This is what I got back by Nikon/Germany (thanks for the quick response, Nikon!):
- they know this problem
- it occurred to "some" users with "unspecified conditions/setups"
- Nikon persumes that it might be caused by the compact flash's condition (bite-level)
I won't send my D3 to Nikon as they will not be able to repoduce the error, I'm sure.
Lets hope that Nikon will take this problem seriously and that theit developers will fix it with a firmware-update in future.
Had the problem again yesterday evening. Not on a shooting, but it's still very annoying...Again with the Nikkor 85/1,4 attached! With original Nikon-battery.
Nikon, please solve this problem soon! For such an expensive camera as the D3, this must not happen!
Talked to a Nikon-technician on a local photography-fair last weekend. He told me to format the compact flash cards with the Windows-format-tool. Furthermore, he said the problem might occur most likely with larger compact flash cards like > 8GB.
I'm not satisfied with this answer as I know that these problems might occur each time again.
I ask myself: Is Nikon not capable to cope with these larger cards
If you want to try FW 2.00 and are unable to find it, shoot me an email and I can send it to you. Its fairly simple to try different firmware and see if it resolves your issue.
I shoot with a D3, D700 and D300. I used to format all the cards in the D3 and use them in any camera. I started getting a cd error on a regular basis.
I then switched to formatting the cards in the cameras they were intended to be used in along with designating certain cards to the same body and the error has never come back.
I have read arguments before of people saying that all cameras format cards to fat32 so it doesn't matter where you use after it has been formatted. So I thought this would be safer than formatting cards in camera while on a job and potentially erasing images. (a full card shot with the D3 will show up as empty when loaded in the D700 btw)...
Also....One time I received a cd error and I did the old turn off and on the camera trick etc... and I was then able to continue shooting and review the images on the back.... but when I got home every image I shot after the point of receiving the error had to be recovered with image recovery software and the card was corrupted. I was also amazed at how many images were stuck behind from really old shoots from different cameras.
I honestly think it is just a formatting/card issue.. I would suggest clearing of the card on your computer and then put it in the camera you intend to use and reformatting...
eta: call me crazy but I am also convinced that scrolling through too many images too fast on the card when reviewing can introduce this error as well...
