I recently purchased a used 30d and noticed that the viewfinder data line is dim and hard to read. For example, it's hard to tell if I see 2.0 or 2.8. Some of th "bars" that make up the number appear half-lit.
The status line varies in brightness based on the input from a sensor in the viewfinder. I seem to recall having some kind of situation with dirt causing mine to temporarily misbehave, but I'm having trouble remembering all the details just now. If the whole line is affected yours is probably not reading ambient light correctly and operating as if pitch black.
Inspect your entire mirror box and viewfinder area for any debris which doesn't belong there.
calemon wrote:
The whole line is dim or just one letter?
The status line varies in brightness based on the input from a sensor in the viewfinder. I seem to recall having some kind of situation with dirt causing mine to temporarily misbehave, but I'm having trouble remembering all the details just now. If the whole line is affected yours is probably not reading ambient light correctly and operating as if pitch black.
Inspect your entire mirror box and viewfinder area for any debris which doesn't belong there.
And, some were apparently just plain defective. Can you see the display change brightness in relation to ambient light? Simply move your hand in front of the lens - it should be obvious.
It doesn't seem to vary with brightness (hand over front of lens test), it almost seems like it's just a bad LED Display.
Note: the exposure level stays solid and appears to dim slightly with varying brightness, but its the aperture, shutter speed and max burst that flicker constantly.
