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Warning on leaving camera and lens setup near window.
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Nov 17, 2018 22:18:53   #
Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC
 
All spring and summer I had my Nikon D7200 and 300mm f2.8 set up on a tripod facing the backyard bird feeders through a sliding glass door taking photographs of birds coming to the feeder. I took down the bird feeders in preparation for winter and consequently disassembled my camera, lens and tripod set up. When I went to clean my equipment before putting it away I found that the plastic at the bottom holding the mirror was melted as well as the bottom piece on the mirror also melted part of the ledge further out from the mirror (the camera is useless and does not focus correctly). The best I can figure is that the lens focused the sun light on these parts and melted them when I was not using the camera. I have ordered another D7200 camera as the camera is down to $600 new and the repair bill from Nikon would be about the same or more, I base this on work I had done to my D2x about a year and a half ago where Nikon charged me $600+ dollars to repair a camera worth $200.

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Nov 17, 2018 22:23:10   #
billb800si
 
Brucej67 wrote:
All spring and summer I had my Nikon D7200 and 300mm f2.8 set up on a tripod facing the backyard bird feeders through a sliding glass door taking photographs of birds coming to the feeder. I took down the bird feeders in preparation for winter and consequently disassembled my camera, lens and tripod set up. When I went to clean my equipment before putting it away I found that the plastic at the bottom holding the mirror was melted as well as the bottom piece on the mirror also melted part of the ledge further out from the mirror (the camera is useless and does not focus correctly). The best I can figure is that the lens focused the sun light on these parts and melted them when I was not using the camera. I have ordered another D7200 camera as the camera is down to $600 new and the repair bill from Nikon would be about the same or more, I base this on work I had done to my D2x about a year and a half ago where Nikon charged me $600+ dollars to repair a camera worth $200.
All spring and summer I had my Nikon D7200 and 300... (show quote)


Bruce, why would you take down the bird feeder, in the winter? That's when they need it the most. A red Cardinal on a snow covered feeder it a great shot.

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Nov 17, 2018 22:25:31   #
rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin
 
Sorry for your loss, Bruce! That must have been a serious disappointment. Hope its replacement arrives soon.

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Nov 17, 2018 22:41:08   #
Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC
 
The reason I take down the feeders is it discourages the birds from migrating and a sever winter could kill them also the seeds get wet and the feeders need to be replaced or cleaned more often.

billb800si wrote:
Bruce, why would you take down the bird feeder, in the winter? That's when they need it the most. A red Cardinal on a snow covered feeder it a great shot.

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Nov 17, 2018 22:43:12   #
Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC
 
Yes it was, I never thought about the sun damaging the housing and inside the house we keep the temperature normal. Another costly lesson.

rjaywallace wrote:
Sorry for your loss, Bruce! That must have been a serious disappointment. Hope its replacement arrives soon.

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Nov 17, 2018 23:24:42   #
Stardust Loc: Central Illinois
 
Assume faced east or west. Take some solace knowing many don`t realize how much heat (or cold) comes thru a glass, thus the reason they are double or triple pane, with inert gas in-between. Couple that with possibility your lens acted as a magnifying glass focusing device. Closing barn door too late but in the future a lens cap or piece of tinfoil will avoid.

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Nov 18, 2018 00:16:11   #
Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak
 
Brucej67 wrote:
All spring and summer I had my Nikon D7200 and 300mm f2.8 set up on a tripod facing the backyard bird feeders through a sliding glass door taking photographs of birds coming to the feeder. I took down the bird feeders in preparation for winter and consequently disassembled my camera, lens and tripod set up. When I went to clean my equipment before putting it away I found that the plastic at the bottom holding the mirror was melted as well as the bottom piece on the mirror also melted part of the ledge further out from the mirror (the camera is useless and does not focus correctly). The best I can figure is that the lens focused the sun light on these parts and melted them when I was not using the camera. I have ordered another D7200 camera as the camera is down to $600 new and the repair bill from Nikon would be about the same or more, I base this on work I had done to my D2x about a year and a half ago where Nikon charged me $600+ dollars to repair a camera worth $200.
All spring and summer I had my Nikon D7200 and 300... (show quote)


Sorry about losing the camera. You're probably correct about the sun shining into the lens, magnifying the light and concentrating heat on the inside of the camera body.

By the way, where did you see a new D7200 for $600.00?

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Nov 18, 2018 00:37:51   #
Stardust Loc: Central Illinois
 
Wingpilot wrote:
By the way, where did you see a new D7200 for $600.00?

Obviously referring to body only, believe it or not, my local Wal-mart has at $609.

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Nov 18, 2018 01:56:56   #
Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak
 
Stardust wrote:
Obviously referring to body only, believe it or not, my local Wal-mart has at $609.


I wonder if it's a grey market camera. Our Wal-Mart has quit selling cameras, unfortunately. But at that price, I'd go down and pick one up myself. The D7200 is a fine camera.

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Nov 18, 2018 02:48:25   #
rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
 
I too have a camera on tripod semi permanent set up in the house, but when I'm not using it I keep it covered with a towel. This keeps the light and dust off of it.

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Nov 18, 2018 06:53:24   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
That's an odd one, but, "Lesson learned."

Before we had a problem with bears going after our feeders, we'd leave them up - and full - all year. The birds that migrate, migrate. The others will stay and look for food.

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Nov 18, 2018 07:26:13   #
Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)
 
Brucej67 wrote:
The reason I take down the feeders is it discourages the birds from migrating and a sever winter could kill them also the seeds get wet and the feeders need to be replaced or cleaned more often.


Too bad about your camera. Would a lens cap have helped? Or something as simple as blinds or drapery.

Up north (NY) we usually take the feeders down during the summer months, right after spring migration and when food is abundant, and put them back up just before fall migration, when food is scarce. Birds will migrate, whether or not you have your feeder out and filled.

If you start feeding birds during the warmer months and take away their food source during the winter, you may be inadvertently be harming them. Better to keep the feeder all year round. If you have issues with wet seed, place the seeds in a feeder than has protection from the elements, or place the feeder in a protected area, preferably away from prowling cats. Make sure you change up the food you give them, to something higher in fat.

Here are some winter feeding tips:

https://www.mosaicbirds.com/winter-feeding-tips?gclid=CjwKCAiAuMTfBRAcEiwAV4SDkS9gM8_0C6nrCLz8Puo4cyJRMu_rmXWINBeL9G2gOEo3lBcQHqbGGhoCPvYQAvD_BwE

https://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/bwdsite/learn/top10/winter-bird-feeding.php

Migration doesn't usually occur in the dead of winter - btw.

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Nov 18, 2018 07:57:22   #
Brucej67 Loc: Cary, NC
 
I found the D7200 here https://www.abesofmaine.com/Nikon_D7200_DSLR_Camera_Body_Only_-_Black_1002444.html?l=ADWORDS&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9o-Mxcjb3gIVBobICh3GnAy5EAEYASAAEgKHHPD_BwE and it seems to be a USA model. I agree with everyone I should have kept the lens cap on when not in use, it just never occurred to me that this would happen as I said an expensive lesson. While it was working I did get to photograph some nice back yard birds.

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Nov 18, 2018 08:00:01   #
Theresa Thompson
 
Brucej67,

If you enjoy feeding the birds, please continue to do so. I work at a wild bird and nature store and there is no truth to the statement that feeders prevent birds from migrating. Migration is based on lengthing and shortening daylight and species genetics. Birds coming to feeders are not using up precious energy to forage. That energy is spent staying warm, plus any late migratory birds have a feeding station to fuel up for the next leg of the journey.

Sorry about your camera, but thanks for the heads up. Continue to snap those bird shots!

Theresa

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Nov 18, 2018 08:08:10   #
sb Loc: Florida's East Coast
 
A winter bird feeder is a wonderful thing! The birds that come are birds that don't migrate - cardinals, woodpeckers, chickadees, junkoes - make sure you have both seeds and suet.

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