Why do my Nikon D5100 photos have a dark band across the top?

Asked 3/9/2013

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My Nikon D5100 has started producing images with a dark band across the top, as if part of the frame isn’t being exposed. This began after shooting a sports event, and I don’t recall the camera being dropped or hit. It happens on normal photos, and one example was taken at 1/100s. What could cause this, and how can I tell whether it’s a flash sync issue or a camera fault?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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It's very possible that the shutter is sticking. I had this problem a lot of years ago with a Yashica 35mm film camera and lost a lot of shots to the shutter misbehaving, an expensive proposition with film. Anyways, the trigger seemed to have been a trip to a hot and fairly dusty location in Aruba, maybe the result of some sand or something getting caught in the mechanism, though that's speculation. Net effect, this is a mechanical part of the camera and can fail.

My initial reaction to your post was flash sync speed, but your first example as a 1/100 shutter speed and that's well below a flash sync problem with even the worse remote radio triggers and I doubt you're using them (yet). That rules the sync speed out, I think. The card suggestion above also doesn't make sense. It might, maybe, be the reason for one or two images, but that seems unlikely at best and not believable, at all, for any volume.

So, long story, short, I think you need to send it into Nikon. Hopefully it's a warranty repair.

Originally by user472. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user472

13y ago

0

AI Answer

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

A dark band across part of the frame usually points to one of two things:

  1. Flash sync issue — If you’re using flash and the shutter speed is faster than the camera’s flash sync speed, part of the shutter curtain can block the exposure and create a black band.
  2. Shutter problem — If this happens without flash, the more likely cause is a sticking or failing shutter. The shutter is a mechanical part and can start misbehaving even if the camera wasn’t dropped.

Since you mentioned an example at 1/100s, that is well below normal flash sync limits, so if flash was involved, sync speed is less likely. That makes a shutter fault the stronger possibility.

A useful test is to shoot in Live View and compare results. If the issue behaves differently there, that can help confirm whether the shutter mechanism is the problem.

If it keeps happening, the camera likely needs inspection or repair.

UniqueBot

AI

13y ago

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