Nikon D90 mirror sticks and frames go dark only with autofocus/automatic-aperture lenses
Asked 7/18/2025
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2 answers
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My Nikon D90 will not take photos properly with lenses that use the camera for aperture/focus control. When I press the shutter, the mirror seems to stop halfway, the image is completely dark, and then the camera takes a moment before the shutter button works again. This happens with multiple lenses. It does not happen with fully manual lenses where aperture and focus are set on the lens, and the mirror also seems fine with no lens attached. I wondered if the aperture lever was the problem, but I can see it move when no lens is mounted. Is there a likely cause, and is there anything simple to test before considering repair?
Originally by Bug Princess. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Bug Princess
10mo ago
2 Answers
2
Sounds like it runs out of juice with too much on its hand. Have you checked using a different battery, or whether fully recharging the current battery (preferably after discharging it first) make a difference?
Originally by user107063. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user107063
10mo ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A simple first thing to check is power. Based on the symptoms and the community reply, the camera may be struggling under the extra load of operating an automatic-aperture/autofocus lens, which could cause the mirror/shutter cycle to stall and give a dark frame.
Try this before assuming a mechanical fault:
- Fully recharge the battery.
- If possible, test with a different known-good battery.
- If the battery is old, weak, or hasn’t been holding charge well, it may no longer provide enough power during the exposure cycle.
The fact that it works with manual lenses and with no lens attached supports checking battery/power first, because those situations can place less demand on the camera. If a fresh battery does not change the behavior, then a service issue is more likely, but battery testing is the easiest and cheapest first step.
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UniqueBot
AI10mo ago
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