D7 Locking up

My first post - and I can't find a message thread on this.

I received my D7 this week, but today is the first time I have had the time to get the manual out, and really go through the camera.

I had the camera outside, on auto settings, with a "Keene" 6v power pack attached. With the camera powered up I was waiting by a plant for a butterfly to land.

After a short time, I saw the screen had gone blank, so I presumed the battery save feature had cut in and tried to revive it with a half press of the button - nothing. Tried a half press and hold - still nothing.

Tried to turn the camera off, but it wouldn't react. Waited a couple of minutes, but it still was showing data on the information panel, but nothing on the rear screen.

I removed the powerpack lead (although I know the book says you shouldn't) but as the camera had NiMH in, the camera remained on. I finally opened the battery compartment, which shut the camera off.

After shutting the battery bay, I powered up the camera, but it is then was showing low battery, both on internal and external power.

Turned the camera off, then back on and it then worked OK. The next time I turned it on, it was back to a low battery message again.

Anyone had this, or know what might have happened?

Norman Woollons

The battery contacts will be modified later on. Try to clean them.
Does the plug of the external powersource fit well?

The external power source connection is subject to produce noise on the power, because of the movement of the cord. This noise may crash the D7, it isn't very tolerant.
Jake.

Norman Woollons said:

My first post - and I can't find a message thread on this.

I received my D7 this week, but today is the first time I have had
the time to get the manual out, and really go through the camera.

I had the camera outside, on auto settings, with a "Keene" 6v power
pack attached. With the camera powered up I was waiting by a plant
for a butterfly to land.

After a short time, I saw the screen had gone blank, so I presumed
the battery save feature had cut in and tried to revive it with a
half press of the button - nothing. Tried a half press and hold -
still nothing.

Tried to turn the camera off, but it wouldn't react. Waited a
couple of minutes, but it still was showing data on the information
panel, but nothing on the rear screen.

I removed the powerpack lead (although I know the book says you
shouldn't) but as the camera had NiMH in, the camera remained on.
I finally opened the battery compartment, which shut the camera off.

After shutting the battery bay, I powered up the camera, but it is
then was showing low battery, both on internal and external power.

Turned the camera off, then back on and it then worked OK. The
next time I turned it on, it was back to a low battery message
again.

Anyone had this, or know what might have happened?

Norman Woollons

Click to expand...

Jake,

Thanks for the information. As the camera is less than 1 week old, I wouldn't have thought it was a contact problem.

The connector is not the greatest fit, but is the only one in the package that will fit (small yellow - large yellow too big). I'll see if I can get a closer fit from elsewhere.

Why does noise cause the camera to crash?

Norman

Jake said:

The battery contacts will be modified later on. Try to clean them.
Does the plug of the external powersource fit well?
The external power source connection is subject to produce noise on
the power, because of the movement of the cord. This noise may
crash the D7, it isn't very tolerant.
Jake.

Click to expand...

Norman Woollons said:

Jake,

Click to expand...

stuff deleted...

Norman Woollons said:

Why does noise cause the camera to crash?

Norman

Click to expand...

The camera has a fast and power consuming RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processor and peripheral chips surrounding it (interfaced with CCD and I/O such as controls, LCD, EVF, CF Card slot, signals from the lens zoom position etc.). The operating frequency is high and the signal timing critical for proper operation. Noise on the supply voltage means it fluctuates a little bit. This may cause a flaw in the levels and timing of the signals and on the contents of the registers holding dynamic data. Once the processor misreads an instruction or if one of its registers gets unintended altered and no reset is yet generated (which will normally only be generated in the case when total supply voltage appears), the processor may "crash" or introduce other odd behavior of the camera. This behavior comes from the fact that the processor executes random instructions from some location, without a reasonable function, so the normal routines which should be carried out in order to make the camera operational are not carried out anymore. The processor could also halt itself, being instructed to do so, when it encounters such an instruction. Anyway the camera seems to be locked up and can't be used anymore. The mode knobs position is determined by the processors normal operation. Since that normal operation isn't carried out after the (processor) crash, the position of the knob is not detected, so switching to "Off" position does not work. The battery power needs to be disconnected by opening and closing the battery chamber door, It is best to turn the knob is in "Off" position prior to do this action. No damage has to be expected from such a crash. it is however unpredictable what happens with existing data on the CF storage. Since the CF have their own controller (inteligence) the existing data (pictures) will likely not getting lost.

Hope is isn't too difficult to understand my blabla.

Jake.