How to fix D40x shutter not rearming?

tolley

I know that this is a common problem (the error message anyway) but I haven't found anything that describes the exact problem I'm having. When i try to take photos i hear a strange shutter sound and i get the message 'Error Press shutter release button again'. When i remove the lens i can see that the mirror is raised and the shutter is closed, covering the sensor. When i press the button again the mirror lowers and the error message goes away until i try to take another photo. I've tried opening the bottom and moving the red gear and a touch of WD-40 but nothing changed. The gear seems to be moving just fine. The camera hasn't been used that much either.

PB_PM

Could simply be mechanical failure, which can happen at any time with such a complex device as a cameras shutter.

NSXTypeR

I had the same issue with a D40, and I also tried your method of repairing the camera. It works for about 20 shots at best and then the issue comes back again.

Unfortunately I didn't have any luck repairing the camera on my own either. I tried the same method of repair in the thread that I'll link to below.

http://forum.nikonrumors.com/discussion/330/nikon-d40-error-message-press-shutter-release-again#Item_27

Wish you much luck, but I think that your D40x might be out of order. I ended up with a D7000 and I haven't looked back since then.

tolley

I just discovered that the bottom half of the shutter doesn't ever move at all, would that have something to do with the mirror not wanting to go back down after a shot?

PB_PM

It is possible that if the shutter does not finish it's cycle, the final part of the mirror's cycle may not start.

tolley

That's what I was thinking, If I can fix the shutter then hopefully the rest will fall into place. But what to do? I'm thinking I could try a little more lube on that red gear, or try to pull on the shutter a little bit :-S to see If I can get it free. Or does it need to be replaced, is that even something you can do/cost effective?

PB_PM

Hard to tell, since there is no way to know if that is the issue. You could send the camera into Nikon, just for them to find out what is wrong, rather than a repair. From there you could decide if it is worth fixing or not.

Replacing the shutter would be major operation, that would require taking apart almost the entire camera. Might be easier just to find another lightly used camera.

tolley

Well after about an hour of fiddling with and pulling on the shutter I figured out that it was that the bottom was bent being the problem. So I finally got the right pull up on the bottom while holding up the top shutter out of the way and voila! The bottom shutter disappeared and the top took its place. I then took a few shots to see if it would hold and it did. I put then lens on, took a bunch on continuous mode and it's working flawlessly. I probably need to clean the image sensor and or mirror now though as it's a big dusty and stuff. Thanks all for commenting.

spraynpray

Yee-ikes. I would send it back to the service centre for a check-up after all that if I were you @-)

Well done for having the nuts to try it BTW!

NSXTypeR

Yee-ikes. I would send it back to the service centre for a check-up after all that if I were you @-)

Well done for having the nuts to try it BTW!

He has nothing to lose by fixing it on his own honestly.

Best of luck to fixing your camera then!