Nikon D90 Sluggish Shutter

Hello

I'm a 73 year old with a Nikon D90 which I bought from B&H (as reconditioned) back in 2008. The shutter count is only about 20K. Although I've lightly cleaned the moving mechanisms, I suspect the internal shutter mechanism is hanging up. Although I'm skilled at small repairs I don't think this is something I'd tackle unless I had a good tutorial. I've also read the shutter problem is somewhat common with the D90. So I'm shopping around for a used D90 body.

Thank You

RESEARCH wrote: Hello

I'm a 73 year old with a Nikon D90 which I bought from B&H (as reconditioned) back in 2008. The shutter count is only about 20K. Although I've lightly cleaned the moving mechanisms, I suspect the internal shutter mechanism is hanging up. Although I'm skilled at small repairs I don't think this is something I'd tackle unless I had a good tutorial. I've also read the shutter problem is somewhat common with the D90. So I'm shopping around for a used D90 body.

Thank You

Usually the shutter works or it doesn't. Did you try a factory reset or do a firmware update on the camera. Have you tried to reproduce the problem with a different lens? Have you tried different settings. When did the problem start happening, after, a firmware update, new lens, new flash, dropping the camera, outside in the elements rain? Has anything changed? Battery fully charged?

Was it always this way?  Have you tried the shutter in different shooting modes?  

HelloPlease excuse the late response and thank you for all the replies... The following details should be helpful:Symptom: One successful snap shop is possible but in all subsequent attempts, the viewfinder illumination darkens, (can still see exposure
information), but auto focus doesn't work, (UNTIL) I take the lens
off/on (re-seat it), which again allows for ONE successful shot. I am
the original owner with 20K activations.Tests: The batteries are all fine. Three different (fully functional) Lenses were used to test the problem and it still persists. It was
believed the 'aperture stop-down mechanism' 'could' be faulty however I
observed the aperture lever with the Lens off, (wide open aperture), and
it returns to its original position everytime. I could NOT identify
sticky aperture blades, or bent aperture Lever on the camera or (ANY) of
the lenses. The mirror drops up and down without impairment. I was also
able to compare these functions/tests with another 'used' D90 I just
picked up.

Photos:
www.ww2survivorstories.com/Actuator-1.jpg
www.ww2survivorstories.com/D90ActuationLever.jpgThanks for any other ideas ..

If you take a shot with the lens off. And try to take multiple shots does that work?
There is a mirror lock up feature used to clean the sensor. Try and enable that take a shot. Then you have to turn the camera off I believe to release the shutter and make the mirror go back up. Does that work? Can you take more shots after that?

Have you tried to use live mode and take several pictures that way?

Hello r1ch and thanx for the reply!

"try to take multiple shots does that work"?  (camera Menu ISO Off - Camera Mode M with the Lens Off) Yes I'm able to take multiple shots ....

"mirror lock up feature used to clean the sensor. Try and enable that and take a shot"
Camera will successfully focus with (normal viewfinder illumination) but ONE shot only. Camera will again go back to Problematic Mode, not allowing anymore shots to focus, activate shutter, or (exhibit normal viewfinder illumination).

"Have you tried to use live mode and take several pictures that way?"
Camera will successfully focus thru LCD Screen and take multiple shots.

However back to viewfinder view and focus, the camera will again go back to Problematic Mode, not allowing anymore shots to focus, activate shutter, or (exhibit normal viewfinder illumination).

Thank You r1ch

RESEARCH wrote: Hello r1ch and thanx for the reply!

"try to take multiple shots does that work"?  (camera Menu ISO Off - Camera Mode M with the Lens Off) Yes I'm able to take multiple shots ....

"mirror lock up feature used to clean the sensor. Try and enable that and take a shot"
Camera will successfully focus with (normal viewfinder illumination) but ONE shot only. Camera will again go back to Problematic Mode, not allowing anymore shots to focus, activate shutter, or (exhibit normal viewfinder illumination).

"Have you tried to use live mode and take several pictures that way?"
Camera will successfully focus thru LCD Screen and take multiple shots.

However back to viewfinder view and focus, the camera will again go back to Problematic Mode, not allowing anymore shots to focus, activate shutter, or (exhibit normal viewfinder illumination).

Thank You r1ch

I am not sure what you mean the view finder illumination. Do you mean you cannot see through the lens at all once it goes into problematic mode? Only the bottom green led light showing exposure?

So, if you change the lens to manual focus mode and put the camera in manual mode for exposure can you take multiple images even though the camera is in problematic mode? If the camera cannot focus, it may prevent you from taking a shot. Also if your camera is set to manual focus verification beep or viewfinder indicator, that would also have to be turned off.

Imaging Resources say this...... While the D90's viewfinder optics match those of the D80 pretty closely, one notable change is that the AF points are no longer etched on the viewfinder screen, but rather appear courtesy of an overlay LCD. This is nice because when the AF points aren't being displayed, there's nothing to obscure your view of the subject. The D90's viewfinder screen is similar to that on the recently announced D700.
https://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/D90/D90VIEWFINDER.HTM

The LCD overlay also sets up the On-demand framing grid and the Reference circle for Center-Weighted metering
If the lcd has a problem it will darken so you cannot see through it and thus you cannot see through the lens.
If you are in live view, it does not care about this lcd overlay.
This is only a guess at this point.
I did ask earlier did you do a factory reset on this camera?
To restoring Nikon D90 to its factory settings, just hold the [+/- Exposure Compensation] button and the [AF Mode] button down together, until the control panel turns off briefly while the camera resets itself to the factory default settings.
Have you updated the firmware to the latest Either 1.01 of 2.00

"I am not sure what you mean the view finder illumination"

After the initial successful snapshot, the viewfinder immediately gets 'darkened' It definitly does NOT show as much light and becomes difficult/impossible to focus. Thus the camera cannot take a shot UNTIL I re-seat the lens. This has been the consistent problem. And BTW, Live LCD view is not as successful/reliable as I thought. It also becomes less reliable not allowing auto-focus, thus no picture.

As for using Manual Mode Focus I need to try that again ... I'll be back later with more info. Meanwhile thank you for your patience and assitance.

Mike 

I don't see how that could be happening.  Sounds like a malfunction of the sensor that identifies when your eye gets close to the viewfinder?

Hello Chuck

"Sounds like a malfunction of the sensor"

Well then there you have it!
Thank you ..

I've conducted every test possible, I'm done with it, (its not worth the cost of repair). I picked up a nice replacement N90 body for under $140 (less than 5K clicks). The only thing I might investigate is the possibility of picking up another N90 (for parts), or a sensor (for parts) and attempting a repair to get a 2nd camera as back up. But again who's got the time for something like that?