Getting Service - Nikon D300 Complete Manual

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Getting Service

Assuming that you bought an officially imported camera and

not a gray market one, getting service for the D300 should be

relatively straightforward. In practice, both Nikon and users

make it more difficult than it should be.

I won't go into the gray market problem here (see

http://www.bythom.com/warranty.htm), as it's an entirely

different issue and varies considerably in how it's handled

around the world.

The real problem is that users and Nikon both make

assumptions that sometimes are contradictory. Here are the

major problems I keep hearing from Nikon users who have

troubles with NikonUSA and a few of the other subsidiaries:

Not under warranty. Unless NikonUSA receives a copy of

the warranty card and a copy of a dated sales receipt

showing the purchase of the item in question, they

typically assume that product is out of warranty. (Tip:

always get the store to put the serial number on the

invoice). Registering your product on Nikon's Web site or

sending in the Product Registration card is not enough.

Unfortunately, there isn't a clear "warranty card" that

comes with the D300 in the US. Thus, that dated sales

receipt is even more important, as it's the only official

document that Nikon accepts.

Second-hand purchase. Nikon warranties aren't

transferable. Again, that purchase receipt is important.

Impact damage. Don't try to fool Nikon and claim your

camera doesn't focus and that it should be repaired under

warranty after you dropped it and bent the lens mount.

Some problems simply occur only because of poor user

handling (bent aperture arm and lens mount being two

obvious ones). But don't allow multiple problems to be

grouped automatically by Nikon under impact damage. If

your camera had a persistent card writing problem before

you dropped it and damaged the lens mount, make sure

Thom Hogan's Complete Guide to the Nikon D300