NEED HELP FAST! - d200 grip stuck!

Dangleman

Dangleman

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My run of bad luck seems to be continuing. Not sure what I've done to anger the photography gods.
Basically my MBD200 grip that goes on the D200 has decided to break. I put it on this evening, screwed it on as normal then it got stuck and wouldn't come off. Now the whole screwing mechanism seems to be broken (just turns with no cogs making any connection) and I cannot get the thing off, or screw it on tight enough to make a proper connection, rendering the camera pretty much unusable!

I need to use this camera for a job tomorrow.

What the F***ing hell do I do!?
 
Is it a genuine Nikon grip ?, not that it matters, if you need the camera tomorrow there's no chance of a post out repair.
I'd remove the grip, break it if necessary, dismantle being careful not to damage d200 obviously, and buy another grip.
If you can't get it off without damaging the body.....you're stuffed:shake:
 
Hi Joxby - Is a genuine one yes.
I've managed to get it so it's now on enough to make a connection by using a bit of electrical tape on one side. So the panic is now off as it's now usable and actually seems to be on more securely now than it ever used to fit.

To be honest I would happily (well not happily as such) break the grip to get it off as I don't really use it much and it's always felt a bit 'flimsy'. Thing is I don't know how to get it off by force without damaging the actual camera
 
Dangleman said:
Hi Joxby - Is a genuine one yes.
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:(, that's the third fall out with a d200 grip I've read here in the last few weeks.
Doesn't bode well for the one I just ordered, its due about now.
Without seeing one in my hands, its difficult to guess how to dismantle it or break it for removal.
I suppose you just need to get to that disk and gear component, sounds like it got cross threaded, jammed and then broke off the gearing.
Didn't know there was gearing in it, I thought that disk would be directly connected to the 1/4 thread:shrug:
 
If you get a very thin screwdriver or a long needle, you might be able to insert it in the gap above the wheel, under the fixing screw. There is a cog directly under the screw, you might be able to turn it and get it off.
The whole screw/thumbwheel assembly comes off so you may be able to repair it, if you get it off the camera without damaging it too much.
If you cant repair the grip, then you will probably find someone on here :)wave:) might be selling an almost new one ;)


Allan
 
if allanm attempt fails, can you get a hacksaw blade into the gap and cut through the threaded bolt(hopefully low enough that you can grip it with pliers after to twist it out.
 
Thanks for the suggestions people, will have to think about it. As i say I actually need the D200 today so I'm not touching anything yet, as I've managed to get it on securely so it's making the right power contacts, by using a bit of tape!

I've never been impressed with the mbd200 grip tbh though. It's always felt a bit flimsy and has never screwed on really nice and snug. I think it's significant that the new grip for the D300 looks a totally different, more rugged design, and costs about twice as much too.

I'm really angry this has happened though - no point contacting Nikon is there and demanding they fix it for free??? (is out of 1 year warranty now)
 
Dangleman said:
I'm really angry this has happened though - no point contacting Nikon is there and demanding they fix it for free??? (is out of 1 year warranty now)
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It's always worth a try, they can only say no, but you might be lucky and they may say yes.
I always think it's worth asking the question.
 
Icee said:
It's always worth a try, they can only say no, but you might be lucky and they may say yes.
I always think it's worth asking the question.
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True. I can't face sending more gear away to be fixed though. I'm already a lens down (my main one) at the moment and I've got a few jobs lined up over the next few weeks, and it's really starting to hack me off. :bang:
I'm even having to hire a lens tomorrow which is more 'unncessary' expense.

I might just leave it stuck on for a while, and see how I feel in a month or so.
 
fletch5 said:
if allanm attempt fails, can you get a hacksaw blade into the gap and cut through the threaded bolt(hopefully low enough that you can grip it with pliers after to twist it out.
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Well in the end this is what I did. Tried it first between the actual cog gap but even though I thought I'd sawn through everything it just would not come off. I therefore had to saw between the grip itself and the camera body.

Ok, so now it's off and the good news is the D200 is fine and not damaged in any way (slight scuffing on the bottom but barely noticable).

Bad news
- grip is totally defunct
- as I had to saw where i did, there's now no way to grab the screw that's left in the camera body. It's actually recessed somehow, which I don't understand, so far as I can tell there's no way on earth I can get it out.

Anyone have any bright ideas?
If not I guess this camera is never going on a tripod again, not that I use one much anyway, but that's not the point is it....
 
sorry to hear that it mangled your grip, but congrats on saving the camera
 
If you can see the cross section of the bolt you cut through I'd maybe have a go with a dremel to cut a groove you could then use for a screw driver. Failing that drill two tiny holes at either side of the bolt and then insert two stiff bits of wire or similar which you can then grip with a pair of pliers to undo the thing.
 
fletch5 said:
sorry to hear that it mangled your grip, but congrats on saving the camera
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Cheers Fletch :) - it was on your advice that i concocted a special saw this weekend - basically got a few bigish hacksaw blades I had in the shed and make a 'handle' by wrapping loads of tape round one end. I broke 3 in the process but it worked a treat in the end.

As you're so full of good ideas - how do I get a recessed screw out of the camera then???
 
Dangleman said:
As you're so full of good ideas - how do I get a recessed screw out of the camera then???
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As pxl8 said, try cutting a cross section out of it using something like a dremel, then use a screwdriver to remove it. Either that or very carfully drill a hole down the middle of the screw to hollow it out, then try and collapse it in on itself.
 
pxl8 said:
If you can see the cross section of the bolt you cut through I'd maybe have a go with a dremel to cut a groove you could then use for a screw driver. Failing that drill two tiny holes at either side of the bolt and then insert two stiff bits of wire or similar which you can then grip with a pair of pliers to undo the thing.
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Hmmm. I can see the cross section yes, but it's recessed into the body by about 2 or 3mm I'd say - I really don't understand how this can be given that I sawed straight across and what must have been 1 or 2mm above the line of the camera base (if that makes sense).

I've not got a dremel - can you get one small enough to do this ie cut a groove in something only about 5mm across that's recessed? How would I go about drilling it - would need a bit/ drill built for a mouse wouldn't I? :)
 
I'd agree with above....or use one of those drill bits that bites into the screw the other way to the thread then in turn turns the screw out......I know what i mean i just cant describe it or recall the name.....

I'll admit all this sounds scary....I had a bolt stuck good on a set of cranks on a £1200 bike and I had to take a bloody great drill to it......
 
dremel's go small.....and drill bits go even smaller...

i'd happily help you with this if you were closer..
 
As ever - thanks very much guys, some really helpful advice. Not sure I'm mentally ready to take a power tool to my camera yet though.

I might leave it till I want to stick it on a tripod, and then get annoyed that I can't. Look out for the forthcoming Dangleman thread titled "Arrrrrrrrrrrg - drilled through my camera nightmare!" :D
 
Dangleman said:
As ever - thanks very much guys, some really helpful advice. Not sure I'm mentally ready to take a power tool to my camera yet though.

I might leave it till I want to stick it on a tripod, and then get annoyed that I can't. Look out for the forthcoming Dangleman thread titled "Arrrrrrrrrrrg - drilled through my camera nightmare!" :D
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Where are you based? I'm a mechanic and have used extracters lots of times. Any screw can be removed with a steady hand and a bit of patience. Chances are that because yours is below the surface, it wont be tight. You may getaway with using a sharp hard pointed item to persuade it out. ;)
 
I've only bloody fixed it (y)
Turns out it was slightly loose and with a little help from Mrs Dangleman's super strength tweezers, I got it out!

Well chuffed, but still annoyed I had to destroy a Nikon battery grip.
 
Dangleman said:
I've only bloody fixed it (y)
Turns out it was slightly loose and with a little help from Mrs Dangleman's super strength tweezers, I got it out!

Well chuffed, but still annoyed I had to destroy a Nikon battery grip.
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Well Done! :clap: Thought it might be loose.
 
Loose ??

Makes you wonder how it came to break of in the first place..
My grip must be taking the scenic route from HK, via......err......Mars :(

Probably getting shafted at customs, same as every single thing I've ever bought outside the UK..:annoyed:
 
The screw was only loose because he had to saw through it to release the grip. It didnt break off.
I've been considering getting my Nikon 200-400mm from HK but haven't managed to work out what import duty etc it will cost me. It may even be better to fly to New York and collect one thats on the shelf (confirmed).
Nikon UK are being of no help at all about delivery times.

I wouldn't have thought that you would get stung too badly on the grip?
 
so since you got the bolt out, could you put a new bolt back in? sorry, trying to picture what is going on, but havent got a battery grip to look at.
 
fletch5 said:
so since you got the bolt out, could you put a new bolt back in? sorry, trying to picture what is going on, but havent got a battery grip to look at.
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Nope. The grip is destroyed. The cogs/ screwing mechanism was broken anyway (may have been fixable if I could have got it off, I don't know), but in my first atttempt to saw through the bolt I was sawing through part of the grip itself.
 
Dangleman said:
Nope. The grip is destroyed. The cogs/ screwing mechanism was broken anyway (may have been fixable if I could have got it off, I don't know), but in my first atttempt to saw through the bolt I was sawing through part of the grip itself.
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Might be worth trying to take the grip apart (Since you have nothing to lose) and see if you can replace the entire bolt mechanism somehow.
 
and a few pics of the damage might help
 
I might post some pics later so you can have a good laugh :) To be honest I've made a bit of a mess of the grip and I don't think it's salvagable. Not pleased about this but my priority was to get it off and have a fully working camera, not damage the camera, and now I've got the bolt out I can still use the D200 on a tripod, so in a twisted way I'm quite happy now.
 
Thought I'd post about this - I recently acquired a D200 body with a grip attached, and it seemed impossible to remove. I eventually sat it on it's end (the CF door end) then applied a lot of force to both sides the wheel with the edges of my forefingers, and wore washing-up type gloves for a good grip grip, and thankfully it loosened.

I then decided to strip it down to have a look. It has three gears inside (presumably to preserve the correct rotation), and I think basically it's not made well enough to operate without lubricant. While rotating the tripod gear by hand it would randomly jam up, and I think having the tripod screw at even a slight angle exacerbates this. If somebody is trying to remove one of these I would perhaps suggest smacking the grip around on the base gently between each attempt with the wheel to ensure the tripod gear is flat.

I applied a bit of copper grease to the gears and although I haven't tested it much it doesn't randomly jam when turning the wheel when it's not attached to the camera like it did before! I would recommend anybody who uses this grip a lot to add a tiny bit of grease to the gears to help prevent this happening.
 
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