Nikon D1x Repair

[digital_demon]

I am interested in finding an independant repair shop in the USA for a minor repair on my D1x. I have had only one experiance with Nikon Servise Center and it was less than I expected or demand.

I sent my unit in for a cleaning (sensor) and the camera came back with the dust bunnies rearranged not removed, they would not honor the re-work so I have no reasons to send them any paid work.

The unit is no longer under any warrenty so I will have to pay to have the repair done anyway. I would like to have the entire camera cleaned including the sensor while the repair is made also.
The camera started giving an error message and then the shutter stopped working - after this happened I removed the lens to inspect the chamber and found a small screw loose in the unit. I would assume that this would be a fairly minor repair as I caught the problem and found the screw as soon as it quit working.

Anyone that could reccomend a repair shop? I live in Louisiana USA.

Keith

 

[jaime]

http://www.camtronics.net/display.php?page=index

I've got good luck with this vendor in the past. They do their own repairs and are also an official Nikon-repair-dealer.
Good luck.
jaime

 

[perdian]

HI,

I have had great results from Nikon itself in Southern California. I sent in a lens with a broken front element and a F(N)80. The film camera and lens came back as new. The non-nikon repair dealoes wanted twice as much money for the same repair. And a lot of them just send in on to Nikon and double the price. Good luck.

 

[digital_demon]

[Dr Perdian, I have contacted Camtronics in Ohio - they can get the repair done as well as a complete cleaning in two weeks time - that beats Nikon by four weeks - I would almost pay double in this case to get my camera back in a timely manner - I will post my results and experience with Camtronics here once I have received my camera back in case anyone is interested in using them in the future. The six weeks turnaround on the camera with Nikon is not something I need at this point - I also own a D2x as well as a CP5K and a D100 but my D1x is like an old friend and I find myself using it more in the field, even after I got the D2x. With RAW NEF files and Nikon View I can get as good, and at times better images with my D1x and have the option of up to a 24.6 MP size image so the trade off to the D2x really has limited advantages for me. I guess everyone has a favorite camera that just seems comfortable and easier to work with, mine happens to be the D1x and until now it has never failed me, at last count I had over 100,000 actuations on it, so I knew there would be some repair work sooner or later... IMHO 100,000 shots with no problems the unit has more than paid for it's self at this time and I had rather have the camera completely refurbished than to buy a different model to replace it. Most of my fine art work is done from a pirogue in the sw&s and wetlands of Louisiana and under the extreme conditions I shoot (HUMIDITY!!!) I can say that the camera is a battle tank and one of the toughest I have ever seen... For my fine art nude work I use the D2x in the studio and each has it's own finer points... I read on a forum once - I think it was here and posted by Larry Bloch - where someone ask "what is the best camera" - I really liked his reply and reference. He stated something to the effect of 'Which is better an Indy Race car or a dirt mover?' and explained it really depended on what your main use for the unit would be... Both an Indy car as well as a dirt mover would get around a race track, but an Indy car would be lacking the ability to move dirt if put in that position!]

 

[digital_demon]

The staff at Camtronics have to be the biggest idiots on the planet. After contacting this supposed NIKON AUTHORIZED repair shop they assured me they could handle this repair - I explained my urgent need for a quick turnaround and they again assured me that they could have the camera back in my time frame. I sent next day air insured for $2,500 via UPS. I placed a note in the box I packed my camera in explaining the problem and that they needed to contact me prior to any repair, so I could evaluate if the repair was in my best interest in a cost effective manner. They received the camera and failed to even acknowledge the note. Several days after they had received the package (I tracked it via UPS website) I contacted them for an update. They explained that the mirror box needed replacing and they had ordered the part from Nikon. I inquired why they had not contacted me - Mike had no answer on why. (FIRST STRIKE) I again told Mike that he needed to stay in touch with me concerning the camera, that this was not a point and shoot consumer model, I used this in my PROFESSIONAL STUDIO. Again Camtronics failed miserably, several more days passed and I again had to contact them - he stated that the part did not come in and it should be in on that Monday.(STRIKE TWO) Monday came and went with no contact from Mike at Camtronics (STRIKE THREE) upon contact with them he stated that Nikon had the part on back order but that they may have a few in reserve and he was in the process of finding out. Additionally stating that it could take 4 to 6 weeks. At this point I had no faith and asked for my unit to be returned. It was sent UPS GROUND taking five days for it to find it's way back. I inspected the camera and found a very noticeable NEW scratch on the camera body, upon closer inspection I found that when I pushed the Depth of field preview button the camera continually tried to act - it was not doing this prior to my sending it to them.

I am selling everything I own that has the NIKON name on it, not because the camera is not a great camera but their customer service and repair time is totally unacceptable in all aspects. I contacted Cannon and the longest time a professional is ever without his camera for any repair is three days - Nikon tells you up front (even for a simple repair or cleaning that it will be six weeks minimum) Nikon has dropped the ball for their professional customers and I for one will never own another Nikon product

I have no faith this company was even capable of performing such a repair - so be forewarned that if you need any work on your Nikon Product (and you more than likely will sooner or later if you use it to make a living) DO NOT TRUST CAMTRONICS IN OHIO - they are idiots!

 

[lnbolch]

Every full-time working photographer should know about Nikon Professional Services. I did not realize you were a full-timer when we communicated at the start of this.

http://www.nikonpro.com/

I have not been a member for quite a long time since I have been working a wide variety of media projects over the past two decades, but it was great when I was.

With my membership, I could call Nikon and they would ship me any piece of equipment overnight, and my only obligation was to return it promptly at my expense. When covering an event like the Daytona 500, Nikon was there. If I needed a longer lens, I flash my yellow card and walk away with it. If the camera broke during the event, I would drop it off, pick up a replacement body and exchange it for my repaired body at the end of the race. You will find them at the Olympics, SuperBowl, World Series and so on. If the camera broke between events, it required shipping, but the repair was done immediately - shipping was the only cost.

Nikon's support for working photographers left absolutely nothing to be desired.

 

[digital_demon]

Yes Larry I cover many major sporting events and freelance for many magazines - news services etc... I have a really bad taste in my mouth with my experiences with Nikon now - it has nothing to do with the quality of their products but more of how they run their customer service operations. Cannon's rep and I chatted over the past week at an event I was shooting and told me in no uncertain terms that they would service me with much more respect and attention - even handed me one of their latest cameras and 400mm prime lens and said try it out. I have tried to work with Nikon and I am very disheartened, after all I spend a considerable amount of $$$$ yearly with them. I own pro-sumer bodies and lens and have always paid cash for my purchases - I just became aware of the program you are referring to, though a fellow shooter that I see at many of the events we shoot together (BTW he shoots Cannon) His main point concerning Nikon can not be disputed in my experience of late - they will tell you up front that they will have your camera for 6 weeks minimum for even the simplest repair or cleaning. I am contacting Nikon next week and if they can not change my mind - I will have a ton of Nikon equipment for sale at a reasonable price. My needs are not being met presently and I do a ton of high profile work. Granted I have only been in business for myself for three years and am totally self taught so many of my counterparts have been doing this for over ten years and some for 30 years or more, they all have commented on the quality of my work and my professionalism at events I shoot. I don't know everything and learn every day - but when I lay down upwards of $4K for a camera body Nikon knows I am no hobbyist, so you would think Nikon would have clued me in on the program you speak of and I had a dedicated Cannon man tell me about it first - they dropped the ball big time on this one.

What appears on my websites is my work for myself - I have a list of credits as long as my arm that I never exploited in a manner that would produce more work for the simple reason I don't need any additional work - I get more than I want now, and I never post anything I shoot for hire as I think that is bordering on unethical practice in a way.

You have helped me a lot over the past few years with great information on your website and I can't say thank you enough for some of the lessons I have learned reading your material - I am at no where near the potential I think I have in photography and sometimes I search for material to enlighten me on different aspects and technical assistance as I have no formal education in photography. My education was in engineering and I spent the better part of 20 years in Construction management for a fortune 500 firm, doing very large projects all over the world. Thanks for your input, we need more people of your caliber in the field -