Nikon Shuttering Their Authorized Repair Program

Interesting!

Nikon Is Killing Its Authorized Repair Program

It's not clear whether Nikon will stop selling parts to these shops or only stop referring customers to them. Either option sucks, but I really hope it's not the former.

I have been using Nikon cameras since 1977. In 42 years, I think I can count on both hands the number of times I need repair, including a few times I dropped a camera or a lens. However, between 2018 and 2019, I have used Nikon repair in Los Angeles three times. Each time they did a fine job, but frequently there is a parts hold so that its takes a couple of weeks. Some of you may recall that I dropped my 200-500mm zoom last year. This year my D5 fell onto the ground due to a poorly design tripod foot on the 500mm PF lens. Most recently my 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S fried my FTZ adapter on my Z6. That FTZ was under warranty and Nikon fixed it for free. In that occasion I had to call Nikon's 800 number and their service was very good too. Edited December 11, 2019 by ShunCheung

Most recently my 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S fried my FTZ adapter on my Z6

Ouch! What happened?

 

Is it a known issue or an unfortunate one-off?

I think Nikon service is OK. I didn't have good experience with third party authorized service like Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL. I used it because I used to live in IL.

Refusing to let third parties fix Nikon gear would be a great way to turn repair shop owners into anti-Nikon activists.

My experiences with Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove have been very good. They did great work, were timely, and the cost was reasonable. Only complaint I have is it is too far for me to drive there these days, as I've moved considerably further away.

Ouch! What happened?

 

Is it a known issue or an unfortunate one-off?

First of all, it was not anyone who participated on the following thread's fault:

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 28-70 2.8 ED vs Nikon AF-S Nikkor 24-70 ED

 

But during that discussion back in October, I decided to mount my old 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S on my Z6 via the FTZ adapter. That old lens immediately fried the electronics inside the FTZ. Afterwards, I did some search and apparently some old AF-S lenses may fry the electronics inside the FTZ, and the 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S is prone to cause that issue. When that happens, the lens should be fixed also. Apparently some guy mounted such lens onto multiple FTZ at a camera store and damaged them all one by one.

 

Back in October my FTZ had another 3 weeks or so left in the one-year warranty. I shipped it to Nikon in Los Angeles. UPS tracking showed that it was delivered but there was no response for a week. I called their 800 toll-free number and the rep was very nice answering my questions. She assured me that it was received. Nikon fixed that a few days later and shipped it back to me. I don't bother to repair the old 28-70.

 

I have had good experience with Authorized Photo Service near Chicago too, but my experience with Nikon USA repair has been good, and their charge is usually reasonable.

Edited December 11, 2019 by ShunCheung

I don't bother to repair the old 28-70.

Is there a detectable problem with the lens? I have tried a number of lens with the FTZ and [fingers crossed] there has not been an issue. In fact they work very well with the Z camera except for the focus issue involving older AF-D lenses.

 

In regards to repair: In the very few instances that I had in so many years, both Nikon in NY and the non-Nikon in Illinois were good experiences.

That's our Nikon: if an idea proved problematic for customers once, double down and do it again a few years later. Didn't we endure a similar transition just a few years ago, where they shut independent repair techs out of parts and training? And now they're reducing service options even further? Okay.

 

The big issue many have with Nikon's own service centers is the lack of consistency and transparency. There is a big disconnect between those who have good experiences, and those who are left sorely wishing they had bought another brand of camera- this stretches back a number of years. They aren't as horrific as Sony just yet, but they're emulating Sony's "blame the customer first, and charge them dearly for it" policies more and more of late.

 

ShunCheung's adventure with his 28-70 f/2.8 AFS is exactly the kind of avoidable glitch Nikon tends to turn into a nightmare scenario (don't test keystone older lenses with the adapter, and enclose a warning sheet: just let everything blow up in the field, then reluctantly clean up the mess). I'm frankly shocked Nikon didn't sneer at him and tell him to eat the repair costs himself: they must be desperate to foster goodwill with pioneering Z camera owners right now. Normally their fallback is "our testing shows you dropped it or got it wet" (no matter what the actual issue with the item is: they'll claim "abuse" even if you hand them a shrink wrapped new lens from their own stock room).

 

I've had good results with Nikon New York servicing my CoolScan 8000, but they argued me into the ground over a spewing D600 and were maddeningly evasive about a known D700 screen defect. Other Nikon enthusiasts I know (pro and amateur) have wildly divergent stories. Depends on the lens, the camera, the issue, your "status" as a customer, and who you deal with at a specific center. Of course, Canon and Sony are no prize, either: mfr service on the whole has declined in the age of digital.

Edited December 11, 2019 by orsetto

Is there a detectable problem with the lens? I have tried a number of lens with the FTZ and [fingers crossed] there has not been an issue. In fact they work very well with the Z camera except for the focus issue involving older AF-D lenses.

 

In regards to repair: In the very few instances that I had in so many years, both Nikon in NY and the non-Nikon in Illinois were good experiences.

Since I now have the 24-120mm/f4 AF-S VR and 24-70mm/f2.8 AF-S VR, I hadn't used that 28-70mm/f2.8 AF-S for a while. Optically it is still very good, but I think the AF-S motor is now failing, so has the AF-S motor on my 17-35mm/f2.8 AF-S.

 

It looks like the AF-S motor on some of those old AF-S lenses from about 20 years ago are finally dead, and maybe some of the electronics inside have gone bad. I am reluctant to put those on the FTZ now.

 

I kind of wish I had a second FTZ as a backup, but now I have four Z lenses. Perhaps I am less dependent on the FTZ except for telephoto lenses.

 

Again, my three repairs at Nikon Los Angeles in the last 15 months or so have all been quite good, though they maybe a bit slow due to parts hold. Repair cost seems reasonable too. Back in 2005, my 17-55mm/f2.8 DX fell and bent the mount. The repair cost was like $130; that wasn't too bad.

IBM tried to corner the market for cards and accessories for the PC in the 80's. That move made Compaq the #1 almost overnight.

IMO, newer technology is almost impossible for anybody to repair correctly other than at the factory facilities.

IMO, newer technology is almost impossible for anybody to repair correctly other than at the factory facilities.

But Nikon farms most of their repair work out to contractors....

Having just dismantled and reassembled a D5100 whilst carrying out the UV/IR filter removal, I can say I was pleasantly surprised it all worked again afterwards....:)

 

The amount of stuff, both mechanical and electronic, in a modern DSLR is mindboggling.