Bad News: Nikon Is Killing Its Authorized Repair Program

[Kino]

IFIXIT reports:
"Nikon is ending its authorized repair program in early 2020, likely leaving more than a dozen repair shops without access to official parts and tools, and cutting the number of places you can get your camera fixed with official parts from more than a dozen independent shops to two facilities at the ends of the U.S."

https://www.ifixit.com/News/nikon-is-killing-its-authorized-repair-program

 

[AgX]

To my understanding this cancellation only applies for Nikon USA, and the figures above are those for the USA.

 

[mshchem]

When I tried to have a AF-S lens repaired a couple years back, my amazing repair shop was denied the needed part. Had to send the lens to Nikon USA. The lens was repaired and sold by my dealer, for me, on Ebay . My dealer got a message from the buyer that the lens failed again, about a month after I paid Nikon USA over $300 USD for the repair.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

That's sad. More ewaste for the junk pile. But some photographers is going say "Oh well, time to upgrade to the latest with more megapixels" willingly. I have film cameras I bought in the early 80's that I'm still using and I sent an old Canon P for a CLA. Two things going on here, planned obsolescence and Nikon wanting photographers to buy new cameras.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

Very bad. I was getting into Nikon recently, three lenses, paid for second body, was thinking of getting FM3a, but with this cut it is another single use cameras.

 

[ronnies]

Isn't this "Nikon USA" and not "Nikon"? Only applies to the USA and not other countries.

Am I right in thinking that "Nikon USA" is only a dealer and not actually part of Nikon itself?

Ronnie

 

[Wallendo]

Isn't this "Nikon USA" and not "Nikon"? Only applies to the USA and not other countries.

Am I right in thinking that "Nikon USA" is only a dealer and not actually part of Nikon itself?

Ronnie

According to this (Nikon's official site), Nikon Inc. is owned by Nikon.
https://www.nikon.com/about/corporate/profile/group/

 

[Mackinaw]

Isn't this "Nikon USA" and not "Nikon"? Only applies to the USA and not other countries.

Am I right in thinking that "Nikon USA" is only a dealer and not actually part of Nikon itself?

Ronnie

Nikon USA is part of Nikon Inc. and is the official importer of Nikon products in the U.S. When B&H Photo in NY buys a bunch of Nikons, they buy them from Nikon USA.

Jim B.

 

[faberryman]

Not sure how this is a problem. Nikon still has its own repair shops open on either coast. Chicken Little syndrome.

 

[AgX]

If one has a monopoly, one can dictate prices and proceedings.

 

[Luckless]

If one has a monopoly, one can dictate prices and proceedings.

They already have a monopoly on the first party parts, and I've not seen third party sources for such items, so they already effectively dictate things.

For most people it really doesn't change anything, but it does suck for anyone who happened to live near an authorized repair centre...

But with any luck we may see campaigning against E-Waste result in a revival of System-Camera concept for DSLRs sometime in the near future. I know that the frame, lens mount, buttons, and even all the screens, mirror box, viewfinder, and AF on my old Canon 7D are still in great shape, but would be awesome to drop a new sensor and logic board in there for a little more up to date image capture.

 

[AgX]

Yes, I know of the parts issue: But so far they could not dictate the hour-costs.

 

[cmacd123]

it also cuts out the authorized repair center, having the service date, fixing a camera with a part from a junked camera as Nikon no longer sells parts for "Model XYZ" instead the factory service is likly to say - so sorry we no longer have the parts for that model so we can't look at it.

 

[Luckless]

it also cuts out the authorized repair center, having the service date, fixing a camera with a part from a junked camera as Nikon no longer sells parts for "Model XYZ" instead the factory service is likly to say - so sorry we no longer have the parts for that model so we can't look at it.

Not sure anything really stops the repair centres from parting out junk cameras and carrying on repairs.

If you get something repaired at an unauthorized dealer that the factory won't repair, then what will Nikon do? Threaten to void the warranty on a camera they aren't going to repair anyway?

 

[guangong]

The problem with getting repair parts from junk cameras is that so often specific cameras have tend to have the same part go bad. The best alternative to repair is regular maintenance. Never had a necessary repair with my Nikon F (bought c. 1960) or F2, or my Leica M4 cameras ( bought new). Many years ago my Rolleiflex TLR needed a repair because I dropped it, but since then only an infrequent CLA.
Obsolescence drives much modern industry. Even then, at some point there is a limit as to how much a digital camera can be tweaked with so called improvements for marketing. Will be interesting to see how far digital cameras can go in the race with cell phone cameras in terms of application.

 

[AgX]

Kino did not chime in.. It would be interesting learn to why he considers that reduction an issue, as some others do not.

 

[abruzzi]

Fortunately none of my Nikons are remotely new enough to be impacted. What film cameras does this affect? The F6 obviously, but how far back is Nikon still supporting?