D4s scratched sensor.

andya1

Okay, first post after a pretty decent search of the site for similar issues.

I sent my D4 camera back to Nikon because the dust on the sensor was unbelievable. I do change lenses, but the amount of dust in there was astonishing, and the local dealer told me that the pollen in the area was probably to blame. I used a blower on the camera in the mirror up mode (Blower tip did NOT go past the f ring. The dust would not go away, so I sent the camera to Nikon since the camera is still under a year old knowing they would simply clean it and send it back free of charge.

So, I'm on a month long trip to Germany with my back-up D800E, and get an email from Nikon that the sensor is scratched. Only Nikon has been in the camera before. Nikon told me that the sensor had to be replaced. I ok'd the repair and asked that the sensor be returned to me.

The sensor is back and so is the camera. I looked at the sensor that was replaced, and it looks to me as though it is oil that was blown across the sensor rather than a scratch. I'm looking for advice as to who I can send the sensor to to be looked at professionally because I'm of the opinion that Nikon did not do me right.

Any advice, I'd appreciate.

Thanks,

Andy

p.s. Repair total was $1,223.54. Yea, I still want to throw up.

spraynpray

I'd start by sending it to a different Nikon service centre and getting their advice. Use a different name and address and don't give the serial number.

andya1

I already had it repaired by nikon, but I had the replaced sensor returned. Maybe the better question would be; are there any places anyone can think of I could send the replaced sensor to to get it evaluated, by an uninterested third party? Honestly, the 1200 bucks stung, but I simply cannot see how the sensor could have been scratched. If I'm wrong, I want to know that, but if I'm right I want to know that too. It might simply be something quite innocent, someone at the service center seeing the oil streak and jumping to the conclusion that the sensor was scratched. There is no way the old sensor was cleaned by Nikon, it was too dusty to have been.

spraynpray

What is wrong with sending it to a different Nikon service centre? Anyway, I gather from your price in dollars that you are in the USA, so I can't help you with an independent repairer.

andya1

I can always send the sensor off since the camera is fixed, so if you know of someone, I'd appreciate the referral.

Rx4Photo

Hindsight is always 20/20 so the point that I make might be moot ... but, I don't know if I would have been so quick to allow them to do a $1200 repair for something that should have been questioned further. If you honestly have never touched the sensor then how did this happen? I would absolutely hate to think that Nikon repair is doing what auto service centers have been known to do for decades. No, I don't want to think that. I've actually sent my D800 in twice to Nikon service for repair and have not paid a cent other than shipping so my experience is a good one.

Perhaps the appearance of the sensor, once assessed, was a worse case scenario for the repair center in that maybe there was so much pollen dust that it would have only caused more damage for them to try to clean it - or perhaps they did try unsuccessfully - then figured you need to pay for a new sensor to bring your D4s back to specs.
Don't really know. Best of luck.

Ironheart

These guys have been featured on the main blog several times:
http://www.nrcintaiwan.com/indexEN.htm

Msmoto

What type of blower? If it was a can of compressed air, possibly something was projected at the sensor which damaged it.

As to where to send the sensor for evaluation, it may be possible to have a different Nikon repair shop examine this. However, if at all possible, an in person visit may be the best plan as attempting to explain all this any other way might be problematic.

If I had the sensor, I might photograph it, clean it very carefully, then photograph any defects, clean again to attempt to remove the defects, and if it were fully clean with no evidence of scratches, present this information to the repair shop requesting a refund.

Just my thoughts....

andya1

Rx4: Thank you!
Iron Heart, I might do that.
Ms: A rocket blower that you hand squeeze. I think that I'll take your advice, and find a very clean place to do exactly that.

Thank you all for your advice.