Bad News for D600 Owners

[jack_borlongan]

<p>After 13,000 shutter actuation, my D600 finally displayed the ERR message and is now completely inoperable. Since I bought it 13 months ago, I've been wet cleaning the sensor 2-3 times a month on account of the oil splatter from the shutter mechanism. I suspect the mechanism finally dried up from all that oil splatter and froze to death.<br>

So why do I suspect it's the shutter mechanism? If you read some of the write-ups for the new Nikon D610, you'll notice one change and only one, the "<em>new and corrected</em>" shutter mechanism installed on it. Nikon never admitted the issue with the faulty shutter mechanism. They never admitted it was oil on the sensor but just dust. If you wipe dry your sensor, you'll notice smudges on it.<br>

It's the same issue with the SB900 which would overheat. Rather than admit a faulty design and replace it, they decided to sell us the "<em>new and corrected</em>" version known to us now as the SB910. This to me is totally unethical and they're doing it again with the D600. Strike 2!<br>

Since I can't use nor sell my D600, I was forced to ship it to Nikon for repair. And since I missed the 1 year warranty period by 2 weeks, I now have to pay for the repair.<br>

My only hope is for Nikon to replace the shutter mechanism with the "new and corrected" version and not the "faulty" version used on the D600 otherwise it will just keep going back and forth to the service center. Unfortunately for me, I came across a forum and saw a response from Nikon to a D600 owner:<br>

<em>Dear Kevin,</em><br>

<em>Thank you for your email.</em><br>

<em>I am sorry to hear of the difficulties that you have experienced with your Nikon D600 camera. Please rest assured that the service centre will only apply parts that are of the D600′s original design in order to bring it back to it’s standard specification. As such, <strong>the shutter mechanism of the D610 will not be applied to a D600</strong>.</em><br>

<em>I would advise that you consult directly with service staff directly for questions that you may have over any action that the service centre may have performed on your camera during service. If you would like to do this you are welcome to call them on 0330 123 0928 Option 3.</em><br>

<em>I am very sorry if you are not satisfied with the D600, however we are confident in the design and build quality of the model. We can only advise that any users experiencing a problem with foreign matter on the sensor should follow the instructions in the manual for sensor cleaning and if the issue persists to then send it to the service centre for cleaning and inspection, which I can see, you have done already.</em><br>

<em>Please be advised that we will not replace Nikon D600 cameras with new ones, reimburse purchase price, or replace a D600 with a D610.</em><br>

<em><strong>The release of the D610 was in response to demand from a great number of users for a faster continuous shooting rate and the addition of a quiet continuous shutter-release mode.</strong> Nikon decided to release the D610 in order to respond to this demand as quickly as possible.</em><br>

<em>If you still have any further comments please do not hesitate to contact me again.</em><br>

<em>Kind Regards,</em><br>

<em>Anaelle Moreau,</em><br /><em> Nikon Europe Support</em><br /> <a href="http://www.europe-nikon.com/support" rel="nofollow">http://www.europe-nikon.com/support</a><br>

Note the reason this lady gives for the release of the D610..."<em>faster continuous shooting rate</em>." That's right. From 5.5 fps to 6! A simple admission and remedy to D600 users would have kept the integrity and honor of Nikon.</p>

 

[JosvanEekelen]

<p>Not purely a Nikon thing. Canon never admitted the problem with the EOS 5 (non-D) command dial. OTOH they serviced the 5D mirror assembly 5 years after I bought the camera, without even asking for a warranty card/invoice etc.<br>

Are you sure you have to pay? 2 weeks out of warranty does not mean the camera may fail in the way it did. It never hurts to ask for a free/discounted repair. And if you are in Europe you have a legal warranty period of 24 months, not 12.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>There's an online form that you fill up before sending your camera to Nikon. They give you a rough estimate depending on the defect. I believe it was about $270++ for the ERR problem. You have to approve the estimate and give your credit card info before they send you the shipping label. For the amount I am paying, I really hope they install the new shutter mechanism used on the D610 as I am not about to shell out another $2000 for a D610.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Jack, it looks like you just joined photo.net yesterday. I am sorry that your D600 has problems, but your post has a lot of assumptions. Yes, we know that the D610 has a newer shutter mechanism, but for one thing that camera is just available now and people don't have sufficient experience with it to know for a fact that it is indeed problem free. We also don't know whether the shutter mechanisms are interchangeable between the D600 and D610. It may not even be possible to replace the shutter inside a D600 with the one for the D610.</p>

<p>If your D600 is just out of warranty by 2 weeks, I would suggest that you send it to Nikon USA. In some cases when it is barely out of warranty, Nikon may be willing to fix it for free under warranty. Your camera is showing the very general ERR error message. Please let a technician determine what the actual problem is.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Thanks Shun. I've been in this forum since 2006 but was absent for quite a while and had to sign up all over again yesterday. While it is true that all my earlier statements are purely speculative, I still ask myself why is Nikon introducing a D610 with an all new shutter mechanism. They give 2 flimsy reasons. Faster shutter speed from 5.5 to 6 fps...and no more dust problems. Both you and I and some of the readers out there that are in the business of photography know this is not dust but oil splattered all over the sensor which Nikon refuses to admit.<br>

While we also speculate that the new shutter mechanism on the D610 may not be compatible with the D600, I find it hard to believe that Nikon would totally redesign the frame and hardware mounting just to fit in this so called "new and corrected" shutter mechanism. Chances are, they would fit. Then again, who are we to speculate.<br>

As a Nikon user for more than 35 years and a disgruntled D600 user, all I am asking Nikon is to be that old honorable Japanese company it used to be in the 70's and face up to their mistake. Like I said, a simple admission...a recall of the product....and cost-free replacement of the faulty shutter mechanism would put them back to where it was.<br>

They did this for the SB900. They're doing it to the D600. I hope there is no Strike 3.</p>

<p>By the way, thanks for the tip Shun. I'll see if Nikon (where I sent my D600) can cover the repair under the warranty.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Jack, there is little doubt that Nikon is using the D610 to clear all the negative publicity from the D600's dust issue. Just forget about all of those silly excuses about speeding up the frame rate from 5.5 fps to 6 fps, etc. To put it bluntly, it is all marketing nonsense.</p>

<p>The D600 dust/oil issue has already been thoroughly debated on another thread a couple of weeks ago when the D610 was announced: <a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00c3Jd">Nikon Introduces the D610 DSLR</a>. There is no point to go over it again. However, Nikon did issue a service advisory on the D600 in February, 2013. Its exact wording may or may not be to your liking, but there is a service advisory: https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/18180</p>

<p>Jack, the very question in hand is whether Nikon USA can fix your D600 or so, and whether they do you a favor and fix it for free. I am curious about the outcome of that. My suggestion, ask for a favor nicely but firmly. Again, an ERR display is usually a general electrical problem. I wouldn't make any assumption about the exact cause of it.</p>

<p>There are two more points I would like to make.<br />(1) That entire letter from Nikon Europe Support was posted by some Kelvin on Nasim Mansurov's web site this morning. I am not aware of any verification of the authenticity of that letter. Just because someone posted something on the web doesn't mean it is genuine. Jack, instead, I would be more interested in how Nikon USA responses to you. Mansurov does have the tendency to post sensational articles on his site, as many other bloggers are doing in these days, to attract traffic. We learned that from his repeated wrong predictions about the so called D400 in the summer of 2012 and then again in 2013: http://www.photo.net/nikon-camera-forum/00bh47</p>

<p>(2) The SB-900 is a fine flash. I bought one within a month since it was announced in July, 2008. It has an overly sensitive thermostat so that it falsely reports overheating prematurely. I typically just switch off that thermostat and there is no problem, but I watch it myself to make sure that it doesn't indeed overheat.<br />The SB-910 was introduced over 3 years later in November, 2011 with a number of minor changes, and its thermostat works differently and cannot be switched off. I have an SB-910 as well but to this day, I use the SB-900 more often. Other than being oversized and on the expensive side, there is nothing wrong with either one of those flashes. I wouldn't mix up the SB-900/910 into the D600/D610 situation.</p>

<p>Again, let's focus on getting Jack's D600 fixed rather than opening up more silly debates.</p>

[pge]

<blockquote>

<p>And if you are in Europe you have a legal warranty period of 24 months, not 12.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Same in Canada. I assume you are in the States, but it might be worth checking that 12 month limit once again.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Thanks Shun. I'll find out in 4-6 weeks when my D600 comes back from repair if I still have any issues with the oil splatter on my sensor...and if they'll charge me for the repair.</p>

[chris_lindsey]

<p>I have over 16000 and still cleaning...</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Thanks to my D600 Chris Lindsey, I am now an "expert" in wet cleaning sensors. I used to be scared cleaning the sensor. I also got tired of paying this guy $50 just to clean it :-)</p>

 

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>In the UK your consumer rights are part of your contract of sale <em>with the retailer who supplied the goods,</em> not with the OEM. You may choose to fill in a 12 month (or whatever) warranty form with the OEM, but this doesn't affect your statutary rights/contract with the retailer.</p>

<p>At least here in the UK <em>there is no fixed term of guarantee on supplied goods.</em> The law simply states that goods should initially be of 'merchantable quality' and remain free of manufacturing or material defect for 'a reasonable period of time' provided they haven't been overused or abused. Something like a DSLR becoming unusable after 12 months and 2 weeks is <strong>not</strong> an acceptable period of time.</p>

<p>Jack, I strongly suggest that you familiarise yourself with your legal consumer rights in whatever region of the world you reside. I suspect that the law in your locality will uphold any claim against the retailer or OEM to replace or repair your D600 free of charge. No right-thinking person would expect to have to pay for a camera of that value to undergo major repair after such a short period of time, and with such a shutter count on the 'clock'.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Thanks Rodeo Joe. It does seem odd that the US has only a one year warranty period while you guys in the UK and Canada have 2 years. As Shun said earlier, we'll find out if they'll charge me for the repair and/or replacement of the shutter mechanism in the next couple of days.</p>

<p>Not quite sure if I read it here in photo.net or another forum but if Nikon USA finds out through your own admission that you've been wet cleaning the sensors yourself, it will void the warranty. I don't know how true this is but you don't need to be a qualified tech or a mad scientist to wet clean your sensor. My issue here with Nikon is the shutter mechanism and not the sensor. </p>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>Not quite sure if I read it here in photo.net or another forum but if Nikon USA finds out through your own admission that you've been wet cleaning the sensors yourself, it will void the warranty.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>That is simply nonsense. Wet cleaning is standard procedure for all DSLRs. I have been doing that for over a decade. However, if you carelessly damage the shutter, for example, during self cleaning, that damage is not covered.</p>

<p>Jack the OP is in the US, where Nikon DSLR bodies have one-year warranty. It doesn't matter whether it is 2 years or 10 years somewhere else; that is irrelevant to Jack's case.</p>

<p>Jack, let's go over this again. Your D600 is showing ERR and the camera no longer works, right? We have no idea whether it is a shutter problem or not. It could easily be a malfunctioning circuit board. As I said, let a Nikon technician take a look first and see what the problem is. Nobody else on his forum is going to be able to diagnose your camera over the internet.</p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Did you purchase your camera with a credit card? Many cards extend the manufacturer's warranty for an additional year. Call the number on the back of your card and ask.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Yes Shun...my D600 displayed an ERR message (not the blinking one) and has completely disabled my shutter release. All other function works like menu display or reviewing images on the card. I've tried everything the manual suggests from the SD card to the battery and finally the lens contacts. I doubt if its the circuit board as this would have disabled the entire function of the camera or majority of it. Like you said, I'll just have to wait for Nikon to contact me to give me their diagnosis...and estimate:-(</p>

<p>With regards to the wet cleaning voiding the warranty, I completely agree with you and find it completely absurd if indeed it is true.</p>

<p>Will I buy another Nikon camera after this sad experience? Well heck YES! They're simply the best for my kind of photography (<em>product photography</em>) :-)</p><div></div>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>I probably did use my credit card Brooks Gelfand but not sure if they cover this after one year :-(</p>

 

[keith reeder]

<blockquote>

<p>while you guys in the UK and Canada have 2 years</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Not exactly, Jack - read Rodeo Joe's post again. In the UK we have as long as what might be considered a "reasonable" length of time for an item to continue to work - which I'd argue is more than two years (assuming "reasonable" usage, which is of course, a matter of debate) for something like a D600.</p>

<p>In the UK I think you'd have a <em>damn'</em> good case for a replacement or free fix after only a year and a bit. Canon did right by me back in 2006 when the shutter failed on my (relatively lightly used) 30D just outside of the 12 month Canon warranty period.</p>

[rodeo_joe1]

<blockquote>

<p>"Jack the OP is in the US, where Nikon DSLR bodies have one-year warranty. It doesn't matter whether it is 2 years or 10 years somewhere else; that is irrelevant to Jack's case."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>- OK. I was just a bit confused by Jack's dealings with Nikon Europe with regard to the repair, and not Nikon USA.</p>

[sergio_ortega7]

Shun....From the Nikon site: "What are these spots and how do I get rid of them? How do I clean the D-SLR low-pass filter?"

 

https://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7348

 

"Cleaning the Filter with cleaning liquid. There are various types of imaging sensor cleaning products available that may include a liquid

cleaner together with image sensor wipes. It is possible that these liquids can be used, but as stated above the low-pass filter is

extremely delicate and easily damaged. Any damage that maybe caused by the use of these products, by the user, may result in a

chargeable repair for replacement of the Filter/sensor unit. Nikon does not recommend cleaning the sensor with anything other then

gentle air."

 

I was told by the Nikon USA service supervisor NOT to wet clean my own sensor/LPF, or to use any type of device (wet wipes,

brushes, etc) that would actually touch the surface of the sensor/LPF. I was specifically warned I should only use a blower bulb, as per the instructions on the Nikon site, or rely on the sensor cleaning option in the camera menu. Nikon warns customers that using these wet cleaning methods may "result in a chargeable repair for the replacement of the filter/sensor".

 

Obviously, if the camera is no longer under warranty, there's nothing to worry about. However, if your camera is still under warranty, and you call Nikon to discuss your "oil on the sensor" problem, I would suggest not telling Nikon: "I've been cleaning my own sensor with wet wipes and the oil spots aren't going away...no matter how many times I clean it" (or something to that effect). Nikon telephone service reps take down your statements when you contact them initially to discuss any potential warranty problems; they may possibly use your initial comments to deny repairs under warranty.

[ShunCheung]

<p>Sergio, web cleaning of the sensor/low-pass filter is a standard procedure. Nikon's language and comments are those typical legal statements to protect themselves. It specifies it <strong>may</strong> result in a chargeable repair. I.e., in you accidentally scratch the sensor or damage the shutter during cleaning, you will have to pay for the repair. I think that is quite reasonable. It doesn't say as soon as you wet clean your sensor once, it automatically voids the entire warranty.</p>

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Good point Sergio. I would deny wet cleaning my sensor periodically much the same way Nikon denies there is a problem with their shutter mechanism or anything for that matter with their D600.</p>

<p>But here's the reality which I hope Nikon can understand. When dealing with oil splatters on your sensors, there is simply no way you could remove that by a blower bulb or their built-in sensor cleaner. Using the dry wipe on oil splatters will only create smudges and make things worse. </p>

<p>As a professional photographer, it is simply not practical to send my D600 to Nikon every month for cleaning and wait 2-4 weeks for it to come back. I used to drive 50 miles to Calumet just to have my sensors cleaned and pay them $50 for the job. I just finally gave up and decided to wet clean the sensor myself. The oil spots do come off after a wet cleaning but comes right back after about 500 clicks.</p>

<p>A friend of mine who owns a Canon camera confirmed that Canon replaced his shutter mechanism way after the warranty period completely free of charge. So I'm hoping Keith Reeder that Nikon will do the same.</p>

[sergio_ortega7]

Yeah...Why tell them anything, Nikon never told us anything.

 

Another thing customers should know: Nikon will extend the original one year warranty for an additional six months for any component(s) repaired under wareanty; if your

sensor/LPF is cleaned or your shutter mechanism is replaced under warranty, these specific items will be covered under warranty for an

additional six more months.

 

So, if one has warranty work for any component(s) performed by Nikon 364 days after buying the camera, the warranty period for those

components repaired under warranty would be extended for an additional six months after that. Conceivably, one could have the

sensor/LPF cleaned and the shutter mechanism replaced under warranty...forever...so long as you had the work done just before very six month extension runs out. Just a thought.

 

Shun...I agree, it's probably just legal boilerplate. They may not void your warranty for just cleaning the sensor with wet wipes a few times, but why take a chance?

[jack_borlongan]

<p>Here's another defect with my D600 and this happens a lot....as in once every 10-20 clicks. Shutter speed is always within the 1/200sec range and never beyond when using strobes. This obviously tells me there was something wrong with my shutter mechanism.</p><div></div>

[ShunCheung]

<blockquote>

<p>Shun...I agree, it's probably just legal boilerplate. They may not void your warranty for just cleaning the sensor with wet wipes a few times, but why take a chance?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>First of all, I don't think I am taking a chance at all. Proper wet cleaning, done carefully, will not void my warranty. It is just like Nikon telling people not to use 3rd-party clone batteries and non-Nikon lenses. Yeah, if your 3rd-party battery leaks inside your Nikon camera, you'll have to pay for repair, but a lot of people use them anyway.<br>

Why do I clean my sensor? Well, because I don't want spots on my images. :-)</p>

<blockquote>

<p>Here's another defect with my D600 and this happens a lot....as in once every 10-20 clicks. Shutter speed is always within the 1/200sec range and never beyond when using strobes. This obviously tells me there was something wrong with my shutter mechanism.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I hate to say this because it is too late now, but if your D600 has had problems all along and "a lot," such as this flash sync issue, you should have sent it back to Nikon a long times ago when it was still well within the warranty period. Now you can only hope that they'll give you a break.</p>

[wogears]

<p>Just in case all of you Real Americans® think that the Socialist UK™ has something we don't, please be aware that most US jurisdictions accept the existence of two 'implied warranties'--the warranty of merchantability and the warranty of fitness for purpose. I am not an attorney (praise be to God), but this was explained to me by one. Merchantability means that all similar products, at similar prices, regardless of manufacturer, should function in a similar way for a similar amount of time. For example, if my Canikon 600D MkIII shutter fails after 10,000 actuations, whereas the expected lifetime for similar cameras is 100,000, I am entitled to redress. </p>

<p>Fitness for purpose means that if a salesman sells me a camera for professional sports photography, or if I buy a camera advertised by the manufacturer as "the one to have for serious sports pictures", and it proves unequal to the task, then I again have redress. In most cases, the State Attorney General's office handles such complaints. I have used them in several cases not related to cameras, and have gotten satisfactory results.</p>