D5100 shutter not opening

mykonic

I've read about this problem elsewhere in the forum but can't seem to log in where I found it on a Google search and don't know how to search from here so I'll begin a new thread because I believe I have found a temporary fix for the problem. A few weeks ago the shutter on my D5100 stopped opening. I was crushed. I read in several places that this has bee a common problem with both the D5100 and D3100. I found no solutions listed anywhere. Being a tinkerer and having some experience in electronic repair, I know that sometimes electronic devices need to be encouraged to work when they don't want to. I gave the shutter a "little push" by setting the shutter speed to "bulb" and held it down for a while to see if that would work. I heard a click but it felt like the button was stuck. I turned the camera off and back on and VOILA! the shutter was working again! This happened again yesterday and the same solution applied. The shutter has just around 30,000 on it but I fear this may eventually resist the 'fix' I have found. I'm looking at the D7100 as a replacement. Thought I would share in case it could help someone else. Someone had suggested in the other thread that smacking the camera body on the bottom with the palm of the hand has done the trick for them. I wouldn't suggest that before trying my solution. I do believe Nikon should take some responsibility for using what has apparently been proven a faulty shutter in this camera design.

NSXTypeR

Just curious, is there some sort of error message on the back screen? Also, how many shutter actuations has your camera been through? As a D5100, I would assume that's pretty new. You could probably send it in for warranty.

I had a similar issue where the shutter won't open. The error message was "Press shutter release again."

Well you press it and nothing happens.

Here's the thread for my camera fix.

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/330/nikon-d40-error-message-press-shutter-release-again#Item_23



I'm not sure if the D5100 is similar in construction to the D40/D3000/D3100 series cameras. You may wish to check teardowns of it before you attempt to fix it in a similar way.

Good luck with whichever route you take.

By the way, my D40 had about 27,000 actuations.