How I Killed my Nikon Z9...

[@mattgranger]

Check out Paperlike 2.1: paperlike.com/mattgranger JOIN ME IN ICELAND! mattgranger.com/iceland

[@itsobviousobviously3596]

why don't you retitle this video to "please buy my photo tours" (begging like rat)

[@TimberGeek]

This year is definitely a no go for us. Do you ever do a couples discount?

[@AgainstThisWorld]

as I'm paranoid I used the simple strap to the neck and a strap on the hand, the strap on hand is to protect lens and the strap on the neck to protect the lens and camera

[@DanielRodriguez-fg5ll]

sorry to hear but to be safe, I will block Matt as seller on ebay.

[@mattgranger]

Hahahhahaha. Fair.

[@amarpaul_s]

😂

[@imjooboy]

😂😂😂

[@tianzr2009]

What is the serial number on that Z9😂​@@mattgranger

[@lichtgestalt9540]

🤣🤣🤣

[@mattgranger]

UPDATE = A lot of commenters mentioning that we should always use a camera strap. I was using double camera straps (as I was using 2 cameras). However, as I was using a 400mm f2.8, the strap was connected to the Nikon Lens, not the body, and in my rush and all the straps, I made a mistake and let go of the body, instead of the lens. My mistake.

[@TimberGeek]

Yeah, my strap is often running from the D850 to the 150-600, those transitions from long to normal can be a bit of a juggling act.

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

That's why one should always have a short tether strap from body to the main strap for such a big lens situation. BTDT! You're not alone making this mistake. :)

[@rolandgibbs9036]

I'm very careful with my cameras and the 2 times when I've dropped one was because of the strap getting snagged on something.

[@tectoramia-sz1lu]

Indeed, I always use a wrist strap, but accidents will happen.

[@alfabravofilm]

I forgive you because I like you but... don't ever do that again...😉😊

[@ogonzilla]

Dang. Opens up a good discussion: Should we keep that shield out of the way full time? My Z8 sensor shield randomly broke on the job (I didn't drop my camera. Who does that??? ;) ) I was originally quoted $335 for fixing "shutter blade damage/sensor shields damaged". Luckily, NikonUSA repaired it under warranty at no cost after proof of purchase. I'm thinking...maybe I can live with the dust lol.

[@AlexKall]

Then again, what would have happened to Matts camera if the sensor had not covered the sensor at the fall, perhaps the sensor would have damage instead which would be much more expensive, hard to know 🤷‍♂️

[@oc2phish07]

Loved your comment. But as to "Who does that"? Well, a certain lovable rogue Mr Kai Wong is pretty adept when it comes to failed juggling of camera gear.

[@mattgranger]

@AlexKall - I can tell you - nothing hit the sensor shield. So nothing more would have happened to the sensor if no shield existed in this case.

[@leonardotonin6201]

Sorry but this sensor shield is not good.

[@dylanjames2213]

Good to know! Maybe I'll live with the dust too...

[@joliver4083]

This is why Camera Strap is very important specially when changing lenses.

[@mattgranger]

Haha very true. I was using a black rapid strap, but it was attached to my long lens… my bad

[@joliver4083]

@@mattgranger Maybe it's also better for you to get an insurance for lost & accidental damage since you're travelling a lot.

[@JohanJoosteMusiek]

@@mattgranger I have a harness that can hold two cameras. I'm sure you know them Matt? Pretty expensive camera that one, for me at least thus I can't afford such mishaps.

[@mattgranger]

Thanks. I was using a dual strap and I have insurance.

[@NightShooter87]

Straps are one of the biggest causes of dropping cameras in my experience.

[@rickpinelli9268]

Nikon's are not the tanks they used to be. The more electronics and features installed add to the fragility of the camera. This would not have happened back in the F2 era. The old Nikon bodies were made to survive dropping off a cliff! I dropped my F2 Photomic on the concrete steps high atop the Olympic Ski Jump at Lake Placid NY, The result was a shattered the UV filter. Those were the days Matt as I am sure you may remember. I will be extra diligent with my Z9 going forward...

[@_Thumbnail_]

Ref "melted curtain": Didn't need more than a second to melt the diaphragm when my lens was accidently facing the sun without lens cap. So, always be careful!

[@dafyddthomas7299]

Good call, makes sense in warm - hot conditions when lens not in use and - to put the lens cap on as one suggestion

[@MelchiorumJS]

Not the first case of sensor shield being easily damaged on a Nikon mirrorless camera. There were reports of these just breaking randomly during the normal use, and I personally know a person who had this happen to his Z8. And the damage is always the same with the blade getting detached from the retaining pins. This tells me Nikon has dropped the ball with these sensor shields, making them extremely fragile. My older Nikon DSLRs have withstood being banged on rocks and dropped on concrete, while supposedly just as rugged professional mirrorless Z bodies seem to actually be way more fragile due to the poor sensor shield design. Its ironic that a device that was supposed to protect from a mild annoyance of having dust on the sensor, instead created a serious failure point that may cost you an entire photoshoot.

[@markroscoephotography]

Watch KZbinrs Russ & Loz production s…. His Z8 sensor shield failed

[@lolingsaraee]

Think it messed the sensor up also yeah?

[@MatthiasWelwarsky]

Those are scorch marks. Good thing to remember when operating the camera, keeping track of the sun... Not a problem you'd have with a DSLR I must say.

[@LuigiL75]

…just saying!

[@Wildridefilms]

With a DSLR, you'd just burn a hole through your retina 🤗

[@RobertTucker-c7d]

I Rember seeing a post by Aurther Morris - he had a 600mm lens on a D850, and must have been pointed at the sun. Burned a hole right through the mirror. Doesn't matter the camara, you have to be careful where it's pointed.

[@wolfy7531]

I dropped mine into a shallow creek once. The lens and the camera survived that quick bath unharmed. In the field, I dried the camera and lens externally and stopped using it for the rest of the day. In the hotel room, I separated the lens from the camera, removed the battery and memory card and let it dry overnight.

[@johnd7564]

Probably would have been a LOT worse if you dropped lens OR camera, and a much harder impact if you dropped on rocks instead. Dropping them together, they were weather-sealed. Glad you didn't get a problem!

[@derekgillan7314]

Ouch! I remember a photographer told me about Nikon stopping an AK47 bullet during the Vietnam war, now they are crap, strap lugs falling out, come on Nikon!

[@unclefart5527]

A whole lot of apologizing for Nikon. LOL. And a free ad to boot. I dropped a D800 and it fractured and sprung open like a jack in the box. No longer with Nikon.

[@DJFAmenHeavy]

Disappointing from a so called pro grade camera. Nikon cheating out on build quality..

[@ezradja]

Shutter blades was made stronger and durable, they thought it's just a shield let make it weak. Basically only Nikon could get away with all the mediocre spareparts and the fanboys ignore them.

[@jonlindal3400]

You are not the only one that has had this protection curtain fall apart. This seems to happen for little or no reason at all. My guess is that this is more due to design or production flaw in this part of the camera than because you dropped it. There are more videos on KZbin about this problem. I hope Nikon will address this and fix it.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

When I shut my Canon off, the LCD displays a warning to put a lens cap on. Most likely, those marks are heat damage from having the lens facing the sun for a period of time. I'm glad things worked out for you.

[@piotrgraniszewski8544]

Now that I think of it, it's the same thing with Sony. There is a warning that the lens shouldn't face bright light. Luckily, Sony stops down the aperture automatically on shutdown. I can't imagine leaving the F/1.2 aperture on. 😂

[@NDakota79]

Wow one small drop and it broke. We sure came a long way since the SLR days when you could kill someone with a Nikon. Now their more fragile than my smartphone apparently.

[@itsacookie1]

Lmao, people really out here like "I want more moving parts in my camera, it will make it more durable".

[@hellopsp180]

I honestly dont even use my Camera Shutter. Except for when I need to use Flash. I never enable the Dust protection on my camera for lens changes. If I were to get dust on the sensor its not the end of the world because I can just use a blower to get it out

[@robertweir5755]

What happened to Nikon build quality? I'll stick with my D4 and my D500 and there's plenty of used F mount lenses available if needed. I'm sure there are lots of us who spent a lot of money on Nikon gear that don't appreciate Nikon abandoning us DSLR users.

[@mattgranger]

Please dont conflate this with other personal grudges. The build quality is still good. I killed cameras from every generation....

[@kentkochheiser911]

You mentioned the melted looking marks on the shield. I think your speculation was correct. Back in the film days of Leica M cameras, the shutter was made of fabric and if you left the camera without a lens cap the sun could actually burn a hole through the shutter. Never happened to me but I was warned about it.

[@knoxyish]

so a 5k camera body has sunlight melting problems? Don't have any of this on my dslr,s although my z6 had dust on sensor problems during lens changes mirrorless not all its cracked up to be . watch out for the hype sony did not reinvent the camera!!!

[@Som09mer]

Happened to my Nikon S1 😢

[@v3rlon]

All cameras have some version of this issue. If you put a magnifying glass between sensitive internals and an 880,000 mile fusion furnace, you can get bad results for the sensitive internals.

[@tommihommi1]

​@@knoxyisha DSLR will just set fire to the viewfinder cover instead

[@FawfulDied]

​@@knoxyish I'd rather have the sun burn the sensor than my eye, thanks.

[@GetOutsideYourself]

That Iceland trip looks epic!

[@UncleJimsBand]

Nice photos, btw. I can't be the only engineer who looks at systems like this, where so much is going right for so many Nikon ( and Sony, and Canon ) customer, as a glass mostly full. I'm awed by the complexity of modern cameras. May it always work out well for you.

[@lensman5762]

Hmmm, I used to work in a factory manufacturing equipment with sensitive electronic and also a lot of mechanical parts. I was in charge of the department that conducted the testing on the products. It was called Compliance. One of the tests was called The Drop Test. Depending on the weight. use etc of the product, it was dropped from varying heights and angles and then put put through functional tests afterward to ensure that the equipment could survive rough handling and accidental drops by the operator. I guess the Compliance dept in Nikon or whomever they subcontracted the testing to, did not follow the procedures. That fault should not have happened.

[@mattgranger]

To be fair, it’s not the first time the camera has been dropped 😂

[@delukxy]

Compliance is the relevant word here and I think Nikon should review the design and/or materials used. The pegs had just popped out of the holes. Maybe the plastic just distorted a bit and allowed that to happen when the impact occurred. Possibly wouldn't happen if the shape of the pin was changed to make the pop in on assembly more positive. It could have a slight ball shape and it would then never (never say never!) pop out and any normal circumstances. Design team needs to look at this and I wonder if there is automatic feedback from the repair centres over this sort of thing.

[@stevelink3]

@@mattgranger But obviously the first time the shield actually broke...Perhaps, like x-rays, the damage from each incident is cumulative?

[@bsmukler]

One way of looking at this is that, if this was any typical camera body, the impact could have damaged the shutter, rendering the camera useless until repaired. I imagine there are many millions of exposures made with sensor shields set to close, and a tiny number of instances where someone managed to introduce a physical shock in just the right way to dislodge the shield pins. That’s a pretty good trade-off, especially given that, even when coming undone, the shield still did not harm the precious sensor.

[@PhotoVideoTechOz]

Compliance = compliance with regulatory standards these change by region and product type. The products do not feature any drop proof or IP ratings, if they did they would be compliance tested to ensure they meet the standard.

[@harvey6864]

always take the loaner - especially in today's world.

[@LuigiL75]

Always!

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Beautiful pictures. I would never have thought of the sensor cover breaking on a fall. I have never seen or read of a Nikon Pro body with a shattered shooter from a fall. It seems the sensor cover is more delicate, or maybe it was just bad luck. Moving parts: I loved the sensor shield, but now I am wondering. if eventually, it would be better to just get rid of it. Dust can be removed easily, after all. Let's see how it evolves.

[@Paul_Wetor]

It's like the "unexpected consequences" of engineering. They tried to make something better, but Matt discovered the one way to turn that help into a flaw.

[@701Builder]

I don’t think it broke, more separated. The round extrusions on the plastic blades separated from the steel scissor mechanism from the shock of the fall. The blades were most likely replaced because of the melting from the sun through the lens, but in this case it saved the sensor. You are right the sensor should be metal and more designed like an aperture or shutter and shock tested. Nikon didn’t think it would happen either

[@davidnelson6199]

I tripped and fell with the lens attached though. I had this same thing happen to me. Nikon fixed it and returned to me in about 10 days and I am not a NPS member. $477.00 for the repair.

[@russandloz]

My Z8 sensor guard broke on its own and damaged the sensor. NPS don’t send one for replacement and been waiting over 11 weeks… They can’t get the parts 😢

[@g00nther]

Was going to mention your issue here. My feeling is that the sensor shield needs to be redesigned to be more robust. Matt's drop, your issue and another person posted that their shield had been damaged by a drop as well seems to indicate a lack of robustness.

[@robstammers7149]

Never ever carry/use you camera (no matter what it cost) out doors, or hard lessons will be experienced. I had a NCD (near camera death) once, yeh dropped my Canon DSLR on some rocks, luckily it only suffered some minor scratches, it continued to work perfectly. I learned the lesson. Sorry to sound off, but I see too many KZbin photographers using their expensive cameras with no shoulder strap or on body hand grip, one I watch regularly has been seen holding the camera with one hand and taking a shot!!! No strap could prove costly couldn't it. Regards Rob.

[@mattgranger]

For the 100th time, I was using a strap. Accidents happen.

[@robstammers7149]

@@mattgranger IAnd probably for the gazillionth time, the message has to be repeated for the many who don't use a strap. Regards Rob

[@heathwirt8919]

Unfortunately these things happen in the real world, glad you have the camera back and working well.

[@starbase218]

I wonder if the fact that the sensor shield is more sturdy than a shutter, means it’s heavier as well, and therefore more likely to get damaged like this (gravity having a bigger effect).

[@M4TR1X]

My Canon R6 developed over time a melted spot. I tried to repair it under guarantee but that was unsuccessful. Are needed 350-400€ for the repair (replacing shutter curtain). Probably happened as you, the lens had catch light and melted that spot. But even tho, luckily, the melt point isn't so high. I'm using it like that for over a year now (but I don't shoot a lot) and it has worked for me. Gonna get another body at some point and sell it like that.

[@niclasbagenheim7181]

I also got meltmarks from the sun on my Z9. It doesn´t impair the function, but beware especially if shooting with lenses with large apertures and manual aperture. Cover the lens or turn the aperture down. Perhaps titanium cover i future cameras? I absolutely love my Z9 anyway!

[@UweRoclawski]

400$ repair? That's too much in my opinion. What did Nikon do for 400$?

[@mattgranger]

Replaced the whole sensor cover unit. Parts and labor.

[@UweRoclawski]

@@mattgranger Thanks for the answer! So... better not drop the camera 😀🤘

[@jaimeduncan6167]

Not so much for the Z9, but the Z8 also has the fragile part. I never heard or read of a pro body having the shutter shatter from a fall, never in 20 years of visiting photo forums. This means the shield is fragile (or maybe it was bad luck) it needs a redesign. If someone pays for a Z9 is not for it to be more fragile than a z7

[@livejames9374]

@@jaimeduncan6167 maybe the sun scorched shield contributed to the failure. Either way, it doesn’t seem robust. But at least the sensor wasn’t sun scorched

[@leonardotonin6201]

Way too expensive.

[@deformator2]

"How I Killed my Nikon Z9", "How I Killed my Nikon D810", man, are you a nikonfobic? FFS, stop kiling them.

[@iain.g]

The shot of the camera in the car it's quite clear the studs on the slat are meant to fit in the metal prongs with the holes. Does look like quite a flimsy design though as any sudden front -> back force would dislodge it.

[@BobZOMG1984]

4:14 Whoaaaaa thats wild, thats why i never shoot pointing direct to the sun, especially for those camera that doesnt have a sensor cover like pro cameras like Z9 & the rest....

[@tom_k_d]

No mirrorless camera has the sensor cover on when shooting - the viewfinder information must finally come from somewhere... So the cited damage must have been produced while the camera was at rest, but without lens cap. Lesson learned: always put the lens cap on. It would be interesting to understand at which point shooting aginst the sun, which is a common practice, starts getting critical: fully agree.

[@TrichecoDeiTrichechi]

There's thick transparent layer protection in front of the sensor (all sensors, all cameras, all manufacturers), you wouldn't likely scratch it even with the tip of a knife. The sensor mech protector I would have probably ended up tearing apart the broken top rectangle, they would had to change it all anyway, so I would just finished destroying it so it wasn't visible in the pictures. The only REALLY fragile piece in a mirrorless (not on your Z9 of course) it's the shutter blades, which comes exposed when cameras is off and/or when changing lens; that's why Canon, on low end ML bodies (RP and R10/50/100), doesn't enable the shutter close option, because they're afraid that amateurs will break the shutterblades (on dslr that wasn't happening because there was the mirror protecting the shutter, and when mirror was up, shutter was open, so no risk of touching it). For cheap bodies, leaving the exposed sensor is way better, because it's thousand times less fragile then the shutter, you're not likely to ruin it in any way, except digging it with a drill 😀

[@MarcelloBranca]

Damn, I thought it was tougher then that, but electronics never are I guess

[@mattgranger]

This wasn’t related to electronics. Purely a mechanical failure

[@robertnystrom289]

Just for perspective- I dropped off my Leica 24-90 lens. The queue is quoted as 5 to 7 MONTHS. There ya go.

[@HR-wd6cw]

I think though while you damaged the sensor cover, had the camera had a mechanical shutter, that could have possibly introduced additional issues if that became damaged too as a result of the drop, so in one sense you got lucky because you were able to move the shield out of the way and the sensor was not damaged, and two, there is no mechanical shutter to be concerned about. Although I think for many drops (as I've now dropped probably 3 cameras in my lifetime of shooting) the mechanical shutter usually isn't damaged and I think Nikon has it set so that if it does experience an impact (on some models that don't have a sensor shield, like the Z6/Z7) it just keeps the shutter down for some reason as one of my drop was the Z7 II and after the drop it had said to turn off the camera and I noticed the mechanical shutter was closed, but power cycling it released the shutter. (I ended up trading the camera about 2 years later, so recently, though so I don't know what impact it will have on the mechnical shutter long term). But even after the drop, the Z7 II worked flawlessly. I did damage the rear LCD screen (cracked it, but it still worked actually, just had a huge crack down the middle, which I had Nikon service the camera when I got home from my trip).

[@JulioCastrejon04]

I dropped my D700 once and landed on a rock, I'm very lucky the shutter curtain didn't get damaged from the impact. A few scratches, that's it.

[@Wannes_]

I dropped my F301 on the rocks @ Cap Griz-Nez in France, then fell on top of it It kept working for years as if nothing had happened ...

[@wngimageanddesign9546]

Moral of story.....always keep you camera tethered to you. I never free-hand my camera....my preference is having it strapped to my wrist. Others prefer neck, or shoulder. Another trick is to have a quick connect strap or cable to the bottom of the L-bracket. and other end carabiner-ed to the shoulder strap of your bag. Drop the camera by accident, the short cable/paracord/strap doesn't let it reach the ground.

[@brucemenozzi1616]

Matt, I realize that the use of the word "Killed" helps get clicks, but perhaps it is misleading. With regard to living things, "to kill" something means that it has ceased to be in its previous state (life) and can never be returned to that previous state (excluding the possibility of the resurrection per Christian beliefs). In this case, you merely damaged your camera's sensor shield, which was capable of being repaired and the camera being restored to its fully functional state. An analogy might be to breaking a leg, wearing a walking cast, then resuming full activities after the break had healed. You were able to continue to use the camera, with some restrictions, prior to getting it repaired. Please restrain on the use of hyperbole when creating the titles for your videos, rather use the same level of accuracy that you follow in the reviews. Thank you.

[@williamchan8866]

This is really bad for a pro camera…..given the choice of either using a z9 or z5 I would pick…….

[@gamebuster800]

4:23 my sony camera warns me every time not to have the shutter closed without a lens cap. I suppose that's why, lol. I disabled the feature. Cleaning the sensor seems less annoying than killing the shutter curtains.

[@alexwesterhof793]

Not sure how everybody looks at it but I think it is a design flaw the something like the shield is breaking from dropping your camera. If it would be the casing/body, the LCD or lensmount if it would have hit the ground there, buttons or so, I would agree that the camera isn't made from duranium and therefore can be damaged when falling on the ground. But to have the only mechanical part inside the camera that isn't even being hit and is desgined to protect your sensor to get damaged from dropping is really concerning me.

[@JoopZweetsok]

over 16 minutes to tell your audience that your Nikon camera has problems…...

[@serhiirudenko6183]

I still cant believe how exposed the sensor in modern mirrorless cameras. On my older DSLR I almost never have senn it. Since it behind the mirrors and shutter, have dust removal ultrasonic thing, and still I got few dust particles on the sensor.

[@genewaddlerandomstuff2122]

At least you didn't give this one a salt water bath. 🙂

[@mattgranger]

Well, yes. Thats a positive I suppose 😂

[@101blog]

O dear Matt..another camera Murdered!!!!..What are you like!?! JA

[@andyzimm3002]

It's interesting that a $5000 camera is so flimsy that it's primary sensor protector falls apart by a soft landing in the dirt. I don't drop my camera but I can't imagine it being rendered mostly out of service by something so simple as that.

[@mikepxg6406]

My 1964 Spotmatic works perfectly.

[@bigboi36]

Awesome Presentation Matt. I would love to join one of your photographic tours one day. I am still transitioning slowly from DSLr to Mirrorless. I’ve got Z 50 and Kit lenses. Currently, building up the Z-trinity. So far I have the Z24-70| 2.8s, next will be Z70-200|2.8s

[@Edgy01]

I would assume that, like me, you have your gear heavily insured….it would be hard to believe you’re not insured.

[@titomiguelmarques5512]

Honestly, a bit of an embarassement to nikon, a professional camera supposelly made for hard use, innoperable after a single fall...not like the pro olympus bodies for sure.

[@ooltimu]

I would have expected the Z9 to be more robust and survive a drop. When you started telling the story I thought you caught an arrow through the lens.

[@VividlineImages]

Looks too me like You could of just slide the top of the shield back in the two holes and angled it back into position but idk never had that happen to tell for sure

[@johnapperson7495]

Nikon needs to get it TOGETHER, I mean seriously.

[@lichtgestalt9540]

it alwys can happens, that a camera fails. because of this, professional photographers have a backup camera 😉

[@ropeyarn]

I'm disappointed that the sensor shield blades are not metal. Also, that the blade mount looks to be a melted over plastic post.

[@isotechimages.9130]

Did see a video from England where he says his sensor shield fell apart for no reason & did scratch sensor & same issue no parts in stock but was a Z8 from memory l think.

[@AdamMuise]

I love the roadside surgery. Also, this is another reason why it's good to have some MP room to crop. :)

[@TheKimNeeper]

Weak camera - I started out with Nikon 18 years ago, luckily I have Panasonic now, once dropped my Lumix S5 from 150 cm / 5 feet height on a wooden floor, with the kit lens, nothing happened, still works perfectly 4 years later.

[@mattgranger]

Yep I’ve dropped all my cameras more than once. This didn’t just fall apart for no reason. It’s seen several trips around the world and many tens of thousands of images made. From -30 to +50c

[@TheNitebinder]

How l the content 'providers' talk about the wonders of mirrorless camera having no shutter curtains. How they can capture an image quick, fast and in a hurry! Well, at least DSLRs have that annoying, needless shutter curtain. So if you drop your DSLR, the shutter curtain protects the sensor. The DSLR will probably survive being dropped. Sorry about your mirrorless camera, but this was an object lesson about protecting your camera and accepting a loaner camera when offered. If you can, buy a used or new back-up camera.

[@mattgranger]

I think people are projecting their personal agenda onto this situation. This doesn’t mean mirrorless are useless. It means don’t drop your camera….

[@filton12]

Dropping a Z9? Did you think you were Kai Wong?

[@donnlowel2387]

Man! you are a camera and lenses wrecker... Since the beginning.

[@willbaren]

Only three and a half weeks for Nikon. Imagine if it had been a Leica.

[@v3rlon]

So you didn’t ‘kill’ your Z9. It still worked. You just injured it.

[@RobertLEmbreySr]

I don’t have a Z9, I’m still working with a D850, but I’m absolutely terrified that I will drop my camera, so I always keep my camera strap around my neck. I know a lot of people can’t use a strap, but it’s worth its weight, in situations where you could drop it.

[@mattgranger]

Agree. I was using a strap too

[@kpataky]

So I’ve had my Z9 since Christmas of 2021 and all of a sudden at championship football games back on December 15. I was starting to get the black line like you showed in your video as well. I never dropped my camera I’ve never opened or closed that shutter, it’s set to be closed when turned off and I guess it opens when turned on. I sent it in to Nikon Melville, New York I am NPS member and the parts are all on backorder. It took over a month to get my camera back and it cost me $368 for the repair and that included the 25% discount. They replaced all the rubber pieces on the back of the camera too, and did a full cleaning and calibration for that price but I expected it to be out of rotation only for about a week and it was gone for a month which really was difficult for my business.

[@mattgranger]

Sorry to hear!

[@cgazlan]

Trying to play Jerryrigeverything ehh 😂

[@SeanSullivan1958]

There are these amazing things called camera straps. :) LOL. Feel you though, I've dropped my bodies few times. Once on concrete (slide off a tripod because I didn't tighten it down) and once onto ice rink (failure of a a strap). Not a fun feeling. :(

[@mattgranger]

Yeah. I was using 2 straps at the time.

[@keiththompson2289]

It's a shame these expensive things are that sensitive.

[@spokolokofly]

IMHO it did it's job. It's protected sensor. Imagine cost of the sensor replacement after it's meeting with stones

[@mattgranger]

@@spokolokofly Except that in this case, nothing hit the sensor cover. It wasn't impacted by stones as you put it... it was just the jolt dislodged it. If there were no sensor shield, there would have been no damange.

[@spokolokofly]

@@mattgranger sorry to hear that!

[@industrialvectors]

Let's count your good lucks. Only a shield, not a shutter. Camera still operated, no software protection lock. Not as bad as your D5. A good story to tell.

[@mattgranger]

Yep. I counted them in video too 👍🏼

[@akhyarrayhka4048]

fragile modern camera with cheap built

[@adrianrubi5012]

Would a DSLR be undamaged in the same accident?

[@hellopsp180]

REKT shutter got :( obliterated

[@helisoma]

first the D5 and now the Z9? ........🤔🙈😞

[@jerryrichards8172]

My first teacher # 1 rule never take off the camera strap.

[@outfield1988]

Don’t need to spend 6000 dollars to get great pictures. D3 D750 D810 will do fine.

[@mattgranger]

Ok

[@rexgigout1472]

I empathize. I fumbled and dropped my then-new M10, in or about May 2018. I normally used a strap while shooting, but, the camera, strap and all, were wrapped inside a neoprene camera wrap, at the time, as I was about to place it into my vehicle’s console, while leaving on a photographic day trip. The neoprene prevented any visible physical damage, but a look at the LCD display showed sickening green static. I maintained my composure, and started driving, in order not to disappoint my wife. (She is an avid photographer, who wanted to use her recently-acquired D850 on our first long day trip out of the city, in some time.) I used my spare camera, a Nikon D5 DSLR that had already been packed into the vehicle, to photograph the trip. My M10 had to go to Leica USA in NJ, for healing. Yeah, I know. Leica M10. Nikon D5. First World Problem, to drop an M10, yet be able to carry on, with my D5, and my wife’s new D850. We had lost some DSLR camera bodies, during a storm, the previous year, so, late 2017, into 2018, was recovery time, and we had treated ourselves to some nice equipment.

[@castieldiallo2945]

He has been ham handed for the longest. Perhaps Nikon should make him a durability tester for their cameras.

[@camerasutra247]

I am glad my zf does not have that.

[@Windsurfingaddict]

My Pentax 35mm back in the day had a strap on it, I always used it, my X wife also used my camera but never used the strap and I would keep saying, please use the strap, her reply was, I’m not going to drop it, well she did and dinged and scratched the lens and scratched the camera body, Make me cringe when I see so many holding thousands of pounds of camera equipment without even having a strap on it thinking they never drop it until I do and same as people do not put phone cases on their very expensive smart phone purchases and no screen protectors on it then complain and their precious phone has been smashed. Thanks for sharing I hope that lots of people get themselves a decent strap and actually use it for watching this. 🥳🥳🥳

[@mattgranger]

Thanks for the story. I was using a strap.

[@joeyassyrian]

Do you think it's a bad idea to leave it disabled? I never take off my lens, I only shoot wildlife with a telephoto lol. I know the sun thing could save me from frying my sensor but I never really point at the sun for an extended period.

[@mattgranger]

If you’re not changing lenses it shouldn’t matter

[@terryrigby4068]

At least your Z9 with 180-600 attached didn't mysteriously fall off the bench seat of a safari vehicle in South Africa ripping out the lens mount rendering the camera useless for the rest of the safari. 😢

[@tqlla]

I would use something softer like a toothpick to push the shield out of the way. the safety pin is sharp, could scratch the sensor. That being said, sensors are usually pretty scratch resistant.

[@eddie1388]

I must say, the service of Nikon Hong Kong is completely shit. Guys there were helpless to customers.

[@mattgranger]

I don't find that at all

[@brucecenterwall1270]

It would be great to go to Iceland.......

[@alanoakley3242]

Me 15 minutes ago: "My Z9's sensor shield is the greatest thing. I've never even seen my sensor. I trust it's there and if I ever get curious, I'll look at pictures of someone else's. Why expose my sensor to atmospheric detritus when I have a shield to protect it whenever my lenses cannot." Me now: "Hmm. I just noticed how precariously the shutter shield's blades are secured in place and I'm totally unsurprised that even a minor fall could dislodge them. To save $400, maybe I should change my ways."

[@JoopZweetsok]

Your voice sounds like a AI robot

[@SanoyNimbus]

if the camera did have a shutter (closed for protection) or open ... You could either be stranded with a useless camera (Canon/Sony) or with a scratch in the sensor (Nikon/Sony/Canon) ... :)

[@savrah]

Warning - annoying paperlike ad on the way.

[@Xirpzy]

So technically it did its purpose and protected the sensor. Hopefully they work on the design so its easy replaceable and have parts more available

[@mattgranger]

No. Nothing impacted the sensor shield

[@johnd7564]

Can't believe you didn't show the sensor cover after the fix - is the melted bit gone? ;)

[@mattgranger]

Yes. Replaced.

[@Robert-R]

I'm getting a little concerned that the shutter guard on the Z8/9 didn't get as robust of a design as it should have. Not a big concern, but it's piquing my curiosity. Two months ago I had seen a video from a small channel from two guys in the UK regarding the shutter guard breaking on the Z8 that one of them owns. The camera was only 6 months old and supposedly no impacts/drops etc involved. It just fell apart in a similar fashion as yours after changing a lens and turning the camera back on. The top leaf pops out of the linkage. In his case the pieces of the shutter guard scratched the sensor. Coincidentally, they just posted another video yesterday on this with an update stating that after 2 months he's still waiting for the Z8 to be returned and Nikon UK have said they can't get the parts and don't have an estimate as to when they could. I had chalked up his experience as a one off, but after hearing about the shutter guard breaking on your Z9 it may be something to keep an eye on. Granted, your Z9 had a significant impact associated with it, but that doesn't mean that it takes that level of impact to cause the failure. My Z9 has been trouble free after 1 year but my usage is much lower. Time will tell and I would not be surprised to see the Mk II versions of these bodies get a redesign of the shutter guard.

[@alfabravofilm]

Butter fingers? At a certain age it is normal. And above all it's normal when you don't use the shoulder strap... but it's very professional not to use it... 🙄🙄🤔

[@mattgranger]

I was using a strap. Accidents happen

[@alfabravofilm]

@@mattgranger It's true, they can happen but it would be good to prevent them. I have always taught my daughter, who is older than you, to think and predict. Accidents are always around the corner. If you come to visit me in Italy, where I am currently, in one of the most beautiful and evocative places in Tuscany, I could teach you many things and I would also let you use my Nikon F5 film camera.