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3244 Members
17 Forums
8107 Topics
47603 Posts
Max Online: 136 @ 03/08/08 07:16 AM
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#46992 - 06/12/08 04:58 AM
D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
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Dee Arnold
Journeyman
Registered: 05/23/05
Posts: 62
Loc: MN & CA
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Any D300 or D3 owners lurking here with this problem? There are long threads on several forums.
I have 2 D300s and was recently on a photo safari in Africa with 9 other Nikon shooters (co-led by David Cardinal -- it was a great trip). There were probably 8 D300s (and as many D3s) in the group. Four or five people had problems with the D300s and the low battery indicator. I don't recall that any D3s were showing the problem. The lens being used was almost always a 200-400 or the 70-200 being hand-held when the problem occurred. Swapping batteries did not help. The only solution in the field was to power off and power on. Using a lens cloth on the contacts helped only for a short time. The problem was intermittent; that is, a person would have it a lot for an hour or so and then it would go away. I shot without a problem for the first 7 days; then for 2 days had intermittent problems. Then, a day with no problems. Go figure.
One of my D300s is an early one from Calumet; the second came from B&H in early April. The 200-400 is about a year old and the 70-200 is 3 months old. Calumet and B&H both refer the problem to Nikon (the old 30 day return policy).
I now have some DeOxit and swabs from CAIG and will try that while I wait for Nikon to act.
Has anyone tried returning their D300 to the vendor (like Calumet or B&H) for a replacement? Does anyone here have a relationship with Nikon that might at least get a better response than "send it to our service center". Since I have 2 bodies, I can live without one for a while. But, I'd like to see evidence of a solution before I part with the camera.
Dee
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#46997 - 06/12/08 06:28 AM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: Dee Arnold]
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Eric
Regular
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 44
Loc: Ohio
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Dee,
I had this same problem on my D300 with the 70-300VR lens and after cleaning the contacts on both with an eraser have not had it since. The 70-200VR I purchased has not had this problem either.
Ya' get that sinking feeling when it happens though.
Eric
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#47015 - 06/12/08 09:05 PM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: Eric]
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mesaboys
Enthusiast
Registered: 05/17/02
Posts: 343
Loc: NEW MEXICO / CALIFORNIA BAY AR...
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Same thing happened to me just today D300 loaded with fresh ENEL-4e and 70-300VR. No problem with either D3 or 70-200 though. I recharged the battery (which took 5 minutes) no problem since. Will try cleaning contacts as Eric suggests.
Dee and Eric, were you using the standard ENEL3 or the MB-10 battery pack with the D3 battery loaded? Would be interesting to know.
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#47017 - 06/12/08 11:09 PM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: mesaboys]
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Eric
Regular
Registered: 09/28/07
Posts: 44
Loc: Ohio
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Mesaboys,
I was using the EN-EL3e with the MBD10 vertical grip.
Eric
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#47023 - 06/13/08 04:31 AM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: Eric]
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MJackson
Enthusiast
Registered: 02/20/06
Posts: 338
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I only have one D300 and I get the message a couple of times a week. I use the MB-D10 grip also, but use the AA battery clip. When I see the low battery indicator, I have to unscrew the grip until it breaks contact, then reassemble it. Simply turning the power off and on does not fix the problem for me. Once I disconnect and reconnect, I am usually good for several days. I usually have a 200-400 on that camera.
On the positive side, even when the low battery indicator is visible, I am still able to shoot away. I don't recall it ever just shutting down. It can be annoying, but I don't think it is actually costing me shots. Just keep shooting until you get a break in the action.
M. Jackson
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#47024 - 06/13/08 10:06 AM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: MJackson]
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Dee Arnold
Journeyman
Registered: 05/23/05
Posts: 62
Loc: MN & CA
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I am using the ENEL3 batteries without a grip.
And, for me, the DBS actually prevented the camera from operating; so I missed shots.
Dee
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#47028 - 06/13/08 10:57 AM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: Dee Arnold]
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David Cardinal
Old-Timer
Registered: 04/03/02
Posts: 4980
Loc: California
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Dee & all -- From the research I've been able to do since being back the "consensus" is that it is contacts being momentarily shorted. I can see where the trucks would make that more likely.
The reason it is new with these cameras is that they seem to care about the shorts because of the smart battery system (or not so smart?). That said, here are my thoughts:
* The only "user action" I know of is to do what we tried there and you're doing now, which is cleaning the contacts with a good liquid cleaner.
* I'm still puzzled by how it came and went in waves and wonder about the different generators/inverters used in different locations--but it could also have been different humidity, static electricity, or road bumpiness which could all tie back to contacts.
* The longer term solution is for the cameras to have a battery system that doesn't freak out when there is a momentary short. I don't know (and Nikon sure hasn't said) whether this is something they can do, and if so whether it is something they can retrofit into existing cameras.
It does seem like it can happen on both the D3 and D300, but moreso on the D300. FWIW, here in the US both my D300s chug happily along and have never had the problem in thousands of hand-held and tripod mounted shots with the 70-200 and 200-400 (and 600). --David
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#47037 - 06/13/08 08:50 PM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: David Cardinal]
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Dee Arnold
Journeyman
Registered: 05/23/05
Posts: 62
Loc: MN & CA
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I was very surprised to have the problem with the 18-200 on a D300 back in the US after the trip; it has shown up once with the 70-200 since Africa -- and I was shooting a kids football game (when it's not cool to miss shots for that reason)!
Guess I'll send one body in and see what they do.
Dee
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#47039 - 06/13/08 09:11 PM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: Dee Arnold]
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David Cardinal
Old-Timer
Registered: 04/03/02
Posts: 4980
Loc: California
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Dee--Bummer that you're still having issues. Something in the new battery system definitely seems too sensitive.--David
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#47057 - 06/15/08 06:02 PM
Re: D300s with false Depleted Battery Syndrome
[Re: David Cardinal]
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PaulNikonConvert
Regular
Registered: 01/12/07
Posts: 49
Loc: Palm Springs, CA
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Chiming in as an "almost D300 owner," is this glitch confirmed fixable with an eraser/liquid cleaner on contacts or a "wait til it's fixed" reason to hold off? In other words would you consider it a show-stopper? I've chomped at the bit since November release, decided to wait til May-ish to purchase at least one in case there were software upgrades (which there were). I'm sure there'll be a "D300 II" and such, but IMO this camera is worth the upgrade NOW. I really don't want to wait (and probably pay more) for a new release.
Is this affecting perhaps 2-4% of owners under certain conditions or a larger piece of the owner pie? As David mentioned, his are chugging along, several regular posters here obviously haven't been so lucky. Cheers / p
OH - and an addendum, contact related - there are obviously a lot processes going on with modern cameras - and "contacts" all over the place doing a lot of different things. I have 2 D80s so I don't have to change lenses and introduce dust, lose time or risk dropping. 3 weeks ago I was photographing a home and the SB600 flash "froze," and then the camera. I reset the flash, all well for a while, then happened again.
I fixed the problem by simply removing lens (not done since it went on there originally) and replacing it again. So "contacts" can be a problem with anything I suppose - when in doubt clean 'em. The D300 problem may simply be a more sensitive version of "contacts making contact," and therefore not a reason to put off buying one (God, I hope so!!)
Edited by PaulNikonConvert (06/15/08 06:16 PM)
_________________________
Paul
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