D600 Blurry Viewfinder

[ColSebastianMoran]

New D600. The viewfinder is blurry. Really blurry. Viewfinder is blurry even when lens is focused. The AF Area boundary is barely visible. The display line at the bottom is so blurry it is impossible to read anything. Anyone else seen this?

I think I've checked the obvious:
- Yes, the lens is mounted and focused. The camera produces well-focused images, as judged on the back display. Focusing works fine in live-view. But I can't see anything clearly in the viewfinder.
- Yes, my eyes are OK. Images in the viewfinder of my D300 and other cameras look very clear to me; nothing is clear in this viewfinder.
- Yes, I tried the diopter control. I cannot see any change as I turn the diopter control.
- Yes, I'm sure it is not condensation within the viewfinder.
- Yes, I checked that there is no wacko diopter mounted on the viewfinder.

Am I missing anything?

If not, I'll have to return the whole package and it will be the first time I've gotten a bum camera from a major vendor.

 

[Jake06]

is the mirror all the way down..? did it return properly?

If so, then check the focus screen - be sure it's in place and didn't loose it's seated position.

Don't touch the focus screen with your fingers, they're a nightmare to clean.

Failing that, it could be some sort of electrical fault, as I have this problem with my D300s whenever there's no battery in - I have no idea what difference it makes but the finder turns blurry when the battery's out :s

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

PKR, thanks, things seem OK inside the mirror box. I'm not going to jiggle or touch things in there.

Jake06, interesting. I can see the effect you are talking about. Without a battery, it's like there is a dark curtain in the viewfinder. The curtain goes away and the view brightens immediately when I insert a battery. But, it's still not clear. Thanks for the pointer, but it doesn't resolve my situation.

 

[Jake06]

Of course, if it's really new, you could just call it broken and get an exchange.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

It's really new. Fresh out of the box.

Yes, it has a good battery. It takes good photos, just can't see anything in the viewfinder.

 

[segedi]

Sounds like a faulty diopter to me.

 

[Jake06]

It's really new...

Sorry, I didn't mean to sound disbelieving, I guess I meant 'very'...

If you bought it online, who knows how many knocks and bumps it had before it got to you - a bit of previous mistreatment may have messed up the diopter beyond adjustment via the on-camera dial.

I'm you bought it in-store, I'm stumped; blame them..

 

[x-ray]

I have a D800 and the VF is certainly different than any I've ever had. When I first got the camera it almost appeared the VF was fuzzy but dod change when the camera was switched on. It's sharp but different is the only way I can describe it. I checked a friends older D700 and observed a similar effect.

My eyes are near perfect and actually have better than 2020 vision but noticed the diopter adjustment is one click from maximum adjustment. At this setting everything is sharp and I can manually focus but the VF has a different appearance than any camera I've owned.

I guess I've had the camera about five months now and have adjusted to the different look of the VF and actually find it very easy to focus manually.

My guess is you have a camera that has a problem. I wouldn't totally blame Nikon. Cameras are subjected to quite a lot of vibration and who knows what impact in transit. Think of all the distance and handling you camera has been subjected to. Who knows if the container of cameras was dropped from a fork lift in transit or there was a hard impact somewhere.

I would just return the camera to the dealer and get another. Most dealers would have no problem with that kind of return. Some like B&H will take it back for any reason with no questions asked. I returned four Zeiss ZF primes to B&H that I wasn't satisfied with on my D800.

If you like your D600 half as much as I do my D800 you will be delighted. the D600 is just the little brother of the D800 which IMO is the best digital 35mm camera ever made. The image quality is so good it's frightening how close it is to my Hasselblad digital gear. The D600 should be just as good.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

It's from Amazon.

On another forum, I've found another person with exactly the same problem. Amazon did a good job for him: swap for a new one in only 24 hours.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

x-ray, thanks for the comments.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Suggestion in another forum: There are powered layers in the viewfinder that add the overlays. When there is no battery these are not powered, and the viewfinder goes dark and blurry.


On my D300 after focusing then turning off the camera: without a battery, the viewfinder is dark and blurry. Upon inserting the battery, still with power OFF, the viewfinder becomes brighter and sharpens right up.

On my D600, same conditions: without a battery, the viewfinder is dark and blurry. Upon inserting the battery, still with power OFF, the viewfinder becomes brighter. But sharpness does not change.

So, it may be one of the electrical components in the viewfinder overlay. Interesting. Still it's broken and I will be sending it back for replacement.

Thanks, all, for your comments.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

The outcome: Camera is going back, and another is on the way to me. Amazon was very responsive and handled this perfectly.

 

[newsgrunt]

I'd say the diopter is dislodged if the focus screen looks fine. the battery/dark finder issue has nothing to do with your probs.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Replacement seems perfect

Replacement seems perfect

I now have the replacement camera from Amazon and the viewfinder is perfect. D600 looks like a terrific camera.

I have a D800 and the VF is certainly different than any I've ever had. ... It's sharp but different is the only way I can describe it. ...

Thanks, X-Ray, for the comment. This viewfinder seems very good, very sharp once I adjusted the diopter just a bit. Looking forward to trying it with manual focus lenses.

Again, thank you all for the helpful comments.