Does Nikon USA perform international repairs?

<p>I am a Canadian Nikon user with an F6 camera. Nikon of Canada is no longer capable of servicing this camera.</p>

<p>I have contacted the famous APS of Morton Grove regarding possible service. They have told me to refer to Nikon USA instead (implying that they are unable of servicing the F6).</p>

<p>I can see that the Nikon USA website has a self-service repair submission function. I was just wondering whether they perform repairs for non-US customers.</p>

<p>Thank you all.</p>

<p>I think I would contact Nikon USA with the info that Nikon Canada can't service the camera and ask. One would think that Nikon would have factory service for an F6 somewhere.</p>

<p>Why not ask them directly? Other thing to consider is that film camera bodies are incredibly inexpensive these days. You might find the cost of buying a "new" camera (used F5 or F6) less expensive than the repair of yours.</p>

<p>For example, I kept one of my 3 F5's when I hung up my film, just in case. It is barely used, in spectacular shape and I would be lucky to get $250 for it if I sold it. (I am not, so not suggesting you buy mine).</p>

<p>Just saying..........</p>

<p>No, they will not service a Canadian product.</p>

<p>Hey guys, thanks for the responses.</p>

<p>I wouldn't consider $1000 CAD - the average price for a used F6 - to be "incredibly inexpensive". I have also already put close to $700 CAD worth of services into this body - in Japan. Though the actual "service" may have only cost about half that - the rest were fees, shipping and losses due to currency conversion.</p>

<p>Which brings me back to the reason I'm here: I really would not like to take the Japan option again.</p>

<p>I have attempted to contact Mister John Crane who maintains the beautiful <em>nikonf6.net</em> website regarding service possibilities, since he wrote about having his F6 serviced and modified in late 2015 by Nikon USA. I have unfortunately received no answer.</p>

<p>I shall heed your advice and attempt to contact Nikon USA directly about this. But if they cannot (or choose not to) do it - and if a workshop as large as APS cannot do it - then I highly doubt any independent Canadian workshop can do it either.</p>

<p>Thanks again.</p>

<p>I would press the issue a little harder with Nikon Canada. The F6 is still listed as a current model on the Nikon Canada and USA website! http://en.nikon.ca/nikon-products/product/film-cameras/f6.html<br>

<br /> I would expect a current model to still be serviceable, in fact it should be serviceable for a minimum of ten years after it is discontinued! I'm kind of annoyed that Nikon hasn't came out with some sort of firmware update or modification for the F6 that would allow it to be compatible with the new "E" lenses. Again, I would expect a current model to be compatible with all current lenses!<br>

<br /> Just curious, what needs repair on your F6?</p>

<p>Hello Frank,</p>

<p>Thank you for your response. Unfortunately Nikon Canada told me that the F6 is no longer serviceable when I asked them about it back in January.</p>

<p>Here is the response from Nikon Canada, retrieved from their online communication history:</p>

<p><em>Thank you for contacting Nikon Canada.</em><br /><br /><em>Unfortunately, Nikon Japan has discontinued the parts for this product and we no longer offer repair or maintenance services for this product.</em><br /><br /><em>For a complete list of products that we can service, please see the link below:</em><br /><em>Answer Title: List of repairable Nikon products at Nikon Factory Service Centre</em><br /><em>Answer Link: <a href="https://help.nikon.ca/app/answers/detail/a_id/19313" target="_blank">https://help.nikon.ca/app/answers/detail/a_id/19313</a></em><br /><br /><em>Please contact us at <a href="http://www.nikon.ca" target="_blank">http://www.nikon.ca</a> for more sales information and application assistance. Nikon Canada Inc. would like to be of further service to you.</em><br /><br /><em>Again, thank you for your interest in Nikon Canada Inc.</em><br /><br /><em>The Nikon Team</em><br /> <br /> <em><br /></em>Indeed the F6 is not listed in the link provided.</p>

<p>The problem with my F6 is an observed inconsistent film advance. There are gaps of various widths on the film. This means I can only get 34 or 35 exposures from a nominally 36-exposure (or 37 if I'm lucky) roll.</p>

<p>In addition, during film advance, there is a strong vibration in the camera back, accompanied by a "fluttering" noise. Something akin to a helicopter rotor or a truck's jake-brakes. Not as loud, of course.</p>

<p>Hmm, I wonder if that means you have to send the camera to Japan? Maybe they just aren't providing parts to Nikon Canada.<br>

<br />Even the Nikon Global site still lists the F6 as a current model! If they're still producing them, there must be parts? I would think?</p>

<p>Addendum:</p>

<p>This is beyond the scope of my original question, but I'll write the details of the problem here.</p>

<p>This problem is <em>intermittent/inconsistent</em>.<br /> This problem <em>seems</em> to lessen/disappear if I put the camera into Continuous Silent advance mode.<br /> The vibrations <em>seem</em> to lessen if I press hard on the film back with my right thumb (where the thumb normally rests).<br /> The vibrations <em>seem</em> to be the strongest where the film rollers are located, which is right underneath the thumb-rest. Two of the film rollers (the two fixed ones) seem to press the film onto the two sprocket wheels.</p>

<p>I have an impression that something is happening with the sprocket wheels, the film rollers or both. The film rollers rotate freely and loosely when I spin them with my fingers. The sprocket wheels are also freely moving to a degree - this is outlined in the manual regarding frame-number alignment. Also outlined in the manual is the observation of film advance with the back open. I have done this with two "dead" rolls and can see that the film seems to be advancing normally. The perforations however are not engaged with the sprocket wheels, probably because the film rollers are not pressing down on the film.</p>

<p>Are the sprocket wheels supposed to be motorized?</p>

<p>Hello Frank,</p>

<p>I have asked Nikon Canada about possibly sending my camera to Nikon Japan for service. They replied that they are not able to do that.</p>

<p>I would contact Nikon Japan directly.</p>

<p>Hello Frank,</p>

<p>Thank you for your response.</p>

<p>I have thought about this approach. While I am taking Japanese language courses, I am currently unable to communicate in Japanese.</p>

<p><strong>Addendum:</strong></p>

<p>I can take the Japan route again through a broker. It's just something I wouldn't like to do again due to the extreme costs (ex.: $105 CAD just to ship my camera over, and that's excluding insurance).</p>

<p>I'm sure they have representatives that can speak English, especially if you email them.</p>

<p>Nikon West Coast Service Center in Los Angeles just repaired an F100 for me, it took one week.<br>

6420 Wilshire Blvd #100 <br>

Los Angeles, CA 90048<br>

1-800-645-6687<br>

Marc</p>

<p>Hello Frank,</p>

<p>Thank you for your response.</p>

<p>Even so, I wonder what good could come out of it. Convince them to sell parts to Nikon Canada so that I can get my F6 serviced in Canada?</p>

<p>Hello Marc,</p>

<p>Thank you for your response.</p>

<p>Were you an international customer at the time of the repair?</p>

<p>If the product was originally imported by the official importer in the country of purchase, and you have proof of purchase (and maybe the warranty coupon, not sure if it is required) then it is not a gray import and Nikon USA would likely service it for a fee (if they have the parts). The important thing is that you have to prove that it was not a gray import to the country of purchase.</p>

<p>Hello Ilkka,</p>

<p>Thank you for your response.</p>

<p>My F6 is a second-hand unit.</p>

<p>KEH might do it for a flat rate of 275 bucks.<br>

https://www.keh.com/shop/repair<br>

it wouldn't hurt to ask.</p>

<p>Nikon Service Centres are unable to work with other service centres but you should be able to get service directly to Japan. I got my D70 in Japan and took it back to New Zealand but it was serviced 2 or 3x in Japan, 2x of them within warranty the 3rd outside which was complimentary. Because I was overseas I had to pay the return post but they send you an email / invoice in the slow mail so you just do a telegraphic transfer to them. They are in Shinagawa, you could also just take it to them in Japan should you head over there - I been there to their Shinjuku centre once, within 1 or 2hr it was checked out ok - the AF was within tolerance so I just had to AF fine tune it myself. You should take the camera to the customs office and get a certificate of export, keep a copy for yourself and a copy in the parcel to Japan tell them to include it when they send it back to you so you don't have to pay import tax.</p>

<p>FWIW in the past I emailed Nikon USA. They said they do accept if they can repair them, but if you are overseas they need the original invoice I guess to prove their point .... but since you bought it used ........ I would just go with Japan seriously only diff is the postal cost. </p>

<p>http://collectiblend.com/Cameras/Nikon/Nikon-F6.html</p>

<p>says $700 to $1000, so it might be worth fixing. More than most film cameras.</p>

<p>I checked KEH. They are "<cite>not currently accepting any international repairs</cite>".</p>

<p>I wouldn't like to take the Japan route again due to the extreme cost. The CAD-to-JPY has now tanked to below 80.</p>

<p>Regardless; Looks like Nikon Canada replied to me on the Nikon USA site, stating that they accept the F6 for service and repair. I'll need to ask them further about their contradictory responses.</p>

<p>Update!</p>

<p>Well, it appears that Nikon Canada can still service the F6. They were able to specifically confirm that.</p>

<p>Meanwhile I <em>might</em> have "fixed" it by myself. There was a slight play/looseness in the film back where the thumb rest is (ie. where the film rollers contact the sprocket wheels). I bent the back in the other direction and now that play is entirely gone. I hope this creates a more solid contact between the rollers and the sprockets. I'll see in the upcoming tests.</p>

<p>Sounds like you should sell the F6 once repaired. Then, go with the F100, they are plentiful and cheap, not to mention great cameras with a good reliability record.</p>

<p>Hello Dan,</p>

<p>Would you happen to be implying that the F6 is not a "great camera" with a "good reliability record", just because mine is acting up? Why, I'm glad to be able to provide such a meaningful data point!</p>