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

stl_baglover

That is very disappointing Pippigurl At least now you have a camera that you can enjoy.

I called Adorama the rep wants me to give the D600 another chance, but what if the new one has spots? they said they would make it right. I was ready to return the gear I had purchased. I must say Adorama has been great but I don't know if I have faith in Nikon. I understand that Nikon wants to safe face (believe me I lived in Asia and had to deal with saving face many times) but they can't treat their customers like that and not acknowledge there's a problem.

MikeGunter

Hi all,

@Pippigurl - That sucks. There are some really, really good reasons (if the D600 lived up to the manufacturer's promises that it would fit into a lot (and I mean a lot) of photographers' kit bags (mine included). It shares a battery type with my D7000 and more than half of my lenses and accessories. It's flash sync speed stinks, but I could probably get over that.

I haven't bought it. But you and others have. You all should let your righteous indignation show.

@stl_baglover Adorama's Helen Oster is the Customer Service Ambassador and is active on this forum. Adorama is one of the sponsors, too.

Whether you want to continue to stick it out with the D600 or not is up to you. There is something wrong with it that no one is fessing up to, perhaps not even looking into, so what's up with that?

My best,

Mike

proudgeek

Another angle here is that the major retailers (Adorama, B&H, Best Buy, etc.) are probably also putting pressure on Nikon. Think of the logistical nightmare this has created for them, not to mention the customer perception. Granted, Nikon may be able to ignore someone like Pippi (who has bought 3-4 Nikons in her life) when she complains, but when a major retailer who purchases thousands of units each year complains, that's when Nikon is going to start paying attention. I'm pretty sure behind the scenes Nikon is scrambling, but they just don't know what to do without creating a massive PR nightmare (beyond what's already taking place).

spraynpray

Nobody sensible would see any admission of any problem as anything other than a glitch. Nikon is not a fly-by-night company, and as I've said before, with all the problems they have had, a glitch is regrettable but nothing more than a glitch. I would have more respect for them if they did than if they didn't. Further delays make it worse - they have to communicate something with their customers.

[Deleted User]

@ spraynpray no communication, that is the problem.

On januari 11, I bought the D600, thought it over for 4 month and decided in a flash, because I'am an idiot. The D800 is € 700.- more then the D600 here in Holland. That is the reason why I bought the D600. The first week it felt very tense, I can assure you. I checked it out of the box, no spots, after 350 shots no oil spots, today I checked 775th shot, no oil spots and It still feel tense.

It is realy crazy to spend € 1600.- in this kind of lottery. I think I'am very lucky that I have no spots, The main issue for me is, that the whole world knows about the problem and Nikon plays deaf, no reaction at all and that is absurd.

By introduction in September there was a pile of the D600 and a smaller pile next to it of the D800 in the shop . When I bought the D600 three weeks ago it was the other way around.

Oh, Super camera.

timekeeper

the person I spoke with doesn't have a clue.

I wonder what kind of training they get? Do they get a chance to take pictures with various cameras and lenses? Or just follow some sort of script or flow diagram.

MikeGunter

Hi all,

@SnP,

I really don't expect Nikon to do a mea culpa, that would encourage a whole bunch of returns of D600s from some folks that might not notice a lot of icky spots on their photographs (even though if their f-stops were smaller they would show up - pity since they might after the warranty expires).

There's a lot to be said about corporate fiduciary responsibility, but there's a lot more to be said about corporate responsibility.

A brand has to stand for something, or it doesn't stand for anything.

My best,

Mike

Sato

@ spraynpray no communication, that is the problem.

On januari 11, I bought the D600, thought it over for 4 month and decided in a flash, because I'am an idiot. The D800 is € 700.- more then the D600 here in Holland. That is the reason why I bought the D600. The first week it felt very tense, I can assure you. I checked it out of the box, no spots, after 350 shots no oil spots, today I checked 775th shot, no oil spots and It still feel tense.

Under which conditions do you check your camera?

Mine appeared to have a couple of spots out of the box, but only 1 that's really obvious.
50 or so shots later I could only spot the one that was real obvious from the start. (f/16, 1/200, Flash.)

I think f/16 should be usable on an FX camera, Anything higher I wouldn't use due to diffraction.
As long as no other black spots appear I think my D600 should be fine and I'll have it cleaned by Nikon.
If more spots start to appear, Well I'll see about that when it happens...

[Deleted User]

Always Make 2, one f/16 and one f/22, no spots in the left corner.
There were normal spots, gone with the giotto blower.
Always a battle against dust, negatives and dia's (analog) and now sensor.
I change lenses, so dust will be obvious, but I can handle that.

rschnaible

Hi all,

@SnP,

I really don't expect Nikon to do a mea culpa, that would encourage a whole bunch of returns of D600s from some folks that might not notice a lot of icky spots on their photographs (even though if their f-stops were smaller they would show up - pity since they might after the warranty expires).

There's a lot to be said about corporate fiduciary responsibility, but there's a lot more to be said about corporate responsibility.

A brand has to stand for something, or it doesn't stand for anything.

My best,

Mike

Well said Mike.....

NWPhoto21

After 1400 shots I had it serviced by Nikon in their Los Angeles facility. When I got it back after this cleaning
I put on a brand new, never used Nikon 24-120mm lens on the camera. I took another 1700 photos on my D600 (#3005xxx). At one point early on I changed lenses to my rarely used 70-200 Nikon for about 70 shots then back to the 24-120. So, not a lot of lens changes, I only removed a lens twice in a very clean environment, both quickly with the camera turned off and mostly pointed down.

At about image #2700, taken at f16, I made an 8x12 print and counted the round spots. I came up with 207 spots on the print so I sent it in for another service to the LA facility when I reached 3000. My camera was set to "Clean Image Sensor" at startup and shutdown.

I've previously owned the D3s, D7000 and D2x, D300 and D100 and never had a significant sensor spot issue.

The problem is real. I'm concerned. If Nikon treats the D600 this way will they do the same with problems for their other cameras and lenses?

Msmoto

While the issue is apparently being supported by Nikon at the wholesale to dealer level, this is sometimes frustrating to consumers. No one wants to send back a camera they have looked forward to, had high expectations of, and have spent a lot of money to purchase. But, my understanding is that the dealers are accepting the cameras back and providing a different one or cleaning the one sent back. Eventually, the problem will no doubt be resolved but it is still very frustrating. I think if I had purchased a D600, I would tend to ride this out, returning the cameras as necessary. The only exception would be if I could afford the D800, I would go that direction.

sevencrossing

I am thinking about returning the D600 and getting a D800. I guess the D800 has some issues too.

yup, like every DSLR I have owed, the D800 is not immune to collecting dust

but compared to the problem of keeping dust off the 6 sides of a glass mounted Kodachrome, it is not an issue

It is easily fixed by cleaning every few months, or in Lightroom

Looking back over the past 55 years .The D800 is, with out doubt, the best camera I have even owned

TheGipper

Anyone else get this response from Nikon?? (I had directed them to the huge number of returns of the the D600 on Amazon, both here and in the UK, and also the comments on Nikon's own website.....)


Thank you for contacting Nikon Customer Support, I'll be happy to assist you.

I truly regret any issues you encountered with the D600.

We encounter many issues on a daily basis, and the number of D600 issues we see, as opposed to the the number of other issues is not disproportionate.

I apologize for any inconvenience to you with problems you encountered.

Well, that's so reassuring...(!)

spraynpray

Is that sheep I smell - wait - is it horse? No, it's bull8hit! 3:-O

It seems they are not even close to coming clean. If there really was no problem, I bet they would have made a statement to that effect.

DXV_Photo

We encounter many issues on a daily basis, and the number of D600 issues we see, as opposed to the the number of other issues is not disproportionate.

Wow, I didn't realize the other cameras where doing that bad. :P

proudgeek

Not to continue beating this dead horse, but I was at B&H yesterday (to pick up a 10-stop filter) and spent some time playing with both the D800 and D600. It was my first chance to get either in my hand. Obviously, the D800 feels a lot more solid and will be the route I go, probably later this month. I did talk to the sales guy that I had some concerns about the D600 as I'd heard some nightmare stories (without mentioning anything specific). He answered, "You mean the oil spots? I'm not going to lie to you, there are some that are having issues. I don't see everything because I don't do returns, but I've heard about it too."

[Deleted User]

Vaguely relative post from Darkslide - noticed some rubbish on the D3s today so did a quick sensor clean - at the same time, I checked the D800 (as I had the cleaning kit out) and there was nothing, zero, rien! Ok, so I use the D800 probably half as much as the D3s but I've never yet had to clean the sensor (D800 has 3700 shots on the counter)

[Deleted User]

Just info, there is one D600 that's good at this moment in time. Can't imagine I'am the only one.
Test shot 1057, clean, no spots at all. Normal use for an amateur with 3 lenses.

mihaich

I've got a D600 with 3300 actuations. After doing an "air blow" clean after the first 400 shots to get rid of some particles which I think were inside it to begin with, I've checked again today and at f/22 I'm seeing indeed quite a good amount of spots, maybe the same amount I had in the D80 after around 10.000 shots. However, I don't seem to notice any oil nor are the spots visible at more 'usual' apertures. When I do an "autolevels" it does become a lot more obvious but I still don't think it's severe. Haven't had the time to try, but I'm guessing a part of them will go out with another blowing.
What do you guys think?
D600 at f/22, JPEG out of the camera
D600 at f/22 JPEG with autolevels Just as a note - there is some light falloff and slight coloring in the second image as it was taken with flash and had some yellow curtains to my right

spraynpray

Wow, that is a lot of spots mihaich - and that is after giving it a blow out. Are you going to give Nikon a call and get it cleaned for free?

fishguy

Mihiach*
That looks like regular dust to me....lots of it though! I get oily spots on my D800 that are larger and a lot darker. They also have a halo around them. When I tried a sensor brush on them they smeared. I'm sending my fourth camera back to Nikon this week. All were refurbish...no more of those for me!
Fishguy

[Deleted User]

That's a huge number of 'spots' - but the simple fact that some are round doesn't make them oil.

As to sending it to Nikon - why bother? Sensor cleaning, if taken carefully, is no more difficult or damaging than many other things we take for granted - and why be without the camera for the time it takes to send it away etc.?

Golf007sd

As to sending it to Nikon - why bother? Sensor cleaning, if taken carefully, is no more difficult or damaging than many other things we take for granted - and why be without the camera for the time it takes to send it away etc.?

+1

Here is N-Photo's position on this issue.

mihaich

spraynpray, the blow out was about 3000 shots back. I will probably do another one these days and see what's left - will be posting a new image then. Indeed, right now it is a lot of dust but I think no oil. I will be taking it to Nikon at some point for free good professional cleaning as I prefer not messing around with wet cleaning, maybe at around 5000 shots and then we'll see what happens again.