D7000 mode dial, again and again

I complained about the shooting mode dial before and I cannot stop complaining about it.  Just yesterday, I was at a gathering and a number of shots were underexposed.  The mode dial got changed to the "M" position by accident.  I guess on my way from one location to another, I must have scraped the dial against my hip where the camera dangled to.  It was a good thing I checked the LCD from time to time or I would have walked out with dark pictures only

D7100 mode dial.  Image from Nikon's website.

Nikon has heard enough from their customers.  The Nikon D7100 was released recently with a brand new mode dial lock button!  This is absolutely one of the best designs I have seen since the days of the D80, when I started complaining about the dial.  Seven years late but at least it is available now.  I so want to upgrade just because of this button but I just cannot really justify it.  So, I will keep on complaining about the dial until my D7000 dies or until I sell it.

Maybe I could use gaffe tape around the dial to smoothe out the side.  The tape will not last but should be good enough for one setting.

D7000 mode dial, again

This darn problem has come back to bite me in the arse more than a couple of times now. It happened yesterday. I was shooting with my D7000 and SB900, in auto aperture mode when by accident I knocked the dial off position to manual mode. Because some time passed before I shot again in a darker area, I originally thought it was because of lighting. I was shooting slower than usually. I thought that was odd though, so after a handful of shots, I checked all my settings. True enough, this darn dial did bite me in the arse yet once more.

Again, I wished Nikon built the dial like the Canon--I'd send my camera in for a dial replacement any day.  (See:  Photon Farmers: D7000 mode dial)

Addendum:  After writing this blog, I found a solution that someone implemented using heat shrink tubing.  I do not have such tubing nor do I have gaffer tape that some other people suggested, so I will bear with the annoyance for now.  Here is the link for anyone interested in a DIY solution:  http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1024765

D7000 mode dial

I wish Nikon has something like this:

http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/products/cameras/slr_cameras/eos_7d?pageKeyCode=prdAdvDetail&docId=0901e02480245968