My Nikon D750 shutter woes are over (I think) and I have my baby back.
So now I have a bit of advice for you.
But before I start my rant, here’s a pretty photo of my succy babies … sigh … just breathe … #firstworldproblems
In late December (December 27th to be exact) I had to send my Nikon D750 for repairs since the shutter was sticking, and it was a known issue! I’m not sure I would have purchased this camera if I’d had any idea;
According to several forum posts we found reporting this issue (from as far back as December of 2014 till March 31st of 2016), affected cameras will lock up when taking a photo (often after the first shutter actuation of the day) and display an “err” message. In some cases, all that’s required to move past this is a second shutter click; in others, removing the battery, SD card, lens, or any combination of the three may help; for some, even that didn’t work, and the camera had to sit for 24 hours before it would work again. PetaPixel
I’d done my research before purchasing it. I’d watched a few reviews (which I thought were reputable) and there was no mention of this problem. So when Nikon began offering this camera as a kit which included the Nikkor 24-120mm 1:4 lens for a very reasonable price, I bought into it.
When it started freezing up, I was not impressed. I was a very unhappy camper. Yes, I was able to get it working again after a second click of the shutter, but how long was that going to work? So off to the shop it had to go :(
To be fair, Nikon repaired it within two weeks and returned it to the store where I’d bought it.
But for two more weeks my camera sat in this store (a store in which I’ve spent thousands of dollars) and no-one called me! After four weeks of patiently waiting, I finally contacted the store (which shall remain unnamed since I just don’t feel like spreading vitriol to you my dear reader) as I was getting concerned:
ME: hello, this is Barb, I’m calling about my camera (etc. etc.)
THEY: oh, it’s here.
ME: Say wha?
THEY: ya, it says someone called you.
ME: NO. There is no record of that on my call display and if someone called, why did they not leave a message?
THEY: oh … ummm … I don’t know.
ME: my husband will be in to pick it up … click.
OK #therantisover … I’m sure you can understand my frustration and I thank you ever so much if you’re still listening so I could get it off my chest.
And here is my bit of advice:
- when purchasing a new piece of equipment, do your research. Then do some more. Google “problems” “known issues” with (said equipment)
- don’t expect people care as much as you do about your equipment … don’t wait patiently for repairs … call after 2 weeks, and keep calling until you get it back
- when you upgrade your camera, keep your old one as a backup
… and feel free to spread the word if you have problems with something you’ve purchased … it just may help someone else avoid a few unnecessary woes …
What was the problem Barb? Did they tell you what they repaired, and why? Obviously, I haven’t sent my Df in, but I also have other cameras that I almost love better…actually I do love better! Gasp. Just curious if you can share that. How frustrating for the less than stellar customer service where you’ve spent thousands of dollars. Thanks so much for sharing your insight and experience.
Beverly, it’s a faulty shutter mechanism and it sticks/freezes when you try to take a photo (usually after the camera has sat idle for a while). Nikon replaced the shutter mechanism and sent the camera back … that’s all I know (it is still under warranty thank goodness!) and I sure do hope you get your issues resolved …
Thanks Barb. Hope it is good now for the rest of its life. 👏🏻
I’m glad you have your camera back and hope that the problem is solved!
I have similar issues with businesses calling when orders are ready–I am beginning to think I might have some sort of super power as every time I call about a long awaited item, the person on the other end of the phone tells me “It just came in!!” Really?
Right? things that make you go “hmmmm” ;)
My Nikon D7000 suffered a fatal collapse a couple years ago while I was doing a presentation for my little photo group. I took it to Tempe camera, and after a couple days they called and said they had replaced the shutter but something else was wrong- so they had to send it to Nikon. Long story short- I eventually heard back that Nikon would not repair it because it was “gray market.” Whaaat? My husband had ordered it online- it had a Nikon warranty (which had expired)- and nothing in our paperwork indicated anything wrong. My choice was to not repair it- or send it to Canada Nikon which would repair it. Yes, Canada! Tempe Camera estimated repair costs at 400 dollars, just a couple hundred dollars less than its value. I had been without my camera for a month by then. So…. I bought a new camera from Tempe Camera- a D7100, which I love. But….. when I was in Alaska in November- the shutter stuck once. After many tries I waited a half hour and tried pressing the button a few times, and it finally worked again. I do worry about it sometimes- and wonder how common this is.
Oh my gosh … what a rotten situation for you! thumbs down to unethical merchants :(
I have to say I’m shocked to hear that your D7100 shutter froze … not sure what to make of that …
Thank you for the tip to search for problems or known issues before making a purchase. I always do my research by reading reviews, but apparently that is not enough. My own Nikon D5100 is quirky in cold weather (underexposing random photos by 4 or 5 stops), which is problematic since I live in Maine, but it’s never been consistent or repeatable enough to send for repair. It does make me wonder if I want to stick with Nikon in the future, though. Fortunately my iPhone never lets me down, but it’s frustrating not to be able to rely on my “good” camera for about a third of the year!