Mirror problem

[owen]

Hi guys.

Got a problem with my camera, it seems on shutter speeds slower than 1/15th the mirror is dropping halfway, looking at the image on the LCD you can see the bottom part of the image is underexposed. You can also hear a sound that isn't normal at this speed or slower. The faster ones seem to expose fine.

I've got it covered by a harvey norman extended warranty but I'm just wondering whether anyone else has had a similar problem. (I did search for sticky AND shutter but not much came up.)

Cheers,
Owen.

Same problem as MHD had a year and a half ago!
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php? ... or+problem

edit: can't count!

[the foto fanatic]

Sorry to hear about this Owen.
It may be the mirror is not working properly, rather than the shutter.
In any case, it seems like it will need to go in for repair.
Bad luck, I'm afraid!

[owen]

Thanks mate. I'll take it to the shop today and see what they say. Should I send it away with battery in it? I'm guessing I also take the lens off and the flash card out.

[the foto fanatic]

When I have taken my camera to Andersons, the local Nikon servicing agent, they have a sign that says to take the battery & CF card out. I guess that protects them from arguments later on.
If the fault is not lens related (like yours) I would take the lens off too, particularly if you have a second body. But even if not, they would need to remove it to work on the body.
Hope you can get it back soon.

[big pix]

send it off with a body cap if you have one, this will help keep the sensor clean when in transit........

[owen]

Thanks guys. Put the body cap on it, took my cf card and bettery but left the neck strap on it. The lady said that it could be at maxwell's for 4-5 weeks. Oh well... might give me time to sort out my photo collection.

[owen]

Wouldn't that be the way... as soon as I get rid of my camera I get told I'm going away for a weeks worth of training... would have loved to have taken it with me!

Oh well, lets just hope the baby's okay.

[owen]

got a call from harvey norman asking me to pay the $460 to fix it, then I reminded them about my extended warranty (which cost me $100) so it should be a few more days.

[Killakoala]

Good to hear you're getting it back so soon and not 4-5 weeks as first thought.

[birddog114]

I thought it's a quotation from the Maxwell Service Center and relayed by Harvey Norman, if the quotation is accepted, then your camera will stay on the queue.

They currently have a long queue of D70 in repair, and they admitted yesterday, they do not have enough technician to handle those repairs quickly and the waiting time from 4-6 weeks.

[owen]

Well guys, I still don't have it but got a call from Harvey's today to say that Maxwells had fixed it and they'll be shipping it maybe tomorrow... so I should get it early next week. Which sucks, but I am eager to get it back and start shooting again.

[owen]

I got another call last Tuesday to say that Harvey's had been told the wrong information and that mine hadn't even been fixed yet...

[stubbsy]

Now that is quality service from HN's ..... NOT!

I feel your pain

[owen]

I can't blame Harvey norman's, they were told the wrong thing by maxwells. It really is out of HN's hands.... I just want my camera back. I'm missing all the trees changing colour.

[gstark]

Call Maxwell's, speak with a senior manager (refuse to speak with underlings) and let them know exactly how pissed off you are.

[rookie2]

surely there is an opportunity here for a couple of enterprising members wanting to start up a camera repair business..as long as you could guarantee your work surely you could keep yourself gainfully employed..and take on an apprentice or two.

at least when people get the sack from maxwells they can become politicians

[owen]

I actually phoned HN's this arvo and they said that Maxwell's had dispatched it today, so all being well I should get it on Monday. I hope that is the case.

[marc]

They currently have a long queue of D70 in repair, and they admitted yesterday, they do not have enough technician to handle those repairs quickly and the waiting time from 4-6 weeks.

Fear not, Maxwells say this just to cover themselves
Have just got my D2Hs back, after my dog got hold of it dropping
it on the floor
The mirror and shutter were dislodged and god knows what else.
And pleading with them to have it by the w'end (this was the 4 day week
as well) as I had a Wedding to do.
.........anyway I got it back by Friday arvo.
This is not the first time I've had a camera or lens brought back (including a D70) and it has always been repaired in a week.
Maxwells have always provided EXCELLENT service and fast turnaround.

This is of course speaking from MY experience.

Cheers
Marc

[ghost]

I have just been through this. Had a mirror lock up 18th Feb. It took just under 8 WEEKS to get it back! The camera was only 2 weeks out of warranty and they would not honour it despite my pleas (only fair I guess but still annoying).

Yep thats right, 8 long weeks + $290.00.

This was via a Maxwell's agent at Bondi the closest location to my workplace. I phoned a couple of times a week. When I first took it in I was quoted 2 weeks, after 2 weeks I phoned and it took them a week to call me back......they said "yep ready next week". Ahh great I thought, but when I called a week later it was "the technician is not here right now we'll call you back tomorrow". Three days later I called again and it was "the technician is not here right now we'll call you back tomorrow". It was starting to sound familiar. It was a slack office with minimal customer service....avoid this place if possible.

Anyway to cut a long story short the final excuse was they were waiting on parts from Japan (I wish they would have told me that after 3 weeks not 6). Although I can't complain about the camera's perfomance since the repair. It works fine.

I waited almost 8 weeks after initially being quoted 2 weeks for a repair on a camera that was 12 months and 2 weeks old. My feelings and tips after this experience are:

1.I wish I'd have bought the 20D

2.Don't deal with the Bondi Mawell's agent

I hope you have a better experience than me!

[birddog114]

You shouldn't pay that $290.00 at the first place even if it's out of warranty just two weeks and bring it straight to Maxwell instead of reseller's store.

Perhaps, they charged you $290.00 and paid nothing to Maxwell.

2 weeks out of warranty does not mean anything on a over $1.5 K purchase.
Fair Trading Office can help you with that for sure and I did encounter with these issues in the past same as recently with couple photography related to camera body and lens for my customers and Maxwell repaired them free.

I'm not qualified to say more on behalf of FTO, but I recently got few disputes with builders, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation,etc... all out of warranty, and the FTO ruled out their excuses, finally they paid or fixed the problems of my properties free.

Next time ask here first.

[gstark]

It was starting to sound familiar. It was a slack office with minimal customer service....avoid this place if possible.

Very difficult to avoid them if you don't actually tell us who they are. So, please provide the name.

I live in Bondi, but I'll actually take my stuff to Maxwell rather than entrust it to some other party whom I don't know. And no, I didn't know there was an "agent" in Bondi.

As Thanh says, two weeks out of waranty is still, AFAIC, within warranty. Four weeks is starting to stretch the friendship a little, but two weeks is more like planned obselescence (and failing to provide adequate and professional service) rather than out of warranty.

I certainly would not take "no" as an answer in those circumstances.

What I find of interest is that you describe these people as a Mawell agent, but yet they seemed to have carried out the repairs themselves, rather than on-forwarding the camera to Maxwells. If they're agents for Maxwell, their duty, surely, would be to send the camera to Lidcombe for Maxwells to do the work?

[marc]

but I'll actually take my stuff to Maxwell rather than entrust it to some other party whom I don't know.

Exactly right, ALWAYS (if you can) take it directly to Maxwells at Lidcombe.
Avoid any middleman!
Your turnaround time will be greatly reduced.

[gstark]

but I'll actually take my stuff to Maxwell rather than entrust it to some other party whom I don't know.

Exactly right, ALWAYS (if you can) take it directly to Maxwells at Lidcombe.
Avoid any middleman!
Your turnaround time will be greatly reduced.

Indeed.

If you look at my post from a month or so back about warranty service from ASUS on a failed laptop HDD, I was able to reduce the turnaround time from one week to just 20 minutes by making the effort to take the laptop to them for the service.

Yes, it took time out of my day, and that needs to be costed.

So too does the downtime of one week's loss of the laptop.

[shakey]

I live in Bondi, but I'll actually take my stuff to Maxwell rather than entrust it to some other party whom I don't know. And no, I didn't know there was an "agent" in Bondi.

http://www.maxwell.com.au/service/nsw.html

Poraday pty ltd. They are authorised repairers, but I agree with you, I'd go straight to Maxwell.

[ghost]

Unfortunately they already have my money. When it first happened I phoned Maxwells and explained the problem. They asked me where I was located and I told them. It was Maxwells who actually told me to take it to these guys. I guess I was naive, I should have posted my problem here first and asked for advice!

I explained the age of the camera (I had all my documentation with me as proof) and suggested that it may be a common D70 problem that should be fixed for free. No such luck. Oh well a lesson learned.

I've just found the invoice, the name of the place is Poraday Pty Ltd, they are at 6/195-199 Bondi Rd, Bondi. They have a little Nikon flag hanging over the door.

[ghost]

Poraday pty ltd. They are authorised repairers, but I agree with you, I'd go straight to Maxwell.

I see shakey has already informed you of this!

[gstark]

They're walking distance from here - literally just around the corner, and maybe a block or two from here, but they are not Nikon agents. They're an Authorised Service Centre, and I suspect there's a very big difference. Please, don't get the impression that I know of these people - I've never seen this place, but I'm stating this information based solely upon their address.

Of course, that raises the question of who worked on Leigh's and my cameras when we put them in for BGLOD issue late last year. Did we drive from Bondi to Lidcombe, only to have the cameras shipped to Bondi for repairs (we do know that the repairs were outsourced) and then shipped back to Lidcombe from Bondi, so that we could then travel from Bondi to Lidcombe to collect them and return to Bondi where they they live.

[ghost]

Of course, that raises the question of who worked on Leigh's and my cameras when we put them in for BGLOD issue late last year. Did we drive from Bondi to Lidcombe, only to have the cameras shipped to Bondi for repairs (we do know that the repairs were outsourced) and then shipped back to Lidcombe from Bondi, so that we could then travel from Bondi to Lidcombe to collect them and return to Bondi where they they live.

An interesting paradox Gary and quite possibly true!

but they are not Nikon agents. They're an Authorised Service Centre

I'm not sure where I got the term "agent" from. I know one of my friends said that he had his camera repaired there too and I think he may have said the word agent to me during our discussion. I take your point there is probably a big difference. I wonder why Maxwell's steered me in thier direction?

[owen]

Well, I have my camera back. No lenses with me so I'll have to wait a few more hours to test it out, but the following things were replaced:

Shutter Unit
Motor Unit
Aperture Control Base Plate

It took 12 labour units to repair.

Anyone have any ideas what the aperture control base plate is and why it might have needed replacing?

[birddog114]

owen,
Aperture Control Base Plate is the metal lever you see it right at the mount of your camera body. It engage with the lever on the lens mount.

[owen]

Thanks Birddog. Camera seems to be working fine now