Nikon d40 repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: Yannique1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 15, 2014, 10:17:29 pm
content: Hi everybody, I've been a follower of the EEVBlog on Youtube for a long time, but now I need some help since I'm not an expert, just someone who tries to tag along....I have a Nikon d40 DSLR as a backup camera. A few weeks ago the autofocus gave out, it was the motor. I replaced it together with the LCD protection glass and everything went well. Few days ago the d40 died on me all of a sudden, nothing, njet...Today I d/l the Nikon repair manual, took the shields off, took out the main pcb and something made a rattling noise there when I shook the board.At first I thought it was the SD card slot, but it was the component next to it. I desoldered it to make sure and it is rattling indeed.Problem is that I have totally no idea what it is, and I think people do know just by taking a look at it. So I'll post some pictures of the thing and if you guys can tell me what it is, and what I can replace it with, I would be very grateful!Thank you!

author: Deamiter
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 16, 2014, 04:00:39 am
content: I think you're going to want to put that back on. My guess is that it's the orientation sensor -- a metal ball inside there shorts contacts to tell the camera which way is down.I did a little searching, and while I couldn't find the part or an image of the part, I did find this post from dpreview where someone else has the same hypothesis about that rattling as I did:http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/23624782Note that I can't identify the part myself, and I don't have experience with the D40. I'm just guessing, but after finding the same guess posted on dpreview, I thought it'd be worth responding.

author: Yannique1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 16, 2014, 04:55:31 am
content: Thank you very much, I was thinking something along those lines...I can just solder it back on. Problem now is that the reason for the camera being death is gone

author: TiN
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2014, 02:03:13 pm
content: Yes, that's mechanical orientation sensor

author: Teemo
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 16, 2014, 04:58:40 pm
content: In case of dead camera first things to look is power ON switch and battery related issues, maybe stuck shutter button. Do the camera shows any signs of life, blinks the led when inserting memory card? Usually the fault is much simpler than at first guessed.

author: sportq
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 17, 2014, 09:01:46 am
content: Quote from: Yannique1 on November 15, 2014, 10:17:29 pmOdd, the D40 doesn't have an autofocus motor, they only autofocus with DX lens which have the motor in the lens body.Peter

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 17, 2014, 12:32:55 pm
content: Quote from: sportq on November 17, 2014, 09:01:46 amYeah, I'd been wondering about that myself...

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2014, 02:00:05 am
content: Quote from: sportq on November 17, 2014, 09:01:46 amIndeed it does. I have a d40 that regularly has issues with the auto focus not working, just a faint clicking sound and no focusing action!.The temporary fix is to unlock the lens and rotate as if to remove then rotate back to lock. My assumption is the contacts between the body and lens are not the best and maybe some oxide build up is preventing a good electrical contact, until 'wiped' by my action of rotating the lenswhich never fails to restore the auto focus function.(note that the auto focus stops working if the camera is not used for sometime, but continues with no issues after the temporary fix until put away again!).

author: sportq
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2014, 10:01:11 am
content: Quote from: lowimpedance on November 18, 2014, 02:00:05 amHow does that prove there's an autofocus motor in the body? (there definitely isn't).Peter

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2014, 11:15:52 am
content: Quote from: sportq on November 18, 2014, 10:01:11 amOh , what i meant was you were correct that it " indeed does not" have a motor, and its the lens. Pardon me, I should have been clearer !!.As for the auto focus problem, I wonder if its common on others d40's or other models that have no motors.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 19, 2014, 12:18:00 am
content: Quote from: lowimpedance on November 18, 2014, 11:15:52 amMine acts much the same as you describe, but only with the kit 18-55. Since that one has basically taken a beating as my go-everywhere field trip lens, it started playing up at the same time the zoom started binding and getting all grind-y, and sometimes it can also be made good by switching to MF and back, I figured it was the lens mechanism succumbing to 6 or 7 years of rain/sand/salt/dust/freezing/baking rather than the contacts or body.

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 19, 2014, 01:21:39 am
content: Quote from: Tac Eht Xilef on November 19, 2014, 12:18:00 amSame lens on mine. But mine has not had any rough treatment as such, so I am only guessing that its the contacts.So long as its easily rectified (for a time!) I have not delved any deeper.