Nikon 24-70 f2.8 (Non VR) stuck on Nikon D810

[Twistedlights]

24-70 F2.8 is stuck on d810 mount. I am unable to remove the lens from the mount. Camera is functioning normally without any issue.
I dint use it for a while and when i wanted to test another lens i could not release the 24-70 from the body. I have gone through many forums but no solution in sight.

All of the forums concluded that owners had to send the camera to Nikon Service centre and paid around 400-500 USD for repair.

Can someone help me with a solution. The body and lens are no longer in warranty.

 

[bobn2]

http://cdn-4.nikon-cdn.com/e/Q5NM96RZZo-YRYNeYvAi9beHK4x3L-8kHcxobQZcVndYsXXZME0TCg==/Views/25482_D4_right.png[/IMG]

Notice that the profile of the front of the camera is different from that of the chassis below it. This is more than leatherette overlays, it is a complete moulded component which forms what you actually grip. This is the major difference with Nikon's new 'monocoque' construction, there the front of the camera is also the front part of the chassis.

Twistedlights, post: 59439094, member: 1112938"]
The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[Twistedlights]

I use a cross body strap similar to Black rapid. Was walking out the door in a hurry. The Lens hood hit the Door frame really hard. I did not notice at that time. I thought it was just the hood. Eventually when i wanted to try on a different lens i could not release the 24-70.

I do agree the cost of repair is reasonable. I was s*@ting bricks as i went to the service center and till the time they told me the repair cost.

Well, it happens sometimes. I had dropped my then 5 months old Nikon 70-200 f2.8 VR1 while trying to move my unzipped camera bag at a Nikon store in Mumbai. So trying to trade in a D90 for a D300s cost me USD 600 of repairs on the lens and 3 months of time while they imported parts from Japan and Thailand..learnt my lesson though.

I guess is cost of body repair is lower than Lens repair and may also depend Speed of the lens.

I was ok with repair cost as in my case lens was not damaged at all.I am sure if it was both i could be easily looking at a couple of grand bill.Over all i am satisfied with the repair cost given the lens and the Body cost of 3.5-4K.

 

[mrgs1]

http://cdn-4.nikon-cdn.com/e/Q5NM96RZZo-YRYNeYvAi9beHK4x3L-8kHcxobQZcVndYsXXZME0TCg==/Views/25482_D4_right.png[/IMG]

Notice that the profile of the front of the camera is different from that of the chassis below it. This is more than leatherette overlays, it is a complete moulded component which forms what you actually grip. This is the major difference with Nikon's new 'monocoque' construction, there the front of the camera is also the front part of the chassis.

Twistedlights, post: 59439216, member: 507819"]
The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

I was referring to the front of the chassis sorry before the plastic rubberized skin gets put on like F4 was metal at the front. It looks like the lens mount is screwed into magnesium not plastic like say a D600.

 

[bobn2]

http://cdn-4.nikon-cdn.com/e/Q5NM96RZZo-YRYNeYvAi9beHK4x3L-8kHcxobQZcVndYsXXZME0TCg==/Views/25482_D4_right.png[/IMG]

Notice that the profile of the front of the camera is different from that of the chassis below it. This is more than leatherette overlays, it is a complete moulded component which forms what you actually grip. This is the major difference with Nikon's new 'monocoque' construction, there the front of the camera is also the front part of the chassis.

Twistedlights, post: 59439837, member: 1112938"]
The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

I was referring to the front of the chassis

Yes, everything with a metal chassis has a metal chassis.

sorry before the plastic rubberized skin gets put on like F4 was metal at the front.

It's not a 'rubberised skin', it's a plastic front panel. Very different thing. Compare the difference with this 'metal' Canon 5DIV

This is the 'skin', it forms the outside surface of the camera. All that will happen to it is that leatherette panels will be stuck to it. The image is a bit dishonest, because they have put the lens mount on, which isn't attached to the metal skin, it's attached to the plastic chassis underneath. Your D4 photo was of the (metal) chassis, not the skin. Whilst the front panel is thick plastic on a Nikon it's very thin magnesium on a Canon. All Canons bar the EOS-1 range have a plastic chassis hiding under the metal skin. The same is true for all Nikons bar the D5, except with Nikons, there is not a thin metal front skin to hide the plastic, the front skin is plastic too (including the D5). That's why Nikon show their publicity photos without the front panel, so you see the metal chassis. Since they started using plastic chasses for the rest of the range, they've stopped issuing that kind of publicity photo.

It looks like the lens mount is screwed into magnesium not plastic like say a D600.

Sure, it was on the D4 and is on the D5. All the rest the lens mount screws onto 'plastic', including the D810, D500, D750 and D7500.

The D810 is the topic of this thread, and as the OP has showed, the lens mount screws onto plastic.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[lightandaprayer]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

 

[bobn2]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[mrgs1]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front, and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

 

[bobn2]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[mrgs1]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

To me it's the front the chassis the covering goes over the top is like a trim to me a coating we've seen the photos of the D810 mirror box. The D4 like you say is metal that's what I'm talking about the front, sides top etc are metal, the plastic rubber grips etc are added later.

 

[bobn2]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

To me it's the front the chassis the covering goes over the top is like a trim to me a coating we've seen the photos of the D810 mirror box.

Your confused. The front of a Nikon camera is not a 'covering' or 'coating', It is a structural part which transmits the load from your hands to the chassis. It's plastic. The D810 mirror box does not have a 'coating', it is made of plastic, as the OP observed (because the plastic broke and he could see it was plastic).

The D4 like you say is metal that's what I'm talking about the front, sides top etc are metal, the plastic rubber grips etc are added later.

We're not talking about 'plastic rubber grips', we are talking about the whole front of the camera. Look at that D4, the front of an assembled D4 is not that shape. What you're seeing is the internal assembly, the chassis.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[mrgs1]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

To me it's the front the chassis the covering goes over the top is like a trim to me a coating we've seen the photos of the D810 mirror box.

Your confused. The front of a Nikon camera is not a 'covering' or 'coating', It is a structural part which transmits the load from your hands to the chassis. It's plastic. The D810 mirror box does not have a 'coating', it is made of plastic, as the OP observed (because the plastic broke and he could see it was plastic).

The D4 like you say is metal that's what I'm talking about the front, sides top etc are metal, the plastic rubber grips etc are added later.

We're not talking about 'plastic rubber grips', we are talking about the whole front of the camera. Look at that D4, the front of an assembled D4 is not that shape. What you're seeing is the internal assembly, the chassis.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

That's all I was ever referring to.the front of the chassis and the lens mount screwed into it !

 

[bobn2]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

To me it's the front the chassis the covering goes over the top is like a trim to me a coating we've seen the photos of the D810 mirror box.

Your confused. The front of a Nikon camera is not a 'covering' or 'coating', It is a structural part which transmits the load from your hands to the chassis. It's plastic. The D810 mirror box does not have a 'coating', it is made of plastic, as the OP observed (because the plastic broke and he could see it was plastic).

The D4 like you say is metal that's what I'm talking about the front, sides top etc are metal, the plastic rubber grips etc are added later.

We're not talking about 'plastic rubber grips', we are talking about the whole front of the camera. Look at that D4, the front of an assembled D4 is not that shape. What you're seeing is the internal assembly, the chassis.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

That's all I was ever referring to.the front of the chassis and the lens mount screwed into it !

Plastic on all current Nikons except the D5.

I found a nice site which shows you this in detail:

http://www.fixyourcamera.org/category/teardowns-and-reviews/

what they call the 'front cover' of the D4

You might call the 'front cover' the bits that go on the side, too:

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[mrgs1]

The Tech showed me the mirror box. The Lens release button mechanism was broken due to impact. Hence could not release the lens even after pressing the release button.

The Mirror box had suffered damage and there was a inch long crack starting from lock pin going up diagonally inwards. Seems to me that the Impact was absorbed by the mirror box, being plastic/ABS and weakest component (Metal Body, Metal Lens and Metal mounts).

The body of a D810 is not really metal. As you have discovered, the mirror box/chassis is plastic. The front is also plastic (it is on all Nikons). The top cover, back cover and baseplate are magnesium alloy, but they are none of the structural. In the D800 the mirror box/chassis was magnesium alloy, but was prone to cracking, which is why it was replaced with plastic in the D810. If it's any comfort, the bang that broke your camera would probably also have broken a D800.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Pardon my confusion: So the copper-colored section is magnesium alloy? And the matte silver section is plastic?

No, all of that is metal, but it's a D4, not a D810. If you had had a similar photo of a D810, everything between the top and bottom covers would have been plastic. As I said to him, it's also not the front of the camera, it's had the front panel removed so you can see the chassis.

BTW, in the article at the link I posted previously, there are images of a D800 with a bottom plate that detached while being carried by a strap attached to the tripod socket. The camera was sent to Nikon and it was deemed "unrepairable."

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

It was in response to all Nikon models having plastic front,

All Nikon models do have a plastic front. What you see in that D4 is not the 'front', it's the chassis.

and lens mount being screwed into plastic in the cheaper bodies and metal for D3/4/5 etc.

The lens mount never does screw into the 'front', it screws onto the mirror box, which is part of the chassis. The front panel has a hole in it throuht which the lens mount projects, but isn't physically attached to it. The mirror box is plastic on all current Nikons except the D5. It has been metal on al the Dx models since the D2 (D1 was plastic). The front half was metal and the back half plastic on the D700 (not sure why Nikon did it like that, but they did). All metal on the D200, D300 and D800. Caused issues due to cracking (probably on all of them, but the D800's resolution was high enough for the resulting misalignment to be noticeable) so was replaced by plastic for the D810.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

To me it's the front the chassis the covering goes over the top is like a trim to me a coating we've seen the photos of the D810 mirror box.

Your confused. The front of a Nikon camera is not a 'covering' or 'coating', It is a structural part which transmits the load from your hands to the chassis. It's plastic. The D810 mirror box does not have a 'coating', it is made of plastic, as the OP observed (because the plastic broke and he could see it was plastic).

The D4 like you say is metal that's what I'm talking about the front, sides top etc are metal, the plastic rubber grips etc are added later.

We're not talking about 'plastic rubber grips', we are talking about the whole front of the camera. Look at that D4, the front of an assembled D4 is not that shape. What you're seeing is the internal assembly, the chassis.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

That's all I was ever referring to.the front of the chassis and the lens mount screwed into it !

Plastic on all current Nikons except the D5.

I found a nice site which shows you this in detail:

http://www.fixyourcamera.org/category/teardowns-and-reviews/

what they call the 'front cover' of the D4

You might call the 'front cover' the bits that go on the side, too:

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

Yes I posted a D600 stripdown on another thread.

 

[lightandaprayer]

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

Bob, if you look at the damage of the D800 at the link I provided the damage isn't cracked plastic. . . The bottom of the camera is pulled away from the rest of the camera. Cutaway views seem to show nothing securely attaching the bottom vs. the rear of the camera. There is enough space that a ruler can be inserted edgewise.

I knew there's a reason I prefer the D200/D700 construction. . . I don't know all the details but both cameras just feel more solid, like my old all metal Nikkormats. I realize that there is plastic used in the construction of those DSLRs; it's where Nikon chose to use the plastic that makes all the difference. I'm not against plastic as long as it is high-quality and it can provide long service under normal use. I may be a Luddite but a plastic lens mount with a thin metal covering isn't going to find a place in my camera bag.

 

[bobn2]

That was the problem with the D800, the bottom of the mirror box was prone to cracking, that's why they changed it to more resilient plastic in the D810.

Bob, if you look at the damage of the D800 at the link I provided the damage isn't cracked plastic. . . The bottom of the camera is pulled away from the rest of the camera. Cutaway views seem to show nothing securely attaching the bottom vs. the rear of the camera. There is enough space that a ruler can be inserted edgewise.

I think you're getting confused here. Distinguish between the D800 and D810, a bit tough bcause there is only 10 between them in the number, but the internal construction is entirely different. The D800 has a magnesium alloy chassis. It cracks easily, that is what happened in the D800, and hence the bottom (mag alloy) got ripped off the chassis (also mag alloy). The OP's D810 had a failure in the chassis, in that camera made of plastic, not magnesium alloy.

I knew there's a reason I prefer the D200/D700 construction. . . I don't know all the details but both cameras just feel more solid,

D200 and D700 have a different construction. D200 is made much like the D800, probably sharing its weaknesses. The D700 has a magnesium front but plastic back to its mirror box, don'y know why.

like my old all metal Nikkormats.

Nikkormats were made of Silumin alloy. Much stonger and better than magnesium, they didn't crack, but Silumin can't be thixoformed to near net shape like the brittl magnesium. The covers of the Nikkormat were made of pressed brass, much more resilient than the brittle magnesisum.

I realize that there is plastic used in the construction of those DSLRs; it's where Nikon chose to use the plastic that makes all the difference. I'm not against plastic as long as it is high-quality and it can provide long service under normal use. I may be a Luddite but a plastic lens mount with a thin metal covering isn't going to find a place in my camera bag.

No current Nikon has a plastic lens mount. Some of the lenses do, but no camera does.

--
Tinkety tonk old fruit, & down with the Nazis!
Bob

 

[Ask Mait]

I knew there's a reason I prefer the D200/D700 construction. . . I don't know all the details but both cameras just feel more solid, like my old all metal Nikkormats. I realize that there is plastic used in the construction of those DSLRs; it's where Nikon chose to use the plastic that makes all the difference. I'm not against plastic as long as it is high-quality and it can provide long service under normal use. I may be a Luddite but a plastic lens mount with a thin metal covering isn't going to find a place in my camera bag.

You are not alone and you are certainly not Luddite. There is a huge community of lovers of everything made by Nikon till the last decade. There is something in D700 beyond its 12 mPa sensor, but anyways that discussion belongs elsewhere. However, I am learning that the flash mount comes lose so easily on a D700 if a heavy flash like 900/910 is mounted.

 

[theonetruepath]

No current Nikon has a plastic lens mount. Some of the lenses do, but no camera does.

C'mon Bob, people are trying to have a legitimate whinge about nothing here, and you keep dragging facts back in and spoiling it for them.

You will be buried under the avalanche of misinformed opinion and general ignorance, I predict.

 

[Zircon_215]

I can't believe this! I have the very same problem! In the early morning hours of April 24th after finished shooting the Aurora Borealis my Nikkor 24-70mm VR lens could not be removed from my Nikon D810. The lens was purchased in December, 2016 ... so still under warranty... the camera in January, 2015 (so it's just out of warranty). I have to pack this lens up and send it back to Nikon Canada Inc in order for them to access the problem. If I pay for insurance on the stuck camera/lens combo, the postage itself is going to cost me almost $300. And, from what I read here, it certainly seems as if Nikon is going to try to weasel out of repairing this free of charge. One thing is certain, this camera and lens have been extremely well taken care of. I had to save a long time to be able to afford it. I certainly wasn't going to abuse it in any way. But the same camera and same lens with the same problem? Come on now! Something just doesn't seem right here!

 

[Michigan Sandman]

Remember last week Twistedlights finally recalled his camera and lens hanging from his Black Rapid strap and banging the Lens hood in the doorway. The D810 is well made, except there is quite a bit of plastic around the mirror box, etc. On the other hand your lens is not one of Nikon's more robust designs. Very nice lens, but it is more fragile than some of Nikon's older creations. Good luck with your repair.

 

[firemachine69]

I knew there's a reason I prefer the D200/D700 construction. . . I don't know all the details but both cameras just feel more solid, like my old all metal Nikkormats. I realize that there is plastic used in the construction of those DSLRs; it's where Nikon chose to use the plastic that makes all the difference. I'm not against plastic as long as it is high-quality and it can provide long service under normal use. I may be a Luddite but a plastic lens mount with a thin metal covering isn't going to find a place in my camera bag.

You are not alone and you are certainly not Luddite. There is a huge community of lovers of everything made by Nikon till the last decade. There is something in D700 beyond its 12 mPa sensor, but anyways that discussion belongs elsewhere. However, I am learning that the flash mount comes lose so easily on a D700 if a heavy flash like 900/910 is mounted.

Just fixed that on my own d700. Grab a pair of pliers, squeeze the shoe between the teeth, and you'll fix it in about the second. Just remember: gentle!