Plastic cameras and the dust issue (Nikon's findings)

According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.

Hmmm. Makes sense. But I don't know how that would make me feel. On one hand
apparently all of these years Nikon had very poor quality control if they
were sending out cameras with dirty insides. But, apparently it is important
enough now to try and clean them out before sending out. Hmmm. I think I
will go over an overall lack of quality control. Had they been doing a good
job from the start they would have known that drilling and such would leave
little bits in the camera. Only an idiot would think otherwise. Which means
they just didn't care until it started costing them money it lost customers
or warranty repairs, etc.

R


"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.

In article , Hebee Jeebes
wrote:

Hmmm. Makes sense. But I don't know how that would make me feel. On one hand
apparently all of these years Nikon had very poor quality control if they
were sending out cameras with dirty insides. But, apparently it is important
enough now to try and clean them out before sending out. Hmmm. I think I
will go over an overall lack of quality control. Had they been doing a good
job from the start they would have known that drilling and such would leave
little bits in the camera. Only an idiot would think otherwise. Which means
they just didn't care until it started costing them money it lost customers
or warranty repairs, etc.

R


"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.


Cue entry of RichA into the thread......

After a few months I noticed 2 spots on my D50. I went back and
checked my photos and found the spots were from the start. They're
still there and they are still lonely after quite a few lens changes.

--
Joan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/joan-in-manly

"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
: According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
: mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
: camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
: particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
: much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
: material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing
the
: camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is
drilled
: and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
: charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the
body
: even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control
during
: use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
: prevent static from this source.
:

"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.


Here we go again ................
I guess there's no life after plastics.... polycarbonate or whatever...
Rich, you seem to spend enormous effort and time researching the same
trivia....
During that time, I've enjoyed 3 great plastic cameras and actually take
photos / souvenirs ;-)
Marcel

Celcius wrote:
"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.


Here we go again ................
I guess there's no life after plastics.... polycarbonate or whatever...
Rich, you seem to spend enormous effort and time researching the same
trivia....

Trivia? Not to some. I don't spend anytime researching this stuff.
It appears from time to time to anyone doing any reading about cameras.

Here we go again ................
I guess there's no life after plastics.... polycarbonate or whatever...
Rich, you seem to spend enormous effort and time researching the same
trivia....



I got into photography at a time when plastic was not thought of in terms of
having much quality. Plastic items were "cheap," like toys. Plastic was
substituted for metal because it made items cheaper to manufacture, not
because it was structurally superior. And the use of plastic generally did
little to reduce the prices. Consumers paid the same and they got less.

When one grows up with that view of plastic, it is no wonder that we remain
opposed to plastic items throughout our entire lifetimes. And, yes, I
realize that polycarbonate has advantages over metal in some areas. No
matter. I'll hang on to my classic metal-bodies cameras and lenses for a
few more decades. No offense to those that appreciate the quality of their
plastic lens barrels. I just can't bring myself to get overly excited over
plastic. I am fortunate in that I've accumulated just about everything I
could want while it was still readily available. The supply of excellent
metal stuff is shrinking, and there is very little coming into the pipeline
as new.

Every time I walk into a store and pick up a plastic film camera, I just
shake my head and put it down. It must be a conditioned response. It is a
pity that so many younger photographers have never had occasion to work with
classic legacy equipment--the kind that could stand falling off of a chair
and not cracking.

http://www.photo.net/photo/old-slrs

jeremy wrote:
Every time I walk into a store and pick up a plastic film camera, I just
shake my head and put it down. It must be a conditioned response. It is a
pity that so many younger photographers have never had occasion to work with
classic legacy equipment--the kind that could stand falling off of a chair
and not cracking.


I had my D70 fall out of a Ford Explorer with no issue. Broke the lens hood,
the camera did not have a mark and the 18-70 lens that was on it at the time
survived unscathed as well. The PolyCarbonate bodies are pretty solid these
days ... at least, the D70 body is.

--
Thomas T. Veldhouse
Key Fingerprint: D281 77A5 63EE 82C5 5E68 00E4 7868 0ADC 4EFB 39F0

"jeremy" wrote in message
news:HBFah.5380$ki3.5076@trndny01...

pity that so many younger photographers have never had occasion to
work with classic legacy equipment--the kind that could stand
falling off of a chair and not cracking.


But who really cares if the case cracks or dents? With any camera, be
it film or digital, I'm MUCH more concerned with the inner components
not becoming damaged from the impact, and metal cases don't seem to
help.

That's why I don't drop my cameras.

:-)

On 27 Nov 2006 09:23:51 -0800, "RichA" wrote:


Celcius wrote:
"RichA" wrote in message
oups.com...
According to Nikon, they've begun a process whereby the shutter
mechanism on each D80 is fired a few times prior to shipping the
camera. The camera is then internally-cleaned to get rid of any
particles left over from the machining process. Nikon contends that
much of the dust issues in cameras can originate from this left over
material from the manufacturing process rather than from exposing the
camera briefly when changing lenses. Why? Because when it is drilled
and machined, polycarbonate develops terrific static charges. These
charges (unlike a metal body) cause filings, etc, to remain in the body
even with post-fabrication cleaning. Further, for dust control during
use, Nikon has moved the moire filter further out from the sensor to
prevent static from this source.


Here we go again ................
I guess there's no life after plastics.... polycarbonate or whatever...
Rich, you seem to spend enormous effort and time researching the same
trivia....

Trivia? Not to some. I don't spend anytime researching this stuff.
It appears from time to time to anyone doing any reading about cameras.

Are you saying that you merely regurgitate stuff you trip across? Are
you saying you do not spend any time to determine the veracity of your
posts? Says ... and explains ... quite a lot.

I would be interested in your source for this Plastic, Dust, Nikon
thread. I suspect you are leaving out something crucial.

I have a hard time believing that test-firing the D80 is a new
manufacturing step for Nikon. I would think that is and has always
been a set in the overall QC process. Y'know, to make sure the darned
thing works before it goes into the box.

I also have a hard time believing that Nikon is using drilled and
machined polycarbonate for its camera bodies when it would be much
easier to mold. I have an even harder time believing that Nikon is
having dust-related problems with static "cling" and not having
problems with static discharge.

TR