Problems with Nikon Repair Service?

[EPirrone]

After 20 years as a happy Nikon user, I’ve been having a Nikon nightmare for the past two years. Is anyone else having a major problem with Nikon service? My N8008 bit the dust in January 2005 and I replaced it with the N75, until I could come up with the bucks for a really good top-of-the-line digital. The camera is a lemon. I bought it at B&H photo in NY and worked fine for about 8 months -- about a dozen rolls. Then it started malfunctioning. I sent it in to Nikon for warranty repair; they supposedly repaired it. It still wasn’t working properly. You’ll have to trust me that this was not user error.

I called and spoke to Nikon at length. Although they were not rude, they were not helpful at all. They obviously didn’t want to be bothered with me. So I sent it back asking for a replacement or a refund. The replacement they sent also worked for a while, 6-8 rolls, and then the problems started up again. Due to serious family illness, I couldn’t deal with it for several months and threw it in a drawer in disgust. In December, before the warranty was up. I called Nikon. They said to return it with a letter detailing what I wanted.

I again asked for a new camera or a refund. I indicated that I’d wasted approx $90 on film and developing when they said the problem had been fixed. The original camera was only around $175-$200. I received a letter saying they had received it and were repairing it. I was not happy. I called and was told they had sent the camera back. It didn’t arrive. They jerked me around, made me file with UPS, and then just sent me now a reconditioned N80.
I’m trying to be fair, but I’m severely disappointed and ready to switch brand loyalty (yes, I know it means buying all new lenses). Obviously, I’m not keen on buying an expensive digital from them. Has anyone else faced this kind of customer service issue? Did you just give up? I’m ready to leave Nikon for Canon. Please let me know.
elainepirrone@juno.com

[another view]

I'd be upset too! What kind of problems were you having with the N75? The N80 has a lot of great features and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. FWIW, I have never had to use Nikon service. I've talked to them a couple of times about technical questions and always received the info I was looking for. The closest I came to using their service was for a lens I damaged, but the repair would have cost what the lens was worth so I didn't do it...

[JSPhoto]

I am not a Nikon user, however I know a lot of them. Service has been an issue for some of them, but worse had been the new gear they bought failing, and then Nikon not being prepared to repair the new gear. These were newer cameras that had known issues that should have been fixed during manufacturing. Another, who's newspaper bought two new Nikons had them both fail in a single week. They were given one new body by the seller and it failed the following week. Nikon repaired them but it took a while.
Canon isn't without it's problems either. The first 1D I bought failed to even turn on, but the dealer replaced it and the replacement worked great for three years. It did have an AF failure and it took 8 weeks to repair. the bad part was I had to have it cleaned because they failed to clean it after repairing it and it had dirt on the IR Filter and finger prints on the mirror, but it's worked fine since. However I hear fewer problems with Canon service than Nikon. I have to admit my 1D cameras get more abuse than most and hold up very well.

You will pay more for Canon gear, but in the longrun it's a good deal.

JS

[Speed]

I've heard horror stories about Nikon and Canon when it comes to repairs. I'm sorry to hear about the problems you've been having. As a hardcore Nikon fan, I hate to think about going through this sort of thing. I've got a lot of money invested in Nikon cameras (N80, F5, D200), lenses (five), and flashes (three), not to mention sync cords (two) and omnibounces (two) for the flashes.

On a more positive note, I have a N80. It was my first SLR and I love it. It is a very versatile camera and you should be pleased with it. I know it's not the resolution you were looking for, but hopefully, it will work well for you. I've had my N80 for more than five years now, and I have put over 300 rolls of film through it without a hitch. I wouldn't hesitate to pick it up tomorrow and shoot a wedding or a portrait session with it.

[deckcadet]

I'll say this about Nikon service- My experience with them has been fantastic. I've had my D200 (the first one) and D2Hs serviced for very minor niggles or just routine maintenance, and I received the cameras functioning flawlessly with all issues addressed. I called Nikon to get the service #s to track the service requests online and if necessary approve any charges, and since they had not been logged in to the system yet the kind lady on the phone took my number down and called me the moment they showed up in her system. Not only were the repairs turned around properly with no charges at all (even for stuff not normally warranty covered), but from the moment they left to the moment they arrived back here the total time was just one week.

[Speed]

That is very good to hear. It makes me wonder if it's certain service centers that are the problem, as oppposed to Nikon in general.

[photophorous]

I'm sorry to hear about your problems. Any company as large as Nikon (or Canon) is bound to have some issues like that. You could switch to Canon, but I think you'll eventually run into something similar with them, as we all will if we stick with any company for long enough. I'd look at it like this. You've got your service nightmare over with. Statistically, you're less likely to have another problem.

I have an N75, and I've never had a single problem with it. I got it in '03, and I've put hundreds of rolls through it. I think it's a great camera for the price. It's held up well to the abuse of many backpacking trips and few tripod tip-overs.

The only service experience I've had with Nikon has been great as well. The 18-70mm lens from my D70s kit was having some problems, so I sent it off. It was back on my doorstep 12 days from the day I dropped it off at UPS. The problem was, it would stick when zooming...probably due to some dirt inside the zooming mechanisms. They fixed the zoom issue, cleaned a minor amount of dust from between the lens elements, and recalibrated the autofocus. Good as new. No problems since then.

I hope the N80 works out for you. For what it's worth, I think they cost about twice what an N75 costs.

Paul