Repair of Nikon F100

[chromacomaphoto]

This is why, although I really would love to go back and get into Nikon F5's again, I can't quite pull the trigger. Just four or five years ago it was still all good. Now, Nikon Thailand, UK and Hong Kong all say that they no longer support these top of the line cameras and others of the same era. Such a shame as they are 100% electronic so once anything goes wrong beyond a simple CLA or seals job, it's pot luck in terms of your local camera guy and his spare parts drawer otherwise you have an expensive paperweight. Thank God for my FM3a. Sad really as the f100s and F5's are/were some of the best auto SLR bodies ever made by anyone.

I always wanted an F100 and it's just insane when you think what you get for your money with one of those now vs what they cost new. Such a shame that Nikon can't have at least one dedicated small-facility with just a few guys doing nothing but keeping their film kit serviced and repaired, even if people had to ship it to Japan or whatever. Imagine scrapping or throwing away a 1999 Benz just because nobody can fix or repair a dashboard or an ignition barrel on it!

This is one good reason for having a manual Leica M body, I have to say. My M2 is still 100% fully repairable in every way.

 

[Ricardo Miranda]

I'm sure that in the UK there is a company that uses or used to service Nikons on behalf of Nikon UK and they might have spare parts for the bodies they offer repair.
They are Aztech Services: http://www.aztechservices.com/

 

[Naples]

Its possible they have a stash of broken cameras they salvage parts from or that they actually have leftover parts from Nikon.

Not sure if you are referring to Authorized Photo Service ... I spoke with them before I sent my camera to them and they made clear they use only new parts in repairs.

 

[chromacomaphoto]

I think for F100's and F5's a knob or a switch kind of repair is no great shakes but anything electronic and it's probably easier and cheaper to just get another one.

 

[benjiboy]

Nikon U.S.A no longer supply spare parts to the general public or independent camera repair companies read this.
Dead Link Removed

 

[Naples]

Nikon U.S.A no longer supply spare parts to the general public or independent camera repair companies read this.
Dead Link Removed

The issue is not access to parts by the general public or independent camera repair companies. As per my OP, the issue is that Nikon itself no longer manufactures parts for one of its top film cameras - the F100 - only 10 years out from production. I sent my F100 to Nikon's main repair facility in New York and Nikon could not repair it! But Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, Illinois, can! Very disappointed in Nikon.

 

[benjiboy]

The issue is not access to parts by the general public or independent camera repair companies. As per my OP, the issue is that Nikon itself no longer manufactures parts for one of its top film cameras - the F100 - only 10 years out from production. I sent my F100 to Nikon's main repair facility in New York and Nikon could not repair it! But Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, Illinois, can! Very disappointed in Nikon.

The independent repairer could only fix this particular camera because he still has spare parts in your particular case, in the future there will never be any more is the primary issue for Nikon users in general and that due to a planned obsolescence policy to keep the wheels of industry turning. These days in the choice of what components cameras are made out of decide their service life, and manufactured goods are not made to last a lifetime any more and designed to have a useful life of about ten years.

 

[Naples]

Woohoo! My F100 is back from APS (Authorized Photo Service), with the focus mode selector repaired and looking brand new! Thank you APS!

 

[Paul Howell]

more or less than buying another used body from KEH?

 

[nolanr66]

Curious to the cost of a simple repair?

 

[Roger Cole]

All my 35mm cameras are manual focus. After an unacceptably high number of missed focus shots (all of stuff moving faster than I usually attempt, often at wide apertures) in my last batch of Potra back from Dwayne's, I'm thinking of getting an AF body and couple of lenses, of some type. But though Nikons are often recommended this is concerning.

Is there a good AF 35mm film camera available used that IS still supported with factory parts?

 

[Naples]

"more or less than buying another used body from KEH?"
"Curious to the cost of a simple repair?"

KEH does not have any F100 bodies as of this writing, and their inventory of F100 bodies has been very sporadic and limited for the past several months. I bought my F100 a little over a year ago from KEH in "LN-" (Like New Minus) condition, a condition they rarely have in stock. As my LN- had a repair issue, I was not comfortable buying another used F100 from KEH - in less than LN- condition - only to find myself in the same situation with another F100 body in need of repair and Nikon USA not having the part! And so I decided to repair my LN- F100 (which does look brand new).

All that said, the cost of repair by Authorized Photo Service was less than what I paid for my LN- F100 from KEH. And, it was almost to the penny what Nikon USA had quoted as a repair estimate, but never charged as they could not locate the part.

To me, to now have an F100 in LN- condition functioning perfectly is well worth the total of a handful of dollars expended on the purchase a year ago and now on the repair. I would have bought a new F100 if they were available. But they're not. So this is the next best thing!