Not the News I Wanted to Read While Eating my Breakfast!

BradleyK · Jan 12, 2016

As I noted in a recent post (one praising the virtues of the F5, as I recall), my four year old F6 is no longer functioning properly. The command dial which sets the shutter speeds is malfunctioning, causing out-of-sequence speed changes, delayed shutter speed changes, etc. So, yesterday, I contacted Nikon Canada, enquiring the approximate cost and turnaround for the repair. I received an email from Nikon this am, regretting to inform me that repair parts for the F6 are no longer available?!? Is the F6 no longer in production? Is the issue simply with Nikon Canada? It was my understanding, from reading elsewhere, that Nikon's practice has been to have available replacement parts for their cameras several years after discontinuation. Misinformation? Suggestions of where I could have the camera repaired in North America? NB: The camera is four years old.

Paul Howell · Jan 12, 2016

I could no longer find the F6 or FM on the Nikon web site, under Nikon Products.

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Roger Cole · Jan 12, 2016

Oh wait - you DO have an F6. B&H still lists the US version as backordered and the gray market as in stock. So they're still selling new ones. Even if they are NOS it couldn't have been discontinued for very long.

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2016

Not good news.

Ken Nadvornick · Jan 12, 2016

Even worse news for B&H, or anyone else still trying to sell new ones. Who's going to purchase a new one at full price knowing full well that if something goes wrong there is no place to turn? That it will instantly become a $2,394 door stop? Not me...

Ken

Paul Howell · Jan 12, 2016

After some drilling found both the FM 10 and F 6 still listed. I think the FM 10 is no longer in production, the F 6 is made to order.

mrred · Jan 12, 2016

I had my F6 repaired 3 years ago. A flash fried all the electronics inside the camera. At first I thought it wouldn't be worth it, but Nikon Canada said they would replace everything for $450; with 6 months warranty. I figure I had a new camera for that. I guess I won't bitch about the bad clock battery.

BradleyK · Jan 12, 2016

So now I'm baffled: Nikon in Los Angeles can repair my F6 for $212.50 USD. What gives with the folks in Canada?

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2016

[h=2]Not the News I Wanted to Read While Eating my Breakfast![/h]Would it have been ok if you were eating lunch or dinner?

BradleyK · Jan 12, 2016

Likely messier! Breakfast was only a bowl of Raisin Bran, a multi-berry protein shake, and a pot of Starbucks Christmas Blend...

So now the issue becomes the matter of sending the body out of the country. Odd, though, that parts are not available up here.

Vonder · Jan 12, 2016

BradleyK said:
Likely messier! Breakfast was only a bowl of Raisin Bran, a multi-berry protein shake, and a pot of Starbucks Christmas Blend...

So now the issue becomes the matter of sending the body out of the country. Odd, though, that parts are not available up here.

You Canadians get the world's nicest weather. Taking away your Nikon parts is god's way of making things even.

Ricardo Miranda · Jan 12, 2016

The F6 is still listed here: http://www.europe-nikon.com/en_GB/products/category_pages/digital_cameras/category_SLR.page?

Roger Cole · Jan 12, 2016

BradleyK said:
Likely messier! Breakfast was only a bowl of Raisin Bran, a multi-berry protein shake, and a pot of Starbucks Christmas Blend...

So now the issue becomes the matter of sending the body out of the country. Odd, though, that parts are not available up here.

Maybe the people at Nikon Canada just don't want to #$%^ with it, or the last guy who knew how to work on film cameras just retired or something?

MattKing · Jan 12, 2016

I'm wondering whether this could be another manifestation of the same factors that caused Nikon Canada to close down their local service centre.

It may be that Nikon Canada is no longer importing the F6, so they aren't supporting it locally.

Or maybe it is a screw up.

I would try a phone call.

AgX · Jan 12, 2016

That would mean Nikon excludes part of their customers from their (warranted) service.
Unless they reserve(d) parts only for the warranty cases.

MattKing · Jan 12, 2016

AgX said:
That would mean Nikon excludes part of their customers from their (warranted) service.
Unless they reserve(d) parts only for the warranty cases.

Or they just refer people to Nikon USA or Nikon Europe or Nikon Japan for warranty service.

The pros I know who shoot Nikon digital gear are upset about losing local service. A service facility that is 3000 miles away isn't very handy.

Ken Nadvornick · Jan 12, 2016

MattKing said:
Or they just refer people to Nikon USA or Nikon Europe or Nikon Japan for warranty service.

I suspect this is what Fujifilm USA is doing with the (still available as new) GF670 folder. There have been reports of similar no tools, no parts, no service available for samples legitimately purchased in the USA with USA warranties. I've read that Fujifilm USA is just forwarding those units requiring service back to Japan.

(To clarify, I don't know this for a fact. But it's what I've read online. And we all know what that's potentially worth...)

Ken

ciniframe · Jan 12, 2016

This thread made me look at the B&H site to see what is still available in 35mm. What a shock!
No, not how slim the selection was but the price of the Nikon FM-10 with it's kit zoom lens. The current price is $519, that's FIVE HUNDRED and NINETEEN US Dollars! Yikes, my guess is that Nikon said, 'the heck with it, let's just price the last few right up there and test what the market will tolerate'. Either that or they are not not ordering enough from Cosina to get a lower price.

Fortunately there still seems to be available enough high quality used 35mm SLR's at reasonable prices to fill likely future demand. (That is, if there is still enough camera repair people able to service them.)

skorpiius · Jan 12, 2016

I just did a quick survey of Canadian camera stores
Vistek - no longer available
Henrys - special order
Canada Camera - special order

MattKing · Jan 12, 2016

As I understand it, the F6 is "special order" everywhere. That is, it is manufactured to order, rather than kept in inventory by Nikon.

summicron1 · Jan 12, 2016

BradleyK said:
So now I'm baffled: Nikon in Los Angeles can repair my F6 for $212.50 USD. What gives with the folks in Canada?

LA has the parts, canada does not. Different countries, so the communications are not good. Pretty simple.

BradleyK · Jan 12, 2016

MattKing said:
I'm wondering whether this could be another manifestation of the same factors that caused Nikon Canada to close down their local service centre.

It may be that Nikon Canada is no longer importing the F6, so they aren't supporting it locally.

Or maybe it is a screw up.

I would try a phone call.

Matt,

I called right after reading my email. I got the same response from a rather curt woman, who, when I told her that a Nikon facility in Los Angles could do the repair for $212.50 USD, suggested that I send it to Los Angeles, then. This, after I merely inquired as to why LA could do the repair but Nikon up here could not. BTW: She neglected to pronounce Neeekonh correctly. lol So, I'll guess I'll just do my bit to redress the US's trade deficit with Canada.

BLK

AgX · Jan 12, 2016

If one got a Nikon with or without warranty and Nikon Canada can't do the repair (for whatever reason) it is their job to care for that camera and send to a service workshop of theirs that still does the job.

Sirius Glass · Jan 12, 2016

One would like to think so.

mrred · Jan 12, 2016

Well, when my F6 went for repair, it took two months. They gave me a status URL that didn't work. My guess is they sent it out. I dropped it off at the Montreal office and I know it didn't get done there. They were all nostalgic when I dropped it off.

Not the News I Wanted to Read While Eating my Breakfast!

BradleyK

Paul Howell

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