Causes of ERR message on D810?

Recently I had a case where my D810 locked up with an ERR message. Except power switch, none of the buttons would work. I had a 14-24 mounted at the time, and I was shooting with two bodies, so I just worked with the one camera. As I have had CF card issues in the past, I thought I was having one there. (At the time, I didn't try any buttons, but assumed that the CF card communications were interrupted and left me an ERR. This was incorrect).

Later, I tried pulling the CF card, and the error would not go away. My first clue it wasn't the card. I tried several other (AF-S) lenses, and nothing changed. I moved the aperture control lever manually, and nothing changed.

Put the camera down for a couple of days, and when I picked it up again, I tried a few more buttons. Live View - nothing. Picture review - nothing. Top buttons - nothing.

Then I pressed the shutter release again, and it took a shot (no lens mounted) and the ERR cleared.

I took it in to Tempe Camera, who could not find anything wrong other than a dirty sensor.

It seems the shutter was locked, or perhaps the aperture. But what are the causes of an ERR message, and similar symptoms to mine?

In two weeks I go on a scuba photography trip where I need this camera to be reliable. I'm going to try using it a bunch over the next week to see if the problem recurs, in case I need to rent ($500) another D810 very quickly.

Sounds like the mirror (or something else) was physically stuck. Generally this happens again, and generally more and more often.

But Nikon won't do anything until it becomes so frequent/regular/continuous that they can't avoid seeing the problem.

I pushed every button but the shutter release until I read this post. That did the trick.

I’ve had this happen with my D850 using non-Nikon batteries. When the in body battery went low, it didn’t shift to the full grip battery. Did an ERR. I pulled the battery and all was well. Doesn’t happen all the time. Yes, contacts are clean.

PHXAZCRAIG said:

Recently I had a case where my D810 locked up with an ERR message. Except power switch, none of the buttons would work. I had a 14-24 mounted at the time, and I was shooting with two bodies, so I just worked with the one camera. As I have had CF card issues in the past, I thought I was having one there. (At the time, I didn't try any buttons, but assumed that the CF card communications were interrupted and left me an ERR. This was incorrect).

Later, I tried pulling the CF card, and the error would not go away. My first clue it wasn't the card. I tried several other (AF-S) lenses, and nothing changed. I moved the aperture control lever manually, and nothing changed.

Put the camera down for a couple of days, and when I picked it up again, I tried a few more buttons. Live View - nothing. Picture review - nothing. Top buttons - nothing.

Then I pressed the shutter release again, and it took a shot (no lens mounted) and the ERR cleared.

I took it in to Tempe Camera, who could not find anything wrong other than a dirty sensor.

It seems the shutter was locked, or perhaps the aperture. But what are the causes of an ERR message, and similar symptoms to mine?

In two weeks I go on a scuba photography trip where I need this camera to be reliable. I'm going to try using it a bunch over the next week to see if the problem recurs, in case I need to rent ($500) another D810 very quickly.

Click to expand...

Rather than renting a D810 for $500, I would just buy a nice used one.

Mackiesback said:

PHXAZCRAIG said:

Recently I had a case where my D810 locked up with an ERR message. Except power switch, none of the buttons would work. I had a 14-24 mounted at the time, and I was shooting with two bodies, so I just worked with the one camera. As I have had CF card issues in the past, I thought I was having one there. (At the time, I didn't try any buttons, but assumed that the CF card communications were interrupted and left me an ERR. This was incorrect).

Later, I tried pulling the CF card, and the error would not go away. My first clue it wasn't the card. I tried several other (AF-S) lenses, and nothing changed. I moved the aperture control lever manually, and nothing changed.

Put the camera down for a couple of days, and when I picked it up again, I tried a few more buttons. Live View - nothing. Picture review - nothing. Top buttons - nothing.

Then I pressed the shutter release again, and it took a shot (no lens mounted) and the ERR cleared.

I took it in to Tempe Camera, who could not find anything wrong other than a dirty sensor.

It seems the shutter was locked, or perhaps the aperture. But what are the causes of an ERR message, and similar symptoms to mine?

In two weeks I go on a scuba photography trip where I need this camera to be reliable. I'm going to try using it a bunch over the next week to see if the problem recurs, in case I need to rent ($500) another D810 very quickly.

Click to expand...

Rather than renting a D810 for $500, I would just buy a nice used one.

Click to expand...

Have look at the date when I posted this thread. Since then I did not have the problem recur. I also moved on to the D850, and now Z9.

I still have my D810, (as well as my D800e, D700, D300, and D200)

PHXAZCRAIG said:

Mackiesback said:

PHXAZCRAIG said:

Recently I had a case where my D810 locked up with an ERR message. Except power switch, none of the buttons would work. I had a 14-24 mounted at the time, and I was shooting with two bodies, so I just worked with the one camera. As I have had CF card issues in the past, I thought I was having one there. (At the time, I didn't try any buttons, but assumed that the CF card communications were interrupted and left me an ERR. This was incorrect).

Later, I tried pulling the CF card, and the error would not go away. My first clue it wasn't the card. I tried several other (AF-S) lenses, and nothing changed. I moved the aperture control lever manually, and nothing changed.

Put the camera down for a couple of days, and when I picked it up again, I tried a few more buttons. Live View - nothing. Picture review - nothing. Top buttons - nothing.

Then I pressed the shutter release again, and it took a shot (no lens mounted) and the ERR cleared.

I took it in to Tempe Camera, who could not find anything wrong other than a dirty sensor.

It seems the shutter was locked, or perhaps the aperture. But what are the causes of an ERR message, and similar symptoms to mine?

In two weeks I go on a scuba photography trip where I need this camera to be reliable. I'm going to try using it a bunch over the next week to see if the problem recurs, in case I need to rent ($500) another D810 very quickly.

Click to expand...

Rather than renting a D810 for $500, I would just buy a nice used one.

Click to expand...

Have look at the date when I posted this thread. Since then I did not have the problem recur. I also moved on to the D850, and now Z9.

I still have my D810, (as well as my D800e, D700, D300, and D200)

Click to expand...

Ugh.....LOL

If this problem is still relevant in our modern-a-go-go mirrorless world, I have never found the root cause of it (my version, at least. I only get the lockup using the built-in flash), but what cures it for me is to press and release the Pv button.