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Nikon customer service....
EDIT; It's back, see post on the bottom of this page, as it's rolled over to a second one! I'm actually curious about other photographers encounters' with Nikon customer service. How long does it normally take you to get your camera, lens, etc back that you sent in for repair? I sent my D800 in for service (shutter, 285,000+ actuations) a month and a half ago. It was sent to them through my local camera store, where I buy all my equipment from. A week and a half after it was sent in, they called the camera store with a quote for repair, for which they got approval. I've been waiting the rest of the time, for the confirmation that my camera is repaired and on it's way back-- and I'm still waiting. No word yet from Nikon. Obviously, I'm getting rather annoyed at the long time I've had to wait- and this isn't my first encounter with Nikon CS. When I sent my D80 in for a shutter replacement, they kept it for 2 and a half months. The only reason I got it back that quickly was because I asked for it back unrepaired. I was tired of waiting- they suddenly found it, repaired it, and sent it back. My back up cameras are a Canon 50D and a Nikon D80, which works great for portrait stuff but all of a sudden I'm getting a lot of commercial and architectural jobs too. I really don't want to use either, quality wise they aren't close to my D800. Am I rightfully annoyed at them taking so long, or is this normal? Apr 16 14 09:22 am Link I only have one experience with Nikon Service. I dropped a 70-300mm VR lens in its pouch about 3 feet onto a hard wood floor. Because of the pouch there were no marks on the lens. The lens would focus and zoom but the VR no longer worked. It was within the 5 year Warranty. I took it to Nikon myself, they took it, asked me no questions like how did it break, they fixed it under warranty and called me in 3 days to pick it up. Apr 16 14 09:29 am Link Had a model accidently knock my D600 off a rather high table on the SM studios patio... busted it up pretty good. Been shooting with the backup D5200 since then... really sweet camera for the money that's getting amazing results. D600 has been in the shop for almost 2 months...  ... hoping to get it back soon.Apr 16 14 09:33 am Link Studio Still wrote: I've had similar results. Apr 16 14 09:34 am Link Studio Still wrote: I'm so jealous that you got yours back that quickly!! Select Models wrote: *hugs, then cries* You aren't alone, Gary! You aren't alone! I miss my baby too. Apr 16 14 09:34 am Link Studio Still wrote: Also dropped a lens... 55-200 ED-VR. Nikon in LA repaired it in one week free of charge... Apr 16 14 09:35 am Link I usually get things back in three weeks tops. Mostly shutter replacements etc. Apr 16 14 09:37 am Link I'm near their LA facility so I can hand-carry it in. Plus, they can't pull the "It's been abused. See this scratch? No warranty for you." stuff later on so easily either. They ship it back usually in 2-3 weeks in my experience if I hand-carry it in and it saves on time for UPS Slow-Poke Ground to get it there. Part of the process is the LA outfit has to have Nikon in Melville approve the repair so there's a couple of days in that mess for them to approve it, send out a estimate in snail-mail or post it online to approve/status etc. Sometimes they haven't a clue while they wait for NY to respond which is maddening. However, taking it to a dealer is really slow in that it might sit there for a couple of days for shipping, then UPS Ground (ugh!) to get there. Then for them to contact you once Nikon tells them. Same or worse coming back when they get around to unpackaging it and informing you. A dealer can slow it down 2-3 weeks from Nikon's own time - and I worked in one and know first hand. Even Samy's Camera in LA will tell you to "Take it to them direct rather than them dealing with it." Slow! If they are waiting a parts backorder out of Japan, 2-3 months. Even LA getting a part out of Melville, NY can take a week or two. Been there. Hopefully, it is right - or close enough - the first time through too. Good luck! Apr 16 14 09:44 am Link Hey SPP... this thread kinda rattled my cage alittle bit on the repair... so I called Nikon Customer Service. They said the D600 has been repaired and ready to pick up for almost a week, but nobody notified me... WOW! Either way, I'm on my way down there (about 45 minute drive) to pick it up TODAY. Thanks for posting this message...  Apr 16 14 09:48 am Link I have had a few experience with Nikon repair thru NPS over the past few years. In once case I D3X body damaged in flight (had to gate check on small plane) on my way to location shoot. Sent the body in to NPS from location and repaired camera was waiting for me on my return. I tracked the progress of the repair online throughout the process. In another instance, I was able to drop off D800 at Nikon's Long Island repair facility on a Monday and had the body back at my home on Thursday--but I do use NPS priority repair program. It has been my experience that each repair is assigned a number which is used to track the progress. If someone complains that they don't know what is happening with their repair is obviously not checking this number. Personally, I would never drop off a repair at a local camera store. Apr 16 14 10:26 am Link Less than a week. Apr 16 14 10:38 am Link OP...I have never did what you did. There is Nikon Service Centers in Los Angeles..that I can drive to directly and drop off. Within a week, everything is fixed on my Nikon Camera. Dropping off my Nikon D800 at my local camera store is not a good thing. Your using a middle guy. This Place is a Nikon Service Center... S.K. Grimes Camera Repair 23 Drydock Ave Boston MA 02210 Tel: (617) 951-1480 Fax: (617) 951-1466 Apr 16 14 10:45 am Link Nikon customer service? Does it exist? If it does, then it sucks! Big time!! Apr 16 14 10:45 am Link Select Models wrote: I think when you drop a camera the situation can be a little bit different. I suspect that you damaged some parts that are not normally in stock. It may take longer to get them. Apr 16 14 10:52 am Link DOUGLASFOTOS wrote: I agree with that. I think it is better to take or ship the camera to Nikon yourself. When you take it to your local store, you add additional transit and handling time. Apr 16 14 10:54 am Link DOUGLASFOTOS wrote: Sadly, I don't think the delay is from the store. The delay really truly does seem to be through Nikon! The camera store, hwoever, lent me a 5D to use in the meantime (ugh, but i guess it's better than the 50D!) However, next time I'll try myself, and suppose I'll see what happens Apr 16 14 11:02 am Link They are amazing but best deal directly with them. I have never had to wait for more than three days for anything. Apr 16 14 11:16 am Link Thankfully, I've never had dealings with them that were not through NPS. Even with NPS, things have not always gone as smoothly as I would hope for, but in most cases I've gotten gear back within 2 weeks from the day I've shipped it to them. In some cases, I've needed a couple of re-repairs, but nearly always had loaner gear from them while they do so. Only major complaint at this point is that NPS is only in NY now, since they closed their LA office years ago, which means that anything from NPS needs to go completely across the country, and their offices close at 2pm my time. Apr 16 14 11:21 am Link I have been shooting with Nikons since 1959 and the few complaints or repairs I have needed have always been done quickly and correctly. However, next week I am sending in my D600, which I am unhappy with, for the oil spots on the sensor thing, it will not sync with my studio strobes any faster than 125/ and that just isn't fast enough, and the auto focus sporadically will not lock on. So far all written paperwork (e-mails) have been answered promptly and courteously and I am expecting the same courteous and prompt service that I have enjoyed for the last 55 years. Apr 16 14 11:44 am Link A suggestion to the OP and others, send your camera, speedlights, etc. directly to Nikon. You can fill out the paperwork on line and get a number. See: http://www.nikonusa.com/en/Service-And- … epair.page Never, ever send it through a dealer as that just adds time and complications on both the sending and receiving ends. My experiences with Nikon service, dealing directly over the years, have been very good. Apr 16 14 01:52 pm Link SPierce Photography wrote: Your camera store is likely the bottleneck. Apr 16 14 01:58 pm Link GPS Studio Services wrote: They didn't send you the rings? When my rings were stretched out on my 17-55, they send me a couple new ones. Cost me a couple dollars. Apr 16 14 02:08 pm Link I was a NPS member from 1989 until 2004, when they refused to renew my membership because I was not using NIKON DSLR's ( I was all FUJI S5's ). I still have a N-90's that NPS in CA messed up the repair on, sent it back three times and they never got it right. NPS Melville, NY was a better, but after my last experience with them I found some great guys near Chicago 'Authorized Photo Service' (APS). I've sent my D700, D800 and two FUJI S5's into them for various repairs and they have always turned them around in less than a week at a very reasonable price. I've also had them do my old 300 f2.8 IF-ED, which NIKON said they would not work on because of age? They did a great job on the 300, it's now better than new and it was a great lens new. Anyway the guys in Chicago are: Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL www.nikoncamerarepair.com PS after my last FUJI S5 they told me thay don't want to work on FUJI S5's any more. They use to be NIKON service for the Midwest and I think they do warranty work as well, not sure. Apr 16 14 08:53 pm Link Both the camera store owner and I looked at the website for an update this morning... it's the dreaded parts hold reason  He's going to work on getting me a D600 or D800 to use in the meantime, while we're waiting for my camera to come back. Sigh.Apr 18 14 08:46 am Link BCADULTART wrote: Can I have your 300? thx!! Apr 18 14 10:31 am Link SPierce Photography wrote: The step in bold added at least two weeks to the process. Send your stuff to Nikon directly. Insure the package appropriately. Apr 19 14 04:41 am Link I had an issue with the vertical banding on my D700.  Wrote up my experience here: http://www.creativeconceptdfw.com/nikon … pen-to-me/ Apr 19 14 04:53 am Link Robb Mann wrote: Everyone is saying this-- but how is sending it in through the store adding 2 weeks? I'd be interested to know. Right now, the camera is on parts hold. It's very, very far out of warranty (about a year). A week and a half after we sent the camera in, Nikon called the store with a quote for repair. They approved it, the rest of the time has been spent waiting for Nikon to repair the camera, and send it back? We haven't gotten it back yet (I found out) because it's on hold for a part. The repair center hasn't done a damn thing with it. Apr 19 14 05:35 am Link The last repair I had was on a D200 that I dropped on concrete and it wouldn't focus. Got it back in about two weeks repaired and cleaned free of charge. Apr 19 14 05:37 am Link Well, just now got back from the UPS store. Shipped off my D600 to Nikon for the spots, synch, and focus problem. Nikon said typically 10 day turn around, but I am betting I get it back properly fixed in less than 10 days. Apr 23 14 01:42 pm Link Chuckarelei wrote: Which is why I now own a Canon 70D. Apr 24 14 03:06 am Link Can it be as bad as Sony? Apr 24 14 03:14 am Link Recently picked up a camera and lens repair at the LA facility on Wilshire Blvd after a 7 week repair time. Both are in excellent working condition after being dropped. Pleasant experience with helpful counter personnel... even recommended a few restaurants to eat at... Apr 24 14 03:35 am Link Select Models wrote: You're so lucky! I'm still waiting. If they don't get the god damn part and give me my camera back soon, i'm going on a Godzilla-type rampage! grrr! Apr 24 14 03:38 am Link Jim McSmith wrote: Seems even race here, but Nikon edges a little bit on Sony. Apr 24 14 09:16 am Link I took my D600 in to Nikon for some oil spots. It was under warranty. They promised one week. I got it back in six days. It has been fine ever since. Apr 24 14 09:27 am Link SPierce Photography wrote: Just curious, what kind of transportation are you using for the 80 miles to take you 2.5 hours? Apr 24 14 10:15 am Link Northbee Photography wrote: I drive; My little hole in the middle of no where- Belchertown, Mass. To the massmike in Sturbridge, then I hop on the Masspike. Sadly, it's trafficish. A lot. For better or worse, Boston is WAY too far for me to go. If I get a gig and psych myself up first I can go, but it's not a common occurrence. Apr 24 14 02:27 pm Link I feel like over the past year or two there has been a huge improvement in their service for non-NPS. It used to take me months to get things back, past few times have been very speedy. Apr 26 14 08:21 pm Link Well, My D800 came back from the repair center today! Apparently not only did I get a new shutter, but I got a new battery door, grip, AF Motor, usb rubber door thing, and 2 other things got mentioned, but I don't remember what it was. So, I basically got a brand new D800 for under $300.00. I guess I can't complain! Apr 30 14 12:35 pm Link |
