How often does your Nikon fails?

Recently I read a thread where a photographer said he used Nikons for 31 years without any problems

 

But my two cameras have failed two times each in 6 years. An F100 two times in 3 years and a D70 two times in 3

years. All repairs minor, but required Nikon service repair

 

I never abused my bodies. No drops, no rain, no soda, no cracks, no extreme weather. The Nikon F100 was used from

2002 to 20055, aprox 18,000 pictures. Also used a Nikon D70 from 2005 to 2008, aprox 55,000 pictures.

 

So, here is the question, how often does your body fails?

 

Just an open question to anyone, to try to find and average of body life and frequency of failures.

 

Frequency of failure for my two bodies is 1.5 years. Thats very bad, isnt it?

 

Carlos Rodriguez

I'd say so. I own 8 Nikons (3 DSLR and 5 SLR). The only failure I've ever had was when a colleague knocked over a tripod that had my FE on it. The camera still worked, but some pieces were broken off. I've owned Nikons since 1982.

Only D-SLR experience around 4 years with nearly 120,000 exposures over D70, D200, D300 and D700 not one failure (yet......)

 

Only a slightly bent aperture arm on the D200 which was me being too rough using a teleconverter (easy self fix job) All bodies purchased grey market.

I bought two Nikons in 1982, an FE and an FM, both were bought brand new. The FM has NEVER failed, but the FE was taken to Kurt's camera repair;( an authorized Nikon camera repair center, once), and then to Nikon. I had to send it to Nikon three times before they found out it was the shutter and one resistor. It worked fine for many years, but now sits in my photo cabinet, broken; same problem, and no parts to fix it.

I have owned 10 Nikon bodies since 1963...not a single failure yet!

My first Nikons were a F3 and a FT2 bought in 1980, thought; I don`t remember a body that stop working since then,

it is more than 27 years ago. I still have that F3 which I have sent time ago for service to adjust the meter. I have had

any problem with any lens, and many flash head failures. I have been lucky with Leica, too.

 

On the other side, my three Pentax cameras stopped working several times, they have been sent a lot of times for

repair (I still keep a non-working Super A which I love for its ridiculous size), my Oly stops working from time to time,

one of my Mamiyas have been living for some months at the Mamiya service (the same with the lenses), etc. No

crashes or water on all cameras, only use.

I had BGLOD with an early production D70, but no other problems with any of my bodies, film or digital.

 

My bodies over the years have included F3, F4, D1H, F80, F90x, F100, D100, D70 and D200. I plan on upgrading to the next pro model assuming it is announced with HD video capability and based on my previous experience, I'm not expecting any problems.

 

Regards,

 

Peter

I have been a Nikon user since 1984 (FE-FE2-D70-D90 plus an L35AF point and shoot 35mm) and never had a camera

malfunction. My 18-70 lens did have to go back to Nikon this past spring for a minor repair (good old Nikon 5 year lens

warranties!). cb

My F2AS has never been in the shop for repair since new.

You can't really compare failure rates between mechanical cameras and electronic

cameras. Electronics tend need replacing after 5 to 7 years. Stereos, televisions,

etc. Mechanical wear is more a worn metal problem than short circuites.

 

/Clay

The OP was probably referring to me since I bought my first Nikkormat back in 1977, some 31 years ago. While I have never had a camera fail in the field, my F4 had died completely, but that was a slow death. I bought my F4 back in 1990 and around 1998 or so, it started developing problems with flash sync and after 2, 3 years, it stopped switching on altogether, but by then, I had completely switched to the F5, F100 and digital so that I never bothered to get the F4 fixed. Apparently it is some kind of electronic malfunction.

 

My F100 has also developed a problem with its depth of field preview after like 3 years such that the preview feature doesn't work any more. I did get in touch with 1 or 2 other F100 owners with that same problem; apparently it is not common.

 

I have also has a few lens problems, mainly stuck aperture diaphragms, and my first SB-800 flash required warranty service to fix a circuit board.

 

I'd say it is a very solid record in over 3 decades, especially since I have taken my Nikons to many remote corners around the world under various harsh conditions.

Carlos -- 25+ years, I have lost track of the number of Nikon Bodies and lens's I have owned. One body (F90X) had an issue that required return to Nikon. Also I had a lens with a bad diaphram ~10 years ago. I have also owned (own) several LF camera systems - I have striped the cable release cleats on the copal shutters a few times (self repair / SK Grimes).. Similar story with my MF gear -- very few problems..

I've never had a failure with any of my Nikons since I bought the first one in 1990. My first 24 - 120 had to be tightened down but they all did and Nikon fixed it at no cost. I have taken some of the old bodies I bought used for a CLA, but that's it. I expect them all to be alright.

 

Conni

Sometimes, maybe sometimes, they really don't make 'em like they used to. I think we used to almost dwell on

durability and longevity as the product cycle with mechancial cameras was much longer. In my own silly life, in 1974

I bought a Nikon F2 Photomic and later a Nikkormat EL. The F2 died in 2001 (27 yr life) while the Nikkorrmat is still

fine, tho I've had to replace foam a couple of times. Heavy amateur use here, nothing approaching a pro's shooting

rate of course. The world of electronics is one laden with mega-features, and upgrades abound, so the concept of a

life cycle is being supplanted by 'I need the next latest and greatest' ... styrafoam cups, PlayStations and mayhaps

Nikons (some jaded humor here). I bought my macho D200 and within 5 weeks while I was shooting outside the

shutter release went 'sprong' and flew out of the camera with another bit and a spring, fortunately on a basketball

court. I noticed that the shutter button is a plastic shaft that reduces down to less than 1/8th inch post that is held in

place with a spring fahnestock clip. OK, so while not threaded metal, it does allow for rapid assembly, undoubtedly

usually is fine and things like this keep the price point where I can afford this wonderful camera. I guess I really don't

expect the D200 to last 27 years either, like my F2 had. My 2 cents ... now I have to go out and pound in some

snow fence stakes with my RB67 and my Nikon F4sbodies, until I find my missing 5 lb hammer anyways. Jim M. :-)

<I>Sometimes, maybe sometimes, they really don't make 'em like they used to. I think we used to almost dwell on

durability and longevity as the product cycle with mechancial cameras was much longer. In my own silly life, in

1974</I> ...

<P>

Somehow I just don't believe in that.

<P>

I grew up with my grandparents, and my grandmother used to say the very same thing (in general, not about

cameras) back in the 1960's. By her logic, somehow products made in the 1960's were not as durable as those

made presumably a few decades earlier. Of course, I wasn't around back then.

<P>

With that kind of reasoning, those F2's manufactured in the 1970's, a decade after my grandmother's comment,

should have poor quality.

<P>

As long as you don't abuse them, the D2X's, the D3's etc. should be durable. The problem is that technologies

improve rapidly. Whether you still want to use an "ancient" D3 10 years from now is another question, even though

the camera may still be working perfectly. E.g., in 2018, how can you still possibly use a camera without the video

mode? :-)

I had a Nikon P&S fail around 2000, but no failures on my SLRs or DSLRs.

Total failure? Never. Any type of failure attributable to product defect? Never. Failure due to poor design? One. Limited failures attributable to reasonable problems such as age or environmental conditions, a few:

 

1. My battered old MD-4 motor drive (for my F3HP) occasionally gets cranky. Not sure whether the motor needs servicing or it's just sensitive to battery position, but a good whack usually gets it going again. Only happens when not used for awhile or after replacing batteries.

 

2. The flimsy plastic door latch on my N6006 broke. Wasn't even banged around, it just snapped off. The camera still works fine. I tape the film door shut with blue masking tape. Not so much a product defect as a poor design.

 

3. Two or three years ago the D2H got cranky a couple of days after I photographed a residential fire. Spent several hours in heavy fog and mist (it never quite rained, but everything was soaking wet after a few hours). I dried the camera and all equipment under a fan. The lens, SB-800, etc., never had a problem. But after a couple of days the D2H would no longer communicate with my AF Nikkors that had aperture rings. It continued to work fine with my AF-S G Nikkors and manual focus lenses. Nikon fixed it under warranty. No problems since.

 

I've had very few design or quality control failures with any camera equipment from any manufacturer over the decades, and none with Nikon. Most problems were reasonable, due to age or other factor. All things considered most cameras continue to work remarkably well despite indifferent handling and neglect for many years.

Carlos, I own several Nikon cameras, and only one has yet to experience a failure, which also happens to be my

oldest body. The Nikkormat FT3 had it's mirror return spring break. So far the F3HP, N80, and D300 are going

strong with zero problems (knock on a photograph of wood); each of them purchased NIB. Along those same lines,

I've never had a Nikkor lens problem, nor have I ever had issues with any other Nikon product. I hope Nikon plans

to continue along with it's trend of manufacturing high quality and durable camera equipment, and not succumb to

cutting corners at the expense of durability.

The meter selector switch on my F100 failed in the first year. The shift lock of my 24mm PC-E has stopped working. Then there is the

F70, which had faulty metering (the spot meter didn't work and Ai(-S) lenses underexposed by 1 stop), until Nikon figured a way to fix it.

My 80-200/2.8's A/M switch broke after some years of use. The 70-200's aperture got sticky in the cold, resulting in images unintentionally

being shot wide open.

 

Under no circumstances has my Nikon equipment stopped working in such a way that a picture could not at all be taken.

Shun (and OP) - I had almost the identical experience with an F4s - after about 5 years, the flash sync (using

SB25s/26s) began to become problematic, and unfortunately it originally manifested itself during a wedding when

the shutter would open, not flash and then not close unless I went to 'B'. Changed immeditately to my trusty old

F2s and kept going. During a break, I changed all batteries - no difference. Sent it to Nikon and while it worked

mostly, there were still occasional sync hiccups so I retired it early and used my F3/F2 until the F5 came out.

 

As with many here, I've owned more Nikon bodies than I can remember and none other then the above

mentioned F4s has ever needed anything other than an occasional COA. --Rich

My first Nikon was an FM which I got back in 1980 I believe. I've had about 5-6 slr bodies. None has ever failed me. I currently own an N90s which has no problems...

 

I have two dslr, a D200 & a D300. The D300 has about 20,000 actuations on it while the D200 only has about 15,000 - - neither has ever given me a problem.

 

I had a Nikon P&S a Coolpix 4500 - - I had that camera for about 6 years & it did not ever fail me. I sold it to a man in Portugal who gave it to his girlfriend to use for her work as a dentist. Last I heard it was still going strong.

 

So - - so far not ever...

 

Lil :-)

Here I got a used Nikon F in 1962 and it has never failed. BUT folks seem to want to give it foam when the camera has a cord damper and a CLA too. In the future folks will want to replace the muffler bearings on you old D300; or add a zerk fitting and replace the Zebart coatings; since they are all experts. Peanut brain folks assume that all Nikon F's are same; and thus the urge to add foam is great; like a dog watering a hydrant. If its worked all these years with the stock damper; retrofitting it with foam would then just add an item that degrades ;and keep the sleezy repair chaps with cash flow. <BR><BR>With a several used Nikkormats of the 1960s and new one in 1973; they never failed. Friends that had Nikkorex F's had them fail alot; they once were considered total crap. With a NEW black body Nikkormat Ftn-K bought in 1974; it had a mean time to failure of just a few rolls; it was a lemon; ie total garbage. It lived in Garden City repairs more than I owned it; it was there 3 or 4 times; it died every time after I got it back after just a few rolls; shutter jammed again. It finaly got stolen; a good measure.<BR><BR>With very very early Nikon F2's there were shutter tearing issues; I have friends that got brand new F2's and the died with a torn shutter curtain; now these teething issues are long forgotten; and some folks (newbies) seem to think that all F2's were perfect. <BR><BR>With the early downsized Nikons of the 1970's there were some shutter issues too . I had some buddies have them jam up while the old Nikon F's were still working along. Again these issues are often forgotten; folks today think all were perfect.l<BR><BR>The early Nikon EM and FG's had failures too; I owned one of these once too. The FG was fixed Ok; the EM was a revolving door repair; a money pit to dump money into; with each "repair" to be the final one. In my book I would rather carry a Nikkorex F or a Signet 35 to shoot a wedding than 10,000 Nikon EM's; since my experience is these are better. The frustrating thing with the Nikon EM was it was my girlfriends favorite camera; the wind lever fell off; then the rewind; then it would jam; with each repair to be the final one. I finally THREW the camera body of the cliff at the Cross in Ventura; abit more toward the "Avenue/33" than the ocean side IF you want to find it. We later got another EM and it got torn up and jammed too; we buried this at sea in New Zealand with a proper eulogy.. At some point its abit nuts to keep on dumping cash into a device that fails again in short order; and one should just put it out of its/your misery. <BR><BR>

With my brothers two Nikon F3HP's one jammed after just a dozen or two rolls righet before a vacation; thats why he bought another one! With several used Nikon F2's here I have never had them fail; except one that went under a salt water in Katrina

My first Nikon was a D70. It would fail on me annualy. My second Nikon is the D300. Its comming up on its 1st anniversary next month. Hopefully there won't be a repeat performance.

 

I have been shooting 30+ years with cameras of all different makes. Some of them were purchased used and in pretty rough shape. Never had a problem with any of them. I guess sooner or later ones luck runs out and you get one with a problem. What got me to try another Nikon was the good service recieved from Nikon in Melville NY and the fact I like the ergonomics and performance of there product.

 

Steve

In Nikkormat's with meters; ie FT; FTn; FTn-K, FT2; FT3 the resistive ring sliding contact can get wonky/flaky due to corrosion; dirt; old age. Here the meter may appear "dead" and a few aperture pin rotations back an force will often clean of the contact; and all works ok again. With abrasive grit and sand or just alot of usage the ring can wear thru and fail too; and thus the meter pin/tab exercise doesnt fix it. <BR><BR>In Nikon F's with meters sometimes the meter arm/deal would get goofed up; one carried a golf tee to unjam it.<BR><BR> Leaky batteries in a cameras stored away is a very common thing; the contacts then get resistance; or "failures" of the user to know how to use it. (Like a bad Kodak Retina; that works once a roll of film is in place); or somebody shooting strobes above the sync speed; or using the M socket for strobe on a Nikkormat; or not setting the asa/iso correctly. <BR><BR>Manytimes cameras that come in for repairs have no failures at all; its just a "user educatonal issue"; like the reflex mirror is left locked up; battery is upsidedown; or its the wrong battery; or its a dead battery; or the is just a tad slow becasue it has not been used for a decade or two. Or the lens of a collector is stiff to rotate because it never gets any usage.

I had two F2 photomic bodies since 1973, never a problem. Sold them over two years ago to buy two D70s bodies, no problems as of yet.

I'm looking forward to trading up to two D300 bodies in the near future (and based on the functions of the D300 and my photography

needs, they could very well be last cameras I will need to buy, unless of course my needs change).