Nikon D3x Off to Nikon Repair for Servicing

[ThomasAdams]

Years ago I called Nikon in the Los Angles area asking if a used Nikon F3 and MD-4 that I just bought were Nikon USA or gray market. I had 14 days to return these products. I was told that no one at Nikon will "divulge that information." They had a secret list of serial numbers. I was trying to avoid buying used gray market Nikon products. The person I was speaking to then realizing how stupid this sounded soften and said that there were many repair shops that would repair my Nikon F3 or MD-4 if needed. I know it was not the employees fault who was speaking to me.

Nikon USA's anti-customer policies have steadily eroded my opinion and satisfaction with Nikon USA. About a decade ago Nikon USA was violating California law by refusing to sell parts to independent camera repair shops. This seriously impacted a friend's income as an independent camera repairman. There was a lawsuit against Nikon. I don't know the outcome of the law suit but many independent repair shops were forced out of business.

I started with Nikon in 1970. Given Nikon's anti-customer polices I would probably not be using Nikon products.

Dave

Dave,

 Thank you for sharing your experience. I was not aware they wouldn't confirm or provide that information, I am shocked but not surprised. It really does leave a bad taste in your mouth. I can understand it for in warrant work, but out of warranty work - it's just insanity and anti-consumer. Generally I stay away from gray market, I did not even question it and that was m mistake. I just assumed that since the seller did not state "gray market" that it was a US version. Lesson learned, not that I release Nikon from fault due to their practices of course. One of the issues with the secret list is you have to rely on their word and assume it is accurate, consumers have no method of double checking to verify that I am aware of.

Regards,
Tom

[David H. Hartman]

Next time I will call and verify serial number first.

Given my experience noted above you might try calling Nikon USA and ask them if your Nikon D3x is a Nikon USA camera or gray. I wonder if they are still following this at best misguided policy. I'm reticent to buy used Nikon products and I'm quite sure that is the purpose of Nikon USA's policies. How totally stupid! Why would anyone want to buy products with poor resale value.

Did I mention that I DO NOT like Nikon USA as a company?

Dave

[ThomasAdams]

A small update. The person I purchased the D3x from on the auction site contacted his friend. And initially it did not look good as they suspected I was trying to swindle them, and this raised my suspicions regarding them I must admit. The friend was the original purchaser and a few days later he managed to locate the original receipt.  I wrote back to Nikon and ask that they double check their "database" and this morning I woke to an apology and they reversed their previous statements of the camera being a gray market and said that yes, indeed this was a US model. currently the camera is status of "SHOP" and is being repaired.

Keeping my fingers crossed that no parts need repaired I would not be surprised if the sensor was out of spec - but simply do not have enough experience with it to know. So that is pure conjecture on my part.

David, I was all ready to send it to a 3rd party whom I contacted and said they could perform all checks and mapping. I'm unsure what Nikon does in other parts of the world but from my understanding US has a bad reputation. Outside of the US, I believe there are much better consumer protection laws. In the end, the experience has left a bad taste in my mouth and I will be happy to be done and have camera in hand.

Regards,
Tom

[Steven Paulsen]

Like you the D3x was an extreme overreach back then. I purchased mine from a pawn shop advertised on ebay. It was like $.09 on the dollar after I sold the lens, ( a perfect 18-55vr that was hot at the time.) It had some very high dollar glass on Af, fine tune. Like more than my car. They included the original pawn ticket. It made my best camera of all time less festive.


I have had small and important issues with service, locally. I am of the opinion Nikon does not care for the US. We are more trouble than what we're worth, and I agree on that, working both sides of that isle. The D3x is a total different camera than the D3. I am really glad things are looking good.
Cheers,
Steve

[ThomasAdams]

Thank you Steve. I was surprised to learn this D3x had been in storage for years. - but then I realized that I also had placed my hobby on the shelf so I could completely understand.


 A small update, so I had received an email and asked the last rep I spoke with about it and she said no I didn't have to re-submit billing info as I had paid up front via CC/Debit. I mentioned that it had not been taken out of the account and she said they won't until they bill. She stated it was in the Shop as we spoke... Fast forward to last week when I received another email asking for billing and several times I was tempted to call and ask what was going on (I should have!). So I call, the camera had been done within 2 days and they have been waiting for me to provide the payment information again... This.Whole.Time! Once paid, they are able to ship the camera back to me. Perhaps one of the issues was they closed the original ticket and created a new one when I was able to provide the original receipt. I really have no idea why, what the billing system process is like, and if this is typical or not - I just know that it has not been smooth or efficient.

So if anyone is looking for my advice in the future, it is: Call, and then if things don't move call again - don't sit and wait.

Currently my D3x says shipped, but no tracking information has been entered into the ticket - so I have no idea where it is.

Shipped

D3X
Order Number: ##########
Serial Number: 5########
UPS Tracking Number:
Problem: PREMIUM CAMERA INSPECTION & MAINTENANCE - -
Total cost of repair: $202.45*

[ThomasAdams]

Well, I have the camera back, the screws are back in, and I have a few new scratches in the rear LCD. It doesn't appear they mapped out any/many of the hot, dead or stuck pixles...  I called Nikon and I have a few images to send them that they requested. From my understanding, a mapped out pixel should take on the colors of the pixels around them. Can anyone confirm and or provide a picture of what an unprocessed before and after mapped pixel looks like?

Regards,
Tom

[ThomasAdams]

Image saved to .JPG and marked up with arrows at all of the pixels that are hot, stuck and dead after returning from servicing from Nikon. I have called them to assure that mapping of the pixels was performed and rep pulled up the report and said yes it has been, everything is within Nikon specifications.

Image below was taken without a lens, body cap in place at the D3x's Base ISO. ISO 100 @ 1/60 of a second.

[David H. Hartman]

Hot and stuck pixels can be removed, edited out, by Capture NX-D using Noise Reduction> Edge Noise and Astro Noise Reduction, so it can be dealt with in development if you shoot NEF. I've read that Lightroom and Photoshop can remove hot and stuck pixels from RAW images when developing RAW images. Other software surely also has this capability.

Dave

My D300s has a few permanent or semi-permanent stuck pixels at any ISO. These are primary red and blue. My D850 shows hot pixels, only white, around ISO 128,00 to 256,00. Capture NX-D does a good job of removing the hot pixels from the D850 NEF(s).

[ThomasAdams]

Thanks for the reply David. I do use those tools and others on a regular basis. Some do not get removed unfortunately and I have to manually remove them. The reason I had this camera sent of was primarily to map out the pixels to provide a cleaner over all image. The cost for servicing was roughly $190 USD. It appears they did not map any pixels out. Perhaps I expected too much?

Regards,
Tom

[David H. Hartman]

Thomas,

I tried using several sensor cleanings in quick succession with my D300s and this did not map out the stuck pixels. I guess that works with some cameras. I used to clone out a few stuck pixels, all in the same location with my D300s. I haven't done anything with my D850 as I believe hot pixels at crazy ISO(s) are to be expected.

Do you have hot or stuck pixels at the same locations when shooting near the base ISO? If not I believe the software solution is best.

Dave

[ThomasAdams]

David,

 The image I attached was at base ISO (ISO 100) for the D3x @ 1/60 of a second with the no lens on, just the body cap.

[pluton]

My take: Assuming that mapping out hot/stuck pixels is a real thing that real service shops do, I would set up a redo of the "repair" at their expense including shipping.  They can't be allowed to charge for a service that they didn't actually perform.

[ThomasAdams]

Pluton,

 The Premium Maintenance & Inspection Service at 184.95 is the service I selected, the Standard and Premium include Hot/Dead pixel mapping of image sensor per a SS below of the package highlights. I also received from Nikon the service report which has a check mark and no notes for that specific service. Currently awaiting word from Nikon and keeping my fingers crossed that this goes smoother than the rest of this ordeal

[ThomasAdams]

 Well, it's been over 48 hours, I called back - after 20 minutes on hold I was disconnected. I called back and spoke with someone this time. He said it was in que and it would be 24-48 hours. So I ran through all the issues I have had, that it wasn't fixed and now has a scratched rear LCD and dust on the sensor and that it's been well over 48 hours since Monday when I last called them and I haven't heard anything. I then asked is this another 24-48 hours after this call or since the last one? He stated he would try and have someone call me back today. I was chuckling while trying to explain things, he did not engage in banter nor apologize. I am running out of patience. Is this all normal for them, or am I just having a lot of bad luck?!

[pluton]

I have dealt with the Nikon service in L.A. only in person, where the counter person always seemed adequately knowledgable, and readily admitted when it appeared that a repair had been done wrong.
I would stay on the case, and try be patient with the less than stellar customer communication that Nikon is infamous for.