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Z7: Bad camera, or bad memory card?

borge

New member
I recently purchased a Z7 and a Sony 120GB XQD memory card, both brand new.
I noticed some striping in some of my photos, especially when I'm using Silent Shooting (for landscape and tripod based work).

See the attached samples/crops that shows it clearly. In one of the photos the entire content of the image is also "shifted" towards the right. I'm not sure how to proceed here, and if this could be an issue with the camera or the memory card. I have no other XQD cards to test with, and they're a bit expensive to just run out and get several copies of.

I have tried with different raw converters (LR and C1, latest versions), different cables to transfer the files, etc. All files are shot with silent shooting and 14-bit lossless compressed raw.
I filled the entire 120GB card with images using silent shooting and the interval timer, and I had about 20 of 1000 images showing these types of stripes, artefacts and defects.

What do you think? Have you seen this before with either of the Z cameras while using silent shooting, or memory cards?

Normal image, how it should look
_DSC1546.jpg

Bad result 1
_DSC1553.jpg

Bad result 2
_DSC0528-3.jpg
 

JohnBrew

Active member
You are only going to find out by trying a different memory card. I would use a different manufacturer and capacity rating. I’m doing fine with a 32G card.
 

Darin Marcus

Well-known member
If this only occurs with silent shooting it can’t be a card issue.

If you have time, reformat the card, repeat the experiment with regular settings and check if you get the same percentage of bad photos. To eliminate the impact of transfer/processing software you can also check the photos on the camera LCD before transfer, although doing that for 1000+ photos on the back LCD will not be easy...
 

borge

New member
If this only occurs with silent shooting it can’t be a card issue.

If you have time, reformat the card, repeat the experiment with regular settings and check if you get the same percentage of bad photos. To eliminate the impact of transfer/processing software you can also check the photos on the camera LCD before transfer, although doing that for 1000+ photos on the back LCD will not be easy...
Well, I'm within my return period for the camera and memory card (2 days remaining). I noticed this by accident in a regular photograph I made, and can't remember if I used Silent Shooting or the regular EFCS shutter at the time. Since I don't have a XQD card reader yet, and thus can't test the memory card by using memory card testing tools, I simply set the Z7 to shoot at intervals and fill the card, as I need to be able to trust the camera AND the card since it has only one slot. To do this I used silent shooting, simply to avoid putting over 1000 shutter counts on the mechanical shutter. After this experiment, and getting 20+ corrupted files, I can't trust the camera or the card.

Honestly, rather than troubleshooting this, I think I'm just gonna return the camera and the XQD card, and re-purchase it somewhere else. Troubleshooting this is gonna take a lot of time and effort from me, and I'll have to shell out for another XQD card, which I don't want to do now that CFExpress is just around the corner. Re-packaging the camera and the card and returning it, and then go to another store and pick up a new set is a lot faster and easier than figuring this out. Sadly.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
Can't you show the problem to the shop and get an exchange?

Otherwise some other poor soul might end up with a bad card and/or camera.
 

borge

New member
Can't you show the problem to the shop and get an exchange?

Otherwise some other poor soul might end up with a bad card and/or camera.
I can, but the store replied saying that they would need to send the camera to Nikon Europe for inspection in that case. The same goes for the card, needs to be sent to Sony for inspection.
Which means I will be without a camera and card for up to 1 month, which is just unacceptable on a brand new purchase. Returning it is far easier. It's not my preference, but retailers these days seem to run by policy rather than common sense. I'd rather not waste my time.
 

pegelli

Well-known member
Agree, if the shop is unreasonable they need to feel it (and just give you your money back), but I pity the poor sould who gets this unit next if it gets sold without a repair.

Are Nikon boxes sealed when you buy them new?
 

borge

New member
Agree, if the shop is unreasonable they need to feel it (and just give you your money back), but I pity the poor sould who gets this unit next if it gets sold without a repair.

Are Nikon boxes sealed when you buy them new?
No sealing what-so-ever, which kind of surprised me. I'm moving away from Sony (A7r III) for various reasons, and all the Sony boxes was sealed - cameras and lenses.
Apparently the Nikon boxes are not sealed because they open them up and put local language manuals for each country inside the box (according to two dealerships that I asked here).
This also applied to the boxes for the lenses.

Maybe they are sealed in the US, but at least not in Europe.
 

borge

New member
Are these JPEGs? If so it's a problem with the camera. It's not JPEG file corruption.
No, these are 14-bit lossless compressed NEF (raw) files. They have been exported to jpeg in Lightroom, yes. But it is visible both in Lightroom and Capture One, prior to exporting to jpeg.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
I would say that this is a sensor or processing problem, most likely the former. If the shop isn't willing to change the camera for a new one right away, just give it back and buy it somewhere else. Sending it to Nikon Europe for evaluation is just a bad excuse for lacking customer service.
 

Ben730

Active member
Hi Borge
It can also be the import to the computer. I had these lines already in Phase One IQ files. When I reimported the files everything was o.k or they occurred on other places.
So I changed the card reader and cables. Now everything works fine.
Hope that helps.
Regards,
Ben
 
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