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Nikon is about to make it a lot more difficult to get your camera repaired

by 20 Comments

Nikon is soon killing its authorized third-party repair program. Starting from early 2020, more than a dozen repair shops will come down to only two facilities at the ends of the US. This way, the Authorized Repair Stations will become non-authorized and likely lose access to official parts and software. Therefore, you will need to mail your gear directly to Nikon, no matter where you live.

According to iFixit, Nikon sent out a letter to its remaining Authorized Repair Station members to notify them of the decision. The letter reads that after 31 March 2020, roughly 15 remaining repair shops will not be able to renew their agreement with Nikon. “The climate in which we do business has evolved, and Nikon Inc. must do the same,” the company writes. It adds that the company must “change the manner in which we make product service available to our end user customers.”

Nikon’s decision means that the repair shops will be left without the official parts, tools, manuals, and training. They will likely also lose access to Nikon’s proprietary calibration software. In other words, this will automatically turn them into unauthorized shops.

But what does this mean for photographers? Well, if you want to repair gear that’s under warranty, you’ll need to send it straight to Nikon. As you probably know, repairing it at unauthorized shops will void the warranty. Even if the gear is not under warranty any longer, you may want to have it fixed with official Nikon parts. This is another scenario in which you’ll have to mail it across the country to one of two Nikon centers. It’s pretty inconvenient and it will leave you without your gear for a longer time.

iFixit notes that they spoke with several shop owners regarding Nikon’s decision. They all mentioned Canon, which also no longer offers warranty repairs through authorized shops, but still sells them parts at a competitive price. Shop owners say that this is the best scenario they hope from Nikon, but there’s still no word on what exactly will happen after March 2020.

It would definitely be good if Nikon at least makes official parts affordable for its former Authorized Repair Station members. This way, you could at least send out-of-warranty gear to shops near you and have them repaired with original Nikon parts. It would be way more convenient for photographers. But also, it would be less restrictive for repair shops and help them keep their customers.

[via iFixit]

Related posts:

Nikon repairs may be invalidating your insurance and future warranty Nikon Offering Free Repair Services for the D600, In or Out of Warranty Nikon is ending is free D600 sensor “dust” repair service in January 2020 Nikons D4s Set for Release in March

  • So stupid

  • Like ricoh pentax, i just wish i could buy my own parts

  • I don’t think this is a good business model for Nikon. Besides being swamped with in warranty repairs that have plagued Nikon for a long time, they’ll likely lose customers due to a need to have equipment repaired within a reasonable timespan.

  • One shop in Vienna is already closing because of this – that was one of their main businesses.

    Happy my Canon service is on the same city.

  • Next time I need a camera it will be a different brand.

  • Hanna Saba it’s not a problem they never breakdown.

  • Kevin Smith that’s right when they die you can still use them as paper weight 😜

  • Hanna Saba they never die in 30 years haven’t a repair done yet.

  • Hanna Saba however there will come a time through Nikon’s stupidity I will have to look for another brand

  • Incase you needed another reason to switch

  • Guess I’ll buy a Canon

  • Man way to make your brand even less desirable.

  • Bob Locher

    I have to think the real reason for this is to further kill gray market equipment. Nikon USA refuses to repair any equipment not purchased through Nikon USA, even if it is not under warranty and the owner is prepared to pay repair charges. And now they are acting to cut off another route for repair. If this behavior is not illegal it should be.

  • Tony Cao

    glad i’m leaving the F mount for the EF/R mount. from the D600 oil issue and Nikon Canada refusal to replace the sensor because it’s scratched, thus not honoring their core recall reason, and now this stupid decision, they think they’re Apple yet they’re on the bottom of the poll financially. great move Nikon. wouldnt be surprised to see Nikon’s in antique stores in 2 decades.

  • Stefan Pangratz Top Kundenservice :P

  • silverthornne

    Ridiculous. Regretting my Z6 purchase more by the day.

  • P Schmied

    We need to have right-to-repair laws with some teeth.

  • Money grab to kill off small business for profit.

  • For people like me that are nps members. It doesn’t effect ecause send them to Nikon anyways. But for your average consumer it sucks.

  • Maybe I’m the only one here who has sent lenses to “authorized” shops – not one could fix anything and it went to Nikon anyway. And then it got fixed. Should have sent them to Nikon from the start.

    Lenses and bodies have become so complex that a small shop just can’t afford the equipment and constant upgrades to afford it. These shops mostly went out of business years ago. The business model has changed and will continue to close. Nikon’s decision is not going to make or break these stores. Unfortunately they are dying, and have been for decades now.

    Honestly I think it’s smart for Nikon to centralize the service. Better controls, more workload = better quality control, control of costs, and part inventory management.

    I hate to see small store owners get another kick in the n&#$, but you don’t see tv or radio repair shops either. Change is inevitable.

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