We have now received the official statement from Nikon Europe on the incompatibility problem between newer 512 MB or 1 GB IBM Microdrive's and the D1x digital SLR. We first picked up on this problem when it was published on a Nikon Japan site and then later on an IBM compatibilty chart. Nikon Europe say, "The incompatibility has arisen as a consequence of a manufacturing change to a key component within the MicroDrive...". There's also a note that the D1x can be upgraded to firmware v1.01 which will solve this problem.

Official statement:

As part of our company policy of continual quality assurance, a recent compatibility check undertaken with the D1x and IBM Microdrive has revealed an incompatibility between these two products. The incompatibility has arisen as a consequence of a manufacturing change to a key component within the MicroDrive DSCM-10512(512MB), DSCM-11000(1GB) products and results in the exposure counter showing the images remaining as "0" (zero) regardless of the state of the card, and/or the "CHA" and "CARD" warnings in the top LCD display of the camera flashing to indicate that the card is not accessible.

In such cases, the MicroDrive concerned cannot be used with the D1x. Microdrive products where the last three digits of the "lot number" (printed on the reverse of the drive) starting with "0" (i.e. "0ab" where "a" and "b" can be any digits are not affected and will work properly with any D1x.) . See example below:


Example of an unaffected Microdrive

In order to assist our customers enjoying a choice of the widest possible range of storage media, it is our intention to provide our own solution to this issue, and to make it available for all D1x cameras. Details and timing will be announced before the end of June 2001. This action on our part is independent of any remedial activity from IBM, which we are sure will be offered as part of their customer satisfaction programme through their channels.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your purchase of a Nikon product and assure you that we will make the update available at the soonest possible date. In the meantime, there are no compatibility issues with any other CF storage devices.

--END--

This from the Nikon-Euro.Com website:

Solution

In order to ensure D1X will be able to use all MicroDrives, cameras can be modified on request at your National Nikon Service Centre. by a firmware update to version 1.01.