Refurbished Nikon D5200 Purchased from Adorama -- Should I Exchange It?

[juniper_smith]

<p>Hi all,<br>

Quick question about a recent purchase...<br>

I received a refurbished D5200 in the mail today. When I first started snapping photos, everything worked fine. Suddenly, however, I noticed an alarming issue. Each time I took a photo, the LCD screen said, "File cannot be displayed" and the photos were not being recorded (when I hit the playback button, there were no photos).<br>

I turned the camera off, took out the memory card, blew on it a bit (I'm not sure if this actually helps, but what the heck), and put it back inside. Ever since, it's been working like a charm. <br>

I'm not sure if it was a memory card issue, or if it's a problem with the camera. I have an inkling it's the memory card, but I'm not positive. I've had this memory card for quite some time (a SanDisk 32gb). I originally used it with a refurbished Nikon D5100, and then with a Sony NEX-5N. I can't quite remember, but I think I might've had to do some reformatting business to use the SanDisk card in the Sony. Maybe that's what's causing issues now? <br>

It looks like the shutter count on this camera is extremely low (I used the Nikon shutter count website)...only 123. So it obviously wasn't used very much at all - may have just been a returned product or something. Not sure. <br>

Anyways, I'm wondering what you guys suggest I do? Would you assume it's a problem with the camera, or the memory card?<br>

Thanks for any input...<br>

PS. Unfortunately, I do not have any additional memory cards to test in the camera. I'm not sure that would help anyhow, since the SanDisk 32 gb is now working just fine. </p>

 

[owen_omeara]

<p>I would exchange it. Adorama is very good about these kinds of things.</p>

<p>-O</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>May I suggest that you do yourself a favor and get at least another SD card? Apparently you have an older card that has gone through a couple of cameras. Old cards have a higher tendency to fail, and SD cards are kind of fragile and can crack, which I have done several times. SD cards are pretty cheap in these days and even Costco carries plenty of choices.</p>

<p>Unless your D5200 generates corrupted image files on multiple cards, I wouldn't return what you have, which seems to be in good shape for refurbished. If you exchange it, chance is that you'll get something in worse shape. But without testing the camera on multiple cards, you won't have the peace of mind that your camera is indeed fine.</p>

[juniper_smith]

<p>Thank you for the tip! Going out to get another SD card right now. </p>

[helen_oster]

<p>You have a 30-day returns period, Shelby - if you need any help with this, do let me know: Helen@adorama.com</p>

<p>Helen Oster<br>

Adorama Camera</p>

[chip_chipowski]

<p>I second Shun's advice. Shelby, if you get a new card I suggest you also format the card in-camera before you start using it. I always reformat my cards after downloading images to my computer. You should be able to find the "Format Memory Card" option in the Set-Up Menu. Good luck!</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Sandisk and Lexar, among a few others, are good memory card brands. The main issue with Sandisk is counterfeit cards, but I would imagine that getting it from Costco is safe, so is Adorama, etc. I wouldn't get it from "no name" eBay sellers. I suppose that another one or two class-10, 16G, 32G cards should be sufficient. You don't necessarily need something super fast.</p>

<p>As Chip said, please keep in mind to format the cards inside the particular camera.</p>

<p>P.S. Helen Oster has been helpful. I have very bad experience buying Nikon refurbished lenses, and Helen helped me out on the return. Hopefully it won't come to that.</p>

[dave_wilson1]

I would also suggest removing the card and looking in the slot with a bright flashlight making sure the contacts look shiny

and new and nothing looks bent or cracked or burnt black. Then maybe over a day or so take the card in and out a few

more times to make sure the issue doesn't start back up and everything is in check.

[mike_halliwell]

<p>For a D5200 with 123 frames, it's a barely tested refurb....like an un run-in car engine. I'd guess a combo of a slightly oxidized coating on the slot pads and a aged, confused card.</p>

<p>Regular usage keeps the slot pads burnished. Get some nice new Sandisks, format them in-camera and go shoot!</p>

<p>If there's even a hint of trouble with the new cards after they've been in and out a few times, I'd accept Helen's offer of help.</p>

<p> </p>

[andrewroca]

<p>A few years ago, I went to an exhibition were one retailer had large amounts of Nikon stock marked refurbished.<br>

My brother purchased a 70-300 that appeared to new and the packaging seemed have been unopened and he's been very happy with it since.<br>

We suspected that this very amount of refurbished stock was the result off a very large UK photographic chain had gone bankrupt (UK bankruptcy law is much more aggressive than US with no chapter 11 equivalent) a few months before, after a long period of poor sales.<br>

The theory was that Nikon had supplied cameras and lens to the chain on a sale or return basis, and once the chain finally failed, Nikon got their equipment back, but not knowing how any equipment had been handled by the shops, Nikon couldn't sell any of it as new, so it was checked and then sold off as a batch of refurbished stock to the retailer my brother dealt with. <br>

I would second the advice about getting a new card, I have before had a card that was bad from new.</p>

 

[rodeo_joe1]

<p>Not sure if this is relevant in this instance, but using a Micro-SD card in an SD adapter is asking for trouble IME. For camera use I would only use full-sized, proper SD/SD-HC/SD-XC cards, and only ones with a Class (10) speed rating.</p>

[juniper_smith]

<p>Thanks everyone! I went out and bought a couple Lexar SD cards last night. I took a bunch of pictures with the new SD cards, and the error hasn't appeared again. I'm going to give it a week or so and see if it's smooth sailing from here. Hopefully the SD card was, in fact, the problem, and I won't have to return the camera.</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>As far as I recall, Adorama has a 30-day return policy, and Nikon USA provides a 90-day warranty for refurbished (i.e. 90 - 30 = 60 days past the limit for Adorama returns). So you have plenty of time to check everything out. If you take a lot of pictures with different settings in the next few days, most problems should surface within a week.</p>

<p>I have had one Sandisk CF memory card died after 2, 3 years and one Lexar CF card that was DOA. However, I have never lost or damaged any CF card (since the D100 in 2002). For SD cards (D7000, late 2010), I have lost a few of them (casually leaving them on some table and they "disappeared") and also cracked a few, even though I have used CF for much longer than SD. I would always keep the spare SD cards in their little plastic case and keep them in the same, safe place.</p>

<p>Enjoy your D5200.</p>

[kohanmike]

<p>No one has suggested reformatting the Sandisk card in the 5200, why not do that too? Adorama is my go to store, bought refurbs from them that work just fine.</p>

[eric_arnold]

<p>i always format memory cards in-camera before snapping anything with it. if the card was used before there could be digital residue on it or just a software glitch. since i have multiple cameras, i try not to use the same cards on each. ill mark a card with the camera it "belongs" to. if i do swap a card out and use it in a different camera, ill reformat the card in-camera before shooting.</p>

[helen_oster]

<blockquote>

<p>Adorama is my go to store, bought refurbs from them that work just fine.</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Good to hear Michael! Thanks for sharing. :)</p>

<p>Helen Oster<br>

Adorama Camera<br>

Helen@adorama.com</p>

<p> </p>