Follow up to D600 focus Issue

<p>You might remember my post about the focus problem I was having with my D600 (<a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00boQk">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00boQk</a>). At the time I didn't know if it was my camera or lens that was causing the problem. However, I did confirm it was the camera and sent it back to Nikon where they had to do quite a few adjustments and repairs. <br>

I received the camera back from Nikon Repair this week and immediately noticed some kind of dust and/or residue on the corners while I am looking through the viewfinder. I did not have this problem before sending it off to repair and obviously if I did, they would have corrected it as on my repair ticket it shows they performed a general check and clean on my camera. It isn't very noticeable (if at all) on my images as I view them on my computer, but it is extremely noticeable looking through the viewfinder and it is distracting. I have emailed Nikon and they asked for me to upload a few images so they can see the dust spots. I know it is probable they will come back and say they do not see a problem, but I honestly feel very disappointed that this was overlooked and my camera was sent to me this way.<br>

Any suggestions on what the problem could be and how I go about dealing with Nikon? My sample images don't show the problem, but I feel as though something is wrong.</p>

<p>Thank you in advance for your help.</p>

Assuming that you are not using live view to compose, dust seen in the viewfinder should not be visible in the final images.

<p>I am not using live view, Shun. So, what could this be? Like I said, they aren't showing up in my images, I am just very disappointed Nikon sent back my camera in this condition.</p>

Dust in the viewfinder? Is the new Nikon plant next to a cement factory?

My goodness!

<p>If you see dust or residue in the viewfinder but not on the images or in live view, it is probably dust/dirt/smudges on the focusing screen or the mirror. </p>

<p>I had similar problems when I sent my F100 to Nikon for cleaning a few years ago. The first time it went in it came back with the focusing screen rattling around loose in the camera body; back it went. The when it came back, there was a big smudge on the focusing screen; back it went. When it came back, the flash shoe was bent; back it went. It took four trips to Nikon for a simple cleaning.</p>

<p>Nikon did make it right, and paid for overnight air shipping back and forth.</p>

<p>How do you deal with Nikon? Politely. On your first return, you will be dealing with their call center, which when I sent my camera, was located in Central America. On my second return, I was connected to a supervisor at the repair facility - in my case in El Segundo, CA. On the fourth return, I was talking to the El Segundo manager. </p>

<p>Document everything; keep a contemporaneous record of all your phone calls to Nikon to include date, time, the name of the person to whom you spoke, and a summary of what was said and agreed to.</p>

<p>I was polite and they were polite during this problem. Eventually everything was fixed.</p>

<p>By the way, did you send your camera to Nikon in California or Nikon in New York?</p>

 

<p>You can easily clean the bottomside of the viewfinder with a blower, keeping the camera upside down (and leaving the mirror down); dust on the viewfinder happens often enough, does no damage whatsoever. Nikon won't have a dust-free repair facility, so these things happen - they're kind of unavoidable. I would not get too disappointed with it, as long as the repair otherwise resolved your issues - it will only make you feel bad, and solve nothing otherwise.</p>

<p>Brooks - <br>

I normally deal with them through their service website or by phone and my camera was sent to the service repair center in New York. I hate to hear it took 4 times to finally get your camera right. That seems rather ridiculous to me. Because I mainly go through their website to communicate with them, I don't have to really keep track of anything. But if I do call in, I will keep notes on everything that was said. <br>

Wouter-<br>

This isn't just one or two specs of dust. On each corner, it looks like I'm looking through a screen. My husband said it looks like fingerprints on each corner. </p>

<p>I have a D700 that I bought back in 2008 shortly after it was introduced, and it has never been serviced by Nikon. After a few years, there is now dust inside the viewfinder. I can't blow it away so that it must be on the inside of the focusing screen.</p>

<p>Unless you send it back to Nikon for clearning, the best thing you can do is try to blow it away. If that doesn't work, the worst thing you can do is to clean it with some cloth. You will scrath the focusing screen and make it worse. I have done that a few times before I would just ignore those issues.</p>

I do realise that I'm a relative Nikon newbie, having only bought 4 of their consumer products, but to me this is simply unacceptable. I mean, if you had a print framed and found fingerprints on the inside of the glass you'd be entitled to complain, but this is an expensive piece of equipment we're talking about, designed to introduce the 'superb quality of FX' to serious enthusiasts. It's just not on. I am beginning to realise how lucky I was to get my D5100 backfocus problem dealt with promptly and with nothing else going wrong. I have a Japanese contact who seems to know how to get things done.

<p>Hi R. Bond</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p> My husband said it looks like fingerprints on each corner.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It probably is finger print smudges, due to a careless tech. When you communicate with Nikon, be sure to use that description, "Looks like finger prints", but do not say "careless tech". Let Nikon figure it out.</p>

<p>I was not happy about the four trips either, but as I noted, Nikon stood behind their work.</p>

<p>My F100 camera and my Coolscan V film scanner were both sent to Nikon at the same time. This was due to a house fire. Neither camera nor scanner was damaged by the fire, but the house was filled with smoke; both were sent off for a thorough cleaning. The camera went to El Segundo; the scanner went to Melvile, NY. The scanner was fixed perfectly on the first try; I still use it.</p>

<p>Let us hope your D600 will not be "as well traveled" as my F100, and they fix it on the next return.</p>

<p>I recommend you thoroughly test your camera when you get it back. If I had not, I would not have found the bent flash shoe. It looked perfectly fine; I discovered the problem when I tried to mount my SB-28 during my "acceptance" test.</p>

<p>Wouter, I respectfully disagree with you. When I have equipment serviced, I expect it back in working order and clean - at least as clean as when I sent it in. Beyond that, if I make a mistake in cleaning it and damage something, I must pay Nikon to fix it. In any case Nikon has the correct tools, jigs, know-how, and practice to do the job properly. I suspect that the air in Nikon's repair facility is filtered. It may not be to clean room standards, and I doubt the techs wear "bunny suits", but is probably cleaner than my home, or yours.</p>

<p>If you can see it when looking through the viewfinder, then there is really only <strong>one</strong> place that this dirt/smudges can be. And that is on the focusing screen, or on the bottom of the pentaprism glass immediately adjacent to the focusing screen. This is the only plane of focus that is sharp when looking through the viewfinder. It is not on your reflex mirror, and it is not on your image sensor (and hence not on your images). As noted above, the tech was apparently careless when handling your focusing screen.</p>

<p>Be sure to tell Nikon in your emails that there are smudges/dirt <strong>in the viewfinder system</strong> that were <strong>not</strong> there when you sent in the camera for service. These will not show up in sample images, so don't let them fob you off if they come back with an answer that everything looks okay. Insist on them cleaning up their mistake. Stand firm, and good luck. Hopefully your second attempt at a repair goes more smoothly.</p>

<p>I appreciate all of the advice. I too, find this unacceptable. I understand mistakes happen, but I also believe this was a careless mistake that should have been caught. Especially since on my repair ticket it lists it was cleaned. It does honestly look like smudges/fingerprints on the corners with a few specs of dust in there. I am very unhappy as it took 2 weeks to repair the focus problem, so I would hope they would pay to have it overnighted back and forth and fix it quickly. </p>

 

<p>Sorry, the original description was a piece of dust - which I qualify as no problem (and still would). Finger prints and all 4 corners obscured obviously is another case. I did not mean one has to accept everything, but based on the original description, it would be something I wouldn't make too much fuzz over, as I rather keep the camera with me rather than having to send it back in.<br>

Given the updated description of the problem, I'd also send it in for re-repair.</p>

<p>Hi R. Bond,</p>

<p>What was the final disposition after you called Nikon? Are they taking it back? Are they paying for transport?</p>

<p>Brooks,<br>

I actually just happened to just walk in the door from dropping it off at UPS. Yes, they paid for it to get sent back and they are supposed to put a rush on it so I can have it back on Friday (just have to call them up when they receive it). He couldn't guarantee it but he said he would try his best. I hate being without my camera so I really hope he will follow through.</p>

 

<p>For a few months now I've been contemplating the purchase of the D-600 to compliment my 8 AIS lenses with eager anticipation, but my hesitation is fed by the constant flurry of issues pertaining to the D-600. The little logic voice in my head tells me that well publicized problematic issues are few, but I don't know i've never heard of such intensity of problems revolving around one camera. Is Nikon falling apart? What the heck? After all these years as a film enthusiast, and now the willingness to make the leap to a new technology, again to compliment those great lenses, with a camera that finally is priced right....Well it just seems daunting to me.</p>

<p>Don, <br>

I'm actually very disappointed with the quality of my D600. I've gone from the D90, to the D7000, to the D600 in about 3.5 years, with the plan on holding on to the D600 for at least the next few years. But at this point, I honestly can't wait to get rid of it, which like I said, is very disappointing. I'm hoping when I get it back this second time, I will no longer have any issues with focus or "fingerprints." I still don't believe my autofocus system is up to standards. I know there have been firmware upgrades to improve the autofocus while on AF-C, but I continue to have problems. I honestly miss my D7000.<br>

However, I am just one person. For every person that complains publicly, I'm positive there are many, many more satisfied Nikon DSLR owners that aren't publicly praising their equipment.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I've gone from the D90, to the D7000, to the D600 in about 3.5 years, with the plan on holding on to the D600 for at least the next few years. But at this point, I honestly can't wait to get rid of it, which like I said, is very disappointing.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That is surprising to hear, since the D7000 and D600 are almost identical cameras except that the D7000 is 16MP DX while the D600 is 24MP FX. Otherwise, the AF module, controls, constructions, etc. are identical. The main issue is that the Multi-CAM 3800 AF module works better on DX than on FX.<br>

<br>

If you are happy with the D7000, I suggest you try another sample of the D600.</p>

<p>I can't afford to go get another D600, Shun, or I would. I'm hoping this time they will fix it. I do believe I would love the D600 if it would work properly.</p>

<p>Rachel, I meant if Nikon still cannot fix it properly, insist that they <strong>exchange</strong> the D600.</p>

<p>I have also hear good things by happy owners of the D-600. To be honest there is another factor on my behalf, not to drift from the OPs post, but it would be the D-800E. If only Nikon would fit in a model between the two, and not force the extra $$$. Seems like others should feel the same, maybe they do, I don't know.</p>

<p>Hi R. Bond</p>

<p>I hope everything works out OK. Please post the results of this trip to Nikon.</p>

<p>Thanks Brooks. I should have an update shortly. The camera arrived this morning.</p>

<p>Hi R. Bond</p>

<p>Does it work?</p>

<p>Just so you do not feel picked on (by Nikon), have you seen this thread?</p>

<p><a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00bv7y">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00bv7y</a></p>

<p> </p>

<p>Brooks,<br>

I received my camera back from Nikon on Friday, and still notice the dirty corners. I don't know what else I can do. It is very frustrating, as my camera did not have this problem before I sent it in for the focus problem.</p>