Q: D800 autofocus issue?

[Peter Forsell]

Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing D800. To the contrary.

I am looking for a small camera to fit on PB-4 bellows, as the single-digit cameras require extension. Low-mileage used D800 are priced pretty low now, so that might be one option. Yes, I know AF and PB-4 don't fit in the same sentence, but if I buy a camera I would like to use it more generally than just attached to the bellows. I'm not that rich that I can get a dedicated camera for every shooting situation. 

If I remember correctly, there was an early batch of D800 which had some AF calibration issues or something. Is there an easy way to recognize the fixed cameras, like a black dot in the tripod socket or similar, as was done with some other models and other issues?

[Bjørn Rørslett]

I guess most if not all "troublesome" D800 cameras have been fixed under factory warranty long ago. Thus you shouldn't risk much by getting a second-hand unit now, provided it seems OK and is working.

[pluton]

Don't know about Nikon in Finland, but the Nikon USA service rep told me that the D800/E left side AF issue, AND the D800/E collapsing 10-pin socket issue would be fixed at any time in the life of the camera, regardless of warranty status.

[JohnBrew]

Nikon would only address the focus issue if your camera fell within a certain serial number range. Mine had the issue, but was not in the serial number range. Nikon's reticense to acknowledge the issue still reflects their corporate image mentality. They have always been slow to acknowledge issues with their products. I sold mine on and hope the buyer had it corrected. Since my D810 hasn't been much better I can only assume things are humming along as normal at Nikon.

Note: I am a loyal Nikon client. After unwarranted repairs, my D810 has performed admirably. I hope my Df does as well but I am unable to shoot it until my household returns to normal after a move. I have done exactly three test shots to date! There is the outside possibility it will run out of warranty before I have the opportunity to shoot it again.

[paul_k]

if I remember correctly, the D800 'AF problem' was that, in particular noticeable when using wide angle lense wide open,
the left AF points of some bodies in the earlier series, would give a, compared to the other (center and right side) AF points,
'incorrect indication

Nikon acknowledged the problem (it could be discussed whether that was fast enough) and offered a (as far as I know free) 'fix' for it

Unfortunately the 'problem was, as happens nowadays, picked up on the Internet and blown way out of proportion by
'experts' and non Nikon fans, and keeps haunting D800/e/810 owners (of new and 2nd hand bodies) ever since

I was an earlier adapter, got my first one shortly after its introduction in 2012, never ran into the left AF issue though
A few years later got a 2nd hand one as a back up body, didn't find it with that body either

Have had the AF of my first D800 fully re-calibrated one though after I dropped it (with a 200-400VR attached),
fortunately bottom down first, from about three feet on a concrete floor while shooting a catwalk show
Had the same problem with one of my D3 after a similar incident, so I think I can safely say that wasn't so much
a problem with either of the bodies, but rather, I must ashamedly admit, a clear case of user error/abuse

The AF on my DF has, apart from the difference in AF speed compared to the D800 and D3, been working flawless
ever since I got mine in 2014, so no reason to expect anything iffy there

[Ilkka Nissilä]

Nikon would only address the focus issue if your camera fell within a certain serial number range.

In 24 years as a Nikon user I haven't run into any such issue. Service (either Nikon or 3rd party authorized by Nikon) has always been high quality, motivated and often at Nikon's cost even when way out of warranty. I dropped my D800 and the AF went a bit off (could be mostly seen with 200/2) and they would fix it without any cost to me despite myself being the faulty party. They also cleaned it etc. at the same time, again no extra cost. The only issues have been that sometimes it takes a bit longer to get the repair done than I would have liked, due to lack of parts. (The D850 battery grip power connection somehow broke and it took a few weeks to get the part, but I could continue shooting with the camera while waiting as long as I didn't insert a battery into the vertical grip.)

When having issues with Nikon not taking responsibility for faulty manufacture it would be good to report the location where service is requested along with the problem, rather than suggest that it's a universal Nikon issue, when it clearly is not.

[JohnBrew]

You are a lucky man. I must use Nikon USA. I will also agree I never had a Nikon problem until the D800 and my usage dates back to 1984. One other example is the "impact damage" diagnosis. Which is an inherent problem due to the flexible circuit which reads the lens contact points using what I've been led to believe is attached by or maybe is ceramic. The problem can occur merely by mounting a lens. While their words "impact damage" would lead you to believe you dropped your camera resulting in damage (and I will agree that would certainly do it!) that is usually not the reason the circuit has to be replaced also it would seem that the lens mount has to be replaced also.
In defense of Nikon, when this repair was carried out, I no longer required any lens corrections. However, i believe the issue could have been resolved from the get-go with better engineering.