Odd (but typical) that Nikon would do this.

<p>Some time ago I bought a 70-200 AFS VR lens from Adorama. It has been a workhorse. Lately the VR has been a little wonky so I thought I might send it in under warranty. So far so good.</p>

<p>When I bought the lens it came with a one year warranty. The Nikon website said that if I would register the lens I would get an additional 5 year warranty. Here is what the Nikon website says today:</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p><strong>Nikkor Lenses<br /></strong>Nikkor lenses come with a standard one year warranty and Nikon Inc. lenses sold by authorized Nikon Inc. dealers will have a Nikon Inc. Five Year Extension*.<br>

* To register for the five year extension, one copy of the included form must be mailed in as indicated. Keep the <strong>Customer</strong> copy of the form as well as the original proof of purchase (sales receipt).</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Now I know what the answer is and because I posted this you will guess what the answer I got from Nikon was, but based upon the above, what would you conclude the warranty on a new Nikon lens is?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If Adorama is an authorized Nikon dealer, you should get the 5 year warranty. If you sent them whatever form they want.</p>

<p>I hope...</p>

<p>Six years, but experience tells me it is five years.</p>

<p>On the last Nikon lens that I purchased new - 80-400 AF-S a year ago (also from adorama) - it says that the warranty is one year - and you get a 4-year extension when you register the lens. Can't recall that any paperwork was to be mailed in - online registration appeared to be sufficient. <br /> <br />I pulled the warranty copy: 1 Year Nikon Inc USA limited warranty and 4 year Nikon Inc USA extended service coverage = 5 years. To activate your Extended Service Coverage (ESC), you must register your ESC online with Nikon Inc within 10 days from the date of the original purchase... Failure to register within 10 days invalidates ESC.<br /> The paperwork I retained is only two page - there's nothing to mail in.<br /> My 70-200/2.8 VR came only with a one-year warranty - and there was no obligation to register. Warranty card and proof of purchase would need to be mailed together with the lens - at least that's how I understand the paperwork.</p>

<p>Where did you find the above - all I could find was this: </p>

<ul>

<li>

<h2>NIKKOR and 1 NIKKOR Lenses</h2>

In addition to the one-year Nikon Digital Imaging Warranty, NIKKOR and 1 NIKKOR lenses purchased new from the Nikon Store also include a free Four Year Extended Service Coverage (for a total of 5 years of coverage). IMPORTANT: To register for Four Year Extended Service Coverage, one copy of the included form must be mailed in as indicated. Keep the <strong>Customer</strong> copy of the form as well as the original proof of purchase (sales receipt).</li>

</ul>

<p>http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Nikon-Store/Shopping-Help/index.page#warranty which is add odds with what my warranty copy says (online vs mail-in).<br /></p>

<p>Here is where I found it. Number one on a google search for "Nikon Warranty".</p>

<p>https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/16192/~/nikon-warranty-and-product-registration</p>

<p>Here is the thing. </p>

<p>When I called Nikon to see about sending my lens in the young man (who at best could be described as civil but not polite) told me about the four-year extension. When I mentioned that the website disagreed with him replied tersely, "sorry about that". </p>

<p>It has been my experience that this is the attitude from Nikon Service for at least two years now. They don't even pretend to be concerned about customer service issues. Does this hurt their business? I guess not. I have posted comments critical of Nikon Service here several times. and they have not bothered to respond. (Who knows if they are watching anyway.) I have called corporate and was treated in a completely dismissive way. And now this issue which is at best poor attention to detail on their website. <br>

Tamron offers a 6 year warranty. Will that affect my buying decisions in the future? It depends on the lens but for a great many people it ought to. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Warranty exists mainly to protect the customer against manufacturing defects and other such flaws that are due to problems that are the manufacturer's responsibility. 5 years of warranty is more than typical for many products. Repair costs outside of warranty are just a part of the cost of doing photography.</p>

<p>I think it is somewhat unfortunate that today so many people expect frequent replacement of products with improved models and this leads to a difficulty in maintaining adequate supply of spare parts for some products. In addition, features such as vibration reduction can malfunction over time and this can lead to serviceability issues over the long term. I think this can become quite a big issue in the future with too many products having too short serviceable lives.</p>

<p>Still, by paying for service instead of dumping the product when it develops a defect, the customer sends a message to the manufacturer that serviceability is important to them.</p>

<p><<They don't even pretend to be concerned about customer service issues. Does this hurt their business? I guess not. >></p>

<p>Well, not so fast. Last year Roger Ciacala, an influential blogger with Lens Rentals, was looking to buy a personal camera. He went through Sony, Pentax, Nikon, Canon. He discounted Sony & Pentax because of limited lens options. He ended up buying a Canon 6D in no small part due to his frustrating experiences dealing with Nikon over repair/warranty issues. Roger does seem to have a wide following and this certainly was a negative for Nikon.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Has anyone abandoned Nikon USA and gone straight to the headquarters in Japan, or tried Nikon in Europe?</p>

<p>My only experience with Nikon repair was as a walk in for my Coolpix 950 about 10 years ago when they had a facility in Woodland Hills, CA, about a 40 minute drive from me at the time. They were very receptive and did the repair quickly and efficiently.</p>

<p>Recently they moved from their Torrence location to Wilshire Blvd., just a 4 minute ride. I've been thinking about bringing over one of my out of warranty D300s bodies that I dropped a few months ago to give it a once over, but I'm a bit reluctant with the recent posts about Nikon service.</p>

<p>Rick, did Nikon accept the lens back on warranty or not?</p>

<p>in the 70-200 2.8 vr manual it says that you have to turn off the vr when taking off the lens, also this can be found with any vr lens.<br>

did you do that?</p>

<p>vr can get wonky when constatnly mistreating the mechanics.</p>

<p>just sayin</p>

<p>so what was the awnser?</p>

<p>I think what the manual refers to is that if the camera power is turned off while the VR is active (i.e. elements are moving) it can leave the VR group not locked up, so it may rattle around a bit when the lens is shaken. To avoid this is that you let go off the shutter release and AF ON for a few seconds until the VR stops humming and only after it has stopped, you should turn off the camera power. Whatever position the VR switch is in should not matter, and I recall testing this and the VR switch position didn't affect the outcome at powering off the camera. However, it is possible that how the VR system is locked up depends on the lens, in some lenses it may be floating when the lens is disengaged from the camera.</p>

<p>ah yeah, exactly. i should have read the manual again :D</p>

<p>still,..i could see why obviou mistreating could be an issue.<br /> thats what i am saying.<br /> not sure how they'd find out though.</p>

<p>I've dealt for years with Nikon's West Coast service center, though not since it moved to Wilshire Blvd.<br>

<br />I would fly in from Europe, on my way to Northern California or Seattle, LAX area hotels cost about $100 a night, and I needed to get my camera/lens or whatever fixed immediately, or I would run up an unconscionable hotel bill before I took off again for the return trip abroad.</p>

<p>It wasn't long before Nikon service not only understood my need, recognized I was a dedicated Nikon user, but became friendly with me. I always came to the counter, and always stepped aside while some customer or another brought in their lens or camera for repair or came to pick one up. In short, I then had time to talk to them without (I hope) making a terrible nuisance of myself.</p>

<p>I was rewarded with simply outstanding service.</p>

<p>Twice I came in with cameras (a D90 and a D300) that had intermittent issues with functioning. One was fixed after Vic, chief technician, was urged when I was told it was functioning fine and I said 'now, but not last week', so he took it and found small cracks in the electrical connection to one battery terminal connector inside and replaced it. It never malfunctioned again. He needed some prodding, but it's the same the world over with 'intermittent' problems.</p>

<p>I had a similar problem that just could not be found on inspection, it was intermittent, and shut down my D90 several times. There were sometimes months between malfunctions, but the camera would go dead with a good battery, and not just one but several were tried. </p>

<p>Eventually, one of the 'bosses', a female, took my D90 out for a weekend of shooting and the camera seized up on her. It was a similar problem but not visually or electrically viewable or even reproducible. One had to actually go out shooting with the camera to experience its intermittent malfunction before it could be diagnosable, then fixable which was done forthwith. </p>

<p>I am a very satisfied customer of Nikon's West Coast Service Center.</p>

<p>Since I have almost always gone to the counter and seen them work, I suggest that some people may think those at the counter are clerks: nothing could be further from the truth. They are highly skilled persons (at least last time I was there). They could look at just about any camera and get an idea what was wrong with it, whether it had been mishandled or not, and usually diagnose it, then take it in. I am pretty sure some or all of the counter people (they were women I dealt with, but that may have changed) also worked on cameras, and certainly hung around with the (other) techs. They were not 'girls' or 'clerks' but highly trained and very smart individuals who really knew lots about just about any Nikon product -- very valuable people.</p>

<p>They were college trained, smart, and with the customers very lenient with the warranty.</p>

<p>It also helps that California (among the various states) has a very liberal warranty law, so some of the rigamarole that Nikon might put people through in some states seems might not be required in California from California customers or those who bring their equipment into the California facility -- in my past experience (which ended before Nikon West Coast moved to Wilshire Blvd.).</p>

<p>I watched many, many customers being handled and also watched work that a lesser company might have said 'out of warranty' by a few days or a few weeks, get warranty repair with no argument at all -- not even for asking -- I think it was Nikon's policy to extend warranties a little to avoid 'issues' and arguments. </p>

<p>Also, I think under California law (I haven't reviewed it lately), it may not even be necessary to 'fill out those forms', but don't, don't, don't depend on my long ago review of that law.</p>

<p>I do note that the so-called 'service contract' for 'four years' is basically an invention. It is simply a 'warranty' under another name, in my estimation. I believe it is named that way for accounting and bookkeeping purposes so that Nikon does not have to set aside assets on their books to offset future 'warranty' repairs by calling this (what I call 'extended warranty') a 'service contract' or similar, when in fact it's really no different at all other than different words used to describe it and a so-called 'qualifying step' -- filling out the card - which may not even be necessary in CA for CA customers under liberal CA warranty law . . . . but then it's been a while, and there may have been intervening cases, or I may need to read that law again.</p>

<p>In any case, I didn't see quarrels at the Nikon West Coast repair facility counter over the 'service contract' extension if one could prove purchase . . . even if Nikon had a 'legal right' to demand that. That was my experience in personally having spent numerous hours there, waiting for things to be fixed or waiting for them to clear an hour's load of customers before I let them get to me.</p>

<p>I learned a lot from watching, and I learned respect for these people.</p>

<p>And I also got great service.</p>

<p>(I would never depend on their 'telephone service' which last time I called them was 'offshore'.)</p>

<p>As to buying Nikon products 'offshore', good luck. <br>

Your Nikon USA warranty is good worldwide, but the reverse is not true.<br>

Nikon USA will NOT work on any Nikon product not officially imported by them. All Nikon products are marked OR their serial numbers are encoded so Nikon's USA repair facility knows if your Nikon product came through Nikon USA or not. Your Nikon product purchased offshore with a 'worldwide warranty' does not include Nikon USA (formerly Ehrenreich Photo-optical, Inc.).<br>

It's been that way since I bought my first Nikon in 1967.<br>

I had one experience with a Nikon facility 'offshore', an official facility, and it was 'horrible'.</p>

<p>It made me understand and value even more Nikon USA's West Coast repair facility. (I know nothing of their East Coast repair facility.)<br>

You can get somewhat better prices if you buy through Hong Kong sometimes, but what if the product has a fault? Nikon USA won't work on it, so there's Mack and who else in the US, or send it abroad . . . . have you checked the air express prices one way lately -- from Europe for a simple one page letter it can run well over $100 on two of the three air delivery services 'next day' and that's about all those two offer. Another will do it for about $55, for one page or so and only offers 'next day' delivery too.</p>

<p>I haven't tried sending a camera or lens from, say, Minnesota to Japan or Hong Kong, but I'd hate to foot the bill for air freight, or wait weeks while it floats over on a boat with container loads of other packages . . . . and what if the problem is intermittent, and doesn't show up when they see it . . . . then the problem recurs when they send it back?</p>

<p>I'm a little easier on my equipment now . . . so there are fewer repairs.</p>

<p>I'm hoping Nikon West Coast on Wilshire has the same people they had in El Segundo; they saved my bacon many times.</p>

<p>And did so gracefully.</p>

<p>john</p>

<p>John (Crosley)</p>

<p><em>Nikon USA will NOT work on any Nikon product not officially imported by them.</em></p>

<p>This is not correct. If the buyer presents the original purchase receipt and international warranty documents and if the product was not purchased gray in the country where it was originally sold in, Nikon USA will honor the (one year) worldwide warranty for lenses and will also service the product out of warranty but the original paperwork is needed to prove it's not a gray market purchase. When I asked about this from Nikon USA (as I was moving to live in the USA I needed to know if my lenses could be serviced by Nikon USA) they gave me this information.</p>

<p><em>Your Nikon product purchased offshore with a 'worldwide warranty' does not include Nikon USA (formerly Ehrenreich Photo-optical, Inc.).</em></p>

<p>The worldwide warranty for Nikon lenses includes Nikon USA. For camera bodies and scanners the warranty is regional, however.</p>

<p>what about the nps repair sevice.<br>

should work, right?<br>

do i have to read yet another manual..</p>

<blockquote>

<p>still,..i could see why obviou mistreating could be an issue.<br /> thats what i am saying.<br /> not sure how they'd find out though.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I am a photojournalist. This is a "professional" lens. It is not meant to be abused but it is meant to be used hard. I am not sure what you are saying but I do not abuse my equipment. Right? </p>

<p>John. </p>

<p>I completely agree with you about El Segundo. In the past whenever I sent items to them for repair they were outstanding. I could speak to these very knowledgeable technicians on the phone. They rushed a repair for me on at least one occasion because I had an important gig coming up. I believe I spoke to Melina in those days IIR. (There was another woman there who was very helpful too but I can't recall her name. I wrote a thank you letter to Nikon after she helped me. My experience has changed completely. They have changed their numbers and one can only call into their call center. In a previous thread I detailed their response to a repair issue and it was appalling. I sent them an email asking for advice on a repair and got a simple 'send it in or contact the call center' reply. Your mileage may vary but I can tell you that calling the call center these days gets one a person who is NOT a technician, not knowledgeable and in my experience not very dedicated or even friendly. </p>

<p>Contrast this with Canon. At an event just over a week ago, their regional rep greeted me like a long lost friend, offered to show me their whole stable of workhorses, assured me that CPS would give me fast turnaround 48 - 72 hours, free CLA, equipment loans and a direct phone number. All I need do is swap this whole mess of Nikon equipment that I have for Canon;) Tempting I have to say. When I asked Nikon who the local rep was I was told directly that I could not be given that information. </p>

<p>I hope you continue to have the experience you had in the past. Clearly the vast majority of us do not fly to LA to have their cameras repaired. It is only my opinion, and others may have completely different experiences, but there seems to have been a significant change in Nikon's treatment of its repair services. I fear the old days of personal, knowledgeable and friendly services are over. </p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Contrast this with Canon. At an event just over a week ago, their regional rep greeted me like a long lost friend, offered to show me their whole stable of workhorses, assured me that CPS would give me fast turnaround 48 - 72 hours, free CLA, equipment loans and a direct phone number. All I need do is swap this whole mess of Nikon equipment that I have for Canon;) Tempting I have to say.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Rick, the only thing that really puzzles me is why you have not switched to Canon a long time ago. To be blunt, you only have yourself to blame to suffer all these problems with Nikon.</p>

 

<p>no abuse then..well good for you</p>

<p>my canon 1d mk3 stopped working,...some error. canon was quite unfriendly that day.<br /> my nikon d3 stopped working, they repaired it real fast and lent me a camera.<br /> then they repaired my 16-35, i got it back and it was not really repaired, as i noticed<br /> four months later when the screws inside got lose again.<br />i recieved the same awnser like you when the aperture mechanism broke and i had not figured that out yet.<br /> fixing that went fast and was good.</p>

<p>results vary.</p>

<p>canon let me down when it came to waranty.<br /> nikon did not.</p>

<p>i got the opposite experience, europe though.<br>

i will make sure that it says that in my biography as intro.</p>

<p>despite all the rumors he believed that nikon did not let him down when it came to repairs.</p>

<p>sounds great to me :)</p>

 

<p><a href="http://static.photo.net/attachments/bboard/00a/00aWIb-475303584.jpg">Nikon lens 1+4 warranty card.</a></p>

<p>Henry Posner<br /><strong>B&H Photo-Video</strong></p>

<p>Apart from being seriously fraudulent, it seems if your kit is misbehaving and Nikon, Canon or whoever are being stubbornly unhelpful, drop it in the sea.</p>

<p>I mean, your expensive kit<strong><em> is</em></strong> covered for 'Accidental Damage', right? It's unlikely you'll have to do it very often as kit is pretty reliable these days.</p>

<p>Seems ideally suited to those tricky 'intermittent' problems too.<br>

_________</p>

<p>NB. I am<em><strong> not</strong> </em>recommending this as an SOP.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Rick, the only thing that really puzzles me is why you have not switched to Canon a long time ago. To be blunt, you only have yourself to blame to suffer all these problems with Nikon.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>What nonsense. It is the customer's fault when Nikon can't offer decent customer service? Did you not read my previous posts complimenting Nikon when they did a good job? Did you not read my post (above) where I mentioned what good experiences I had with Nikon before they changed their system? You, of all people, ought to take these problems seriously. That is unless you just want this forum to pant after each new product and rave about how good Nikon service is. Is that what you want?</p>

<p>Henry.</p>

<p>I am glad you posted here. Look at the link I posted, call your secret Nikon rep (who the rest of us are not allowed to call) and tell him to fix the warranty section of the Nikon website. If Nikon won't listen to B & H they won't listen to anyone. </p>

<p>I am not trashing Nikon. Indeed I have been using Nikon cameras for over 40 years. I published pictures taken with Nikon cameras in three different publications this weekend. I want them to be the company they once were. It appears that some people would rather trash me than even consider that their dear Nikon might make a mistake. Consider how easily a trained Nikon employee might have handled this.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Me: Your website says 6 years.</p>

<p>REP: I am terribly sorry. That is an obvious mistake on our part. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. I will tell the appropriate people so they can fix it. Please consult your warranty card for the correct information. I am sorry for the confusion. Is there anything else I can help you with today? Thanks for being a loyal Nikon customer. </p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>No attitude. No condescending tone of voice. No dismissive attitude. A simple apology and polite statement of the terms. But the employee was untrained and his attitude didn't just happen. It was allowed to happen. Nikon can fix this issue as easy as pie. They can train their call center people to simply be better with the customers. But I guess that is my fault. Insert eyeroll here. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>forgive and forget.<br>

error is human.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>What nonsense. It is the customer's fault when Nikon can't offer decent customer service?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Why nonsense? If a customer (i.e. you, Rick) thinks he/she is not getting decent customer service and is taking every opportunity to complain about it, as Rick you have done over and over, and you have clearly indicated in the subject of this thread that as far as you are concerned, it is "typical" behavior from Nikon, it is no one else's fault that you are still sticking with Nikon. In particular, you think Canon is doing so great.</p>

<p>Who else is more responsible for your own well being? You owe to yourself to switch brands.</p>