Image Quality Issue with Nikon D3s At High Frame Rates?
Photographer Jeffery S reports that at high frame rates both his Nikon D3s bodies, purchased a year apart, generate this horizontal banding effect.
I’ve not seen such an issue with my D3s, but I rarely shoot at high frame rates.
Followup from Jeffery S:
Got the D3S back from Nikon and the lines are gone when shooting high frame rates. The Bad news is that when I got the camera back the focus point grid was way off center, (due to a repair to fix red specs in the focus points that were there when I bought the camera new), and the buttons on the back were partially unresponsive.
What is happening to quality control and just basic testing at Nikon! I had problems like this when I was a Canon shooter and switched because of it. Now it is Nikon's turn to hurt my business. I don't live in a market where I can rent a camera when I have problems so I own several Nikon bodies. All but one, the D3X, is in for service right now & I just got that one back a few weeks ago!
Reader Martin H writes:
I just saw your post on the D3s banding, and it reminded me of the same banding I saw on D3s sample images and even with my D700.
The best example of this banding, which looks similar to the type you posted, is from a sample on Ryan Brenizer's site, HERE. The file in question would be of the clay figurine (5th image from the top), and the RAW can be downloaded HERE The banding in this case is vertical, and best seen in the bottom third of the image. It seems to be a pixel read-out issue (I think). D3 D700 D3s all have the same 12 pixel read out.
My D700 had the same issues, and after the DGB board was replaced, followed by a new sensor, the issue is gone....unless induced by heavy editing. My issues were largely fixed by a recalibration by Nikon, but virtually eliminated by the above mentioned replacements.
I don't know what this banding may have to do with high frame rates, but I just noticed the similarity between the banding I experienced.
