D600 Dust/Oil/Lubricant Issue discussion/Discontinuation and price reductions

Msmoto

The weight of a D800 is less than 20% more than a D600....hardly noticeable....less than 5 oz or 140 grams...

roombarobot

@SEPC, are you saying that Nikon itself is offering you a refund, or is it the store you bought it from?

That would really surprise me, I couldn't get them to do anything except clean the sensor in the three times I sent mine in for service.

Gaz

My experience matches that of many other posters both in this forum and elsewhere.
The warranty process has utterly failed to resolve the problem.
First time around, in addition to cleaning, the shutter plate was replaced - the oil issue soon returned.
Second time around was just an inspection and clean - but just a few test shots have shown significant oil spotting present.
So Nikon have another email from me and I await their latest response but fully expect that I will once again be asked to return the body under warranty for yet more cleaning?
This was a UK purchase from new and has serial # starting 600......
Like others in a similar situation I am extremely disappointed and frustrated with all this.

stoka

I recently bought a D600, which I assumed to be the ideal upgrade from the D7000. However once I saw the massive negative feedback on the dust on sensor problem I returned it. I have bad memories of my D7000 having a lot of oil on sensor issues when I bought it. Nikon did a repair under warranty, but now (2 years later) there are a whole new bunch of oil spots. I just can't afford for this to happen again. At this point I'm saving for a D800 or I may even scrap Nikon and get a 5dMk3

Ironheart

@stoka, check this out first: http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/50059170

spraynpray

@stoka: If you didn't clean your sensor in 2 years, you are BOUND to have cr@p on it! There is no big issue with dust/oil on the sensor with the D7000 (only the D600), but there is always going to be an accumulation of dust on sensors on any interchangeable lens camera and even fixed lens cameras with a large zoom range.

Have you tried a rocket blower? You say 2 years, how many shutter actuations is that? How many spots is a whole bunch? I am coming up on 2 years, had it cleaned once because I had some large visible spots so got it cleaned - that's normal use and maintenance.

Do you moan and threaten to change your car because it needs servicing? You can 'service' your cameras sensor or have somebody else do it, but it needs doing.

heartyfisher

@stoka: Yeah you need to clean your sensor at least twice a year :-) or you will be switching back to nikon in 2 years time ;-)

bolt

I bought my D600 kit in december taking advantage of the great price from B&H. I started to see the dust around 500 actuations - sent the camera to Nikon Los Angeles Center that replaced the Mirror box and cleaned the sensor - it lasted about 50 actuations before I got the sensor full of dust again - I sent the camera to the Nikon centers ( Lost Angeles and New York ) other 3 times in 3 months before a gave up and sold it with only 2000 actuations.
I love the camera, more than D800 but I'm worried to buy another one - Does anyone explored if the latest batches have still the same problem ?
From my experience I can only speculate:
a) the Mirror Box replacement does not solve the problem ( very strange since it is a cost for Nikon )
b) the Mirror Box has been replaced with an other defective one
c) the Mirror Box has been not changed even if reported in the invoice (free of charge).

spraynpray

Judging from my experience of running a chain of approved repair centres worldwide, I would rule out the last of your speculations, the first of your speculations is most likely correct. From what we have read reported here, it is possible that Nikon at last have a fix for this problem, but it seems possible that their appalling communication isn't only limited to that which flows to customers. I say that because according to what we have read here, the successful fix is to change the shutter because - as suspected - it l looks like being dust shed by, and oil thrown off from, the shutter assembly. Due to the lack of information, there is therefore only hope that the newest bodies will not have the problem, but there is insufficient evidence in terms of people posting here that their body is OK to be certain of anything.

I would have bought a D600 by now if I could be certain that the fix was in place.

smadman

@bolt:

I think spraynpray is right on. You might want to review my recent postings (there aren't too many) for an account of a recent experience...which is actually still in progress. My third D600 exchange from B&H will be arriving in just a few days, and I will post my experiences here.

bolt

@smadman

I meant the shutter box replacement (maybe is the same of the mirror box)

I'd like also to add to my above comment that I had a great experience with the NY Nikon Tech Support Center - after ben served 3 times from LA center w/o success, everytime the camera came back with the sensor dirty, I decided to send the camera to the NY center - they served me with great professionalism returning the camera in pristine conditions with the sensor fully clean of dusts and oils stains in only a few days - they also explained to me that by management policy they validate that the sensor is clean taking a picture using a grey paper at f/16 and not lower - that would expalin why I was still seeing the dust and oil at f/22 - it was unfortunate that the replaced shutter box was defective and that the sensor got dirty after a few shots - They would have served again the camera at their cost and maybe looked again to the shutter, but I decided to get a new camera.
I'm very interested to know your experience when you get your new camera - I have in old my order to B&H.
In fact, yesterday I "chatted" over the web with two different B&H "professional experts" and I got two opposite suggestions, the first person suggested to stay away from the D600 and buy the D800 or to switch to Canon 5D Mark III, because from his experience the D600 has still the dust/oil problem and they are getting a lot of them back, the second person instead told me to stick with the D600 because the problem has been solved and to not switch to Canon because even with this defect the D600 is better than Canon......confusing....

spraynpray

@bolt: That isn't confusing, it is simply a statement of how good the D600, is because the salesman is saying that even spotty it is better that a 5D3. If only they could get that problem properly sorted, it would be a hot seller for them. At this rate, by the time they do, the next generation of sensors will be out.

smadman

*sigh* I think spraynpray is right again. I *hated* to send my last unit in...even in the short time I've had the D600, I've come to love that camera...it's really great, except for the damn sensor spots issue. The folks at B&H told me that they "just got a big new batch" of D600's from Nikon, so I'm hoping that my new one will be from this batch (I explicitly requested that they try to grab one with a high serial #...dunno if they'll honor that or not). I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but that's about all I can do at this point.

As a side note, as much as I love B&H for their customer service, I've had wildly varying experiences with their "experts" as far as dispensing advice goes (I live nearby, so I go talk to them in person). Some of them are just great, while others are completely clueless, just looking stuff up on the web as I talk to them. If you keep poking around though, you can find some very very good people there.

Oh, and @bolt -- just for the record, I didn't deal with the Nikon Tech Support Center; I dealt with Photo Tech, who is a small family-owned business who happen to be an authorized Nikon Service Center:

http://phototech.com/

KnockKnock

Can't help but think that there's a reasonable chance of seeing a MKII or /s version of the D600 in the next 6-9 months. The image processing and sensor quality are outstanding, but there's clearly room.

requirements:
a) implement oil-spot fix
b) wider focus point array, something D7100-equiv
c) ok button zoom function
d) RGB-W rear panel LCD
e) OLED viewfinder text display

wishful thinking:
f) aperture adjustment during video
g) slightly larger/better-feeling multi-directional pad

Others I'm missing? Trying to be realistic here and not expect 36MP, 8FPS etc.

Msmoto

I wonder if Nikon might use a number such as D610 so as to make it a distinctly different camera from the D600. Although the problems with the D600 are rather obvious, I wonder if there are actually folks out there who shoots over 1,000 clicks per month and do NOT have problems. I have not heard of any.

But, then why would anyone speak up? We usually complain only when we have problems.

jjdarling

For Nikon to release a new version, I feel like it would have to have a game-changing feature, such as 36MP, 8FPS, etc. However, the fact that the D600 has barely dropped in price at all (save a couple sales) since its release makes me think that Nikon is quite pleased with it as it is.

@bolt - I go to B&H quite frequently (I live very close) and also have hit-and-miss convos with their experts. The good ones, though, are GREAT. On more than one occasion I've been told that I should take my business elsewhere because I can get a better deal or service elsewhere. They even recommend places! Counter-intuitively, it's this kind of thing that keeps me coming back.

KnockKnock

Yeah, unbeknownst to us, there are probably thousands of happy D600 users shooting in Auto with the kit lens at f/3.5-f/8 and not noticing any issues.

aLQaDHi

i got the d600 with serial number starting with 88 i noticed the spots once i hit the 3000 shutter count. i just double checked my old photos and the spots are there but not noticeable. i like the photos i am getting out of this camera but i am don't have the patience to send the camera frequently to the service centre. i already dropped it to the service centre for the first time i am but thinking of asking Nikon to let me upgarde to d800 and pay the difference. Did anyone manage to do this ?

smadman

@aLQaDHi: have you been changing lenses? It's normal to develop dust spots after that many frames, and pretty much inevitable if you change lenses (this will happen with all DSLRs). The test will be to take a clean reference shot after the sensor has been cleaned, put a single lens on and don't change it, then check for spotting every 1-200 frames. With my original unit, I put on a lens right out of the box, took my (completely clean) reference photo, then found fairly serious spotting happening after just 100 frames.

bolt

@alQaDHI

I tried to upgrade via Nikon support center to a D800 w/o success - you may have more luck than me.

aLQaDHi

@smadman
No i have single lens.
i am troubled because it was used in studio for 900 shutter count and then i bought it. I have a one lens 50mm brand new so there is no way its external dust as i did not change the lens since i got it. the spots are increasing and getting bigger and uglier.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/96421630@N02/9065615083/lightbox/

i don't mind cleaning the camera but i am not getting good result unfortunately.


@bolt

Luckily i paid around 1688 USD for it and still have about 10 months warranty from Nikon authorized dealer here in UAE. if i decided to ask for refund i will be getting around 2,450 USD. I dropped it for the first time last Tuesday and I am supposed to get it today or tomorrow.
I like this camera but i cannot afford to send it the service centre frequently, this is my first Nikon DSLR and i got good photos.


i will be winning if i got refund and then upgraded to D800 although its more than what i need as of now

aLQaDHi

i was so optimistic, they are asking me to pay for cleaning the sensor which i was expecting. Still fighting them and might meet the manager today.

after checking out d800 again i found it has the same dust issue as the d600. can someone confirm if its persistent also?

i doubt Nikon has any new DSLR without this defect.

spraynpray

As said previously, all DSLR's accumulate spots on the sensor to some extent, but the D600's problem is completely unacceptable. It is reasonable if you clean your sensor every 6 months to a year depending on usage, but spots appearing after 30-100 shots is clearly a significant and unacceptable problem. One thing is normal, the other is a symptom of a significant problem.

You don't actually have to stop down to f11 and lower to see the effects of spots, they affect the resolution of images at larger apertures too so don't think that they don't affect your pictures because you don't shoot much stopped down.

aLQaDHi

at this rate this camera will need cleaning every 2 weeks.

after some shouting i got it cleaned for free. as per the technician it was mixture of dust and oil. at least he is straight forward. its very clean now, lets see how long it will last
i read somewhere today someone managed to upgrade to d800 in India. if i have to go the service centre again i will ask for that.

peace,,,

TanLH

I am agreed with the dust problem , I had send in 6 time for cleaning after I bought it last November and had the shutter replaced on Apri l3 , but the problem seem like still coming back at left side, Need to send in tomorrow for cleaning again ( ..... waste of time to take leave just to send in for cleaning. note that I without changing the lens at all.