How I Killed my Nikon Z9...

Рет қаралды 90,394

Күн бұрын

OH THE IRONY... the sensor shield, whose job is only protection, failed on me... Check out Paperlike 2.1: paperlike.com/mattgranger
Paperlike sponsored this video and sent me out the 2.1 to use whilst editing my new travel photography book on iPad - it really makes using the pen much more enjoyable!
ICELAND MAY TOUR GROUP FULL.
See my next Iceland tour: geni.us/Iceland24
UPDATE = A lot of commenters mentioning that we should always use a camera strap. I was using double camera straps (as I was using 2 cameras). However, as I was using a 400mm f2.8, the strap was connected to the Nikon Lens, not the body, and in my rush and all the straps, I made a mistake and let go of the body, instead of the lens. My mistake.
PRIVACY and DISCLOSURE:
* Matt Granger is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com
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* You can read my complete Ethics and Conduct statement: mattgranger.com/ethics

Пікірлер: 392

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Check out Paperlike 2.1: paperlike.com/mattgranger JOIN ME IN ICELAND! mattgranger.com/iceland

@itsobviousobviously3596 3 ай бұрын

why don't you retitle this video to "please buy my photo tours" (begging like rat)

@TimberGeek 3 ай бұрын

This year is definitely a no go for us. Do you ever do a couples discount?

@AgainstThisWorld 3 ай бұрын

as I'm paranoid I used the simple strap to the neck and a strap on the hand, the strap on hand is to protect lens and the strap on the neck to protect the lens and camera

@DanielRodriguez-fg5ll 3 ай бұрын

sorry to hear but to be safe, I will block Matt as seller on ebay.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Hahahhahaha. Fair.

@amarpaul_s 3 ай бұрын

😂

@imjooboy 3 ай бұрын

😂😂😂

@tianzr2009 3 ай бұрын

What is the serial number on that Z9😂@@mattgranger

@lichtgestalt9540 3 ай бұрын

🤣🤣🤣

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

UPDATE = A lot of commenters mentioning that we should always use a camera strap. I was using double camera straps (as I was using 2 cameras). However, as I was using a 400mm f2.8, the strap was connected to the Nikon Lens, not the body, and in my rush and all the straps, I made a mistake and let go of the body, instead of the lens. My mistake.

@TimberGeek 3 ай бұрын

Yeah, my strap is often running from the D850 to the 150-600, those transitions from long to normal can be a bit of a juggling act.

@wngimageanddesign9546 3 ай бұрын

That's why one should always have a short tether strap from body to the main strap for such a big lens situation. BTDT! You're not alone making this mistake. :)

@rolandgibbs9036 3 ай бұрын

I'm very careful with my cameras and the 2 times when I've dropped one was because of the strap getting snagged on something.

@tectoramia-sz1lu 3 ай бұрын

Indeed, I always use a wrist strap, but accidents will happen.

@alfabravofilm 3 ай бұрын

I forgive you because I like you but... don't ever do that again...😉😊

@joliver4083 3 ай бұрын

This is why Camera Strap is very important specially when changing lenses.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Haha very true. I was using a black rapid strap, but it was attached to my long lens… my bad

@joliver4083 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger Maybe it's also better for you to get an insurance for lost & accidental damage since you're travelling a lot.

@JohanJoosteMusiek 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger I have a harness that can hold two cameras. I'm sure you know them Matt? Pretty expensive camera that one, for me at least thus I can't afford such mishaps.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Thanks. I was using a dual strap and I have insurance.

@NightShooter87 3 ай бұрын

Straps are one of the biggest causes of dropping cameras in my experience.

@ogonzilla 3 ай бұрын

Dang. Opens up a good discussion: Should we keep that shield out of the way full time? My Z8 sensor shield randomly broke on the job (I didn't drop my camera. Who does that??? ;) ) I was originally quoted $335 for fixing "shutter blade damage/sensor shields damaged". Luckily, NikonUSA repaired it under warranty at no cost after proof of purchase. I'm thinking...maybe I can live with the dust lol.

@AlexKall 3 ай бұрын

Then again, what would have happened to Matts camera if the sensor had not covered the sensor at the fall, perhaps the sensor would have damage instead which would be much more expensive, hard to know 🤷‍♂️

@oc2phish07 3 ай бұрын

Loved your comment. But as to "Who does that"? Well, a certain lovable rogue Mr Kai Wong is pretty adept when it comes to failed juggling of camera gear.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

@AlexKall - I can tell you - nothing hit the sensor shield. So nothing more would have happened to the sensor if no shield existed in this case.

@leonardotonin6201 3 ай бұрын

Sorry but this sensor shield is not good.

@dylanjames2213 3 ай бұрын

Good to know! Maybe I'll live with the dust too...

@_Thumbnail_ 3 ай бұрын

Ref "melted curtain": Didn't need more than a second to melt the diaphragm when my lens was accidently facing the sun without lens cap. So, always be careful!

@dafyddthomas7299 3 ай бұрын

Good call, makes sense in warm - hot conditions when lens not in use and - to put the lens cap on as one suggestion

@gewglesux 3 ай бұрын

Great news Matt!! glad that you got her back and are still thrilled that you are shooting Nikon..

@UncleJimsBand 3 ай бұрын

Nice photos, btw. I can't be the only engineer who looks at systems like this, where so much is going right for so many Nikon ( and Sony, and Canon ) customer, as a glass mostly full. I'm awed by the complexity of modern cameras. May it always work out well for you.

@rickpinelli9268 3 ай бұрын

Nikon's are not the tanks they used to be. The more electronics and features installed add to the fragility of the camera. This would not have happened back in the F2 era. The old Nikon bodies were made to survive dropping off a cliff! I dropped my F2 Photomic on the concrete steps high atop the Olympic Ski Jump at Lake Placid NY, The result was a shattered the UV filter. Those were the days Matt as I am sure you may remember. I will be extra diligent with my Z9 going forward...

@wolfy7531 3 ай бұрын

I dropped mine into a shallow creek once. The lens and the camera survived that quick bath unharmed. In the field, I dried the camera and lens externally and stopped using it for the rest of the day. In the hotel room, I separated the lens from the camera, removed the battery and memory card and let it dry overnight.

@johnd7564 3 ай бұрын

Probably would have been a LOT worse if you dropped lens OR camera, and a much harder impact if you dropped on rocks instead. Dropping them together, they were weather-sealed. Glad you didn't get a problem!

@GetOutsideYourself 3 ай бұрын

That Iceland trip looks epic!

@nespressoman 3 ай бұрын

Oh Matt, you always make me smile. Glad your Z9 is back. All the best.

@larsthufvesson9725 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for all your wonderful photos and sorry to hear about your dropping the Z9. I am always using the BlackRapid Curve Breathe to my Z8. Hope you make it to Japan!

@edinburghaction5515 3 ай бұрын

Incredibly valuable information here; if it can go wrong it will. Thanks. Especially the lens/heat damage which I would not have thought about.

@bigboi36 3 ай бұрын

Awesome Presentation Matt. I would love to join one of your photographic tours one day. I am still transitioning slowly from DSLr to Mirrorless. I’ve got Z 50 and Kit lenses. Currently, building up the Z-trinity. So far I have the Z24-70| 2.8s, next will be Z70-200|2.8s

@iamtesting3824 3 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear.

@JohnDrummondPhoto 3 ай бұрын

When I shut my Canon off, the LCD displays a warning to put a lens cap on. Most likely, those marks are heat damage from having the lens facing the sun for a period of time. I'm glad things worked out for you.

@piotrgraniszewski8544 2 ай бұрын

Now that I think of it, it's the same thing with Sony. There is a warning that the lens shouldn't face bright light. Luckily, Sony stops down the aperture automatically on shutdown. I can't imagine leaving the F/1.2 aperture on. 😂

@olavipohjonen4521 3 ай бұрын

Good Day How many pictures have you taken with your Z9? thank you for answear

@jaimeduncan6167 3 ай бұрын

Beautiful pictures. I would never have thought of the sensor cover breaking on a fall. I have never seen or read of a Nikon Pro body with a shattered shooter from a fall. It seems the sensor cover is more delicate, or maybe it was just bad luck. Moving parts: I loved the sensor shield, but now I am wondering. if eventually, it would be better to just get rid of it. Dust can be removed easily, after all. Let's see how it evolves.

@Paul_Wetor 3 ай бұрын

It's like the "unexpected consequences" of engineering. They tried to make something better, but Matt discovered the one way to turn that help into a flaw.

@701Builder 3 ай бұрын

I don’t think it broke, more separated. The round extrusions on the plastic blades separated from the steel scissor mechanism from the shock of the fall. The blades were most likely replaced because of the melting from the sun through the lens, but in this case it saved the sensor. You are right the sensor should be metal and more designed like an aperture or shutter and shock tested. Nikon didn’t think it would happen either

@jonlindal3400 3 ай бұрын

You are not the only one that has had this protection curtain fall apart. This seems to happen for little or no reason at all. My guess is that this is more due to design or production flaw in this part of the camera than because you dropped it. There are more videos on KZfaq about this problem. I hope Nikon will address this and fix it.

@sylvestersim423 3 ай бұрын

Sorry for the loss.. But it's a good lesson learned.. Thanks for the video

@dmesa3237 3 ай бұрын

Do you have or can you make a video on your iPad use in regards to photography? I would think if you are traveling it would be a valuable asset to have also shooting.

@M4TR1X 3 ай бұрын

My Canon R6 developed over time a melted spot. I tried to repair it under guarantee but that was unsuccessful. Are needed 350-400€ for the repair (replacing shutter curtain). Probably happened as you, the lens had catch light and melted that spot. But even tho, luckily, the melt point isn't so high. I'm using it like that for over a year now (but I don't shoot a lot) and it has worked for me. Gonna get another body at some point and sell it like that.

@kentkochheiser911 3 ай бұрын

You mentioned the melted looking marks on the shield. I think your speculation was correct. Back in the film days of Leica M cameras, the shutter was made of fabric and if you left the camera without a lens cap the sun could actually burn a hole through the shutter. Never happened to me but I was warned about it.

@knoxyish 3 ай бұрын

so a 5k camera body has sunlight melting problems? Don't have any of this on my dslr,s although my z6 had dust on sensor problems during lens changes mirrorless not all its cracked up to be . watch out for the hype sony did not reinvent the camera!!!

@Som09mer 3 ай бұрын

Happened to my Nikon S1 😢

@v3rlon 3 ай бұрын

All cameras have some version of this issue. If you put a magnifying glass between sensitive internals and an 880,000 mile fusion furnace, you can get bad results for the sensitive internals.

@tommihommi1 3 ай бұрын

@@knoxyisha DSLR will just set fire to the viewfinder cover instead

@abysal311 3 ай бұрын

Regarding what you mentioned about prior issue with the sensor guard appearing melted; I have an R5 and on power off it says "always replace lens cap when camera is turned off”. I think it's a good possibility the shutter is suseptible to similar damage from sunlight as you described.

@lensman5762 3 ай бұрын

Hmmm, I used to work in a factory manufacturing equipment with sensitive electronic and also a lot of mechanical parts. I was in charge of the department that conducted the testing on the products. It was called Compliance. One of the tests was called The Drop Test. Depending on the weight. use etc of the product, it was dropped from varying heights and angles and then put put through functional tests afterward to ensure that the equipment could survive rough handling and accidental drops by the operator. I guess the Compliance dept in Nikon or whomever they subcontracted the testing to, did not follow the procedures. That fault should not have happened.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

To be fair, it’s not the first time the camera has been dropped 😂

@delukxy 3 ай бұрын

Compliance is the relevant word here and I think Nikon should review the design and/or materials used. The pegs had just popped out of the holes. Maybe the plastic just distorted a bit and allowed that to happen when the impact occurred. Possibly wouldn't happen if the shape of the pin was changed to make the pop in on assembly more positive. It could have a slight ball shape and it would then never (never say never!) pop out and any normal circumstances. Design team needs to look at this and I wonder if there is automatic feedback from the repair centres over this sort of thing.

@stevelink3 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger But obviously the first time the shield actually broke...Perhaps, like x-rays, the damage from each incident is cumulative?

@bsmukler 3 ай бұрын

One way of looking at this is that, if this was any typical camera body, the impact could have damaged the shutter, rendering the camera useless until repaired. I imagine there are many millions of exposures made with sensor shields set to close, and a tiny number of instances where someone managed to introduce a physical shock in just the right way to dislodge the shield pins. That’s a pretty good trade-off, especially given that, even when coming undone, the shield still did not harm the precious sensor.

@PhotoVideoTechOz 3 ай бұрын

Compliance = compliance with regulatory standards these change by region and product type. The products do not feature any drop proof or IP ratings, if they did they would be compliance tested to ensure they meet the standard.

@heathwirt8919 3 ай бұрын

Unfortunately these things happen in the real world, glad you have the camera back and working well.

@Gremlack13 3 ай бұрын

Iceland may be my favorite place I’ve ever visited. Went in late June 2022, and the weather was crappy, unfortunately. It was very rainy, cold, and super windy. It made it hard to do a lot of the activities we wanted as we drove around the country. I really want to go back there again and find better weather and get better photos. It’s such an amazing country.

@MatthiasWelwarsky 3 ай бұрын

Those are scorch marks. Good thing to remember when operating the camera, keeping track of the sun... Not a problem you'd have with a DSLR I must say.

@LuigiL75 3 ай бұрын

…just saying!

@Wildridefilms 3 ай бұрын

With a DSLR, you'd just burn a hole through your retina 🤗

@user-ul9id4to9t 3 ай бұрын

I Rember seeing a post by Aurther Morris - he had a 600mm lens on a D850, and must have been pointed at the sun. Burned a hole right through the mirror. Doesn't matter the camara, you have to be careful where it's pointed.

@niclasbagenheim7181 3 ай бұрын

I also got meltmarks from the sun on my Z9. It doesn´t impair the function, but beware especially if shooting with lenses with large apertures and manual aperture. Cover the lens or turn the aperture down. Perhaps titanium cover i future cameras? I absolutely love my Z9 anyway!

@robguyatt9602 3 ай бұрын

I love your portraits, Matt. Now my story. I was using the Z 800 F6.3 PF on the Z9. I was using the lens bag as camera bag and of course the body was sticking out. I inadequately secured the zipper and while walking down the road left said bag contents on the road no longer connected. The lens ripped the nose of the body off. AU$1000 and a time later all fixed. Insurance covered it.

@Twobarpsi 3 ай бұрын

Sorry for your dropped camera! Glad you got it back. Fantastic photos!

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Thanks 👍

@bsmukler 3 ай бұрын

This reinforces my appreciation for the sensor shield design. If you had dropped a typical body, it would have been the shutter rather than a shield that was rendered useless, ending the trip as far as that camera was concerned. Think of how many millions of images have been captured by these cameras with, as far as we know, an infinitesimally number of instances where the shield pins became dislodged following a physical impact. Even then, the design functioned perfectly, allowing the shield sections to slide down (relative to each other) without harming the sensor. I ride motorcycles a lot, including on track, and there are numerous parts on the motorcycles, and even trim components on the helmets, that are designed to “fail” in such a way that they either protect, or at least not harm, the motorcycle (or my noggin).

@middletonduff 3 ай бұрын

Matt, I have known you for 12 years. I always think it is a case of when, rather than if you will break a camera. My first Nikon camera was a D5100. You sent that to the sea as I recall. On the up side, despite the damage, you still got some nice images with it. I wonder if you will replace this unit, repaired or not, I can't help but feel you will replace it.

@johnhjic2 3 ай бұрын

Hello Matt, Sorry to here that you dropped your Z9, But so good that you found a work around to allow your shooting to continue. The one thing is the camera was still working, that is why we pay the extra for a robust camera that they will take the work load. But there is a point that if you do have the miss fortune to hit at some angle thing like this can happen. I know I am an NPS member to but in the UK. Where we no longer have a Nikon repair centre intact Nikon in the UK is now a sales office only for Nikon Europe so repairs are a nightmare. I would go as far as to say if my camera was damaged I would just have to bye a new one. I still love my Nikon but this was one thing that Nikon got wrong in getting shot of there repair department in the UK.

@kaskoPhoto 3 ай бұрын

Just one question, was it a drop that should have caused that kind of damage? Or was this a stacked issue starting with the melted shield + the drop?

@46spanner 3 ай бұрын

Something like that, my guess is that it was left in the sun, shield melted and distorted putting undue stress on the mounting pins and the drop provided the impact to pop them off

@PaulQuinones 3 ай бұрын

This happened to me as well Matt. It took a little over a month for them to fix and you’re 100 percent accurate about the cost to repair.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear mate, was yours from a drop also?

@PaulQuinones 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger unfortunately yes. A very light fall too. I didn’t even know the sensor shield was damaged till my next shoot. This was in beginning of 2023 so I couldn’t get another z9 at the time. I had to use my Z6II for about 5 weeks. Lesson learned indeed.

@jaimeduncan6167 3 ай бұрын

It seems that is more fragile than a shutter. Here is another case: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rdCUe7yd38jao58.html It's such a great idea on paper, but the current implementation does no help. Nikon should redesign or drop it from the next cameras. I prefer dealing with dust (a pain) than having a pro-body that is going to die for weeks from a light hit. $400 is a lot (not that Nikon is overcharging, I don't know what it entails)

@piotrch0 3 ай бұрын

What is this "MPS" program you keep mentioning? How do you expand this abbreviation? Is it available for purchase in EU and covers EU?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

NPS. Nikon Professional Services

@joseacarrasm 3 ай бұрын

Do you consider that the damage was beyond the impact with the ground of could have been worse? 😢

@starbase218 3 ай бұрын

I wonder if the fact that the sensor shield is more sturdy than a shutter, means it’s heavier as well, and therefore more likely to get damaged like this (gravity having a bigger effect).

@jerrydalton3203 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for the very forthright and useful report. Most interesting that the cover had signs of heat damage. Sun coming directly through lens can damage the sensor, as was discovered by some during the last eclipse. So don't do that. ;) Likely if not for the cover, the sensor would have been damaged by whatever cause the heat damage to the cover. So there is that.

@AndrewJayN 3 ай бұрын

Same this happened to mine, tho I didn't drop my camera my sensor shield malfunctioned and scratched the sensor, the eventually covered it under warranty but its was still a 4-6 week wait for the parts, it was right around just before the z8 launch so i figure the parts were low at that time

@joeyassyrian 3 ай бұрын

Do you think it's a bad idea to leave it disabled? I never take off my lens, I only shoot wildlife with a telephoto lol. I know the sun thing could save me from frying my sensor but I never really point at the sun for an extended period.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

If you’re not changing lenses it shouldn’t matter

@davidnelson6199 3 ай бұрын

I tripped and fell with the lens attached though. I had this same thing happen to me. Nikon fixed it and returned to me in about 10 days and I am not a NPS member. $477.00 for the repair.

@oc2phish07 3 ай бұрын

Very sorry to hear of this misfortune, Matt, but glad you had other bodies to use and were able to get the repair done in the end. As to cost, I don't think that charge was excessive at all considering how much skilled work would have been involved in the repair. Just one question if you don't mind. Did you have the camera secured on a strap? I have seen a trend in professionals, and KZfaq presenters who seem to think it is somehow bad for the image to be using a cissy strap. I suspect that if you are on a very busy shoot and need to very quickly swap cameras to get a result then a strap might get in the way but I think the security of the camera outweighs the need for that much speed. Certainly, even when I am working with two, and occasionally three bodies at the same time, I always have them on Peak Design straps. And again, thanks for sharing this salutary tale and good luck moving forward.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Hi mate. Agree on the cost. Yes I was using a black rapid strap, but I was changing from long lens to short, and the strap was attached to the long lens… in my rush I messed up and let go of the wrong thing.

@shahriersiddique2609 Ай бұрын

I'm wondering from the damage on the protective curtain what if there're no protective cover like z7/z6 series, would the sensor be totally destroyed long before!

@mattgranger Ай бұрын

I wouldn't worry about it. The sensor was never at risk here - it just seems the protective curtain is not as durable as the real shutter.

@shahriersiddique2609 Ай бұрын

@@mattgranger i was talking about the damage made by the solar rays. (Melted plastic)

@hellopsp180 3 ай бұрын

I honestly dont even use my Camera Shutter. Except for when I need to use Flash. I never enable the Dust protection on my camera for lens changes. If I were to get dust on the sensor its not the end of the world because I can just use a blower to get it out

@vicentvanmole 3 ай бұрын

So my question is :how robust this cam is because i have drop many time with cam from sony to canon ,not a single thing like this happened,except my Panasonic.out of order after a drop ,touch screen not working even not have any visible damage😢

@derekgillan7314 3 ай бұрын

Ouch! I remember a photographer told me about Nikon stopping an AK47 bullet during the Vietnam war, now they are crap, strap lugs falling out, come on Nikon!

@rexgigout1472 3 ай бұрын

I empathize. I fumbled and dropped my then-new M10, in or about May 2018. I normally used a strap while shooting, but, the camera, strap and all, were wrapped inside a neoprene camera wrap, at the time, as I was about to place it into my vehicle’s console, while leaving on a photographic day trip. The neoprene prevented any visible physical damage, but a look at the LCD display showed sickening green static. I maintained my composure, and started driving, in order not to disappoint my wife. (She is an avid photographer, who wanted to use her recently-acquired D850 on our first long day trip out of the city, in some time.) I used my spare camera, a Nikon D5 DSLR that had already been packed into the vehicle, to photograph the trip. My M10 had to go to Leica USA in NJ, for healing. Yeah, I know. Leica M10. Nikon D5. First World Problem, to drop an M10, yet be able to carry on, with my D5, and my wife’s new D850. We had lost some DSLR camera bodies, during a storm, the previous year, so, late 2017, into 2018, was recovery time, and we had treated ourselves to some nice equipment.

@BobZOMG1984 3 ай бұрын

4:14 Whoaaaaa thats wild, thats why i never shoot pointing direct to the sun, especially for those camera that doesnt have a sensor cover like pro cameras like Z9 & the rest....

@tom_k_d 3 ай бұрын

No mirrorless camera has the sensor cover on when shooting - the viewfinder information must finally come from somewhere... So the cited damage must have been produced while the camera was at rest, but without lens cap. Lesson learned: always put the lens cap on. It would be interesting to understand at which point shooting aginst the sun, which is a common practice, starts getting critical: fully agree.

@PicturebikeMXphotography 3 ай бұрын

Currently here in the UK I have been waiting 7 months for a part for my Nikon 70-200 FL, the lens is still sitting at the repair centre and i'm still waiting with no ETA! According to the repair centre they have been having total nightmares getting parts from Nikon....

@bimmerfan2126 3 ай бұрын

crushing those shadows in the vid....

@Pharesm 2 ай бұрын

Always wanted to go to Butan!

@isotechimages.9130 3 ай бұрын

Did see a video from England where he says his sensor shield fell apart for no reason & did scratch sensor & same issue no parts in stock but was a Z8 from memory l think.

@gasbike100mpg 3 ай бұрын

sorry to hear about the drop, z9 weighs like a brick, at least it didnt break your toe. be well dude. btw....great shots!

@kh1188ish 3 ай бұрын

does that internal cover interfere with the IBIS?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

@HR-wd6cw 6 күн бұрын

I think though while you damaged the sensor cover, had the camera had a mechanical shutter, that could have possibly introduced additional issues if that became damaged too as a result of the drop, so in one sense you got lucky because you were able to move the shield out of the way and the sensor was not damaged, and two, there is no mechanical shutter to be concerned about. Although I think for many drops (as I've now dropped probably 3 cameras in my lifetime of shooting) the mechanical shutter usually isn't damaged and I think Nikon has it set so that if it does experience an impact (on some models that don't have a sensor shield, like the Z6/Z7) it just keeps the shutter down for some reason as one of my drop was the Z7 II and after the drop it had said to turn off the camera and I noticed the mechanical shutter was closed, but power cycling it released the shutter. (I ended up trading the camera about 2 years later, so recently, though so I don't know what impact it will have on the mechnical shutter long term). But even after the drop, the Z7 II worked flawlessly. I did damage the rear LCD screen (cracked it, but it still worked actually, just had a huge crack down the middle, which I had Nikon service the camera when I got home from my trip).

@jameshoward9700 3 ай бұрын

Interesting. I wonder what shock resistance the D9 is specced at? Ok, so you shouldn't drop a camera, but a magnesium framed, pro body I think should survive a waist/table height drop to a medium (grass, soil, astro) hardness surface. Considering the mirrorless design eliminates most mechanical parts, it seems odd to fit a clearly fragile mechanical sensor shield. Many a pro SLR/DSLR has done similar and been fine - That's where their value lies. Little point in a D9 if its as fragile as a D8...

@iain.g 3 ай бұрын

The shot of the camera in the car it's quite clear the studs on the slat are meant to fit in the metal prongs with the holes. Does look like quite a flimsy design though as any sudden front -> back force would dislodge it.

@thomaschamberlin2485 3 ай бұрын

I melted the face of my SB-800 flash. My camera was lying on the floor of the Land Rover in Africa with a tele-extender on the flash facing upward. Equatorial sun is vicious. The flash still works, though essentially obsolete now that the Z9 won't sync with it. I work around that using my micro flash commander in TTL with the SB-800 as the slave.

@Ranveer_Singh_Kahani 3 ай бұрын

Magnesium alloy?

@richardellishk 3 ай бұрын

Do you hold any workshops in Hong Kong?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

I hope to hold a meet up and a couple of workshops later this year 👍🏼

@MelchiorumJS 3 ай бұрын

Not the first case of sensor shield being easily damaged on a Nikon mirrorless camera. There were reports of these just breaking randomly during the normal use, and I personally know a person who had this happen to his Z8. And the damage is always the same with the blade getting detached from the retaining pins. This tells me Nikon has dropped the ball with these sensor shields, making them extremely fragile. My older Nikon DSLRs have withstood being banged on rocks and dropped on concrete, while supposedly just as rugged professional mirrorless Z bodies seem to actually be way more fragile due to the poor sensor shield design. Its ironic that a device that was supposed to protect from a mild annoyance of having dust on the sensor, instead created a serious failure point that may cost you an entire photoshoot.

@TrichecoDeiTrichechi 3 ай бұрын

There's thick transparent layer protection in front of the sensor (all sensors, all cameras, all manufacturers), you wouldn't likely scratch it even with the tip of a knife. The sensor mech protector I would have probably ended up tearing apart the broken top rectangle, they would had to change it all anyway, so I would just finished destroying it so it wasn't visible in the pictures. The only REALLY fragile piece in a mirrorless (not on your Z9 of course) it's the shutter blades, which comes exposed when cameras is off and/or when changing lens; that's why Canon, on low end ML bodies (RP and R10/50/100), doesn't enable the shutter close option, because they're afraid that amateurs will break the shutterblades (on dslr that wasn't happening because there was the mirror protecting the shutter, and when mirror was up, shutter was open, so no risk of touching it). For cheap bodies, leaving the exposed sensor is way better, because it's thousand times less fragile then the shutter, you're not likely to ruin it in any way, except digging it with a drill 😀

@tqlla 3 ай бұрын

I would use something softer like a toothpick to push the shield out of the way. the safety pin is sharp, could scratch the sensor. That being said, sensors are usually pretty scratch resistant.

@andy1or2 3 ай бұрын

You are an extremely talented guy .... camera issues or not....!!

@coopandcarter 3 ай бұрын

I could be wrong, but it seems like several years ago you had a video on whether it was necessary to use a lens cap. I think this sums up the fact most photographers should. I always use magnetic caps and filters. They work great, at least for myself.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Don’t think that was me. Thanks though

@wngimageanddesign9546 3 ай бұрын

Moral of story.....always keep you camera tethered to you. I never free-hand my camera....my preference is having it strapped to my wrist. Others prefer neck, or shoulder. Another trick is to have a quick connect strap or cable to the bottom of the L-bracket. and other end carabiner-ed to the shoulder strap of your bag. Drop the camera by accident, the short cable/paracord/strap doesn't let it reach the ground.

@knorrissirronk8665 3 ай бұрын

Less than chuffed to hear that repair price, but at least it was JUST the shield, and not the sensor.... You got to finish shooting your trip (Most important) so best you could hope for.

@Zetaphotography 3 ай бұрын

I love my film camera from the 50s

@DS-cf1zc 3 ай бұрын

Matt, I look at this as a "It is what it is" way. It could happen to any of us, and in the same circumstances as you have set out further context in the comments. At least it has been repaired, and is back in your hand, and in only 3-4 weeks. Imagine it had been a Leica, had to be flown back to Wezlar, and spent several months there, before they send it back - and then charge you infinity amounts for the pleasure. It could always be a lot worse, and as you point out - you still managed to complete the gig, despite the issue.

@BillFerris 3 ай бұрын

if the sensor shield had not been engaged at the time of the fall, is it possible the sensor itself would have been damaged? I know the answer may be speculatory. But if, for example, the body landed on the ground with the open lens mount facing the dirt, the sensor shield may have taken a bullet for the sensor.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

No. I don’t think so.

@David_Quinn_Photography 3 ай бұрын

and this is why we have a backup camera, I dropped my Canon T7 and the mirror would not drop down so I had to get it repaired, during that time I used my T3, even as a hobbyist I wouldn't let my screw-ups stop me. I have a strap on my lens so when I took my camera off to swap it for another lens for a family photo the camera had no strap for 2 seconds and that's all it took, Canons customer service is awesome and though I broke it they accepted it for repair at no cost since it was with in warranty.

@serhiirudenko6183 3 ай бұрын

I still cant believe how exposed the sensor in modern mirrorless cameras. On my older DSLR I almost never have senn it. Since it behind the mirrors and shutter, have dust removal ultrasonic thing, and still I got few dust particles on the sensor.

@itsacookie1 3 ай бұрын

Lmao, people really out here like "I want more moving parts in my camera, it will make it more durable".

@kpataky 3 ай бұрын

So I’ve had my Z9 since Christmas of 2021 and all of a sudden at championship football games back on December 15. I was starting to get the black line like you showed in your video as well. I never dropped my camera I’ve never opened or closed that shutter, it’s set to be closed when turned off and I guess it opens when turned on. I sent it in to Nikon Melville, New York I am NPS member and the parts are all on backorder. It took over a month to get my camera back and it cost me $368 for the repair and that included the 25% discount. They replaced all the rubber pieces on the back of the camera too, and did a full cleaning and calibration for that price but I expected it to be out of rotation only for about a week and it was gone for a month which really was difficult for my business.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Sorry to hear!

@nazukeoya 3 ай бұрын

What flight route did you take to get to Buhtan?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Via Bangkok. It’s the most common route. (I run tours there)

@nazukeoya 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger Coool. I met a girl at a conference in Chiang Mai last year that was from Buhtan and I was chewing on visiting her out there, make it a street photography trip too. Is it expensive to travel there (food & hotel(?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Do a little research. It is probably cheaper to join a tour like mine :)

@ktmmark 3 ай бұрын

My shield is in the off position, and i activate it in the custom menu if i remove a lens in a dust or damp conditions.

@davidduffy9806 3 ай бұрын

Matt, as an Astro guy, your guess re the shutter damage is right on mark. Sun damage takes fractions of a second

@russandloz 3 ай бұрын

My Z8 sensor guard broke on its own and damaged the sensor. NPS don’t send one for replacement and been waiting over 11 weeks… They can’t get the parts 😢

@g00nther 3 ай бұрын

Was going to mention your issue here. My feeling is that the sensor shield needs to be redesigned to be more robust. Matt's drop, your issue and another person posted that their shield had been damaged by a drop as well seems to indicate a lack of robustness.

@Sportserjeff 3 ай бұрын

Even though I'm not a pro I always have a backup. Because I'm a clutz too. I don't dodge arrows but cars and biker bars are still dangerous enough

@Windsurfingaddict 3 ай бұрын

My Pentax 35mm back in the day had a strap on it, I always used it, my X wife also used my camera but never used the strap and I would keep saying, please use the strap, her reply was, I’m not going to drop it, well she did and dinged and scratched the lens and scratched the camera body, Make me cringe when I see so many holding thousands of pounds of camera equipment without even having a strap on it thinking they never drop it until I do and same as people do not put phone cases on their very expensive smart phone purchases and no screen protectors on it then complain and their precious phone has been smashed. Thanks for sharing I hope that lots of people get themselves a decent strap and actually use it for watching this. 🥳🥳🥳

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Thanks for the story. I was using a strap.

@agnethaladuff8559 3 ай бұрын

It must feel really good to get the Z9 back. It sure look like a great digital camera as the Nikon F5 is a great film camera.

@gamebuster800 3 ай бұрын

4:23 my sony camera warns me every time not to have the shutter closed without a lens cap. I suppose that's why, lol. I disabled the feature. Cleaning the sensor seems less annoying than killing the shutter curtains.

@the_real_randall 3 ай бұрын

Nice bush fix!

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Haha cheers

@hozo101 3 ай бұрын

How long did you pout?

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

? I filmed fixing it 10 minutes later, and kept shooting. I swore for few hours though

@hozo101 3 ай бұрын

@@mattgranger 🤣🤣🤣

@johnd7564 3 ай бұрын

Can't believe you didn't show the sensor cover after the fix - is the melted bit gone? ;)

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Yes. Replaced.

@edwardphilipmarianafzger9800 3 ай бұрын

Luckily they fixed it !

@NDakota79 3 ай бұрын

Wow one small drop and it broke. We sure came a long way since the SLR days when you could kill someone with a Nikon. Now their more fragile than my smartphone apparently.

@JamieKitson 3 ай бұрын

I think you're being a bit easy on nikon here. A workhorse camera like the z9 should survive a drop, and as you point out, it's a bit ironic that a safety feature broke the camera.

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

I am being factual. Here is what happened, in the field, and in the repair process.

@terryrigby4068 3 ай бұрын

At least your Z9 with 180-600 attached didn't mysteriously fall off the bench seat of a safari vehicle in South Africa ripping out the lens mount rendering the camera useless for the rest of the safari. 😢

@ThomasReinermallorca 3 ай бұрын

My NPS Service told me they are not allowed to stock the parts, thats why it takes some times so long

@avnerbenzvi8757 3 ай бұрын

Thanks, I'll take care to use a strap!! on my Z8 and Zfc. Like your new hats can you send me more details!!!

@AdamMuise 3 ай бұрын

I love the roadside surgery. Also, this is another reason why it's good to have some MP room to crop. :)

@swistedfilms 3 ай бұрын

I'm glad you got it back in time! What a mess!

@mattgranger 3 ай бұрын

Me too!

@alexwesterhof793 3 ай бұрын

Not sure how everybody looks at it but I think it is a design flaw the something like the shield is breaking from dropping your camera. If it would be the casing/body, the LCD or lensmount if it would have hit the ground there, buttons or so, I would agree that the camera isn't made from duranium and therefore can be damaged when falling on the ground. But to have the only mechanical part inside the camera that isn't even being hit and is desgined to protect your sensor to get damaged from dropping is really concerning me.

@ooltimu 3 ай бұрын

I would have expected the Z9 to be more robust and survive a drop. When you started telling the story I thought you caught an arrow through the lens.

@AAPSG 3 ай бұрын

It seems like the melted area was rubbing, and caused the blades to seperate, it would have been great if you got the blades back, I would have requested them, but more important is you didn't get hurt