Well, this really goes here

http://nikonrumors.com/forum/topic.php?id=3889&page=9

If like me you are having any problems with the view only coming up in the EVF instead of the rear screen, I found a tip that actually works from Earl Rich in Mont Vernon NH. Simply thoroughly clean the EVF and all will go back to the normal duel screens.
We forget sometimes the simple things, or maybe the the sensor in the EVF is super critical about light,
Either way this tip works , thanks Earl.

Good to hear!

Thanks a lot! Did the reset and it works now!!!

Have you tried a fresh battery? Factory reset? Also, check the contacts on the camera body inside the lens flange for any damage or crud.

Edit: on second thought, if it all works in live view, it's not a crud on the contacts problem. Do try the reset and pulling the battery.

So I've had my D5100 close to a year, and it suddenly stopped auto focusing when shooting through the viewfinder. However, if I switch to live view the AF works just fine, so obviously everything is setup for AF. This incident occurs in every shooting mode, with every lens I have (standard 18-55 & 70-300, also 18-200). I'd appreciate any input or knowledge about this problem. Thanks!

I have been getting several problems...never thought to have them sent to repair but wish I had because the warranty just ran out. Everyone told me my technique must be bad but then I tested a pro-quality 70-200 and images were not focused as they were in the viewfinder. 20 years of experience sports and other, and this is the results upon experimentation: Images are totally crisp, although rotated, when I put my old film lenses on the camera...however I must alter the focus slightly blurry to get them crisp in the recording. No matter which lens new or old, images are rotated slightly. I thought the distance to sensor had slightly wrong distance to sensor, which would make autofocus impossible and manual focus would require my compensating. Hard to explain to a client in the moment that I have to re-do shots! I didn't realize the gravity of the situation for a while. Now I'm finding other people having "alignment" issues...otherwise a great camera but needs repair to this quality control or design issue, or the garbage can. Honestly, I've been using this camera body for a year and I don't think it was ever accurate, now that I've been testing other brands & models to replace it with.

Suan said:
I have my d5100 that before this which function normally . Out of sudden, the images that I viewed in the viewfinder were not same as what I get after releasing my shutter..the images I got were all moved up lots, I mean its degree have been tilted up...what actually happen? Must send for repair? I am very annoying with this trouble which make me view Live...
.

please repost in the D4/D800 topic.

The first time I inserted a compact flash card into my brand new D4, the camera started to smoke. It turned out to have a bad pin.
I sent it to Nikon , and of course they blamed me, saying that something happened to the camera causing the pin to bend. They wouldn't accept the fact that it could have been a manufacturing problem. I've been using digital cameras since the D1 and have had several digital nikons and never had one card problem. I finally paid the close to $400.00 price for the repair.

Not more than two weeks after getting my D4 back, the led viewfinder became in operative along with the shutter not working properly. It's once again in the shop, this time it's being repaired under warranty.

Bottom line:
My $6,000.00 camera has spent more time at Nikon repair than in my possession. WTF ???

HI; problem occurs with any lens used.

Hi there,

Interesting issue. Have you tried to examine it with other nikon lenses? Is it the kit lens that you use?

Yup. Same problem here. For a while I thought it was something I was doing when pressing the shutter button, but I've since tried with a remote and I'm absolutely positive the viewfinder is tilted on mine. My photos all come out needing to be rotated ~1-2 degrees counter clockwise.

HI, new here but long time photog and recently added Nikon gear to my kit.

I've been really enjoying the IQ of the low cost little D5100 I picked up last fall but the thing drives me nuts because the final image does not line up with the viewfinder.

If I set the left most and rightmost AF points in the viewfinder along a straight edge, that edge should be perfectly horizontal in the shot and also in live view.

I align my shot, then have to remember to rotate the camera body about 1 degree CW to get things level in the final file. Or slow down even more and use a tripod and live view.
I just find this very annoying! 1 degree off can be quite noticeable in some shots.
For reference, that means I have to adjust the tilt of the camera so the outermost AF points in the viewfinder are no longer exactly lined up with the reference line. The left AF point needs to be about half its height above the line, the rightmost AF point needs to be about half its height below the line, then I can get the reference line to be close enough to being aligned with the resulting image. That also equals about 3/8" over a 2 foot line.

Those of you using D5100s, have you noticed this same issue with your cameras? Of course, you may have to specifically check for it, then, upon discovering it, become similarly disappointed this otherwise great little tool may be slightly flawed. 8-\

Of about 15 SLRs I recently tested, mostly Canons and a couple Nikon models, only the D5100s, five of which I've tested, gave me results that were tilted up to 1 degree CW.
Of the five D5100s tested, one was nearly spot-on, one was off just a little, and the other 3 were off nearly 1 degree. All were rotated CW.

Considering that I'v also read of some people having AF issues with this camera, I'm wondering if there may be some slop in the mirror system or overall mirror-box component alignment that may be contributing to this.

I've taken close-up photos of the mirror box, mirror up and down, and tried to locate any misalignments using basic software tricks. Closest I'd found was the mirror frame, when it was up and therefore irrelevant, was tilted about half the angle of the experienced problem. It's really hard to tell if there's any tilt to it in the normal down position.

Your thoughts, commiserations and comments are requested. I'd like to get a feel for what proportion of D5100s may be affected before I consider sending mine in for a possible warranty fix.

jonnyapple: Yes, in a way, I agree that a super good EVF could do the job, and I like the way it could amplify the light for night shots too. But having looked though hundreds of viewfinders since I started taking pictures, I can still, today, say that I prefer an optical viewfinder. But as you say, things are going so fast that we are in for a lot of surprises in a near future.

soap: I understand that my comment got you confused. Re-reading it, I realize that for a range finder camera, that would mean that the viewfinder is the actual lens… That sounds crazy but… Who knows ?.... :oD

Oh i like the idea of the DLP chip, but the idea Pete mentions sounds rather cool too.
I like my current viewfinder, but i would definately be open to new technology, if it at some later point when more advanced, could help make my photography easier.

I just found a thread where heartyfisher mentioned the same idea about using the UP300x. Just in the interest of full disclosure...

Pete, I like the mirror idea you mention, but instead of some electrically switched semi-transparent material, what if you could get something like a DLP chip and have it reflecting into the optical viewfinder by default, and then switched to reflect the light onto the sensor during exposure?

Bernard, I agree that no current EVF matches an optical one, but 20 years ago no digital camera matched film's quality, either. It might not happen, but I'm just saying it might.

I think it is an interesting idea. Honestly, I don't think it would take that much to implement it in todays cameras. I still would prefer my traditional eye piece view finder, but would be open to it.

The one main advantage of this would be a need to shoot in an almost completely dark room and the electronic view finder would use some sort of actual night vision technology. I'm not against manual focus, but having an auto focus mode in extremely dark settings would be a huge benefit. I know on my 105mm macro lens, you have to have good light to have the camera get a clear focus and shot of the scene. Having an electronic view finder would give it something to focus on.

bernard said:
Note that it could also work for a true rangefinder camera, whereby the "sensor" could be part of the actual viewfinder glass,

Still not sure I understand what you are saying. A sensor as part of a transparent viewfinder? A sensor as part of a switchably reflective mirror?

bernard said:
I can't remember who made this SLR, but I remember that, many many years ago when I was using a Pentax Spotmatic, one manufacturer tried to use a static mirror which was semi transparent. It did not move at all and some of the light was used for the viewfinder. Didn't get much success though. If I remember right, the viewfinder was far too dark.

But remember today's electronics has moved a long way, I think it would be possible to have an electronic glass plate material that will change from Mirror to transparent, Anyway here is the rumor that I found again:

http://www.canonrumors.com/2008/10/canon-eos-1di/

Yes I know this was a year ago, but I think Canon could be still working on perfecting it. I wonder what Niko is thinking about this he is on the Canon Forum a bit I think

Pete

I can't remember who made this SLR, but I remember that, many many years ago when I was using a Pentax Spotmatic, one manufacturer tried to use a static mirror which was semi transparent. It did not move at all and some of the light was used for the viewfinder. Didn't get much success though. If I remember right, the viewfinder was far too dark.

Soap: bmxdad said it all: An "electronic mirror" that can be switched on or off.

Note that it could also work for a true rangefinder camera, whereby the "sensor" could be part of the actual viewfinder glass, one part of which could be a semi transparent "sensor".

I know I'm a dreamer, but nowadays, anything is possible if one puts enough money into the initial study.

I'm not a fan of the EVF myself, but with ISO 100K now a reality, they could be useful in low light situations. If you have the benefit of that extra sensitivity in your finder, it seems like it would be easier to focus & compose in the dark.

bernard said:
What they should do is the other way around: i.e. Take part of the light going through the optical viewfinder and direct it to the sensor in order to capture the image.

Don't think I grok what you're describing here?