Nikon D7000 in Ikelite - memory card error

[Davidhol 0]

I have just done my first sea dives (not swimming pool) with my new rig. On the second dive I had an intermittent memory card error. The camera suggested that I replace the card (a bit difficult at 18 metres) and then hung up. I switched it off and on, played with the buttons and controls and suddenly it would work again for a few shots before hanging again. I have been unable to replicate the problem out of the housing. I should probably have tried in the housing on land (and will do that now) to see if its pressure on something but I still would not know which button was the culprit. Does anybody have an idea where to look to solve this?

[diverdave1 0]

I have just done my first sea dives (not swimming pool) with my new rig. On the second dive I had an intermittent memory card error. The camera suggested that I replace the card (a bit difficult at 18 metres) and then hung up. I switched it off and on, played with the buttons and controls and suddenly it would work again for a few shots before hanging again. I have been unable to replicate the problem out of the housing. I should probably have tried in the housing on land (and will do that now) to see if its pressure on something but I still would not know which button was the culprit. Does anybody have an idea where to look to solve this?

 

Not sure if this is the issue but Nikon released a list of compatible cards, and I think the last firmware increased compatibility. This wouldn't necessarily explain why it works on land and not underwater but maybe a more compatible card would be more reliable (?)

[Davidhol 0]

I swapped memory cards in the slots and made sure the buttons were all functioning correctly and today I had no problems at all.

Edited December 17, 2011 by Davidhol

[Cerianthus 55]

If it is a button, the most likely culprit is the combined lens release / depth of focus preview control.

[johnjvv 11]

What card did you use?

 

I had a similar problem with my D90 on land when the memory card was almost full, it worked fine after formatting it however I stopped using the card now. I no longer use high GB cards to encourage myself to backup pictures more regularly.

 

Another time I forgot to lock down the camera in the housing causing the camera to shift and leaning on a button (believe the ISO button) rendering most of the functions useless. I suppose you are right, need to check the whole setup before going in the water...including looking through the viewfinder as I've also previously left a lens cap on !!

[Davidhol 0]

John - I'm now using a Sandisk Extreme Pro 16GB in slot 1 and a 32GB in slot 2. When I had problems it was the other way round.

 

Gerard - unfortunately neither the lens release nor depth of focus preview control buttons are accessible with the Ikelite.

[Cerianthus 55]

o, didnt know that. On my 20D housing it is a single lens release / DOF preview control. I had it lightly pushed against het lens release once which gave an error. Anyway, glad you can enjoy your diving with a different arrangement of cards...

[johnjvv 11]

John - I'm now using a Sandisk Extreme Pro 16GB in slot 1 and a 32GB in slot 2. When I had problems it was the other way round.

 

Gerard - unfortunately neither the lens release nor depth of focus preview control buttons are accessible with the Ikelite.

 

I am not 100% sure how the D7000 slots work, and assuming slot 1 is used for pictures and 2 for video?? Anyhow I use much smaller cards as I would hate to take 32gb pics and then loosing them due to some reason. Sounds like you were using the larger one when you had the error anyway. Something else to consider is how you maintain your cards, I have heard that it is bad to both cherry pick which photos you delete to save space or deleting pictures from your card with your computer, therefore I do a complete format with the camera every time after offloading my pics. I almost lost a complete holidays photos last Christmas due to a card error and therefore downloading frequently now.

[Davidhol 0]

John, I agree 32 gb was enthusiastic overkill but wanted to save both RAW for later and Jpg for immediate gratification. My logic was that it would be sad not to have memory whilst the battery lasted and 16gb might have been too little. I also download daily (That instant gratification thing) and then reformat my cards but they are still brand new.....

 

Slots 1 and 2 can be set to take back up or overflow or raw slot 1 and jpeg slot 2. As the problem was causing the camera to hang a reasoned that it would be slot 1 but tried to set slot 2 to the other settings without resolving the problem.

 

Anyway another days diving and no further problems other than user induced stupidity with too much to learn. So far very happy with wetpixilains' advice in taking the D7000. I'm so gob smacked at the focus speed improvement over my C8080 and the lack of shutterlag that I'm taking photos of the front half instead of the rear half of fish

[Garrethe 2]

This is a known issue with the D7000, you need to update your firmware from 1.0.2 to 1.03.

 

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/17542

[ATJ 1]

Gerard - unfortunately neither the lens release nor depth of focus preview control buttons are accessible with the Ikelite.

They both are available on the my Ikelite housing for my D7000.

 

Lens release is the knob immediately below the zoom knob. I regularly use the lens release when I dismantle the rig so I can get the lens off the camera before removing the camera from the housing.

 

Depth of field preview is the the left of the on/off knob (when looking from the rear).

[Davidhol 0]

You are correct ATJ, two different buttons. I left my Ikelite instruction booklet at home and was looking up terminology in the Nikon booklet and then trying to figure out controls. I told you I had a lot to learn! Today the exposure compensation button was lighty touched by the control rendering the LCD screen inoperative, luckily I now know what to look for and gently checked control knobs untill I found the problem. This was at only 16m and I'm a bit worried what will happen at greater depth. In your experience are the springs strong enough?

[ATJ 1]

In your experience are the springs strong enough?

There are no springs in the control knob for exposure compensation (and a number of others). To use the housing control you turn it until it is over the camera control - and conversely when you don't want to use it, you make sure it is not over a camera control.

 

I've had my Ikelite D300 housing regularly to deeper than 20 metres and had no issues with the spring loaded buttons at all.

 

When I was new to my housing I did have a couple of incidents where the housing control was on the camera control but once you know about it, it is easy to avoid.