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Dark band at bottom of image


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13 replies to this topic

#1
JohnnyGrace1

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I'm a fairly new Nikon user and I have the D7100 body with the AF-S Nikkor 18-200mm lens.

 

I've been getting a dark band (or sometimes bottom 1/2 or 2/3 ) at the bottom of my images in a fairly random way.  Bright settings, backlit or with a flash.  These two images were taken seconds apart.

DSC_2511.JPG  

DSC_2512.JPG  

 

Interestingly, I've never experienced this with the camera oriented vertically.

 

Is this a quick fix or is there a problem with my camera? 

 

Thanks for any help.

 



#2
TBonz

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It looks like the second image was just underexposed.  The dark band is simply the coast and the water.  What are the EXIF (shutter speed, aperture, ISO) settings for each of the images?



#3
Nikon Shooter

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It looks like the second image was just underexposed.



I don't see it that way.

Based on the exposure difference of the sky. Yes,
the second one is a bit darker but it doesn't justify
by itself the very dark band… me think.

… I've been wrong before! :P



#4
TBonz

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I could be wrong as well, but the EXIF info is important either way.  Looking at it enlarged, there is some detail in the water until it gets too black...from whatever cause...



#5
xJaymz

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Almost looks like the shutter is dragging.



#6
xJaymz

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...or possibly the mirror.



#7
JohnnyGrace1

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Thanks for picking this up!

 

So maybe they weren't the best examples because of the background.  There were no setting changes between those images and they were taken just seconds apart.

 

  I've got dozens if not hundreds of examples in bright light, backlit (like these), flash and no flash.  Sometimes the black band is just the bottom edge and sometimes it's as much as 3/4 of the image.  It happens in the Auto setting and well as the manual settings.  What I find interesting too is that it never (as of yet) happens with the camera oriented vertically.

 

I don't hear any difference in the shutter when it happens but maybe I'm just not sensitive enough to this camera yet.

 

Thanks for the help so far.



#8
TBonz

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It is all speculation without the EXIF data.  It would also help if you indicated what mode you were shooting in.  The images aren't even framed the same so there was definitely a change between them.  Even that small a framing change can require a settings change that cause that to occur.  



#9
xJaymz

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No possibility of shutter curtain being caught as it was moving across the sensor, like with a flash sync issue?



#10
Merco_61

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Looks like a sluggish mirror to me.



#11
JohnnyGrace1

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How does one fix a sluggish mirror?



#12
Merco_61

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With great difficulty at the moment as the service centers are closed.

It is caused by either the mirror raising too slow or the mirror being out of sync with the shutter. In either case, it is a repair for the pros.



#13
JohnnyGrace1

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Thank you for the response Nikonian, although I was afraid you'd say that.  I was pretty sure this was a mechanical failure instead of an exposure issue.  I'll just have to wait until they are back in business.  Until then I'll just orient all my photos vertically!



#14
krag96

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You could try KEH, they're open and do repairs.  repair@keh.com or 770-333-4200.

 

Though at the repair price you might be better off buying another used D7100 or D7200.