A Nikon Related Tale Of Woe

Nikon Press Image

I wanted to relay a story that involves a very good photographer friend of mine.  This story revolves around his Nikon D810 and Nikon USA.  I'll relay it basically as he told it to me.

Nikon Press Photo

My buddy, I'll call him Fred, is an accomplished photographer of 50 or more years.  He mainly photographs birds and wildlife.  He is good at it.  He has been a Nikon guy since the 1960s when he started teaching photography.  He loves his Nikon gear.  In fact, I've tried to get him to go mirrorless but he won't hear of it.  He currently owns four Nikon DSLRs including said D810 as well as a D800E, a D700 and a D200.  He had a D300 but gave it to one of his sons when his son expressed interest in photography.  Did I mention he is also one of the most generous guys I've ever met?  He also owns several lenses, some Nikon and some specialty lenses that are of independent manufacture.

A couple of months ago, Fred discovered the SD card slot in is D810 would not retain the memory card.  No matter how far he pushed it in, the card would just pop back out.  Evidently, the latch mechanism failed.  He decided to send it to Nikon, USA in New York  for repair.  He contacted Nikon USA, filled out the requisite "paperwork" and sent off his well-packaged camera body according to Nikon's instructions.  So far so good.

Nikon subsequently took delivery of the camera as sent of which he received notification.  Several days later Nikon contacted him and advised him how much it would cost to repair the SD slot.  Fred told them whatever it costs, go ahead and fix it as he planned to keep this great camera for some time to come.

A couple of weeks later, he received his camera body from Nikon, nicely packaged with associated paperwork.  He noted on the paperwork that not only did Nikon fix the SD card slot problem but Nikon also fully checked all aspects of his camera to ensure everything checked out to factory specifications.  According to the paperwork., they checked the metering, all focus functions including autofocus, shutter speeds, etc.  The paperwork said the D810 was now at factory specs.

Fred, as I mentioned, is an avid birding photographer and has for many years used a Sigma 50-500mm f/4.5-6.3 lens as his wildlife and birding lens.  The lens is commonly referred to as a "Bigma" for good reason!  Fred has owned and used this particular lens long before Nikon introduced the 200-500mm lens or Sigma and Tamron introduced their 150-600mm lenses.  Actually, I've never seen him use any other lens.  Very few of us can afford a $10,000 US or more Nikon or Canon long prime lens for birding or wildlife.  The independent manufacturers filled this void with some lenses that are of high quality and affordable.  I can attest to Fred's particular copy of the 50-500mm's for its fast and accurate focus, sharpness and clarity.  Fred has a really good copy as it really performs well.  Fred has made some wonderful images with it of bald eagles, ospreys, ducks,  hummingbirds, dragon flies, snow geese, elk, Sika deer, etc.  Fred likes using this particular lens as it allows him to zoom all the way back to 50mm or all the way out to 500mm.  Versatility is the key, according to what he has told me many times.  He uses this lens on both his D800E as well as his D810 with no past issues whatsoever.  Back to my story...

When Fred mounted the lens on his newly returned and repaired D810, the camera would not focus the lens.  Nothing.  He checked all of his settings to ensure the camera was set to autofocus, etc.  He then looked at his LCD on top of the camera and the little icon that portrays either AF-S or AF-C was blinking about 200 times per minute.  Something was wrong.  He tried a few more things but nothing worked.  That was when Fred called me.

I suggested several steps to take (which he already knew to do but I was trying to be helpful).  I suggested first he clean the contacts on the lens, both mechanically with a clean pencil eraser as well as chemically with isopropyl alcohol.  I suggested he mount and try his other lenses on the D810 as well.  I also advised to try the Bigma and other lenses on his D800E.  A couple of days later we talked and he had done all the things we knew he could do to try to correct this issue he never had before he sent his camera to Nikon USA.  All lenses focused perfectly on his D800E but none would focus on the D810.  The camera would not correctly autofocus any lens, even his Nikon lenses.  Fred subsequently called Nikon USA to advise them of this new problem.

When speaking with a representative at Nikon USA, Fred was advised it is their policy to do a complete check of all cameras sent to them for repair to ensure all functions meet factory specs as well as fix any identified problem before a camera is sent back to its owner.  They indicated they checked and adjusted the autofocus mechanism to factory specs, even though Fred never asked them to do anything with the autofocus or any other camera function.  They told Fred to send the camera back to them so they can check for the problem.  Fred sent it back and insured it, both at his own expense.  Insuring a $3300 US camera when sending it is expensive.

Again, Nikon in New York received it, but this time sent it across country to Nikon's repair facility in California, according to Fred.  They checked it and indicated everything functioned as is should.  When Fred again received it, the camera still would not focus any of his lenses but the D800E focused them perfectly.  Fred was going to send his in camera again but also include the Bigma so Nikon could test the combination and maybe fix it if they had both pieces of gear.  I told him that it was my understanding that Nikon will not check any of their cameras with any lenses except Nikon lenses.  They wouldn't check the Sigma lens on his D810 body.  I told him that he might want to check on that before sending that large and heavy lens to Nikon, again at his own expense.

This is now where he stands.  He has a camera that has unfailingly focused his Sigma lens fast and accurately since he bought the camera in July 2014.  The D800E still focuses it properly.  The D810, before he sent it in for repair, focused all of his other lenses as well.  He sent it to Nikon to fix the SD card slot and now the camera  is pretty much useless to him unless he can get this resolved.  As far as Fred is concerned, his birding and wildlife camera is a paper weight.

I think Freddy's next step is to send a letter to Nikon Japan with a copy to the president of Nikon USA, since they are separate companies, and see if he can get a resolution.  He merely wants his camera returned to him in the same condition that he sent it—focusing all of his lenses.

Some camera companies will fix what you tell them is wrong and others will also do a complete check and adjustment of all camera functions without you asking.  Sometimes that is a nice benefit, but as you read here, it can work out the opposite way.

This little tale is just FYI.  I'm not criticizing Nikon or alleging they have done anything wrong, only relaying my friend's experience so, in the future, you are armed with more and better information so you can always get the best resolutions to your camera problems.  After reading this, you may have some questions for the manufactuerer's facility you previously didn't have before sending one of your cameras in for repair.

If and when the issue is resolved, I'll post an update.  Until then if any of you have a solution or can advise Fred what else he can do, please leave a comment so I can pass it on to him.  Thank you in advance for your help.

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Thanks for looking. Enjoy! 

Dennis A. Mook 

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