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

whmitty

@whmitty, how did you hear that Nikon service cleaned your mirror box?  Was that on the repair receipt? 

It was reported in the "Material Description" section as "CLN MIRROR BOX".

whmitty

While I was successful in getting the oil spot off of my sensor using a VSwab with VDust Plus, I now have two pieces of dust somewhere in my mirror box. They are very sharp without a lens mounted. I also picked up the Giotto Rocket Air but cant seem to blow in the right places to even nudge these little buggers. Any advice?

I've had great success using a Sensor Sweep (http://www.amazon.com/Copper-Hill-Images-SensorSweep/dp/B001VCV3P2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356830658&sr=8-1&keywords=sensor+sweep) for getting stubborn "chunks" off of the sensor and/or the focusing screen.

jakell2010

B1 is when they clean and check

B2 is when something is replaced

roombarobot

Another YouTube video showing a D600 owner with spots cleaning at 5,000+ actuations, then running 1,000 shots only to have more spots appear during those shots. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i89a9fPLPC8

Benno

I bought a new D600 and took it away on holidays and had about 3000 shots on it.  I did notice spots straight out of the box, but I needed (wanted) to take it O/S. Noticed with apertures about f16 and long exposures a HEAP of large oil spots on the sensor.

Took it back to the place of purchase, they sent it to Nikon Australia and ~2.5 weeks later a brand new one was given to me.  

So far no problems at all.  Once I get up to the 3K mark I'll scrutinize the sensor and see if it is a problem.

It was a bit of a pain not having it for the 2 weeks, but it is a cracking camera with staggering amounts of detail recorded. 

I can't speak for Nikon in other countries but for Aussies that buy from proper Nikon resellers and not grey importers, take it back to place of purchase and it will be replaced.  I was initially pissed off but all is forgotten now Nikon OZ did the right thing.  The retailer was also good - sent it straight to HQ, not the state branch.

mirtos

i have a friend (hobbyist), that just recently her d600, and has already taken 3000 pictures.  She hasnt seen it yet.  So hopefully the new batches have resolved this issue.

Leo647

Hello everyone!
My 1st post...
I have a D7000 and am considering a D600
Sold my much missed D700 and have also owned a D70, D200, D300

I recently contacted Nikon UK about the state of play re the spots on sensor issue.
I have had ongoing problems with this using my D7000 and dont plan to repaet the experience...
Its enough to make me think of migrating to Canon!
This and the v slow focus 80 to 400 lens which Canaon has a modern version of!

Any news / info about the oil / dust of sensors?
Doesnt appear to be reported much about the D800 or D4

Thanks, and best wishes for 2013!
From Glasgow, Scotland...

Leo647

Forgot to say that initial reponse from Nikon UK was insultingly trivial
Having made them aware of this, and that I have been a "pro" user for some years, the reply was apologetic and polite, but no info about the issue.

I can understand them being cautious and defensive....but a sense of admitting and fixing the issue would add to their credibility IMHO!

L

ccwestcliff

Just a quick note that I bought my D600 from B+H and got one from the 305... range and had dust spots on it right from the start. I took quiet a few pictures in New Mexico with my 24-70 2.8, mostly wide open, and I am very pleased with the quality etc. However, the few landscape pictures I took with f/16 and beyond show about 3 spots in the upper left corner that were amongst the first 100 I took.

After trying to blow them out and testing against a white wall with my 50mm they remained. However, as stated by many before, I rarely shoot beyond f/16 so I am not to bothered and LR4 can help with the few shots where the spots show up.

I took many low light shots without flash and the performance is just amazing. Also amazing is the ability to crop like mad and the remaining picture is still pin-sharp!

Living in Canada, I ordered some sensor swipes now and if this doesn't work, I will check in with my local camera store for them to clean the sensor.

Saying this, has anyone experience with popping into B&H in NYC and them doing a while-u-wait sensor cleaning? I will be there over a weekend in a couple of weeks and would them let have a go but wouldn't like to leave the camera with them.

Best,
Chris

roombarobot

I would encourage all of you to at least report this issue to Nikon support. If you choose not to send it in to them now, that's fine, but at least you reported the problem to them and started a ticket on the issue. You might need to come back to that later.

As a D600 owner, I believe we need to keep pressure on them to find a real fix to this issue. It is not just f/16+, I have spots that show up at f/8 and that ruins the skies in landscapes. I hate to be wondering what will show up when I download a day's worth of photos.

Msmoto

I certainly suggest anyone with a recurring problem let Nikon know about the individual body issue.

However, I viewed one of the videos about cleaning the sensor, and if this methodology of cleaning was as shown in the video, it is no wonder this owner has problems.

First, lens was removed with camera body powered up...Nikon says to not remove lens unless power is off.

Second, after putting the liquid on the swab, and upon inserting the swab into the body, the side of the mirror box was hit, prior to touching the sensor and cleaning. Absolute No, No. The contact with the side of the mirror box could transport any contaminate on the side of the box to the sensor, including trash which could scratch the sensor (actually as noted the scratch would be on the filter in front of the sensor). Then the individual had to re-clean the sensor multiple times...could be he smeared grease on it from the side of the mirror box.

If one does not understand sterile technique...maybe you need to leave the sensor cleaning to an expert. Once the swab touches anything other than the sensor, it is to be thrown away, or used for shoe polish.

And, here we have someone doing a video presumably to help folks...yet two very large errors. This may be why Nikon is not so eager to listen to some of the complaints or is reluctant to just clean all the sensors for free without question.

Oh, now I do understand dirt/oil on sensors. I cleaned about 70 spots off my D4 at 10,000 clicks. No problem now.

roombarobot

No doubt that cleaning the sensor is a tricky and precise operation. Thanks for the tips and advice, Msmoto. That's why I haven't done it on my D600 myself yet. I'd be fine if I had spots after 10,000 clicks, like Msmoto did. Cleaning after that duration seems like it might be normal maintenance.

Unfortunately I had spots that showed up at about f/8 after only 300 clicks, so I sent it in to Nikon service. Then the spots were back at 400, so I sent it back in to Nikon for another service (after running a couple thousand shutter clicks to hopefully fling off any lubricant). I hope that they will really fix the issue this time, but I have my doubts and have heard several negative experiences from D600 users on dpreview, including one person who has over 12,000 clicks and still has to clean every 1,000 shots.

I can't send it in every 100 clicks, nor can I afford to have it cleaned, nor do I want to risk any damage cleaning it myself. That's what makes me sad about this situation. I absolutely love the D600, it is the best camera I've ever had and the images are stunning, but I worry every time I upload photos from it that the spots will have returned. I just want to shoot and get to the point where I mainly worry about my composition, lighting, and technique!

Symphotic

I've budgeted a D600 as a second body. The only thing that has kept me from getting a D600 is I'm waiting for an all clear from this thread.

-Jack (aka Wataru)

T3LF

I've budgeted a D600 as a second body. The only thing that has kept me from getting a D600 is I'm waiting for an all clear from this thread.

-Jack (aka Wataru)

I have done the same i have the money but will not buy the D600 until I have the all clear. I feel a bit stupid though I sold my d90 now I do not have a camera I'm getting inpatient and im going to have to buy a camera soon.

NWPhoto21

Follow up to my December post. Here is what Nikon did for my spots on the sensor issue (they could not be cleaned off by rocket blowing or using the in camera "clean image sensor" option):

Service Repair Rank B2 (moderate repair: major parts replaced) . . .
Write Up --
CLN IMAGE SNESOR
CKD BAYONET MOUNT
CKD AUTO FOCUS OPERATION
CKD AE OPERATION
CKD A-WHITE BALANCE
CKD VERSION UPGRADE
GENERAL CHECK & CLEAN
(ITEM) 0020 25488 SERIAL NO 3005XXX

Although listed as B2 service it appears it was only a B1 service cleaning from the above unless I am misinterpreting item 0020.

If you send it to Nikon in LA be sure to ask -- before you mail it --what carrier they will use to mail it back to you and at what level of service within that carrier. I recommend a method that provides tracking for sending and return. Not counting shipping time Nikon had my camera 15 calendar days. This includes the day they received it and mailed it. They had it over Christmas - not bad considering the holidays. Thanks to Nikon for the very reasonable turn-around time.

I will take a few thousand shots in the next few weeks to see if there are additional spot problems.

shawnino

FYI, DigitalRev claims via e-mail they haven't had a single body returned for spots. Body-only listed at $1799.

I'm on their social community but have no other connection to the company. They have always given me good service, but I can't vouch for the truth of that particular claim they made. If they avoided "bad batches", it might be true.

Symphotic

?...Not counting shipping time Nikon had my camera 15 calendar days. This includes the day they received it and mailed it. They had it over Christmas - not bad considering the holidays. Thanks to Nikon for the very reasonable turn-around time...l.

Nikon LA has my D800 for AF service now. I dont think I'll need it for the next week or so, but I do miss having an FX body. It seems the refurb D800s are a good deal now: maybe I'll order one of those instead of a D600.

roombarobot

There are a TON of posts about this on dpreview. Some of the discussions have gotten pretty disrespectful, but there is a lot of evidence about a problem with some D600 cameras. There does not yet seem to be a known fix.

Here are a few threads, for example:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50605149
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50387991
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/post/50612002

sma11fry

I would love to know how many D7000's never had the lens removed, likewise D600 and 800s cleaned by their owners? If it was hard I would understand, but it's no big deal 17000 actuations and it's like new, actually cleaner, though the focus screen looks like Lassy just did a shakedown in there but hey it doesn't need to be clean, as long as the sensor is! Come on guys, in the days of film, you had a new sensor every frame. Get used to it, learn how and clean the <> thing if it's dirty, your dealers must <> all the money you guys are shelling out. You don't wait to get your teeth brushed by the dentist do you?

sma11fry

p.s zoom lenses on a 24Mpixel (36Mpixel) camera are a waste of time! Use primes folks. Or you might as well have bought 12Mpixel cameras.

spraynpray

p.s zoom lenses on a 24Mpixel (36Mpixel) camera are a waste of time! Use primes folks. Or you might as well have bought 12Mpixel cameras.

Although I appreciate your attempts to save me money smal11fry, I have to say this:

SAY WHAAAT ?

PB_PM

I was going to say the same thing. All those poor photographers with their zoom lenses on the D600 and D800. Primes have their place, just as zooms do. Whether one is better than the other is up to the user, not someones opinion.

roombarobot

My D600 came back from its second trip to Nikon service. My first shot shows more spots than it had when I sent it in. This is pathetic and unacceptable! LensRentals was right with their "Dear Santa" wish for a reliable USA service center.

pippigurl

My first D600 was sent back for a replacement. This was after many discussions with Nikon and their failure to assume me that the day it was returned, I might have the same issue. So, new body and went out yesterday and shot some 200 activations. Without close inspection the images looked ok. But this morning did a check using blank white sheet of paper and the sensor was loaded with spots of who knows what. Very disappointing. Guess Monday I duke it out with Nikon customer service again.

spraynpray

If it were me with that problem Pippi, I would ask Nikon where exactly those spots were coming from. When they said the shutter, I would then say "Oh, well, the later bodies must have a different shutter as they don't appear to be doing it, so change my shutter for a new one." and see what their reply was. I would be bouncing off the walls if Nikon had me sending my body in by post every couple of weeks for the next year or however long it takes for it to stop soiling itself. I would have a long conversation with somebody senior there then they would get it back just once to change the shutter for the latest one. If it did it again, I would try to get them to swap it for a refurb D800. If it happened on that, then it would be bye-bye Nikon.

I have no respect for any courier service, they all handle parcels in a 'don't give a s**t way and no disrespect intended here, most folks don't package things adequately for being thrown around.

My experienced advice on packing: When you send it in, make sure the body is wrapped in something soft so no part can rub against anything, put the body in its original box or wrapped in bubble wrap in a small box like the original and put that in a box in a larger box. the bigger box must be filled with something soft like slightly loose bubble wrap. Do not use chippings, the box will swim down through them and end up on the bottom of the outer box at which point you are screwed. The purpose of the outer box and it's loose bubble wrap is so the WHEN your parcel gets thrown, the body will get no bumps at all. Write on the box 'packing to be re-used for return of this item'.

Or better still drop it off and collect it if you are near enough.