R-D1 trigger question...

Z

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just curious if this is the way this camera is.... but after i 'advanced' the lever, sometimes the camera will not fire, and it will work only if I pull the lever out.

is that normal?
 
It depends on a few things, I know for one that if the LCD is on the first time you push the shutter it will turn off the LCD and not fire, it will fire the second time once the LCD is off. As far as my model goes it will fire whether or not the lever is in.
 
Does it happen when you shoot three or four shots in a row? On my camera, I think I hit the buffer limit or something. The red LED is blinking on the right side of the camera, and it won't always shoot. It'll shoot two or three in a row, but the you hit the problem.

Do this: shoot two or three shots quickly, then if it won't fire, look and see if the LED is blinking on the left side. Wait until it stops, then push the trigger, and then it'lll fire...

I think it's a b uffer.

JC
 
Check the R-D1 forum archives, especially Sean's survey thread. This is a not uncommon problem, I think. Mine does it with one of my batteries but not the other.
 
well, i thought it was buffering also, but it usually happens when i first advanced the lever, then by the time I focus, which is about 5 secs, then it doesnt fire.

I then have to move the lever out to where it stops (sticking outside the body), then I can fire. Usually, after that, the camera will fire fine..

so, to solve this, I just keep the lever out, after I advanced, and this seems to work for me..

I am using OEM Epson battery... :confused:
 
Sean Reid mentions that the camera is designed not to fire when the LCD is on -- the first press turns the LCD off, then you need a second press to fire the camera. However, he adds that sometimes, when the LCD is turned to face out, the camera does not recognize that the LCD is already off, and you press the trigger and the camera still does not fire. The second press will fire the camera, but it's very annoying. He suggests that the problem can be solved by keeping the LCD turned inward, but that's also a problem for some people. (Like me; I'm a chimper.) Anyway, I find it to be about the most annoying thing about the camera.

JC
 
Yesterday I was shooting in an amusement park, trying to time the shot to the point that one of those whirling cars reached the top of its track. About half the time, the camera didn't fire -- not an LCD problem, not a time out/power save problem. I suspect there's something mechanical going on in the shutter-cocking lever...I wonder if it's possible to *not cock* the shutter if you don't do it just right? Like maybe you do the throw too quickly. This was driving me nuts yesterday; every time it didn't fire, I'd have to wait for the car to come around again, which took a minute or two...

JC
 
John Camp said:
Yesterday I was shooting in an amusement park, trying to time the shot to the point that one of those whirling cars reached the top of its track. About half the time, the camera didn't fire -- not an LCD problem, not a time out/power save problem. I suspect there's something mechanical going on in the shutter-cocking lever...I wonder if it's possible to *not cock* the shutter if you don't do it just right? Like maybe you do the throw too quickly. This was driving me nuts yesterday; every time it didn't fire, I'd have to wait for the car to come around again, which took a minute or two...

JC
Click to expand...

I hate to tell you this, but I think there's something wrong with your camera. I shoot a lot of peak-action stuff with my R-D 1, and the shutter cocking isn't touchy -- basically it's either cocked or it's not.

I suspect that either your wind stroke is mis-set, so it doesn't always cock the shutter fully... or (probably more likely) there's an intermittent electrical connection that makes the shutter firing somewhat random, and you're just associating it with shutter cocking through coincidence.

All this is assuming you're using an Epson-brand battery that's got a charge on it. We've heard here that some third-party batteries don't have a high enough peak amperage to trigger the camera reliably, especially after they're somewhat discharged. Somebody with a similar issue had contacted Epson and was told that it's important to use the Epson battery -- I know, what else would they say, but it does seem to be borne out somewhat by experience... at least, if you're using a third-party battery when these problems occur, try substituting an Epson battery and see if it helps.
 
Have you tried to use a SoftRelease? I had trouble tripping the shutter on my Bessa R and L sometimes. That vanished after I started using a SoftRelease. I guess it had to do with my not pressing the shutter straight on or such.
 
I've had the same problem somtimes. It seems completely random and independent of the LCD orientation. I have not done an systematic tests yet- but it can be most annoying!
 
pab said:
I've had the same problem somtimes. It seems completely random and independent of the LCD orientation. I have not done an systematic tests yet- but it can be most annoying!
Click to expand...

Your words "systematic tests" made me think, "Of course."

So I sat down and did some systematic tests, and my conclusions are (blush) that it may have been operator error, compounded by a small memory cache, by the LCD-on problem, etc. In other words, a series of unrelated faults of mine may have left me with the impression that the camera had a problem...

Because, when I sat down and systematically tried to make it fail, I couldn't do it **if the camera was in a condition to fire.**

Here's one problem. I was trying to time a tilt-a-car for the top of its track at an amusement park. I'd shoot it, and then turn on the LCD to check the shot, and then it'd be coming around again. I'd shoot again, the trigger would fail. I'd look at the LCD, and it was off -- ***but the trigger-push turns the LCD off.*** So if you fail to realize (because you're in a hurry, and you're in bright light and the LCD is not too visible) and try to shoot, the trigger will fail -- but it'll also turn the LCD off. So then you look at it, and think it was always off...

Also, if you're shooting RAW, you have to keep in mind that the memory cache is about the size of a flea's ear. Two RAWs and that's it, until it unloads to the card. One answer might be to stop chimping, but I'm not sure I can do that...

JC
 
John
I had the same problem until a made it a habit to always turn of the LCD with a half press of the trigger, not the button on the back. After awhile it becomes second nature to do it this way . If you happen to forget, when you bring the camera up to the viewfinder, a fully lite LCD is staring you in the face remainding you to give the shutter a half press. Pretty much end of problem....except it would be nice if the shutter fired regardless of the status of the LCD. Perhaps a software fix for the R-D1s and us loyal D1 owners?
Rex
 
I had some of these difficulties too, so I've changed my work habits as others have described. I always half press the shutter after using the LCD, and, since I shoot RAW, I often 'chimp', even when I don't need to, simply because you can't see the image until it's finished writing to the card, so you don't try to shoot with a full buffer. It's not convenient, but it seems to be a fact of life with this camera and its rediculously small buffer. Still love it though ;)
 
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