Cost of 10 pin socket repair?

Can anyone - preferably in the UK - give me an idea of what it costs to have a D800 10 pin socket replaced/repaired?

 

Or alternatively, how difficult is a DIY fix?

 

I bought the D800 shortly after release, and it had to be immediately returned with a faulty or misaligned AF sensor.

 

Then 2 years ago the 'joystick' switch lost its self-centring and just wobbles about. It still works, but has to be pressed harder than before and just feels wrong.

 

Now, after inserting a remote release, the 10 pin socket just popped into the body and can't be used. Grrrrr!

 

Since I'm retired, the camera has had no hard professional use. In fact fairly light use I'd say. So this really isn't good enough for a semi-pro body.

 

I'm not happy with Nikon at all now, and if I buy another camera, it won't be a Nikon. Especially since the trade-in value of my D800 has now plummeted thanks to its shoddy construction.

You can get a quick estimate by phone. I do that with Authorized Photo Repair in Morton Grove, IL. Hurry, though. Nikon is discontinuing their support at the end of March (unless miracles happen). I'm sure Nikon service will give you an estimate by phone, if they're more convenient.

 

I'm pretty sure there will be a fair amount of disassembly. If there's something else you would like fixed (switches, weather sealing, rear display), that would be a good time to do it.

Wow! I'd missed this design flaw. I never had a D800, I went from a D3 & D700 to a D810.

 

The only price I came across was $255 back in 2014. So who knows?

 

Seems Nikon are in full denial mode about this problem.

I would give Fixation a ring:

 

Camera Repair | Lens Repair | Fixation UK

 

From previous threads, it sounds like getting at the socket requires major disassembly and maybe replacing the rubber grips you have to remove to access the screws.

It's been several years ago, but I recall that it cost about $250 to open the case, plus the cost of parts and repairs. The switch on the prism of my D3, to select the metering pattern, failed. At the same time, they cleaned the rear LCD, which had water marks from rain or sweat. I can't find the invoice, or I would give better information, but the total cost was about $350.

It's been several years ago, but I recall that it cost about $250 to open the case

Gee! What happened to the days when all you had to do was pry off a bit of leather-cloth at most, and undo a few screws to release the metal plates that covered most of the controls?

 

I wouldn't mind if I'd taken a hammer and chisel to the socket, but I was already aware that others had discovered how easily the socket could be damaged. So I used the least finger pressure I could to push the plug onto the damned socket.

 

It looks as if the plastic insert was just friction-fitted into the metal outer ring. Maybe a good dose of epoxy resin adhesive wouldn't have gone amiss during its assembly.

Edited January 30, 2020 by rodeo_joe|1

Maybe a good dose of epoxy resin adhesive wouldn't have gone amiss during its assembly.

Err, how about now?

 

Is it possible to pull it back out straight?

I wouldn't mind if I'd taken a hammer and chisel to the socket, but I was already aware that others had discovered how easily the socket could be damaged. So I used the least finger pressure I could to push the plug onto the damned socket

Don't ask to borrow equipment from me ;)

 

I've been using 10-pin sockets as long as they have been used on Nikon cameras, and nary a problem. PC sockets are another issue.

Holy Smokes! :eek:

 

Just casually researching this topic turns up a staggering number of similar complaints, all of which (per usual) Nikon pretends to never have heard of when you ask them about it. Seems the only time corporate ever copped to the 10 pin socket being poorly installed in the D800 as a factory defect was in a German service center email (which means bupkis outside Germany). Thom Hogan claims Nikon confirmed to him the pricey repair includes deep disassembly to add a screw-in retaining ring to firmly hold the socket to the inner body shell. Apparently it was just floating freely via friction fit in several runs of D800, which is why (d'oh) it pushes in and dislodges so easily for some owners.

 

At least the 10 pin socket issue is definitively repairable. Other D800 issues, not so much: I knew about Nikon's total ineptitude at fixing the left side AF issue in bodies that were afflicted, but was surprised to read a number had D600-style oil spewing, and/or issues with the rear chassis coming un-moored after a couple years (unrepairable at any price). Methinks I'll skip the D800 and jump straight to a D850 when I upgrade...

 

Good luck, rodeo_joe: you might try contacting Nikon UK Repair directly and escalating a claim for an out-of-warranty factory defect. This never works in USA due to our lax consumer laws, but some owners in Europe have been able to wrangle a steep discount off the socket repair fee. Worth a try.

Edited January 30, 2020 by orsetto

Slightly off topic: that 10-pin connector is a real pain to use, and it is technology dating back from the 1980's film era, maybe even earlier. It is tough to screw something onto it and remove it. I really hope Nikon will replace that interface in future cameras.

I've been using 10-pin sockets as long as they have been used on Nikon cameras, and nary a problem.

It seems Nikon really messed up on the D800 (and seemingly sometimes the D800E) 10pin socket mounting.

 

No-one knows if they actually forgot the inside locking collar on a batch or realised half-way through the manufacturing run that just a push-fit was plain stupid.

There are some (not cheap) third-party accessories like CamRanger that can use the mini-USB port instead of the 10-pin port. Quite a few D800 owners with bad 10-pin sockets decide its more cost effective to spend + - $200 on one of those than sink the money into a depreciating DSLR. The USB trigger can be transferred to another camera when you eventually upgrade, investing in D800 socket repair will never be recouped. Depends on your priorities: if all you need is remote triggering and intervalometer, third party USB device could be a solution. For GPS, we're stuck with the 10 pin unless you're game for dealing with cumbersome synchronizing of external GPS data with your photo editing software. Unfortunately D800 can't do the D850 trick of pulling GPS data off your phone.

Unfortunately D800 can't do the D850 trick of pulling GPS data off your phone.

My main use for the socket was with a Bluetooth modem to communicate with a GPS 'dongle'. :(

 

I also used it for remote release, but the self-timer usually suffices when the camera is tripod-mounted.

Contact Nikon repair FIRST. One of my D800s had the 10-pin problem back in 2013. The counter guy at Nikon Los Angeles told me that if my other D800 developed the issue, Nikon would repair it for free no matter when I brought in in, warranty-wise.

Contact Nikon repair FIRST

Always worth a try.

 

However, as Nikon hasn't acknowledged the issue, it's unlikely.

 

They may do it for free to be 'nice'..... :)

There are some (not cheap) third-party accessories like CamRanger that can use the mini-USB port instead of the 10-pin port. Quite a few D800 owners with bad 10-pin sockets decide its more cost effective to spend + - $200 on one of those than sink the money into a depreciating DSLR. The USB trigger can be transferred to another camera when you eventually upgrade, investing in D800 socket repair will never be recouped. Depends on your priorities: if all you need is remote triggering and intervalometer, third party USB device could be a solution. For GPS, we're stuck with the 10 pin unless you're game for dealing with cumbersome synchronizing of external GPS data with your photo editing software. Unfortunately D800 can't do the D850 trick of pulling GPS data off your phone.

I use it exclusively for a GPS unit, which is more or less glue to the socket, and the GPS has also a 10-pin socket to be used by the remote control. In fact I have two GPS, one for D850 and one for D810 the latter without a 10-pin socket. The reason that I leave them plugged in is not to protect the socket in the camera, but with the size of my fingers, it is impossible, so I have to use a pliers. The local airport has numerous number of my pliers, as I forget to take them out of the bag, and they are "far too dangerous to bring onboard the plane"

The local airport has numerous number of my pliers, as I forget to take them out of the bag, and they are "far too dangerous to bring onboard the plane"

What do they think you're going to do? Dismantle the plane in midair, bolt-by-bolt? Threaten to pinch the cabin staff's bottoms unless you're flown to Cuba?

Ridiculous!

rodeo joe|1 I think the pliers are about 2.5mm in the tip, so I am a potential terrorist - they are crazy as I am and look like built for comfort not for speed !!

I nearly lost some allen keys (for QR plates) that I'd carelessly left in my camera bag. I think security thought they were a weapon rather than something I'd use to unscrew the plane. Being nice and grovelling at a manager let me get away with it. I don't know why airlines don't have an obvious "oh, this won't go through security, perhaps it could go in a bag the cabin staff could look after" option for similar small items - I lost a penknife with some sentimental value when I forgot it was on my keys, and I'd already checked my hold baggage.

 

I think I was aware of the D800's 10-pin connector being an issue. Nikon do seem to have fixed a number of things in later iterations; I don't know who did the design for the D800, but I hope words were had. I've generally found Nikon UK (in Richmond) to be reasonably friendly, and they may help if Fixation don't. I haven't heard of NIkon USA's discontinuation of third-party repairs extending to the UK, but I may have missed it.

I tried grabbing the socket with some needle-nose pliers to reseat it, but there's not enough room between the 'plastic bit' and the surrounding metal to get a good grip.

 

I'm now mulling over designs for a custom gripper to grab the plastic insert. Thoughts vary between a Chinese finger-trap design to a length of split metal tubing that can be levered onto the stupid now-floating POS plastic.

I wonder whether a SMALL blob of hot-melt glue on a piece of dowel would hold it enough to pull it out and non permanent enough to easily waggle off later?

 

or a very small self taping screw into one of the 'least' important sockets?

I wonder whether a SMALL blob of hot-melt glue on a piece of dowel would hold it enough to pull it out and non permanent enough to easily waggle off later?

 

That would be my suggestion too.

 

Or even some double sided tape, anything sticky enough to grab on contact without needing to apply much pressure. It's a common trick used for small mechanical components.

 

 

or a very small self taping screw into one of the 'least' important sockets?

 

Or drilled/tapped/screwed into some of the plastic between the sockets.

 

 

Either way, I'd be afraid that it would just push back in the first time you tried to connect anything though, needs something to fix it in place from behind.

Perhaps a set of snap ring pliers with tips fine enough to fit in the holes?

Not wishing to be a miserable old **** but I suspect that the force needed to engage 10 sprung contacts is going to exceed the force you can apply with double sided tape or whatever and even if you can won't the socket just pop back in again when you try fitting the plug? Wish I had a better idea.

needs something to fix it in place from behind.

I haven't found a teardown that actually shows what is supposed to keep it in place?