Platinum RF
Well-known
Got brand new Z7, after 20 days screen black, play back, menu buttons et al are not working anymore. Anyone have problem with Nikon Z?
Larry Cloetta
Veteran
This may be too obvious, but throwing this out there just in case. Make sure the eye sensor is not dirty, or the control for which has not inadvertently been moved to the evf only position.
That’s a much more common cause of ”Black LCD” on these cameras, than an actual fault with the body.
Huss
Veteran
Do a full reset on the camera.
Platinum RF
Well-known
It worked fine the day before and I did not changes anything. Strange.
Huss
Veteran
I don't have any issue with mine. Do a full reset.
Vince Lupo
Whatever
I"m inclined to agree with Larry here -- if the eye sensor (that little rectangle just above the eyepiece) is dirty, it may appear that your rear screen isn't working (however, if your eyepiece is working you should still be able to see the menu through it). One way to check is to press the button on the side of the viewfinder (it activates the different viewing modes). You have 'viewfinder only', 'monitor only' and 'automatic' mode (automatically switches from viewfinder to monitor). I'd assume that once you get to 'viewfinder only' mode your viewfinder will turn on. If that's the case and it won't turn on in 'automatic' mode, then that little sensor is dirty. It's really common with this camera -- I had the same issue about 10 days after I got mine as well.
dtcls100
Well-known
OP: Don't be so sure that you didn't change any settings, which can be changed inadvertently. More than 9 times out of 10 when one of my cameras doesn't seem to be working (almost always mirrorless), the camera isn't broken or malfunctioning. Instead, a setting got accidentally changed.
ZivcoPhoto
Well-known
What Larry and Vince said. Cleaned the eyepiece sensor on myZ6 when I had same issue, with Q-tip and all works well. But as was said make certain that the monitor option has not been deselected.
Larry Cloetta
Veteran
I had mine for about two weeks when lcd went black, and I freaked. “Oh, no, broken already, so new, so dead.” Was just dust/something/mung on the eye sensor.
Not saying that’s what this one is, but would be first thing I checked. Microfiber cloth with some lens cleaning solution, and it’s not necessarily going to be obvious that it’s dirty by just looking at the sensor window.
Not saying that’s what this one is, but would be first thing I checked. Microfiber cloth with some lens cleaning solution, and it’s not necessarily going to be obvious that it’s dirty by just looking at the sensor window.
oldwino
Well-known
I had that issue once, too, and I was shocked at how little dust was needed to block the sensor.
I also had an instance where the eyecup was ever-so-slightly-askew, and the LCD couldn't activate. A small wiggle fixed that.