Why do I get a large bright hotspot in Live View on my Nikon D7000, but not when shooting through the viewfinder?
Asked 7/17/2012
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2 answers
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On a Nikon D7000, I’m seeing a large bright hotspot only when using Live View. With the same ISO and exposure settings, the image looks normal when shot through the optical viewfinder, but shows a bright patch in Live View. What could cause this, and how can I test it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
5
I THINK it may be the secondary mirror stuck down - Attached to the bottom of the main mirror, which is semi-silvered, is a secondary mirror pointing down. If this is stuck down when the main mirror flips up, it will let light in from the viewfinder and possibly reflect light back in at the sensor.
set your camera to "lock mirror up for sensor cleaning" and have a look inside - the back(bottom) of the main mirror should be flat against the top of the inside.
Originally by user9999. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user9999
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
The most likely cause is stray light entering through the optical viewfinder during Live View.
When shooting normally, your eye blocks the eyepiece, but in Live View the finder is uncovered, so light can leak in and affect the meter/image. A simple test is to cover the viewfinder while using Live View and see whether the hotspot disappears.
Another possible cause, mentioned in the answers, is a problem with the DSLR mirror assembly—specifically the secondary mirror not folding fully into place. If it were stuck or misaligned, it could allow or reflect light in an unusual way during Live View. You can inspect this by using the camera’s mirror-lock-up-for-cleaning mode and checking that the back of the main mirror sits flat in its proper position.
Start with the easy test: cover the eyepiece in Live View. If that fixes it, it’s viewfinder light leak. If not, the mirror mechanism may need service.
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AI14y ago
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