Need Immediate help-D90 broken shoot button

On vacation in Bali at Tulamben. Going to Alor in 1.5 days.

Between dives, the 'fire' button for taking pics broke. My nexus housing will not reach/touch the remaining piece of plastic. Seems I have read of this happening before, maybe here. A brief search did not find it. The internet connection here is SLOW so doing a long search would be...well... LONG.

Anyone know of this problem and know the fix?

Jeff Mullins is planning to fix it in a few hrs but he has not seen it yet. Wondering if you can just pull out the remaining 'stem' that is still in the camera and re-glue the head to the stem and put it back into the camera.

Thinking the stem is glued in and this might not work.

The cheap plastic shooting button from Nikon has a flat head with a very thin stem. The stem is connected into the camera, perhaps glued into the hole present. Its a very weak point with the stem so thin. No need for it to be that thin but the point here is not critique it but find a fix NOW.

At Tulamben, going to Sanur tomorrow, Kupang the following day then to Alor for a 1 week liveaboard trip - my first week long one. Its a once in a lifetime event for me so this is really a bad time for issues.

If no other fix can be found, might try to find a D90 on Bali to buy...would love a used one but not likely for sale here.

Suggestions or information anyone?

Jeff is your man!!! He WILL fix it! Dont worry:)

Diggy

On vacation in Bali at Tulamben. Going to Alor in 1.5 days.

Between dives, the 'fire' button for taking pics broke. My nexus housing will not reach/touch the remaining piece of plastic. Seems I have read of this happening before, maybe here. A brief search did not find it. The internet connection here is SLOW so doing a long search would be...well... LONG.

 

Anyone know of this problem and know the fix?

Jeff Mullins is planning to fix it in a few hrs but he has not seen it yet. Wondering if you can just pull out the remaining 'stem' that is still in the camera and re-glue the head to the stem and put it back into the camera.

Thinking the stem is glued in and this might not work.

 

The cheap plastic shooting button from Nikon has a flat head with a very thin stem. The stem is connected into the camera, perhaps glued into the hole present. Its a very weak point with the stem so thin. No need for it to be that thin but the point here is not critique it but find a fix NOW.

 

At Tulamben, going to Sanur tomorrow, Kupang the following day then to Alor for a 1 week liveaboard trip - my first week long one. Its a once in a lifetime event for me so this is really a bad time for issues.

 

If no other fix can be found, might try to find a D90 on Bali to buy...would love a used one but not likely for sale here.

 

Suggestions or information anyone?

Hi Dave,

sorry to hear of your camera failing, starting to get even more nervous about mine!

The thread with others having the same issue is here. Really hope Jeff can solve your issue.

Cheers,

Jim.

Dave if you can't read the thread due to your connection it looks like one answer is to keep the button in place with a piece of duct tape cut in a circle large enough to hold it. Guessing you could also use a thin flexible rubber or plastic glued down to hold it in place. I'm sure Jeff can fix you up.

Have fun partner,

Steve

Dave if you can't read the thread due to your connection it looks like one answer is to keep the button in place with a piece of duct tape cut in a circle large enough to hold it. Guessing you could also use a thin flexible rubber or plastic glued down to hold it in place. I'm sure Jeff can fix you up.

 

Have fun partner,

Steve

The "fix" was to use duct tape on the cracked button. If you got no stinking button, try duct taping down part of a pencil eraser. Good joss!

Bob

i used surgical tape for mine from the boats first aid kit and it worked - duct tape is the way to go though.

I was also thinking that if i could not find the button to sacrifice a piece of my wetsuit neck seal?

Thanks to everyone for the assistance and connection to the thread. Exactly what I am needing.

I find out Jeff's fix in 2 hrs. Waking at my usual 2:00 am from the time change. I thought Ambien CR would last longer...grrr..

Waiting until 7 when the camera will be available to me again. Reading more than I expected this trip...rather than sleeping.

Both Aquatica and Nexus housings have the issue at hand. Not certain about other housings but its likely for triggers. The tiny stem Nikon used for installing the flimsy fire button is not strong enough. Its all made for a vertical down push. We all are using a finger trigger that presses across the button, not straight down. It does not take the stress well.

Another woman here has an Aquatica housing. She has had it only a few months but dives often. The 'chrome' color has already rubber off the button. Breaking in the future is likely.

So glad Nikon saved the $0.50 or less a metal button and stem would cost. We certainly would have resisted that extra price when buying.

Jeff Mullins mentioned he sees the same with some Canon models but I did not ask which one's.

He felt certain he could fix it last night. Seemed like he has fixed several Nikons and Canons with this issue, from the sound of it.

JimSwims,

Jeff Mullins suggested perhaps removing the rubber cover of the housing 'fire' lever. Then the metal could at least slide across the plastic camera button. He was considering installing something on the camera fire button to allow better sliding but not certain what. The rubber part on the housing prevents sliding easily, adding to the stress on the stem. Not certain how this effects the trigger moving distance however. The trigger feel is so nice on the Nexus housing, I am hoping I can get this fixed without losing that feature.

If I can survive with my wits, I will try to have a matching part machined out of stainless steel when back home. I have a machinist friend that seems to like challenges. Getting the tiny nearly worthless stem drilled out of the camera will be a challenge however but I will leave that to him as well.

If he makes one and it works, I will ask if he can make more and I will offer them here for no profit to me to whoever needs them. Once setup, I suspect he might be able to make them easily but I am not certain...not knowing that trade well.

Jim

Know that little black plastic block for the housing front that is for installing the WAY overpriced Nexus spotting light fixture? My friend machined one of aluminum with a 1/4-20 thread and holes for installing on the housing front. I bought a ULCS 1/4-20 thread to ball part and it all works wonderfully. A bit of galvanizing paint covers the new Al part. Works great with a big blue light on an arm, with some bouancy additions. I rigged up a little bouancy addition, let me know if you want any details.

And as expected, The Liberty dive with no camera was perfect. First time with no current this week. Fish coming up and nearly bumping my mask. HUGE bumphead parrotfish with no cares in the world, posing nicely. If the camera is working again today, I expect that will all be over. But, it was nice to just be a diver again for a change...enjoying the lovely scenery and not feeling the internal stress of trying to accomplish something in particular.

Dave

The main issue is the housing lever does not hit the fire button in the center, it seems.

Our first tape attempt lasted 1/3 of a dive. Grrr. Nudi's posing, no shooting. But can do a better tape job.

Off to Alor and will try another repair on the boat.

Thinking of not using the power on/off, always putting power ON before loading into housing. Also putting back light to Always On since it will turn off in a few sec. This would likely allow the FIRE lever to be bent/adjusted enough to reach the center...or at least far closer to the center...of the fire button. The ON/Off would likely conflict with the fire button otherwise.

Its a work in progress. Will overnight in Kupang for tonight so might have internet access if anyone has comments on this approach.

dave

Using duct tape is good fix in the field. If you still have the two little pieces to the button, just put tape them back down and then you will be good to go and lnot lose out during your trip. Several of us on here have experienced this problem. As Steve menetioned, look at the thread he posted a link to. Jean at Aquatica was very responsive to this issue and they came up with a fix for the problem.

If you camera is under warranty, when you get they will fix it for free, but they fix it with the same type of button - so it will break again. Most of us are going to keep the duct tape in place (as extra insurance).

Let us know how it turns out - DiverPam

The length of the 90 deg arm on the shuttle release control shaft is slightly adjustable via a set screw. You should be able to align the rubber tip of the arm with the center of the camera button. Had to initially readjust on my D300 before use. Hope you can come up with a fix good enough to complete your trip. I know this doesn't solve broken button problem, but recheck control tip alignment.

Thanks to all for the support and ideas for the problem Duct tape worked fairly well for most of the trip. Had to re-tape it 2 times to get it sufficiently tight to get consistent results.

jcclink, thanks for the comment regarding arm length. I had not noticed this adjustment and will see what I can do.

Pam,

I believe its a 1 yr warranty and I am past that date. I do have insurance with $100 deduct. on all my camera gear but as you state, they repair it with the same equipment. After holiday season is over, I might get the repair so the tape would be an added support rather than the only support.

I have returned from INDO. The diving was great. I was prepared for the poverty. I was not prepared for the litter issues. Photo's posted in the future.

dave

I had the same problem with my D90. Been using tape for a year now with no problems. Wish I could bring my self to send it in for a new button, but it is my only camera at the moment.