I've just about HAD it with Nikon Canada's (lack of) service!

[epp_b]

<p>I've have owned my Nikon gear for about a year and two months and I feel that I have had a far higher equipment failure rate than normal. I've had a total of 4 equipment failures in my rather small arsenal:</p>

<p>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br /> <strong>D40</strong> <br /> never failed<br /> <strong>18-55 I:</strong> <br /> never failed<br /> <strong>18-55 II:</strong> <br /> autofocus stopped functioning. I sent it in, it came back still broken. I sent it in again and they did repair it this time, but it has never worked optimally since then.<br /> <strong>55-200 VR </strong> (VR = IS)<br /> never failed<br /> <strong>35mm f/1.8 AF-S </strong> (AF-S = USM)<br /> autofocus stopped functioning about 3 months after I bought it. I sent it in for repair on July 13th and they still have it (and I have my doubts that they've even touched it yet).<br /> <strong>A battery<br /> </strong> A battery that I bought only a month ago has failed completely. Even though it's a genuine Nikon product with Nikon's shiny sticker on it, they refuse to service it because I bought it from a US eBay seller (not some foreign one) and not from one of their pals with merit badges. The rep even snidely remarked that I could have bought it out of the back of an unmarked van or from some guy in a basement. Real nice.<br /> <strong>SB-600</strong> (similar to 430EX)<br /> never failed<br /> <strong>A couple of old manual primes<br /> </strong> What could possibly fail?<br /> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</p>

<p>Is this the norm? I know it's not all high-end stuff, but I don't think this rate is acceptable no matter <em>what</em> the product range.</p>

<p>I am in Canada and my experiences with Nikon's customer "service" have been, to put it nicely... dismal. Most of the people I talk to on the phone don't have a clue what they're doing. When I have to send something in, I'm without it for nearly a <em>month</em> ... and, as you can see, sometimes, they don't even fix the problem.</p>

<p>How does this compare to my fellow Nikon users? Is Nikon's USA service about the same, better or worse?</p>

[photo5]

<p>Nothing I've ever bought new from Nikon has ever failed, so I don't know. My Nikon Coolpix 990 worked flawlessly for 3 years until the battery door plastic latch failed, I fixed it with a rubber band. Then eventually the buttons failed and I sold it and bought a newer camera. But that was a full 4 years after I got it new, and I shot 25k photos with that camera. My manual focus Nikon lenses are built to last, they won't fail unless I drop them. More modern lenses with plastic parts (like your 18-55mm) are made to last only a certain time, they are designed for light use only.</p>

[Matt Laur]

<p>Happily, I've never had to send any bodies or lenses in for work. I've purchased parts, which they promptly shipped.<br /><br />I <em>did</em>, however, have an EN-EL3e battery fail shortly after buying it, and Nikon mentioned that they don't actually <em>have </em>a warranty on batteries at all. It's too easy for them to be killed by mistreatment, temperature extremes, etc., and they get too many people with counterfeit batteries (shiny sticker and all) coming to Nikon for a replacement on something they never even manufactured.<br /><br />So, no... no battery warranty. Though you could approach the retailer who sold it to you, and demand some satisfaction ... though if you got it cheap on eBay, it's actually very likely it's not a genuine Nikon product, no matter how shiny the sticker looks.<br /><br />On the lens that hasn't worked right since they fixed it... why not send it back, again? It's not doing you any good sitting there out of focus. Doesn't make it less annoying to have to do it, but they're still on the hook to fix it. Shame about the 30/1.8 - it's still early in that product's life, so kind of hard to tell if there's any sort of pattern there. In the US, you'd be able to talk to Nikon and get the status on the repair - sorry it's not like that up north!</p>

[oskar_ojala]

<p>Here in Finland Nikon has outsourced their servicing to a company that handles a bunch of other camera brands. They seem to do their stuff promptly and keep the customer informed about the progress of the work, which is good. However, their rates are very expensive and they don't provide detailed info on fault analysis. I had a dispute with them about fixing my D300 and suffice to say I don't trust the mechanical quality of Nikon equipment anymore.<br>

On another note, have a Tokina lens in warranty repair for almost 4 months now (shipped to Amsterdam, shipped to Japan...) and I'm starting to feel that the risks with some 3rd party lenses are too great if something goes wrong.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Perhaps the "genuine Nikon" battery you bought over eBay is a counterfeit. Some of those look very similar to the real stuff.</p>

[elliot1]

<p>So if I am reading correctly, you had two lenses fail and ALL the rest of your equipment has been good?</p>

<p>This thread may be of interest to you regarding your battery:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Tx0p">http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00Tx0p</a></p>

[Peter_in_PA]

<p>Sounds like you have two issues, one with a zoom and one with the 35mm AF-S. Sorry, that seems unusual, none of my Nikon gear has given me any problems.</p>

<p>As far as the battery goes, you are criticizing Nikon for not servicing something you bought from an unauthorized seller. Well, tough way to learn this lesson... but always buy from a authorized reseller...</p>

[c._f.]

<p>I did have an issue with D90 where they replaced the aperture mechanism in it. I drove it out to their HQ on the EAST coast (about 40miles from my house) and 10days later, as they said, the camera came back to me. So far, thank G-d, no problems. Keep on calling and bothering them regarding your 35mm.</p>

<p> </p>

[mark_esposito]

<p><a href="../photodb/user?user_id=4721871">Epp B</a><br>

It sounds like the stars just haven't lined up your way. :^}</p>

<p>I've owned tons of Nikon equipment and have yet to have anything fail. I think I would just write this off as strangeness and jump through the hoops for now.</p>

<p>Mark</p>

[epp_b]

<p>Unfortunately, Nikon's nearest Canadian service centre is a 25-hour drive from my house, so shipping is really the only option ;)</p>

<p>I just called the repair centre and they say they expect to ship my lens back in about a week. So that's pretty much in keeping with their 3-weeks-to-a-month turn-around time :(</p>

[SCL]

<p>Why did you post this on the Canon EOS forum as well as the Nikon forum?</p>

[glockman99]

<p>I busted the mount for my Nikon F4s "E" screen, and Nikon was NO help in selling me a new mount. They said that I'd have to buy a new screen...<br>

...So much for Nikon wanting their customers to be happy.</p>

[epp_b]

<p>Stephen, the post I made in the Canon forum is different. I wanted to see how Canon's QC and service compared.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>at least you didnt buy a d5000.</p>

<p>and hey, how 'bout that sb-600?</p>

<p>seriously, all my nikon gear has been great. none of it has failed yet within warranty. outside of warranty, i have had to send in my d80 once and my sb-600 once in three years. that's it. no problems with the d300, the 70-300, the 18-70, the 50/1.8. hmm, my 3rd party lenses have performed with no flaws too, so maybe i just get "good copies" of all these lenses i hear about with FF/AF issues?</p>

<p>sorry to hear about your 35 but you are within the warranty period, correct? two-three weeks isnt unreasonable for a wait period. and, not to minimize your plight, but i'd be much more alarmed to hear about a QC issue with a $1400 lens than a $200 one.</p>

<p>sometimes we all need to vent, however.</p>

<p>hopefully you feel better now.</p>

[epp_b]

<p>It has <em>never </em> been "two-three" weeks, always "three-to-four". Minimum.</p>

[epp_b]

<blockquote>

<p>not to minimize your plight, but i'd be much more alarmed to hear about a QC issue with a $1400 lens than a $200 one.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Frankly, a $200 lens should be a $200 lens because it's either a simple prime (35/1.8 or 50/1.8) or a slow, plastic zoom. I just think that things from reputable companies should work properly when you take good care of them (which I do).</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>hey epp, not to get down on you, i agree with you generally on this<br>

but the reality is the more mass-manufactured something is, the higher the chance of QC issues. nikon sells more 18-55s and 35/1.8s than 50/1.8s. and the 50 1/8 has no AF-S, which can cause AF problems if it slips out of alignment. unfortunately, you got dinged twice by the law of averages, but it could have happened to anyone.</p>

[ilkka_nissila]

<p>If you want greater reliability, buy better quality products to begin with. Nikon offers plenty of choice but not at the price level of most of your purchases listed. You get what you pay for; the cheapest lenses are not built to withstand heavy use.</p>

[elliot1]

<p>Epp, several years ago my 70-200mm lens had a major failure. Even though I was not the original owner, Nikon still repaired it at no cost. Additionally, I have used Nikon service (Melville) on several occasions and they have always given me exceptional service and except for one occasions where a part was backordered, my gear was returned within 2 weeks. Nikon gets two thumbs up from me!</p>

[photobiscuits]

<p>I have had the same kind of terrible service from Nikon, which I moaned about awhile back here on the forums. The D40 I purchased turned out to be a lemon a couple of months after I bought it. It was sent back and forth, unrepaired, three times (equaling 2 months of travel time - and me without a camera) before they finally gave me a working camera.<br>

Haven't had a problem with any of my Nikon equipment since, it's been pretty reliable, but am dreading the next time I will have to send something to Nikon Canada for service.</p>

[gary_watson]

<p>Sounds like you've a chip on your shoulder the size of a 2x4, Epp. Never any service issues with Nikon.ca; indeed, they've over-fulfilled for me on many occasions. Nikon.ca doesn't mince words about servicing merch bought from non-authorized Canadian Nikon dealers, so no sympathy on the battery issue. July 13 on your 35mm is barely 2 weeks ago(less if you figure in mailing time)--they rarely promise anything inside 3 weeks but often deliver sooner. Not sure about your 18-55 ii but suspect you'd never be satisfied even if it was, as you admit, "repaired." Their service times do stretch out during summer, thanks to vacations. Keep in mind you're not talking to techs but counter staff--this isn't the way things once were but now it's the norm. They don't promise faster service to <em>anyone</em> apart from NPS clients who get front-of-the-line service--understandably. Are you dealing with Aerowood Drive in Mississauga?</p>

[michael_bradtke]

<p>Dann<br>

Get over it. You said on the other forum that you had a replacement screen that you liked better, Bashing Nikon for not having a part for a camera that far out of date is un called for</p>

[stephen_asprey2]

<p>I have never had to send anything back since 1979.</p>

<p>The battery issue is another matter. Nikon (nor canon or others) don't make their own batteries. I do know they have three source companies under contract and the labeling sometimes differs.<br>

It seems that EL3's need to be fully cycled a few times before they wake up properly and perform to spec. The one in my D300 emptied itself doing all the menu and setting setup. The next time it was better and now I am getting good performance.</p>

[epp_b]

<blockquote>

<p>Are you dealing with Aerowood Drive in Mississauga?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yup, that's the one.</p>

[keith_anderson7]

<p>Down with Nikon, the filthy rats!</p>

<p>(yes, I'm kidding)</p>