a hardware issue rather than a setting, and professional service is the proper fix if the reset/quiet-mode steps do not help.
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AI9y ago
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