Z8 playback, menu buttons not working—sometimes

[Linda D.]

I've recently been experiencing a problem on my Z8 where the playback and menu buttons stop working. As in, I take a picture, press the playback button to view the image, and the camera ignores me. Ditto with the menu button. I've tried turning the camera off and on again, that doesn't seem to help. The problem is sporadic and I'm not able to replicate it. The buttons eventually resume working, but I'm not sure why. Has anyone else had this experience?

 

[Cameron T]

Is the card still writing when you're trying to do other things? That can cause hangups.

 

[RichF]

I have never experienced that problem with either the Z 8 or Z 9. Good luck sorting it out

 

[Linda D.]

Is the card still writing when you're trying to do other things? That can cause hangups.

I don’t believe it is. Seems like it’s happening after I’ve taken a single image rather than a burst. It’s a DelkinDevices Black card, so hardly stress -testing it.

 

[JacobGM]

Is it a card you’ve used before? Have you tried a different card? Could be a manufacturing issue.

 

[Linda D.]

I’ve been using it for a few months, but I’ll give another card a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Wes Peterson]

I've recently been experiencing a problem on my Z8 where the playback and menu buttons stop working. As in, I take a picture, press the playback button to view the image, and the camera ignores me. Ditto with the menu button. I've tried turning the camera off and on again, that doesn't seem to help. The problem is sporadic and I'm not able to replicate it. The buttons eventually resume working, but I'm not sure why. Has anyone else had this experience?

Make sure your left hand isnt accidentally pressing the AF mode button next time it happens. Ive done the same thing a few times with my Z9

 

[Passakorn]

It happens to me too for my Z9 with the latest firmware. I use a Sandisk card. Sometimes when I press a playback or even a menu button, if fires the shutter instead. I am sure this is my user error as I just got the camera but not sure how to fix it.

Could anyone please help on how to fix this?

 

[ssheipel]

Happens all the time for me with the playback button (and other buttons randomly on occasion including the info button) with my Z9. I've accepted it as the nature of the beast (super computer with a lens attached), sadly.

 

[EarthImages]

I've recently experienced the playback button on my Z9 being unresponsive. I have to remove the battery to return it to normal. Any new insights on this problem?

 

[ssheipel]

I've recently experienced the playback button on my Z9 being unresponsive. I have to remove the battery to return it to normal. Any new insights on this problem?

Mine one day a couple of weeks ago was simply not working at all, so programmed a lens button for playback. Since it's been working relatively without issue. I keep meaning to send it into Nikon for a look, but the thought of handing the camera over to the post office twice (Nikon won't take drop offs even though they're just down the highway for me) has me hesitate -- I trust the post office with parcels less than airlines with my luggage. I've now calendared it so I call Nikon this week and ask if they've heard from others -- tho ultimately the answer will be to send it in for a look.

 

[SCoombs]

I have this happen with the playback button on occasion. Usually I find I can get it to work again by taking a picture, so I think there is a software hangup rather than a hardware issue.

 

[paperosolitario]

Sometimes I have this problem if the camera is in vertical position and I press the playback button: nothing happens; if I rotate the camera in horizontal position, it works; I turn it in vertical again and it doesn't work...it seems a software issue, a new firmware update will solve this problem?

 

[robert_in_ca]

I've had that happen with my Z9 a few times (the card was done being written to) - I use Delkin Blacks.

 

[John Navitsky]

while i’m not saying weird pauses don’t happen, often i think sometimes it can be easy to simply get cross-ways with the context specific aspects of the user interface.

for example, the sensor in the evf, so we kinda get used to it being automagic, but sometimes we get too close and it activates the evf when we are trying to use the screen. not to mention a raindrop on the sensor

likewise trying to activate the menu when we’re in playback.

 

[Krümelkraft]

It happened to me when I accidentally pressed some other button (lens FN, vertical shutter button,...)
It took me a while to notice I was pressing inadvertedly some other button.

 

[pbuckley]

This has happened to me Several times. Removing and resetting the battery resolves the problem. Sometimes it will reoccur shortly thereafter, other times not. This is random and not reproducible. I haven't found any set of circumstances where it happens. I purchased the z8 in December of 23 and the first time it occurred was in June. It has happend on a half a dozen times since.
Has Nikon recognized this problem. From previous experiences with their service department I do not trust them unfortunately

 

[rgbiv]

This kind of thing has happened to me a few times...various buttons not working. Impossible to reproduce.

It seems like it happens when I inadvertently depress another button with my left hand. But who knows?

 

[SCoombs]

This happens to me with some regularity. I have long thought there is an intermittent hardware fault with my playback button, BUT the last couple of times it happened I seem to have found that while the playback button wasn't working, I could change the ISO by turning one of the dials, as though I was holding down the ISO button (which I wasn't). Therefore, I wonder if the reason the playback button wasn't working is because the camera was operating as though another button was being held down.

 

[dabhand16]

I've recently been experiencing a problem on my Z8 where the playback and menu buttons stop working. As in, I take a picture, press the playback button to view the image, and the camera ignores me. Ditto with the menu button. I've tried turning the camera off and on again, that doesn't seem to help. The problem is sporadic and I'm not able to replicate it. The buttons eventually resume working, but I'm not sure why. Has anyone else had this experience?

Make sure that you are not accidentally pressing another button when looking at the LCD. If you are supporting the camera with your left hand the FN buttons are too easy to press.

 

[pbuckley]

The first time this happened to me the camera was mounted on a tripod, there was absolutely no interaction with any button after releasing the shutter. The battery was fully charged less a few photos taken during that session . So every a battery, static, or circuitry problem I suspect.

 

[Wes Peterson]

Until I see a video of this happening with the only thing touching the camera being the tip of the finger on the playback button Im going to default to the user accidentally half pressing vertical shutter button or something. Its surprisingly easy to hyper fixate on the button youre trying to push while unknowingly pushing another one. For what its worth this hasnt happened to me since I put a cage on my camera. The cage spaces your hand away from the AF button and vertical shooting controls.

 

[pbuckley]

First of all no button is pushed after the shutter release. The image is supposed to display directly and it does not. So then the playback button is pushed and nothing happens.

 

[Wes Peterson]

First of all no button is pushed after the shutter release. The image is supposed to display directly and it does not. So then the playback button is pushed and nothing happens.

Same same.

 

[dabhand16]

First of all no button is pushed after the shutter release. The image is supposed to display directly and it does not. So then the playback button is pushed and nothing happ.

Is image review turned on in the the playback menu?