Nikon SLR Cameras

Am I the only one unhappy with Nikon service?

thankyoumaskedman
thankyoumaskedman

This is a copy of my 11/16/12 complaint to BBB. BBB posted it 11/20/12.So far there's no response from Nikon. Has anyone ever had similar problem with Nikon?

Nature of Complaint: Guarantee Or Warranty Issues - A dispute regarding the warranty coverage and/or terms
Problem:
I purchased a Nikkor 16-85mm f3.5-5.6 AF-S DX VR lens from BH Photo, arrival date April 13, 2011. Serial number US26015999. I promptly filled in the Nikon Extended Coverage card and mailed it to Nikon. That extends the Nikon warranty from the standard 1 year to 5 years. I mainly use this lens with my Nikon D90 body. The lens worked mostly beautifully at first. In the last year it seems like it has been having increasing autofocus errors, especially at the shorter focal lengths. Blame the body, my technique, or the lens? It seems like the body rarely has autofocus error with other lenses. Trying the lens on an older D60 body, I think I got fewer errors than with the D90, but still more than I should with this lens. When it is wrong it seems to focus as if my subject were closer than it is. I place my autofocus sensor carefully to make user error unlikely. Looking at user reviews by others, most are happy with this lens. A minority of reviewers report autofocus error problems that seem similar to mine. One reviewer said that Nikon service found the autofocus module to be defective. In September 2012 I sent the lens to Nikon's service facility in El Segundo, California, service order 5978634.It was covered by the extended warranty. Their result was to report it to have been tested and showing no problem. My experiments with the lens is that it still has a problem with autofocus.

Desired Outcome
Desired Settlement: Repair
Desired Outcome:
I would like to send in the lens for warranty service again, but I need it to be more seriously tested and actually fixed.

NickP
NickP

Sad commentary for Nikon. But with Nikon TV commercials indicating (by showing actors) carrying their cameras by the strap is preferable to wearing it around the neck is indicative of disregard for the consumer in my mind. Sad, isn't?

AWBoater
AWBoater

You may need to have the lens calibrated to the camera. This will require sending the camera in along with the lens. Unfortunately, the D90 has no user lens calibration capability, however more modern advanced amateur cameras such as the D7000 do.

Also you may want to be sure you have the latest lens firmware downloaded to your D90. Nikon DSLRs typically have two firmwares; one for the camera's operating system, and a second firmware for lens definitions. The latest firmware for the D90 (1.002) is for updating the lens "distortion control data" feature, but who knows? It might fix your problem.

And yes, Nikon service leaves something to be desired. There have been a lot of comments on the internet about having to send in the camera/lens/whatever in more than one time to have it properly fixed.