Sorry to hear that. That's very unfortunate to both of you. With the F mount such error was often due to the contacts needing a clean. If you do, then remember to use proper contact cleaning chemical. The Z-mount uses a (lot?) higher speed communication between lens and body compared to the F mount. This could make it more prone to intermitten errors. Just a small amount of (invisible) grease can be an issue. hope you get it sorted out. One thing to remember is that the social media exposes problems/issues a lot more often then we were used to in the "good old days" but we just never heard about them. But of course, you also mentioned other photographers you have been speaking to have had similar issues, so ….
Had a problem with my 24-70 (far from a cheap lens) and went to the Nikon office in BKK. They wanted almost the cost of a new lens to fix it, and the time frame was half a year. Went to a local guru who fixed the lens almost for free. No Nikon, sharpen up. Nikon service is simple.
Thanks for sharing your experience, it's too late for me (since I have legacy G & E glass I decided to stay with Nikon instead of moving to Canon or Sony). I hope you get your items soon. The 70-200 is such an important lens, I never considered that it could fail in a critical moment. Maybe it will be a good idea to have a 70-180mm in store.
This is worrying. I can imagine Nikon pretending this isnt a thing while fixing it on newer bodies. I wouldnt buy any new product from nikon that is part of the first few manufacturing runs. Id wait till its been out for a few months first. I wonder if your z8 and 70-200 were part of the first batch?
I have had some mishaps over the years from Hard Disk Drive failures to tv's not turning on because of the Power or component engineering. Lot of people since the Pandemic want it now and my personal opinion is that the companies take their time and inspect their equipment thoroughly before sending them out than to mass produce the items which will always have many flaws.
Could it be the colder temperature that may be affecting the lens? I only get those messages when I use an adapter that use a different manufacturer lenses. Update the firmware and it goes away. Cheers!
Customer Service could and should be improved, especially for those who earn their living with these cameras. In my case, had simple technical question regarding my camera bodies, whether the tripod screw would always be positioned dead center on the sensor position, or to what extend there is an offset. Nikon replied, that this information is confidential and only for internal use…. To be fair, I had some very good experiences with them as well, got an excellent camera and lens check including necessary repairs for my whole system – for a reasonable price.
Never has any issues with any of my Nikon gear. Be it F mount or Z mount. It all has been rock solid; touch wood. I believe there is a way to get replacement gear as a pro from Nikon NPS, at least here in Belgium. No idea how it works in other countries.
That's unfortunate. My Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR II was my only lens that had catastrophic failures (dead VR, then dead AF). My 24-70 2.8 G also had stuck blades, but after heavy use. Meanwhile my small 50mm 1.8G, having shot 200.000+ images with school photography, never had any problem. I think there is something to be said about "light" lenses, as in, less glass weight to move around in it. After those experiences and due to overall weight considerations I moved to an "F4 + F1.8" kit, and I'm happier. For cameras, after the D3S I realiez the way to go for me was to get the cheapest camera that could meet my needs, no more, no less. As a pro, I'd rather have 4 Z5 than one Z8, the peace of mind is priceless ; knowing that even if your backup goes to repair you have another one, having 2 bags ready with 2 completely different kits etc. And backups can be cheap. 24-70 f4 Z and a 40mm f2 can do most jobs, and are very cheap second-hand.
What's interesting is the Nikon D850 is a tank, and the Z8 is a Ferrari…. I'll take the tank thanks I've had MD15 for 7 1/2 half years which I've still got, but I've now gone to Fujifilm GFX as my main system, but I'm still using my Nikon for sports photography and it has not missed a beat .
It's another reason why I left Nikon they don't care…. However, Fujifilm Australia, great company they answer a messages, especially when I've had a couple little things that I needed to get sorted. They were straight onto it. Nikon company is absolute shit to deal with and it's one of the reasons why I will not go back to their cameras. I've got a D850, but I was never gonna go Mirrorless with Nikon
Did you clean your sensor and use sensor fluid? And use too much sense of fluid I've seen this happen. I'm just wondering I am a professional photographer as well…… The other thing that could've happened is dust and moisture getting in there. This can affect the mechanism.
sent my z6 11 to wex photo video to sell received email to say arrived broken camera will not connect with lens needs repair before packing I took some photos to check every thing worked ,so told the man from wex I have some photos to prove that it worked when sent so must have been damaged in transit , I said .look at metadata on photo he said you can alter metadata so that proves nothing so do Nikon make cameras made off cheese . so my know broken camera is on its way back to me. wex wanted to send it off for repair and charge me, bye the way he said he sees hundreds of broken cameras be warned take it to your local shop
It's unfortunate, but all my Nikon cameras are built like tanks, including the Z8. We have to keep the relation here. This is just one case. Such things can always happen, with any device.
After hearing this I think I'll pump the brakes on my Z8 purchase. I'm starting to think the good old DSLR might not be dead yet. I will start bringing my D500 backup from now on for sure.
Omg what a nightmare. Now i am freaking about because i only have my Z8 and no backup camera. Thinking about buying a used Z6. That's the cheapest back up option but still a lot of extra money. But just having 1 camera does not feel good.
Are the z lenses calibrating electronically when initializing? What were the conditions off the batteries when this happened? Could be an memory card problem? Thanks for sharing.
I bought mine had it 2 weeks and it broke! The I had to send it in! So I did a dumb thing bought another thinking when the other come back I would have a back up! Guess what the second one did the same as yours!
Perhaps Nikon need to start giving extended warranties. Only issue I’ve had with my Z9 is shutter locking flagging up as the thing I was shooting was approaching at speed. Turned it on and off a couple of times and changed from shutter priority to aperture and it worked. Facebook user group suggested turning off the automatic curtain over the sensor.
Gee! Sorry to her about this shutter curtain thing! It's extremely nasty and now I fear for my newly purchased Z9! I saved a long time for it and spent a small fortune (at least to me) on it, I'd be very pissed if something like that ever happens! As for the lens initialization failure, I've had it quite a few times on my Z fc with the 26mm 2.8 pancake lens, but it usually goes away when I turn the camera off and back on. However, I am guessing that these instances must be very rare that Nikon does not acknowledge and investigate them. Still, when you pay thousands or hundreds of dollars on some tech, you'd expect a level of reliability, especially from a longstanding brand such as Nikon… This is so disappointing to hear…
I've never had any Nikon equipment that seemed to be faulty, but my only entry into the Z-mount world is the Z30.
I have stayed with Nikon starting back when I got a N8008 as my first camera for photo journalism. I miss developing T-Max film in the darkroom.
This is one of the downsides with the newer technology, I'm afraid. There is now a complete computer processor inside these modern cameras, and I believe some of the issues deal with software configuration problems versus mechanical issues. However, there is also the added problem of using F-mount lenses on a Z-mount system, and that probably introduces many issues.
Are the lenses that are giving the "lens failure to initialize" error F-mount, Z-mount or a combination?
The problem with the Z8 seems to be more troublesome, and I have not heard any widespread issues, so perhaps that's a rarity. I certainly hope so. I'm planning of entering into the Z system heavily in the coming months as soon as I find out what Nikon plans to release next as far as camera bodies are concerned.
I had an issue with my Z9… It had the lense button released recall issue. It damaged my 50 1.2 barrel . Got in touch with Nikon, to sent it over and so I did. Like you I needed a replacement camera as I use for professional work, they said NO…. After many call they said that would send a Z6ii as I a family photoshoot on the weekend. A few days the camera arrived but NO battery in it, very useless without it. In the end lost the client, lost money and damaged a lense caused by the faulty Z9. Where I live I don’t have a place to rent cameras etc. Was by far my worst customer service experience I have ever had, super desapointed with Nikon and considering selling all my Nikon gear. I have been told that Nikon support is very poor, now I know why…
Sorry to hear about the technical failures. Like you, I’ve noticed some lenses fit tighter on the Z-mounts than others (35mm f/1.8 is very snug). Occasionally I’ve received the F— error and need to give the lens a bit of a twist. I’ve not heard of a sensor shield failing. That sensor damage looks almost terminal. Keep us posted. I hope Nikon takes care of you.
Sorry to hear that. That's very unfortunate to both of you. With the F mount such error was often due to the contacts needing a clean. If you do, then remember to use proper contact cleaning chemical. The Z-mount uses a (lot?) higher speed communication between lens and body compared to the F mount. This could make it more prone to intermitten errors. Just a small amount of (invisible) grease can be an issue.
hope you get it sorted out.
One thing to remember is that the social media exposes problems/issues a lot more often then we were used to in the "good old days" but we just never heard about them. But of course, you also mentioned other photographers you have been speaking to have had similar issues, so ….
Just buy a Sony and enjoy compact f2.8 glass 🙂
Had a problem with my 24-70 (far from a cheap lens) and went to the Nikon office in BKK. They wanted almost the cost of a new lens to fix it, and the time frame was half a year. Went to a local guru who fixed the lens almost for free. No Nikon, sharpen up. Nikon service is simple.
Thanks for sharing your experience, it's too late for me (since I have legacy G & E glass I decided to stay with Nikon instead of moving to Canon or Sony). I hope you get your items soon. The 70-200 is such an important lens, I never considered that it could fail in a critical moment. Maybe it will be a good idea to have a 70-180mm in store.
I had that problem sent to Nikon they fixed it for free and sent it back four days later fixed that was at Nikon Canada
This is worrying. I can imagine Nikon pretending this isnt a thing while fixing it on newer bodies. I wouldnt buy any new product from nikon that is part of the first few manufacturing runs. Id wait till its been out for a few months first. I wonder if your z8 and 70-200 were part of the first batch?
I have had some mishaps over the years from Hard Disk Drive failures to tv's not turning on because of the Power or component engineering. Lot of people since the Pandemic want it now and my personal opinion is that the companies take their time and inspect their equipment thoroughly before sending them out than to mass produce the items which will always have many flaws.
Could it be the colder temperature that may be affecting the lens? I only get those messages when I use an adapter that use a different manufacturer lenses. Update the firmware and it goes away. Cheers!
Sorry to hear. I've never had any faults with my Nikon Z6/8/50. I got 11z mount lenses.
Maybe Nikons QC has gone to pot?
Customer Service could and should be improved, especially for those who earn their living with these cameras. In my case, had simple technical question regarding my camera bodies, whether the tripod screw would always be positioned dead center on the sensor position, or to what extend there is an offset. Nikon replied, that this information is confidential and only for internal use…. To be fair, I had some very good experiences with them as well, got an excellent camera and lens check including necessary repairs for my whole system – for a reasonable price.
Never has any issues with any of my Nikon gear. Be it F mount or Z mount. It all has been rock solid; touch wood.
I believe there is a way to get replacement gear as a pro from Nikon NPS, at least here in Belgium. No idea how it works in other countries.
That's unfortunate. My Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR II was my only lens that had catastrophic failures (dead VR, then dead AF). My 24-70 2.8 G also had stuck blades, but after heavy use. Meanwhile my small 50mm 1.8G, having shot 200.000+ images with school photography, never had any problem. I think there is something to be said about "light" lenses, as in, less glass weight to move around in it. After those experiences and due to overall weight considerations I moved to an "F4 + F1.8" kit, and I'm happier. For cameras, after the D3S I realiez the way to go for me was to get the cheapest camera that could meet my needs, no more, no less. As a pro, I'd rather have 4 Z5 than one Z8, the peace of mind is priceless ; knowing that even if your backup goes to repair you have another one, having 2 bags ready with 2 completely different kits etc. And backups can be cheap. 24-70 f4 Z and a 40mm f2 can do most jobs, and are very cheap second-hand.
What's interesting is the Nikon D850 is a tank, and the Z8 is a Ferrari…. I'll take the tank thanks I've had MD15 for 7 1/2 half years which I've still got, but I've now gone to Fujifilm GFX as my main system, but I'm still using my Nikon for sports photography and it has not missed a beat .
It's another reason why I left Nikon they don't care…. However, Fujifilm Australia, great company they answer a messages, especially when I've had a couple little things that I needed to get sorted. They were straight onto it. Nikon company is absolute shit to deal with and it's one of the reasons why I will not go back to their cameras. I've got a D850, but I was never gonna go Mirrorless with Nikon
Did you clean your sensor and use sensor fluid? And use too much sense of fluid I've seen this happen. I'm just wondering I am a professional photographer as well…… The other thing that could've happened is dust and moisture getting in there. This can affect the mechanism.
sent my z6 11 to wex photo video to sell received email to say arrived broken camera will not connect with lens needs repair before packing I took some photos to check every thing worked ,so told the man from wex I have some photos to prove that it worked when sent so must have been damaged in transit , I said .look at metadata on photo he said you can alter metadata so that proves nothing so do Nikon make cameras made off cheese . so my know broken camera is on its way back to me. wex wanted to send it off for repair and charge me, bye the way he said he sees hundreds of broken cameras be warned take it to your local shop
It's unfortunate, but all my Nikon cameras are built like tanks, including the Z8. We have to keep the relation here. This is just one case. Such things can always happen, with any device.
After hearing this I think I'll pump the brakes on my Z8 purchase. I'm starting to think the good old DSLR might not be dead yet. I will start bringing my D500 backup from now on for sure.
Oh my God , Nikon should take your case as serious as they did for lens mount & strap lug issues.
I found one article about another brand failure and was bad. I mean really bad.
They should repair this also outside the warranty span!
Got me worried now 😳
Omg what a nightmare. Now i am freaking about because i only have my Z8 and no backup camera. Thinking about buying a used Z6. That's the cheapest back up option but still a lot of extra money. But just having 1 camera does not feel good.
I think i am keeping my ‘old’ gear…Nikon D5 and D780 with the 1.4 primes……..no issues at all!
Are the z lenses calibrating electronically when initializing? What were the conditions off the batteries when this happened? Could be an memory card problem? Thanks for sharing.
I'm sorry about this bad news. I hope that you and the community receive a thoughtful, professional response to this troubling situation.
I bought mine had it 2 weeks and it broke! The I had to send it in! So I did a dumb thing bought another thinking when the other come back I would have a back up! Guess what the second one did the same as yours!
Perhaps Nikon need to start giving extended warranties. Only issue I’ve had with my Z9 is shutter locking flagging up as the thing I was shooting was approaching at speed. Turned it on and off a couple of times and changed from shutter priority to aperture and it worked. Facebook user group suggested turning off the automatic curtain over the sensor.
Gee! Sorry to her about this shutter curtain thing! It's extremely nasty and now I fear for my newly purchased Z9! I saved a long time for it and spent a small fortune (at least to me) on it, I'd be very pissed if something like that ever happens! As for the lens initialization failure, I've had it quite a few times on my Z fc with the 26mm 2.8 pancake lens, but it usually goes away when I turn the camera off and back on. However, I am guessing that these instances must be very rare that Nikon does not acknowledge and investigate them. Still, when you pay thousands or hundreds of dollars on some tech, you'd expect a level of reliability, especially from a longstanding brand such as Nikon… This is so disappointing to hear…
I've never had any Nikon equipment that seemed to be faulty, but my only entry into the Z-mount world is the Z30.
I have stayed with Nikon starting back when I got a N8008 as my first camera for photo journalism. I miss developing T-Max film in the darkroom.
This is one of the downsides with the newer technology, I'm afraid. There is now a complete computer processor inside these modern cameras, and I believe some of the issues deal with software configuration problems versus mechanical issues. However, there is also the added problem of using F-mount lenses on a Z-mount system, and that probably introduces many issues.
Are the lenses that are giving the "lens failure to initialize" error F-mount, Z-mount or a combination?
The problem with the Z8 seems to be more troublesome, and I have not heard any widespread issues, so perhaps that's a rarity. I certainly hope so. I'm planning of entering into the Z system heavily in the coming months as soon as I find out what Nikon plans to release next as far as camera bodies are concerned.
Keep us posted on all of the developments!
Nikon doesn't give loaners to NPS members?!
Which lens were you guys using for this video?
Nikon seems to go through phases of poor quality control from time to time. I hope this one is short-lived.
My 70-200 has a bit of wiggle on the Z7…pictures seem fine but for such an expensive lens…hmmm.
I had an issue with my Z9…
It had the lense button released recall issue. It damaged my 50 1.2 barrel .
Got in touch with Nikon, to sent it over and so I did.
Like you I needed a replacement camera as I use for professional work, they said NO…. After many call they said that would send a Z6ii as I a family photoshoot on the weekend. A few days the camera arrived but NO battery in it, very useless without it.
In the end lost the client, lost money and damaged a lense caused by the faulty Z9. Where I live I don’t have a place to rent cameras etc.
Was by far my worst customer service experience I have ever had, super desapointed with Nikon and considering selling all my Nikon gear. I have been told that Nikon support is very poor, now I know why…
Sorry to hear about the technical failures. Like you, I’ve noticed some lenses fit tighter on the Z-mounts than others (35mm f/1.8 is very snug). Occasionally I’ve received the F— error and need to give the lens a bit of a twist. I’ve not heard of a sensor shield failing. That sensor damage looks almost terminal. Keep us posted. I hope Nikon takes care of you.