D7100 -- control dials "freezing": Recently, while photographing a local traffic accident, the control dials "froze", I was unable to adjust the shutter speed or aperture. I was in...

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Recently, while photographing a local traffic accident, the control dials "froze", I was unable to adjust the shutter speed or aperture. I was in manual mode because I was using an older flash unit which only allows me to use manual mode when using this flash. It's worked fine with this camera body until this one time when this phenomenon happened. Battery indicator looked like it was about 80%.

Now, after the control dials "froze", they would work fine, again, after powering down and back up again, then the same thing would happen again after a few more shots.

Any ideas as to why?

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

Perhaps you (and your camera) have to be registered with the police to allow you to take RTA's.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Pablo8 wrote:

Perhaps you (and your camera) have to be registered with the police to allow you to take RTA's.

RTA’s?

Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.

kb6kgx wrote:

RTA’s?

Road Traffic Accidents.

CaryATL Loc: Atlanta, GA

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. I was shooting in low light with ISO High 2.0 and my D7100 froze up. I powered down, removed the battery, and fired it back up. That worked for me, but the next stop would be to hold down the two green dot buttons and reset the camera to factory settings.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Pablo8 wrote:

Road Traffic Accidents.

Maybe that’s a UK term? It’d not something we use on this side of the pond. Thank you for clarifying.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

CaryATL wrote:

Same thing happened to me a few months ago. I was shooting in low light with ISO High 2.0 and my D7100 froze up. I powered down, removed the battery, and fired it back up. That worked for me, but the next stop would be to hold down the two green dot buttons and reset the camera to factory settings.

Thanks. I’ll try that.

Also, is it normal for the AF to not work if the battery life drops too low? This happened a few months ago. Battery was at about 60%. Worked fine after charging back to full.

CaryATL Loc: Atlanta, GA

kb6kgx wrote:

Thanks. I’ll try that.

Also, is it normal for the AF to not work if the battery life drops too low? This happened a few months ago. Battery was at about 60%. Worked fine after charging back to full.

Check the condition of the battery in the Menu. You might have one that’s on its last legs. The AF doesn’t just stop working when the power gets low. The camera just shuts off. It sounds like the camera may not be accurately displaying battery level, resulting in the battery being much closer to drained than you realize. The other suggestion would be to check for firmware updates, but I’d look into the possibility of a battery problem first. A Firmware update would likely only be needed if you were shooting a lens released after your D7100’s firmware date.

The manual goes into how to update it, but I’m always a little wary and if the battery could be in question, you Absolutely Cannot lose power while updating firmware. It will brick the camera.

The freeze up only happened once to me. Good luck!

turp77 Loc: Connecticut, Plainfield

kb6kgx wrote:

Recently, while photographing a local traffic acci... (show quote)

What flash are you using. If your flash voltage is to high you could be cooking your camera. I learned that the hard way a long time ago. The flash and camera worked well for a short time then had to send my camera in for a new board.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

Why not treat yourself..... https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1349565-REG/yongnuo_yn968n_wireless_camera_flash.html

kb6kgx wrote:

Recently, while photographing a local traffic acci... (show quote)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

So it was more like jammed than frozen? When I hear "frozen," I think of a software issue. But in your case, the dials couldn't be turned?

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

turp77 wrote:

What flash are you using. If your flash voltage is to high you could be cooking your camera. I learned that the hard way a long time ago. The flash and camera worked well for a short time then had to send my camera in for a new board.

The flash is a Sunpak 555. the voltage is 5 or 6 volts and I've read comments from many who use this flash with this camera without any problems. In order for the flash to fire properly, I use Nikon's generic hot shoe adapter (can't recall the model number at the moment). So far, I haven't had any problems, either.

ABJanes Loc: Jersey Boy now Virginia

If you take the flash off does the camera operate properly and consistently?

I would suggest calling Nikon and see what they have to suggest.

kb6kgx wrote:

The flash is a Sunpak 555. the voltage is 5 or 6 volts and I've read comments from many who use this flash with this camera without any problems. In order for the flash to fire properly, I use Nikon's generic hot shoe adapter (can't recall the model number at the moment). So far, I haven't had any problems, either.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

ABJanes wrote:

Why not treat yourself..... https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1349565-REG/yongnuo_yn968n_wireless_camera_flash.html

I've been thinking of something like this, but just because it'd be nice to have something that DOES work in "auto" so that I'm not futzing around with trying to find the right combination of shutter speed and aperture. But I definitely do NOT need a "full-featured" flash with the wireless and all that. Just something with a super-high GN that is at least as good, if not better than what I have with the Sunpak.

kb6kgx Loc: Simi Valley, CA

ABJanes wrote:

If you take the flash off does the camera operate properly and consistently?

I would suggest calling Nikon and see what they have to suggest.

Yes, it does, except for the one time when the AF stopped working at a fire I was covering. I knew it wasn't the lens because it happened with two different lenses. One person said it happened to him and after a "factory reset" it's been fine since.

I did contact Nikon when I first wanted to use this old flash and they only said "we can't recommend it", but I suspect that they would rather I just go out and buy a SB-700.