Damage to D800 mirror when it closed on cleaning swab?

fishguy

Stupidly, I went to clean my D800 wtih a Copper Hill swab for the first time - I locked the mirror up and got to work. Problem was I had a battery grip installed and I did NOT disable that shutter button! I must have triggered it and the mirror closed on the cleaning tool. I just pulled the tool out and the camera seems fine, but I wonder if I did some hidden damage, like knocking something out of calibration?

Thanks.

Msmoto

If it works..do not worry. For sure you could have damaged it. But, if everything seems to work, and I would test at the highest FPS you can, then I would not worry. A focus test would be helpful with your fastest lens, check the right to left consistency.

The other issue is of course if there was any damage to the filter on the sensor. This should show up in the test shots...f/16 or /22 out of focus. Darken and increase contrast in post processing to emphasize any faults.

I have changed your thread title to attract interest.

Ironheart

If you use the "lock mirror up for cleaning" option the only way to release the mirror is by turning the camera off. Page 397 in your manual. Did you use some other method? The shutter release should have no effect.

Oh, and sensor swabs are thin enough, and mirrors are spring-loaded, so you shouldn't have any issues.

Fred_B

It will shut if you don't have the battery charged enough.

Did it twice on mine and yes it is quite startling. Best thing to do is to leave the swab in, charge the battery and re-lock the mirror up from the camera menu.

The shutter is trying to close when this happens and pulling the swab past that could be a bad thing.

fishguy

Ironheart - *facepalm* - I knew that, I wasn't thinking. I just jumped on the only explaination I could think of as to why the mirror would have closed like that - I had one hand on the camera body and one on the swab - no where near the on/off switch.

Fred_B: I was above the % charge remaining battery limit, and I cleaned the sensor afterwards three more times with no problem. My current thought is that my Vertax battery grip gave a "hiccup" and lost power for a second. Next time, I'll use a freshly charged OEM battery and no grip.

Msmoto - I ran through those tests and the camera seems to work as well as it did before (given my limited abilities).

Thanks folks!

~fishguy