Fishnwish

Hi Everybody!
My Nikon D7100 has a viewfinder related light leak that produces a giant purple bar on my images, especially with longer exposures. Do any other members have this issue? How cooperative was Nikon when asking for warranty service? Are there any known home remedies beyond throwing my ball cap over the camera when shooting?
Thanks,
Paul

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Your camera was issued with a dark-shield which blocks the eyepiece during long exposures. A small dark cloth works just as well.

photon56 Loc: North America

I don't think that is possible. The view finder, uncovered, would affect exposure settings before you shoot. During the shutter release, the mirror flips up and blocks the view finder before the shutter is released.

It sounds like a light source is hitting the lens glass causing that effect. What are you photographing?

Fishnwish

Hi!
Primarily waterfalls.
The issue and it's source are confirmed on numerous websites including Nokonians, Nikonites, and DP Review. It seems physically odd to me too but Nikon mentions using an eyepiece cover that they provided (cumbersome and dinky) for when you eye is not against the camera.

photon56 Loc: North America

Ah...I misread your question. I wasn't aware of the light leakage thing. Interesting. Most of my long exposures to date have been in very dark rooms where I was controlling the light in front of the camera. Not much ambient light hitting the viewfinder. Now I'll need to do some experimenting. :D

It would be nice to have the option, like on the D800, that has a built-in eyepiece shutter lever.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

See this posting for more amusement and denial:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-111186-1.html

photon56 Loc: North America

I put the D7100 in live view mode and shined a flashlight in the view finder. At any angle, I didn't see any light leakage. When I shined the flashlight directly level with the view finder, a huge purple horizontal bar appears. I guess with this camera model and long exposures, you'll need the cap.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

The capture in this post shows that the light leak occures even with short exposures.

See:

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-159551-1.html

Fishnwish

Useful info about the flashlight and live view, thanks Photon56!

Thanks for the link Tigger, I read that post and it started my investigation which in turn confirmed the issue.

oldtigger Loc: Roanoke Virginia-USA

the problem can be used for fun shots, buried somewhere in my files is a selfie on my monitor being recorded by the viewfinder while taking a selfie thru the lens.
Was going to post it to demonstrate the problem but got bored with the abuse i was getting from the self appointed experts and quit following the posts.

photon56 Loc: North America

I'm a technology geek and gadget freak. Part of the fun is understanding the camera and knowing its limitations. This is the reason I upgraded from a D3000 to the D7100. I pushed the D3000 as far as I could in short period of time. The D7100 will take me time to understand all its capabilities and short comings.

It's important to remain objective and transparent with our discussions. That's how I learn. I like a little jab every once in awhile, but we need to be respectful.

The light leakage never occurred to me until this post. I learned something new about the D7100. I'm not sure I would place blame on Nikon for a shortcoming like this. But, at the same time, in this day and age and the price of this camera model, one would think that the manufacturer could engineer a mirror that would create a seal against light when it locks up.

I have over 3000 pictures over the last month and a half. I haven't noticed an issue from light leak. Now that I know, it gives me other creative ideas to use it to my advantage.

It is analogous to a lens hood. I purposely removed the hood on my zoom so I could get the streak of light and the color bubbles on the image from a strong light source reflecting on the glass. I think those are pretty cool shots if that is what you intend to have in the image.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

That's wrong advice. The key is that it happens on long exposures.

I've attached a capture from page 60 in the D7100 manual.

Problem with forums is that there are many experts, but few with correct information. It's always best to research and confirm rather than give someone bad advice. Sorry.

(Download)

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Photon - the problem is that there are way too many people out there writing opinions as facts. It's too bad, because this is how wrong information gets permanently fixed in the impressionable minds of those less experienced. It can be frustrating to the rest of us who know better. And all too often the people with the bad info become defensive/offensive, and refuse to own their mistake, choosing denial rather than fact.

Fishnwish

Thanks Gene,
I was aware of the eyepiece cap instructions from the manual as I cited it as being "dinky and cumbersome" above.
You're right about the experts on the forum. I don't yet have a single direct reply to the questions that I originally asked.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Fishnwish - the answer is simply, you likely don't have a lightleak or a warranty issue, it is light coming in from the viewfinder. If it is strong enough to affect exposure, you can bet it will show up in your image. Page 60 explains that this could be a problem, and provide a workaround. This has been an issue with SLRs since they were first invented. Your ball cap solution is a good one. if you do not wear glasses, you can get an eyecup that lets you put your eye orbit tight to the eyepiece, and this should minimize "lightleaks."

The more advanced cameras like the D700/D800/D3/D3S/D4/D4S all have a retractable shutter on the left side of the viewfinder - that effectively stops any light from coming through the viewfinder. I do waterfalls and other long exposures and cannot do it without using the viewfinder shutter.