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

Ade

Sorry I glanced at it too quickly, and on my browser (Safari on Mac) the page was a bit messed up so I couldn't clearly see the eBay offering.

Now that I looked at it more clearly using the Chrome browser, it's obviously two separate products with two different warranties, just sold together at a package discount:

1. Nikon 3-piece LENS cleaning kit, with 1 oz. lens fluid, sealed cleaning cloths, microfiber cloth. This product is branded Nikon and has a 1 year Nikon warranty.

2. Lenspen SensorKlear Loupe Kit as I mentioned above. This product is branded Lenspen and comes with 1 year Lenspen warranty.

So it seems what Nikon is "endorsing" is the LENS cleaning kit only, not the Sensor cleaning kit. Nikon is not endorsing the entire package.

amhalpern

i agree with the fact that cleaning the sensor of dust is a normal maintenance routine but cleaning oil spots is not a normal occurrence in any camera I have ever used before. Plus the cost of having to wet clean a sensor every week is not really cost effective since it can take 3 or 4 tries before the sensor is free of oil spots. It costs approx. $20.00 for 4 cleaning swabs and a 1ml vial of cleaning fluid. The d600 has an oil spot problem not a dust issue. Nikon support has verified this. They think they have found the problem and when I get my camera back the oil spot issue should be gone. I will post again when I have the camera back and have had a chance to click off 500 shots.

cliburn

I sent my D600 (301xxxx) 2 weeks ago (LA center).
They have logged the problem as "SENSOR DUST DUST NOT OIL ON SENSOR"
But it is listed as a B2 repair and currently on a "Parts Hold"......

mustangdaren

Tried using the rocket blower but sensor is filthy. I ended up doing a wet cleaning and found it was not dust but oil. Took half a dozen sensor swabs to finally get it all off. Guess I better get used to it since mine is a refurb out of warranty.

Photobug

Mustangdaren said:
Tried using the rocket blower but sensor is filthy. I ended up doing a wet cleaning and found it was not dust but oil. Took half a dozen sensor swabs to finally get it all off. Guess I better get used to it since mine is a refurb out of warranty.

I would follow up with the Nikon service center and voice your dissatisfaction with finding oil on the sensor. Let them know you correct the issue (temporary fix) this time but the root cause problem (oil on sensor) needs to be fixed by them...even though the warranty has expired. Keep your emotions in check, voice your dissatisfaction and ask what they can do to fix the root cause of the oil issue. Read the entire thread and how others are dealing with dealers and Nikon. Then apply the same technique.

Good luck and keep us informed of the outcome.

MIkeA

I sent my D600 in today for service/repair. The tech support person mentioned that Nikon knows the D600 has problems with thwart sensor (others commenters have mentioned that Nikon acknowledges the problem). The tech person I talked with mentioned that I should request a replacement for the part that is causing the problem, which I did. Will let you know how things turn out. A recall/ replacement offer by Nikon could help restore some of the bad PR. Whether Nikon cares about restoring its public image is an unknown.

Has Canon ever had a problem like this?

spraynpray

Canon or Nikon - no difference really. On the 5dII apparently there is the possibility to accidentally detach the lens while using the camera which sends expensive lenses crashing to the floor. Many people including pro's have complained publicly and to Canon, but Canon just keep charging for the repairs to the damaged lenses. it only needs like a stronger spring under the button, but what have Canon done? Nothing. When the 5DIII came out at it hugely inflated price, what did they do? Nothing - still the same.

It is a cultural ego/loss of face thing they need to grow out of.

Ironheart

FWIW, I use the pre-moistened sensor swabs, for both convienience and ease of travel (doesn't count as a liquid).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=572883&is=REG&Q=&A=details

Also they come with a guarantee against sensor damage:

http://photosolcart.com/our-guarantee/

Happy cleaning!

Golf007sd

Please note: The link that Ironheart gave was for Nikon Crop Sensor (DX) swabs. For those that have a FX sensor you will need the type 3.

Sensor Swabs for FX sensor.

dooley

Since I received my camera back from Nikon last week, I have put about 1700 clicks on it. After the sensor was cleaned, other general cleaning and the shutter mechanism replaced, I had no spots on my first image. I took about 500 shots the first day and I did notice new spots on the sensor. Most of the spots were easily blown off with the blower but a few remained. After the next 500 shots, there was more spots and while many blew off, still some remained. I decided to clean the sensor using the Copper Hill method and eclipse. I made 2 passes with 2 swabs and all was fine. The sensor showed no spots. After the next 700 shots, I did notice a few spots, but they mostly blew off with the blower. I did one more swabbing and I now have a spot free camera at up to f36.

In short, The issue is not completely fixed, but it is much better than it was before. There still appears to be something from inside the camera landing on the sensor filter, just not as much as before. I will be using the camera for an event this weekend and I will see what shows up on the sensor after the next 1000 or so shots. I will be very happy if it stays mostly clean. If there are more spots that won't blow off, I will have to contact Nikon again. I will post an update next week.

spraynpray

Fingers crossed for you dooley.

@Ironheart: You had me going there - presumably that guarantee is that the swab will not damage the sensor - not that you will not scratch the sensor while using one?

Nobody can control whether the contamination is fine sand or similar.

donaldejose

dooley: good report, sort of matches my experience except I did all the cleanings myself. please keep us informed.

Ironheart

@spraynpray, this is what they say:
If it is determined that our products have caused physical damage to your sensor, we will repair or replace the sensor at no charge to you. Simply send your damaged camera, along with a proof of purchase of the products listed above and the original purchase receipt for the camera to the following address

I take that to mean that if I scratch my sensor while using their product they will fix it.

spraynpray

@Ironheart: I can only hope that you are right. My instincts tell me that you are wrong, because anybody with a scratched sensor could buy their kit and say it happened using it. Their product has no way of finding the cr@p and wrapping it in a protective layer so it can't scratch the sensor and they obviously have no control over whether the cr@p is sand or dandruff so it would be interesting to get a report from anybody that actually tries to claim. It strikes me as a marketing trick. If I seem a burned out cynic, that is because experience made me that way!

amhalpern

I got my d600 back from Nikon today. It seems the 3rd time is a charm. After opening the box I immediately put a 105 2.8 and fired off a shot at F22 at white wall and there were no spots. I fired off 500 shots and checked again and found a few spots but took the lens off and used a blower on the sensor and the spots were just dust as the next shot was clean. I then took 500 more and the sensor is still clean. As I stated in an earlier post I don't mind cleaning off dust before a shoot so I consider this acceptable. I will continue to monitor the repair and post in another 2000 actual shoots. I will keep my fingers crossed.

dooley

@amhalpern: Best of luck and fingers crossed for your next 2000 shots. I will be checking mine again this weekend. Hope all works out well with your D600. It seems the new shutter mechanism is better, but not perfect. I don't mind blowing off dust once in a while so I hope whatever ends up on the filter is just loose particles and no more lubricant.

donaldejose

I suspect some of the dust in bodies after a cleaning is dust that has migrated to other places in the body and comes back slowly. When Nikon cleans the sensor I don't think they automatically clean the entire inside of the body so if some of the original dust has spread around in the body simply cleaning the sensor and replacing the dust spewing part will not get 100 percent of the original dust out of the body. Hence the appearance of more spots and the need for more cleanings until all is finally out of the body. At that point the D600 should be "normal" with regard to dust and oil spots.

bbarb

@donaldejose: Nikon have told me that they clean not only the sensor but the whole mirro box and the mirror itslef, and the viewfinder as well etc. because shutter movement often generates air flows in the box so they try to make sure that not anly the sensor but the surrounding area as well is free of spots. They alse told me that after the fix they perform a test for about 500 images to check if everything is ok.
So i think after a clean (that went as planned), there must not be new spots at all at least for a while. All the migrated dust has been already tested by nikon and fixed. So ''more cleanings until all is finally out of the body'' is something they deal with.
Note also that they also told me that the shoots they perform are not logged into the camera because the fire the shoot using external software that bypasses the shutter logging counter.

@mustangdaren: If you allow me:

Warranty has nothing to do with the specific issue. Its a defective product and it doesnt matter if its in or out of warranty. The product doenst meet the predesigned and the promised requirements.
Its not that much important if you pay the cleaning or not, what is important is to have the camera fixed.

Your target is not to have a lifetime of free cleanings.
Your goal is to fix your camera. Pay them the first cleaning.Whats the big deal?

I consider it almost 50% sure that they will hide behind the fact that you are out of warranty and they will let you down.
So this is the point where you can start slowly building a steady pressure on them and start showing them your disapointment.
In your place here is what i would have done. (keep in mind i am very angry with Nikon at the moment, so please take it into consideration - maybe you dont want to do this)

Take your camera, go to nikon and ask them why the images are so dirty pretending the fool. They will tell you you need a sensor cleaning.
Ask them if this is the only problem and if its going to be free because of the known problem of this camera or not.
If they make it free and if they indeed take over the responsibility, then the guys are pros and you are in good hands, dont worry.

If they dont ackwoledge the dust problem as a common one and make you pay because cam is out of warranty, then, express your disapointment and agree that you will pay them.

When you will go to pick your camera up, bring your laptop as well.
Mount a lens on the camera (in front of them), and start shooting bursts 4-5-6 times until buffer overflows (about 50 shoots or even go to 100 shoots)
Then capture one shoot at f 22 and examine it in front of the guys there.

When you see a spot tell them that they didnt clean it well, and give the camera back to them. This is your victory! From this point on, you can start playing your game (only this time, they game is different).
Dont accept a single spot in a fresh cleaned sensor. Not a single spot - remember that.

If after 100 shoots you see no spots then go home happy that you have no spots.
If after 500 shoots spots come back again, go back again and play the fool (the same way the played it with you) and ask them what they have done to your camera???
Tel them after the cleaning i get sensor dust.
Before it was fine. You destroyed my camera.
Play their game (that the camera was indeed excelent) only this time for your benefit.

Give a fight. its a 100% win situation for you as long as you do the correct moves. Polite and steady pressure.

spraynpray

Problem with that approach is that they do not give a warranty on cleaning. The Nikon Approved Repair Centre Fixation in London give you a slip of paper that says dust on sensors is normal and will reappear at some point, but for the moment it is clean. Of course zoom lenses pump air and lens changes allow dust in - fact.

Out of warranty is out of warranty - they only promise the camera will be repaired for free during that period so if you didn't notice the spots in warranty, you're screwed in the eyes of the law. Now, if Nikon are sensible, they will repair it free out of warranty because it is a known problem. If you bought the body used, then you have no Nikon warranty period.

MikeGunter

HI all,

A turd is a turd, you can't polish it and call it anything else.

Return it for compensation, even a coupon for a D610 would better than a D600 I would think. It's my guess that whatever FUBAR is in the D600 is in a fix in the D610.

My best,

Mike

MIkeA

Today I received a note from Nikon service. My repair is coded B2, "medium service and major part replacement". For those of you who had similar work done by Nikon, how did it turn out?

MIkeA

Just saw experience of,Dool above.

catfish

Today I received a note from Nikon service. My repair is coded B2, "medium service and major part replacement". For those of you who had similar work done by Nikon, how did it turn out?

Will Nikon at some point identify the 'Major Part' that was replaced, or are you just left to wonder?

roombarobot

I don't think their repair codes are accurate anyway. I had two B2 repairs and one B1 repair, this was before they were replacing shutters, and the little indication I got was that they were just sensor cleans.

Photobug

When I sent it my D300 for cleaning a check of the playback button they coded mine B2. When I sent it in I asked them to identify any parts replaced. When I received it back there was the written standard form with what was done and the cost plus a handwritten note that they replaced the playback button and tested the meter system twice and it was fine. I liked the personal note.

They did a great job with the repair, Nikon west coast service center, and what I did not expect was the new hand grip on the front and back. It made the camera look new except for my wear marks on the bottom from mounting my RSS bracket. The buyer of my D300 was impressed with the condition. I shot 25 pictures with it when I got it back and promptly sold it before the prices drop further.