So you got yourself a brand new DSLR and after using it for a little while got the dreaded “Err” error on your camera LCD? Fear not, your camera might not damaged and there might be no need to return it back to Nikon, as they suggest in most camera manuals.
The reason why this error comes up, is because your camera is not properly communicating with your lens due to some dirt and grease both on camera and lens contacts. The solution is pretty simple – all you have to do is dismount your lens and clean the lens contacts, then clean camera contacts and mount the lens back on the camera and see what happens. Sounds too complicated? Are you afraid to damage your camera and/or lens? Then keep reading, because I will show you exactly what needs to be done.
So here is the step-by-step process:
- Dismount camera lens – before you remove the lens, make sure that you are doing this in a clean environment indoors. I prefer to do it at night (when kids are sleeping) in the bathroom :) If you have not dismounted a lens from your camera yet, now is the time to learn. Turn off your camera. Press the lens release button located to the left of the lens when the camera is viewed from the top, then rotate the lens clock-wise to dismount the lens as shown here. Right after the lens is dismounted, put the black plastic camera cap back on the camera lens mount to prevent dust from getting into the camera.
- Clean lens contacts – there are many different cleaning solutions out there, but I would recommend the following approach: first, wash your hands with soap and dry them out. Next, put some denatured alcohol (ethanol) on dry, light-colored microfiber cloth, wrap it around your index finger and gently wipe each lens contact in circular motion without touching the glass on the back of the lens. Here is how the contacts look like on the Nikon 50mm f/1.4G lens:
If you can see dirt or grease on the microfiber cloth, repeat the above process again using the cleaner part of the cloth. Once you are done cleaning the contacts, use the Giottos Rocket Blower to blow away any particles your microfiber cloth could have left on the lens.
- Clean camera contacts – remove the black cap from the camera lens mount, then use the clean portion of the same microfiber cloth and gently wipe the camera contacts, just like you did with the lens contacts. Here is how the contacts on the camera look like:
Hold your index finger with your nails facing down and while holding the microfiber cloth, move from left to right and vice-versa several times. Repeat the process one more time with the cleaner part of the cloth to make sure that there is no dirt/grease left on the camera contacts. Make sure to do this rather quickly to prevent dust from entering the camera chamber.
- Mount lens back on the camera – once all contacts are clean, align the dot on the camera with the dot on the lens and fully mount the lens in counter-clockwise direction.
- Test and make sure that the “Err” message is gone – now turn the camera on and take a few pictures. The “Err” message on the camera should be gone!
What if you are still getting the “Err” message? Try another lens and see what happens. If nothing changes, your camera could be damaged, so call Nikon for support.
I had the same ERR code on my Nikon D810 and tried a lot of the solutions listed above without success. I finally remembered that I was last shooting video and had Live View (LV) activated. My first clue was when taking the lens off to clean the contacts, the mirror wasn’t visible. Typically when you turn the camera off, Live View deactivates, but in this case it hadn’t happened. Here are the things I tried:
I pressed the Qual button and the Exposure Compensation (+/-) button simultaneously (to reset the cam) without success.
I switched the camera back to photo mode (swiveled the ring from the video cam icon to the still cam icon).
I pressed the LV button without success.
I pressed the shutter release button without success.
I turned the camera off and on repeatedly without success.
I removed the lens without success.
I cleaned the contacts on the lens and the camera body without success.
I installed another lens without success.
I removed the battery and left it out for several hours without success.
I changed batteries without success.
I took the lens out of M/A mode without success.
I can’t tell you what changed, but at some point I pressed the shutter button halfway and the mirror came back down and everything was fine. As ridiculous as this seems and after using up much of a morning fiddling with it, the camera is back to normal. Hope this helps someone!
A quick note. Before cleaning, try these:
-Sometimes this is fixed just by turning it off and back on.
-If the message is still appearing, try to take a couple of quick, out of focus shots and it’ll probably go back to normal.
-This happens a lot with tethered capture, so unplug everything connecting the camera, shut down the program you’re using, and restart.
The one we have at work locks up every 50 or so pictures and requires this constantly. I’d still recommend cleaning once a month because after a while it will refuse to work.
Dear Nasim,
My camera has a blinking Err on top lcd when i shoot anything over than 1/3000 second, any ideas what this might be? I tried changing batteried, two lenses, two different sd cards. It is a D800
Thank you
Vlad
the err msg came to mine nikond600 with nikon lens50mm f1.4 i switch off and on released the button and start shoot the problem came again at f2.8 when i shoot potrait i changed to f3.5 and the camera works perfect but when i do some shoots again at f2.8 again err came i do same and camera works again
last year u was changed the shutter any idea why at most at f2.8 shoot came the err
Finally, I fixed my Nikon D50 err issue with great ease. Its been out of commission for a couple of years with this error. So as to the fix, first I removed the lens and held the mirror up. The shutter looked okay, but as a last chance prior to buying a new camera, I gently pushed sideways on one of the screws in an attempt to open/close it. The shutter easily moved immediately, just slightly. I didn’t force anything or actually try to open it. This slight movement suggests it was stuck in a ‘hard closed’ mode for some reason. I put the lens on and now it takes pictures just like new. My daughter is going to be mad as she is dreaming of a new DSLR to take on vacation tomorrow.
Prior to that I tried to drop oil on the shaft as someone else suggested, with no improvement.
I have nikon d90. The viewfinder and the pictures that I took looked darker than normal. Every time I removed and reinstalled the lens, its viewfinder and the first shot was fine as normal, bright and clear, but after that FIRST shot, the viewfinder turned to dim again and any shots after that turned to darker than normal again. I have to remove and reinstall the lens again for the viewfinder and FIRST shot look good. Please help.
Helo
The exposure-count displays in the control panel and viewfinder show the number of photographs that can be taken at current settings. When this number reaches zero, A will flash in the exposure-count displays while the shutter-speed displays will show a blinking FULL OR FUL. what i donig? nikon 700
Have had a D200 for 10 years without problems. Now when I take it outside in the Russian winter and press the shutter button I get the ERR or error message when the mirror flips up and stays up. Only after pressing the shutter button again does the mirror come down again and error message disappear.
No image is taken.
Can anyone shed some light on the problem?
Just wanted to add that I had the dreaded fEE error with a Nikon D80 that works perfectly with my other lenses including another Sigma.
What has seemed to resolve the problem with a Sigma AF-MF Telephoto Zoom Lens, 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO is I first need to manually lock the lens aperture ring to f22 and the lens then works without any errors adjusting the aperture internally without use of it’s aperture ring. Some sort of incompatibility that exists between some perhaps old lenses and DSLR’s, as the problem with Sigma and other brand lenses has occurred with other Nikons and other brands DSLRs such as Canon, etc. These incompatibilities if not a fault with the lens or camera is likely due from aftermarket lens manufactures guessing the internal workings of a DSLR before actual technical details of a camera are available.
Anyway first try locking the lens to a min. aperture to see if there’s a problem or incompatibility with the lens aperture ring and DSLR. Solution worked for my Nikon D80 and a Sigma lens that kept producing an fEE error.
Hi Nasim,
I’m hoping you can help me with a Nikon d80 err error message. I did the lens contact point cleaning, tried the memory card and battery tricks and nothing changed. What do you suggest? Trying to replace the aperture switch screw? I do hear a tiny something rattling around inside the camera body. Please recommend. Thanks!
Take care,
Gina
What has seemed to resolve the problem with a Sigma AF-MF Telephoto Zoom Lens, 28-300mm F3.5-6.3 DG MACRO is I first need to manually lock the lens aperture ring to f22 and the lens then works without any errors adjusting the aperture internally without use of it’s aperture ring. Some sort of incompatibility that exists between some perhaps old lenses and DSLR’s, as the problem with Sigma and other brand lenses has occurred with other Nikons and other brands DSLRs such as Canon, etc. These incompatibilities if not a fault with the lens or camera is likely due from aftermarket lens manufactures guessing the internal workings of a DSLR before actual technical details of a camera are available.
Anyway first try locking the lens to a min. aperture to see if there’s a problem or incompatibility with the lens aperture ring and DSLR. Solution worked for my Nikon D80 and a Sigma lens that kept producing an fEE error.