Any ideas on this problem with Nikon D800... I seem to be having problem with Sigma lenses. Occasionally I end up with black photos with no exif data. The photos before and after this...

Linda Roina

I seem to be having problem with Sigma lenses. Occasionally I end up with black photos with no exif data. The photos before and after this happening are fine. No problem at all. I sent one of the lenses to Sigma because I thought it was a lens problem but they could find nothing wrong, now I am thinking connection problem with the camera itself. I hate to send it in if it is something I am doing. There seems to be no problem with the Nikon lenses. The camera itself takes beautiful pictures other than the totally black ones. I would include a photo but there is no data on them.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Using an old sigma zoom lens on mine, no issues.

As to black pictures the only thing I can think off is a problem with the coupling.

THAT will become a problem as each company will tell you to see the other to solve this!!!

Go onto a store where they allow hands on and try your lens onto another D800 body to check.

If it works on the 'new one', not on yours you know the lens is not at a fault but to get Nikon to admit to it...

amehta Loc: Boston

Rongnongno wrote:

Using an old sigma zoom lens on mine, no issues.

As to black pictures the only thing I can think off is a problem with the coupling.

THAT will become a problem as each company will tell you to see the other to solve this!!!

Go onto a store where they allow hands on and try your lens onto another D800 body to check.

If it works on the 'new one', not on yours you know the lens is not at a fault but to get Nikon to admit to it...

Nikon will never admit to this being their problem because, if you are using a non-Nikon brand lens, it is by definition not their fault.

amehta Loc: Boston

Linda Roina wrote:

I seem to be having problem with Sigma lenses. Occ... (show quote)

Could you please post a picture anyway?

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Recent articles indicate Nikon has altered their camera software to deliberately preclude the use of Sigma lenses on some Nikon bodies. I don't know which models are affected, or if other third party lenses are included in the design change, but Nikon/Sigma users, and the photo community in general, are pretty upset about the whole thing.

lightchime Loc: Somewhere Over The Rainbow

Rongnongno wrote:

Using an old sigma zoom lens on mine, no issues.

As to black pictures the only thing I can think off is a problem with the coupling.

THAT will become a problem as each company will tell you to see the other to solve this!!!

Go onto a store where they allow hands on and try your lens onto another D800 body to check.

If it works on the 'new one', not on yours you know the lens

is not at a fault but to get Nikon to admit to it...

"Occasionally I end up with black photos"

That is not a solution because the problem is listed by the OP as occasional.

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

SonyA580 wrote:

Recent articles indicate Nikon has altered their camera software to deliberately preclude the use of Sigma lenses on some Nikon bodies. I don't know which models are affected, or if other third party lenses are included in the design change, but Nikon/Sigma users, and the photo community in general, are pretty upset about the whole thing.

Not the problem as already stated the problem is "occasional". The OP stated that the photos before and after the blank or black one is fine.

MtnMan Loc: ID

SonyA580 wrote:

Recent articles indicate Nikon has altered their camera software to deliberately preclude the use of Sigma lenses on some Nikon bodies. I don't know which models are affected, or if other third party lenses are included in the design change, but Nikon/Sigma users, and the photo community in general, are pretty upset about the whole thing.

I'm having trouble buying that assertion. Could you provide some links to the articles?

mikeg492 Loc: WIlmington, NC

I had this issue a few times with my d7100 and nikon lens. ended up being a memory card issue.

MtnMan Loc: ID

MtnMan wrote:

I'm having trouble buying that assertion. Could you provide some links to the articles?

I found another thread by Jerry providing a link to this assertion. The assertion was that Nikon is changing their cameras deliberately to not work with Sigma lenses. It is a problem with people dreaming motivations for Nikon that are unlikely to be true.

There are some firmware compatibility issues with the newest Nikon cameras (Df and D5300) and some Sigma lenses when used in some modes (it appears to be limited to Live View). It appears to be a result of Nikon improving their firmware. While it is still being sorted out I understand if your Sigma lens doesn't have the firmware update feature you can send it to Sigma and they'll fix it for free.

authorizeduser Loc: Monroe, Michigan

SonyA580 wrote:

Recent articles indicate Nikon has altered their camera software to deliberately preclude the use of Sigma lenses on some Nikon bodies. I don't know which models are affected, or if other third party lenses are included in the design change, but Nikon/Sigma users, and the photo community in general, are pretty upset about the whole thing.

I can just see Sigma suing Nikon over this issue if really true.
Talk about dirty pool ........

MtnMan Loc: ID

Linda Roina wrote:

I seem to be having problem with Sigma lenses. Occ... (show quote)

What Nikon camera?

If the D5300 or new Df it might be when you are using Live View...there might be an incompatibility. A recent post suggested if that is it, and you don't have the new Sigma lenses with the firmware update capability, Sigma will do a free firmware update on the lens.

Since they are aware of this I'd have thought they would have brought it up when you dealt with them.

amehta Loc: Boston

authorizeduser wrote:

I can just see Sigma suing Nikon over this issue if really true.
Talk about dirty pool ........

On what grounds? If they have no licensing agreement, there is no obligation on Nikon's part to tell Sigma how they changed things.

amehta Loc: Boston

Linda Roina wrote:

I seem to be having problem with Sigma lenses. Occ... (show quote)

I would still like to see if the image is completely black or really, really dark.

The only thing the lens can do to make a picture "black" is stop down completely, to f/22 or f/32, and therefore not provide enough light for the image. Everything else about the image is up to the camera.

Mark7829 Loc: Calfornia

NOT THE LENS OR CAMERA. Memory card. Get another card.