Are you aware, or is anyone aware of "older" Z9s with 2.1 that are exhibiting this?
z9 Failure
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Are you aware, or is anyone aware of "older" Z9s with 2.1 that are exhibiting this?
smithdg1
New member
At this point I doubt this is helpful for anyone, but here is the recording I made that was within 5 minutes prior to full brick status just in case. It wasn't THIS bad until right at this moment... I was able to take plenty of shots this morning, but it still froze enough that I knew I needed to cut the day short and head home to get this documented.
BCDan
Member
"Am i right in assuming the bulk of issues have come from later or newer generation batches. Its seems to happen shortly after arrival or after a little use ??"
Regarding new vs late model, I can tell you I'm in Canada and received mine in January, SN 4000702. I've had about 10 lockups, only one and then it would work as it should for weeks. I'd estimate I've had one lockup per approximately 50,000 shutter counts. Yes, over 500,000 now. Nearly all my usage is 20 fps, no video.
I've updated my firmware within a day of it being available. I had about 5 lockups berfore 2.11, about 5 after 2.11.
Like you, I hope and trust that Nikon will make good on it as they did with the D600 oil issue. However, the fact that the warranty has been reduced from 5 years to 1 isn't reassuring.
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Not offhand. It seems like the majority at least are recent. Although, my Z9 (one of the first in the US), has certainly had its share of lock ups.
At this point, I'm hoping that this is a manufacturing issue, and not a design one. However, either way causes one pause.
O
Well-known member
To ME, what This video clip shows is to me a software corruption or bug, the cause could be many things, faulty hardware or software design or instillation.
I have seen the exact same thing with my PC and older Mac.
On the Mac it was the registry that was out. I would fix this by doing a Disc repair in Disc Utility.
On the PC it was a moody hard drive on its way out causing all sort of intermittent issues, and one time the registry was so corrupted at times it wouldn't respond and even switch itself of.
If i turn the computer off and back on it often recovers momentarily but once it progressively got worse it just failed.
My local computer guys replaced the hard drive and reinstalled the software.
I cant see Nikon service technician being IT experts, so swap outs seems the solution, i mean i could be completely wrong here.
Only an opinion
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O
Well-known member
I hear where you coming from.
There are company's that are very capable in designing and dealing with software, there are others that buy under license hybrid or parts of generic type software and blast off with retailing their products.
We have a national bank here that is considered world standard with its App and software security only second to one bank in Germany, we have other banks here large national ones who have built their software and security over time in an add hock cheaper rushed way to save and make more money, they have been plagued with on going issues due to their hybrid software construction of systems. Today they have become vulnerable and now need to invest heavily in lifting their game, sometimes cheap isn't the answer.
Why would you as a multi Billion $ organization not be capable of delivering reliably what others can, internal politics another word for pressure from the top or its cost cutting.
This issue is not about if its large or small, its about a consumer who doesn't know if the brakes on their car are suddenly going to not work when needed, that is the real issue.
I am leaning towards it being more a design issue given the history of some symptoms going back to January, if it was faulty components it would usually be known isolated and over, given the issue is escalating seems to be coinciding with software updates............that could have fundamental issues, i certainly hope not, but we cant help wondering, am i worried, hell year, it shouldn't be an issue at this level of product and company.
In one hand we call this all advancement in technology, in other ways its possibly a step backwards, but to me its all a move away from enjoying photography as you almost need to be Geek or IT expert to live with it all........as we do with our dam computers...........that's not photography as i knew it.
My D3x D4s were flawless for years and years and took stunning photos i enjoyed making, i could hang my hat on them 100% period.
Now i have to take a back up system and prey things don't go wrong while away or doing an expensive shoot.
Am i concerned, like many others yes rightly so
Only an opinion
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BCDan
Member
Pre 2.11, I had about 5 lockups. (And, about 5 after 2.11.) I think mine, delivered in January would be considered "older."
7News
New member
Nikon needs to address this and soon. Pulling the battery, as I also had to do following a lock-up and documented in post #267 and a few others following that within this thread, is NOT a long-term solution for a PRO flagship product. My Z9 was shipped to me in late January so I'm also concerned with the real possibility of finding myself "outside of warranty" should this lock-up occur again in the near future. Imagine having a new 600mm Z TC attached to the front of that Z9 and suddenly it bricks up... solution: pull the battery. Really?! And then what if that doesn't work?
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tickle_my_nikon
Active member
You don't understand what you're looking at here. It's actually very helpful. The camera is in the process of creating the file. It eventually successfully does it and cycles off the camera.
The reason it's crashing is because it's a hard parity failure during the write cycle. Likely hardware failure by the circuitry used to read and write memory cells. You are literally watching the circuit board enter a cascading failure cycle until it self-destructs and bricks.
tickle_my_nikon
Active member
Appreciate you uploading this. Confirms selling my Z9 months ago was a wise choice.
Alistair
Well-known member
Could also be the card.
O
Well-known member
There are reports of lock ups freezing on every major camera out there. You'll probably not find one that will never lock up on you.
The Z9 is however a nasty one,
Canon R3 Freeze lock up issue
Example
Freeze-ups with my Canon R3 the first week I received it.
The Canon R3 has lock up issues as well, the bottom line solution was
My "R3 is also locking up. After turning off the GPS I have had no lock-ups"
The only thing I’ve done is disable GPS mode 2. Boom, no more freeze up for two weeks running.
Cards and lenses adapters all have in some way or another been found to have a finger in the pie.
Updates in software are secretively addressing issues progressively i assume.
Nikon D800 locks up and the only way to reset it is to take the battery out. This happened to me several times while ...
Nikon D850 locks up
D3 D3s Locks up
The only one that doesn't to my knowledge and personal experience is the DF D3X D4s D5 D6
Things are getting to complex ed and techie............
I have never enjoyed photography more when using D3X D4s DF D5 D6 and so far trouble free replacement D850, from there on its been cold, and i own a Z9 for nearly 12 months.
Only an opinion
O
Well-known member
Not far behind you, however it has been my intent for a while now, i want my passion for photography back, lately i have been feeling more like the terminator or a transformer all robotic auto.......LOL
ricardo00
Well-known member
My Nikon D500 "locked-up" (gave an error code) a few weeks after I got it. Nothing would unlock it (changing lenses, taking battery out and putting in a new one that was freshly charged, etc). Since I was leaving on a trip in a couple weeks, the dealer where I bought it "flipped the mirror" and the camera was unlocked and never suffered this problem again. So far my Z9 has not locked up (after 10 months of fairly extensive usage), so hoping my good luck will continue. And agree that things happen, can be any camera at any time.
How was this done?
ricardo00
Well-known member
Not exactly sure, the tech reached inside and did something. He said he "flipped the mirror". I would never have done this but it seemed to work.
PS. I was trying to get them to give me a D500 loaner for my trip and send the camera back to Nikon.
O
Well-known member
Chartering a helicopter to fly over the great lakes in SA and or parts of the Antarctic for a well paying contracted photo job is not a time to find out your Z9 has had a terminal bowl movement or on going bowl condition.
Here in OZ Nikon warranty is 2 years its normally 1 year by consumer law, Nikon extends it by choice.
Nikon service support warranty is the reason i am with Nikon.
But warranty doesn't change things, the Z9 should be an issue this bad at this level in the first place.
Only an opinion
7News
New member
I guess this would be impossible with "mirrorless"!
Wild guess. Maybe the mirror was stuck somehow.
O
Well-known member
Thanks for explaining that, so why is it doing this in the first place, Nikon must know what the issue is ? and what is the solution ?
is it one of those things if it doesn't happen within the first few months it will never happen ?
Is it something Nikon will honor if the camera falls just out of warranty,
O
Well-known member
So did it get fixed or stop having issues
7News
New member
That's exactly when it happens... no rhyme or reason! Very disconcerting. Imagine purchasing a new car, driving down the highway at 70mph and suddenly everything locks up and you lose total power. Solution: remove the battery, reinsert and restart your vehicle, hopefully! Thanks Nikon, should I cancel my order for the 600mm Z TC that is scheduled to ship commencing tomorrow?
Thankfully, my lockups haven't been frequent. That's no excuse and I agree with you, however, they are more of an inconvenience than real problem - although the first time I miss a once-in-a-lifetime shot I won't be so understanding.
I know if I were shooting weddings (as I did back in the film days) it would worry me. Can you imagine it locking up as the bride was coming down the aisle, during the kiss, during the bouquet toss, or cake cutting? Yikes.
Hopefully it's just firmware and they'll get it sorted (although "Just wait for the next firmware update" has become to battle cry of the Z user). I'd also like to say it's just the internet megaphone, but I have had it happen and have been with too many people when it happened. At least no one I know has had one brick on them.
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