Reading mode: Light Dark

D70 Repair Diary

Go to last post
Uncle Frank

Uncle Frank

Forum Pro
Messages
21,481
Solutions
1
Reaction score
252
Location
San Jose, US
I sent my d70 to Nikon's El Segundo repair center on Wednesday, 10/5, and Fedex confirmed delivery at 9:00AM on Friday. This is the letter that accompanied it:
Member said:
Dear Sirs,
Click to expand...
Member said:
I’m returning my D70 for service related to the following issue:
Click to expand...
Member said:
Inconsistent electrical connection between the camera and lenses, resulting in the F-- error message. I believe this is due to excessive lens body mount play, and it has progressed from an occasional problem to a frequently occurring one. I am generally able to correct it by wiggling the lens, rotating it counter-clockwise (looking forward), and lifting up slightly on the barrel of the lens in use. It can occur while I am using any of my Nikon lenses, which include the 28-70/2.8, 80-200/2.8, 20/2.8, and 60/2.8 micro, which leads me to believe the internal mount on the d70 is out of tolerance.
Click to expand...
Member said:
I discussed the issue with Nikon Tech Support, and they advised me to return the camera for evaluation. I would appreciate your prompt attention, as I am the prime photographer for a wedding that will be taking place in early November.
Click to expand...
Member said:
Thanks in advance for your assistance
Click to expand...
Now it's a waiting game. The standard procedure is for them to log is the camera, evaluate it, and then contact the owner by Snail-Mail to get authorization for the repair. I hope to shortcut the system, and will call on Tuesday and try to speak to a very responsive tech at El Segundo that Phil Youngblood identified for me. I'll see if I can authorize the repair by phone, and try to make the case that this is a design problem that should be repaired at Nikon's expense. If the d70 isn't capable of supporting the heavier lenses, that should have been noted in its specs. Users shouldn't be penalized for buying Nikon's best lenses, and enriching their profit line, should they?

Note that I spoke to a service tech on Friday afternoon, and she thought I was calling about a BGLOD return. They are estimating a 5 day turn-around for BGLOD repairs. I hope that doesn't stuff the system up and extend the repair cycle for other problems.

I'll keep you updated about the repair process on this thread. It'll help me cope with my withdrawal symptoms.
--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
I called Nikon El Segundo to see if my d70, which they received on Friday morning, had been logged into the system yet. Yes, it has, and they were able to give me the service number!

Even better news! The technician has already evaluated it, and since I had returned my d70 for warranty work in June, they are treating this as a no-charge re-repair!!! And since that doesn't require customer authorization, they're already working on it.

The service rep says that their current standard is a 5 day turn around on repairs. Of course, that's based on them having parts in hand. I'm hoping that's the case, and they'll be able to ship it out by the end of the week.

Gotta love Nikon... sometimes ;-).
--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
Uncle Frank said:
I sent my d70 to Nikon's El Segundo repair center on Wednesday,
10/5, and Fedex confirmed delivery at 9:00AM on Friday.
Click to expand...
I called Nikon El Segundo yesterday, to see how my d70 repair was faring, but after waiting 20 minutes to get a live body on the line, I gave up. I was just about to try again this morning when my doorbell rang, and the UPS man delivered my repaired d70!!! Since it was categorized as a re-repair, they sent it back by Next Day Air.

The invoice lists the following:

Repair Communication
Clean CCD
Check AF
Check Flash Operation
General Check & Clean

My thanks and kudos to Nikon El Segundo!!!

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
Uncle Frank:
So I gather that your camera is good as new. That's great news.

Question: you said your camera had problems with heavy lenses. Was that with a particular lens? I have no problem with my Bigma, but my D70 does have a problem with a Tokina 20-35 f/2.8 (it would not auto focus half of the time). The same lens, however, works fine with my N70 camera. The D70 does not have any problem with any of my other lenses. So I don't know what to make of my situation.

I have cleaned the contacts many times to no avail.
Guy
 
Guy M Wong said:
Question: you said your camera had problems with heavy lenses.
Click to expand...
No, my camera had a problem with all of my lenses. There was wiggle in my mount, and sometimes (with increasing frequency) I would get the "F--" error message, and be unable to take pictures. It had nothing to do with autofocus.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
So far, I've been waiting for my D70 to come back from repair after 3 and a half months.

Actually, it did come back from Nikon after 3 months, but it had a fault in it that wasn't there when I sent it in in the first place.

I sent it back for "priority re-repair" and I'm still waiting.

I started as a really proud Nikon owner, but Nikon in the UK are really making it hard for me to continue being enthusiastic.

I've stopped recommending Nikon to my friends. I'm too embarrassed.

I'm amazed when I hear of everyone's quick turnaround - it makes me wonder just what I have to do to get the same!

Rob
Very fed up.
 
I'm glad you got yours back to quickly. Mine was received on Sept. 23rd, as I'm getting the sensor replaced, and then it went on a parts hold. I was just informed today (Oct. 14th), that it has been repaired and is going through quality control? Then it will be shipped out. This is taking a little longer than I expected, but at least I'll have a new sensor.
--
http://cmvsm.zoto.com/
 
Rob, in the US, they people are somewhat more brash than what is expected of Englishmen.

Half my family is in England and when I visited them, I never heard the F-word from anyone anywhere, including clubs and pubs. (That may have changed over the years. I haven't been in English since 1985.)

Here, Nikon doesn't want a radical, irritated, and possibly irrate American showing up at their repair facility.

If they take more than a couple of weeks to fix my camera, that is what they will have.

One week down on Monday. Come on you f* ers. (Just kidding, so far.)
 
Geez, reading my own post is hilarious. Haven't been in English since 1985. And it shows!
 
Well, if you went to the football matches I attend (photos at http://www.footiepics.com (all mine) and http://www.binfieldfc.com (not all mine)), you'd certainly hear some, er, colourful language.

I'll bear in mind what you say when I next speak with Nikon.

I'm certainly f*ing p*d off...

...I'm amazed too, that when I do speak with Nikon, they don't seem to be the least bit embarrassed at (what I judge to be) their simply awful , completely unacceptable service. I'm just stunned that any organisation that cares about its reputation could be so blase.

Hope you have better fortune than me

Rob
 
robatfootiepicsdotcom said:
I'm certainly f*ing p*d off...
Click to expand...
That's a sad story, Rob. You have good reason to be outraged.

Nikon sets up subsidiary corporations for each geographical region to handle importing and service. They have a fair degree of autonomy, and have to manage their own p&l, but they are chartered to maintain standards that will uphold Nikon's reputation. I'd suggest escalating the issue by the following steps:

A phonecall to Nikon UK's top management. If that doesn't work...

A visit to Nikon UK, so you can scream at them face to face. If that doesn't work...

A letter to Nikon Japan, copying Nikon UK's top management. Tell them you're going to write up the story of this debacle, and submit it to every photo magazine in the UK.

Three months is totally unacceptable. If they can't fix it, they should have given you a replacement 2 months ago.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
Here's how the time has gone so far:

23rd June: Sent it in (via Jessops). I was told it would be back in 4 weeks or so. OK, longer than I'd like, but I have to be patient.

Later, I found out that a week was wasted while Nikon queried with Jessops whether I had actually bought the camera.

4 weeks go by.

Nikon decide the fault can not be repaired under warranty.

Somewhere, I later find out, Nikon and Jessops forget to tell each other that someone should tell me this. Add another week.

I agree to pay (having come to an arrangement with Jessops, since it's not at all clear just how my camera got damaged). I have to speak to both Jessops and Nikon, since Jessops turn out to be told something different by Nikon than Nikon tell me.

But - I have to go to the back of the queue - so, guess what, I'm told that the 4-6 weeks starts again. They will take no notice of the fact that they've had the camera for 6 weeks. Also, they have to wait for parts to be delivered.

I am not at all happy, to put it mildly. But I wait patiently.

After 3 months from me sending it in, my camera comes back. I am overjoyed. Until I find out - as soon as I look through the viewfinder - that the LCD isn't lit up properly. (This fault was not there when I sent the camera to Nikon.)

I phone Jessops, who explain I may have to pay to get this fixed, since Nikon have told them that they may not accept it's their responsibility. I am not happy.

I bypass Jessops and speak with Nikon. they tell me that I can send it back for a "priority re-repair", and this time it will be fixed much more quickly. 7-10 days.

I send my camera in, and wait patiently. When it doesn't come back promptly, I phone Nikon.

They tell me that the information I was given via support on their web site is not correct. Oh, and my D70 didn't get booked in immediately - but this was most unusual for a priority re-repair. Sorry about that, they say.

And the reason it isn't back is - they're waiting for parts. Though they should be here soon, hopefully.

I then get a letter telling me that I can expect to wait until 24th October (that's 3 and half weeks, not 7-10 days), approximately - although this is subject to the availability of spare parts and the extent of the work required.

I query this, and am told that is just a standard letter, my camera is being looked at.

I continue to wait.

Assuming I get my camera back next week (I can hope!), it will have spent nearly 4 months of its 1-year warranty period with Nikon.

Oh, and ironically, this isn't my first D70. I bought my first one via dabs.com, after looking for recommended dealers on Nikon UK's web site, and found out when I tried to register it that Dabs had sold me a grey import. Nikon refused my registration.

Nikon didn't accept that this was anything to do with them, even though I pointed out that I'd bought it from a source they recommended. They did, however, immediately remove Dabs from their list of recommended dealers - the single time I've found Nikon to act promptly.

Fortunately, Dabs agreed to refund my money.

And I bought the camera from Jessops that I had to send back...
 
Frank

I've just posted how the time has gone.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Depending on just when I do get my camera back - or not - I will look to escalate as you outline.

As I said earlier in this thread, I really do want to be a happy, proud Nikon owner again. I've certainly got some open wounds at the moment, though...

Rob
 
A suggestion, Rob. Next time (and let's hope there isn't one), send the camera directly to Nikon UK, and don't go through the retailer. I've seen the same problem with returns through the retailer to Nikon USA. It may be convenient, but it adds unnecessary delays and creates lots of communications errors.

--
Warm regards, Uncle Frank
FCAS Founder, Hummingbird Hunter, Egret Stalker
Dilettante Appassionato
Gallery at http://www.pbase.com/unclefrank/nikon
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top