Okay ... long story - I received my camera back today (11/27) from Nikon. Looks like they just made adjustments as they do not list any parts on the invoice(shop write-up - Service rank B2, Adjust Mirror, Adjust Mirror Angle, Adjust Auto Focus Operation and Clean CCD [hmm... maybe the CCD is adjacent to the CMOS?]).

The camera is definitely working much better then it was when I sent it in 2 weeks ago. I can easily say that thus far I am very pleased with the results. Before sending it in to Nikon I cleared all adjustments and lens profiles etc. So far this evening I have just been shooting with my 80-200 f2.8 inside the house. This lens was my biggest challenge with focus from day one on the D7000 (purchased the lens new back in 1995, I won't mention the price I paid for it back then). The D7000 photos taken with this lens were always soft or way out of focus. If I adjusted/added compensation at the 80MM then 200 would be a mess and the same in reverse. While photos taken with either my D50 or D90 on this lens always looked far better. Actually I think photos taken with the D50 with the 80-200 has always seemed sharper to me-eyes; not sure but this may be due to my eyes and the lower pixel count (CCD?), fewer focus points or just better/less-complex focus system back in the day... just my comment - no hate mail please.

I plan to take the D7000 to my son's hockey practice tomorrow night to see if there are also improvements with fast action shots, as well as, try a few other lens. If you don't see another post from me than the camera is performing fine. Or where it should have been when I bought it new 2 years ago. Again, I can see a big improvement in detail, focus and sharpness when using Lightroom and zooming on the 30 inch monitor.

Less the repair cost I cannot complain about the service as I shipped the Camera to Nikon on the 12 of November by UPS ground and it arrived at my doorstep this evening. Nikon's work status timeline was as follows: 11/15 - waiting repair approval, 11/16 work approved (me), 11/19-21 "Shop"; 11/23 "Bill". The on-line workorder still shows the status "Bill" today. Even though per the tracking number I see it was UPS'd late yesterday evening.

Again ... so far I'm very pleased with the repair turn around and how it is behaving with the 80-200.

Cheers, be well & take lots of photos!
MyR3

spraynpray said:
Surely your walkaround lens must have a problem if the focus wanders as you zoom it? I thought back focus would have to be persistent back focus if it was the body?

I'd agree with you, Andrew, except that I have used (and loved) this lens extensively on a D300 and a D90 with no problems at all.

It's obviously not a huge problem, considering I've been using this camera for two years now, and—ironically, being a scientist—I haven't studied it very carefully and systematically. It might just be my imagination, too, but my D90 nailed the focus consistently and I feel like I sometimes have to inveigle the D7000. Maybe it's just slightly less consistent is all, but I'm admitting that the average doesn't seem to be in focus. I don't think I'll do anything about it. Maybe I'll just wait for a new lens to come into my life...

Just as an update,I traded my D7000 in for a D600. I was unhappy with the D7000 files in general, let alone the focusing issue. The D600 is an outstanding camera, although with a possible sensor dust issue... and of course it's £1000 more than the D7000, but well worth it.

Gary

jonnyapple said:
I'd like to know what you think about the fix, MyR3. I'm thinking I've been in denial about this for two years now and should just pony up to get it fixed. The problem can't be corrected on my walkaround lens because I need a different AF fine tune for different focal lengths. My primes are fine. I'd like to hear how it goes for you.

Hi Jonny,

That's interesting. Surely your walkaround lens must have a problem if the focus wanders as you zoom it? I thought back focus would have to be persistent back focus if it was the body?

I'd like to know what you think about the fix, MyR3. I'm thinking I've been in denial about this for two years now and should just pony up to get it fixed. The problem can't be corrected on my walkaround lens because I need a different AF fine tune for different focal lengths. My primes are fine. I'd like to hear how it goes for you.

Complaining will not help as Nikon considers this a Prosumer camera and they make their money from they high end pro stuff and pro lens. Only a class-action event would wake them up.

For me I've been chasing the back focus around for a while on my D7000 and I should have sent it in for repair while still under warranty. My bad as I just sent it in for the repair at $224++. Oh well I hope it works better once returned.

Based on all of the readings on [NR] and elsewhere this looks like a well know Nikon D7000 problem. I ordered my D7000 when it was first announced 2 years ago and waited about 3 months for delivery. Sounds like rush production and cutting corners to fill orders. For me - lesson learned - I will wait 6+ months after the initial release before buying another Nikon DSLR. Hopefully my next camera will be a full frame camera.

Although, from some of the latest online information it looks like Nikon has similar problems with the new D800 and D600's.

danielT said:
Hi guys,

My first time here :D
I just need your opinion on this issue.
After having the D7000 for over a year a bit, I
found some small dust specs on the sensor and sent the camera to Nikon.

I am sure mine has back focus issue so I told them to correct that issue as well.
A week later, they told me a price of 224 dollars.

I called them and complained that the cost is too high for sensor cleaning since back focusing was a manufacture defect. But the representative didn't seem to acknowledge that at all. He said he will put a request for me.

What do you guys think? It will be great if I can have some advises.

Thank you in advance

Meleagris- My D800 came with the latest updates installed. Have not had this problem. Hope you get this resolved. Keeping my fingers crossed.

I was wondering if anyone had had issues with a D800 or D800E locking up since the new firmware came along? I have had my D800E lock up 3 times now. Each time an err is displayed and you can not turn the camera off. It is completely loced up and all I can do to recover it is to follow the steps below.

Turn off (even though it doesn't)
Remove battery
Remove cards
Wait period of time (20 sec) and reinstall battery.
Turn on (err is still flashing)
shoot a picture sans cards (Err disappears)
reinsert cards and go

I can find no pattern to the lockups. I have tried many solutions to unlock the error but only the sequence above seems to help. I was thinking this problem was solved with the latest firmware but it appears I have the latest version available.

Is there a solution to this I have missed short of the 6+ week trip to Nikon USA for warranty repairs?

JB

@corigliano: Having not use shutter propriety in a very, very, long time on any of my bodies, never the less, I just pulled out my D4 and test it out. The only thing I noticed when I was trying to get proper exposure, the F-stop would start to flash indicating that I was not at the right shutter speed for the lighting in the room. The exposure indicator on the right side, while looking threw the viewfinder also showed up indicating that I was under exposed. Are these the things you are referring to?

I have had my d4 for about three months now. Twice I have seen a problem with the meter indicator inside the view finder. The problem is as following. When in shutter priority mode the metering indicator pops up in the viewfinder and starts going crazy. I havent reached below my maximum aperture and am not using bracketing or exposure compensation. There should be no reason to even see the metering indicator. Any suggestions??

Indeed I have a D4 and I noted the left focus issue (not existing at all in live view with the same scenery and exposure) when I use the 24-70 at 24mm at f2.8. it is ok at center sensor and better (than left) but not perfect on right sensor. The problem exists also on the left sensors that are not fully left. I am seeing with Nikon suisse or germany if they can address the problem that apparently has been successfully fixed by Nikon repair centers on D800 at least. And my unit was quite new as bought in August and embodying already the latest fw. I am a little bit disappointed as I discovered it unintentionally when just shooting pics.
cheers

The aforementioned focus problem is related to the lens, I had similar experience with the 16-85vr I've had. The 16-35 is spot on every time, even at macro distances. :-)

bird, to toss something at you .. is the lens secure and if you can set the aperture is is locked at the proper setting ? I have a lens that I sometimes bump and the lock doesnt keep it at f22 and i get the ERR message. just a thought

I shot about 10 seconds worth of video this morning before my memory card reported itself full and my battery died. Changed out memory cards, reformatted, changed battery. Suddenly there is a flashing "Err" sign in the Control Panel. I tried changing batteries, cards, tried reminding the camera that it is in S Mode in order to coax the mirror down. No response yet. Still the "err" message. Is there a way to reboot the camera?

I thought that the focus problems of the D7000 had been resolved. That's the reason I am waiting for the D 400.
My FM2n focuses pretty well in spite of my eyesight that is getting worse.

Hi all..

And there was me thinking (and being told) it was down to my apparent inability and lack or experience!..

I find focusing and a focal length less than around 35mm very poor..I took shots of the trees at the end of my garden at 18mm (18-105 lens) and found them very soft..the 8mpcamera on my Samsung S2 phone is sharper!

I have tried all sorts of permutation with f stops, focus points etc etc..and got the same poor results every time...

Back to the shop it goes!!

No issues whatsoever with my D4...

I received my D800 in July. I normally wait at least until a second run for a new product but I needed it for my studio work. I use Camera Control Pro2 with the latest update and the latest D800 firmware. I took the camera into Nikon Canada about four weeks ago because the USB 3.0 no longer functioned. The camera no longer could be seen by the computer or the software. I tried two different computers, three different cords and six different USB ports. No hubs were used.
It came back after ten days with the warranty having been used and a claim that physical damage was the cause. This camera was on a tripod all of the time. When I got it back I tested it and it functioned again like before. I was unable to use it for two weeks and tried it again yesterday and now the computers see the card folders but the Camera Control Pro software no longer sees the camera. I tested it with the D300 body and everything functions there. I returned it to Nikon Canada and it's going to be another 7 to 10 days. Each time I took it to Nikon there were other Nikon D800 users returning theirs. Two the first time and one the last time. The issue of problems with this camera seems to be quite common. I hope the second generation of this camera turns out better and I may sell my first one to get it. Anyone else experience these issues?

If the D4 has a problem, then it is a good thing to at least hear about. I am going to test mine with a couple of lenses and see if any unusual problems are present. I have been having some difficulty in getting a manual focus lens to accurately focus, and maybe the camera is the problem. The issue is inconsistent, however, which always suggests at least in my case, the error is in me.

Thanks for bringing this up...

I was clearly lucky with the store then but as you seem to doubt the story.... the 85mm was brought by me. They had two D4s because they lost the box for the store one (with charger etc) and had to get a second in to sell me (the new boxed one that I was going to buy and was testing before leaving). On testing it I found the issues. Obviously wanting to make a sale they then wanted to rule out my lens (hence offering the test with the zoom) and the subsequently the store model D4 when we replicated the faults with the other lens. The shop owner also tested with me. Back home now and my old D3 has consistent left/Right with the same lens (I had to double check!)

I do not have a single issue with my D4.

Question: How many camera shop can you think of that will let you open, not one, but TWO D4's and let you "test" it with a 85 1.4 and 24-70 2.8 in their store for focusing issues? That is over $9500 (US Dollars) worth of gear! The only way I can think of a store letting you do this is 1) you bring in your own 85 1.4 and 24-70 and they have a test body in stock for "playing with."

It's not hard to test for, single point AF and select left most focus point, pick a high contrast target and shoot. If the result is an out of focus blur then check against centre and right hand point. If all points are in focus then you are lucky ! Obviously left and right might be softer than centre due to lens but left and right should be consistent
I truly wasn't expecting to see any issues after the D4 has been out so long but was buying the camera in a foreign country so was testing first. .

I have not heard of a left focus problem on the D4. Is there more data on this? With about 15,000 clicks on mine, this is a surprise...and mine is one of the very first. Anyone else have this problem with left focus in the D4?

Very disappointed, was going to buy a D4 but tested two and both exhibited the left focus issue. One was straight out of box and had new firmware. This was the first I tested and the second (shop model) was worse (on original firmware). We tested with an 85mm f1.4 (both at 1.4 and 2.8) and with a brand new (shops) 28-70 f2.8 at 70mm 2.8
Giving up on the D4, hope they fix it in the D4S. I was hoping it would give me better focusing with my f1.4 primes (focussing in lower light and hopefully being more accurate). If Nikon can't get this right, I think it's about time they at least brought out a Dx camera with hybrid viewfinder for critical focusing.