Servicing a D3

andephotographic · 7 Oct 2010

So my D3 is coming on for it's second birthday and my shutter actuation count is about to roll on 26k.

Iv had the sensor cleaned once and that's about it.

Should I be sending my camera for some sort of service/overhaul?

If something goes wrong in the future that should be a warranty issue will Nikon look for some kind of service history to back up my claim?

Only thought about this as I'm taking my bike in for it's yearly/5k mile service on monday.

Ozei · 7 Oct 2010

Unless there's some sort of noticeable fault I'd be inclined to leave it alone. Your D3 warranty will run out at 2 years anyway so I shouldn't think a 'service record' would make any difference to Nikon.

Ozei · 7 Oct 2010

PS. 26,000 is low for a D3 - they're rated at 300,000.

andephotographic · 7 Oct 2010

Ozei said:
Unless there's some sort of noticeable fault I'd be inclined to leave it alone. Your D3 warranty will run out at 2 years anyway so I shouldn't think a 'service record' would make any difference to Nikon.

My card slots took a bit of a funny turn ages ago, slot one didn't seem to recognise one of my cards but that was back when I was shooting Raw on card 1 and Jpeg on card 2, since I moved to shooting just Raw and using slot 2 for back up if i'm on an important job, overflow if I'm on holiday etc then it's been fine.
There was a while that I used the high speed burst a lot to bracket but my ways have changed in that respect too so don't use it much and hopefully shutter will be good for a while longer.

andephotographic · 7 Oct 2010

Ozei said:
PS. 26,000 is low for a D3 - they're rated at 300,000.

I know but you know how it is, you google to see what it's rated to and find loads of stories of them failing early.
Of course, the people who own the ones that go on till 500,000 aren't posting about it on forums, they are all out shooting!

itsdavedotnet · 7 Oct 2010

if you had something slightly dodgy about it, get it fixed while in warranty. They'll probably do a service and recalibration after that level of surgery.

Cyclops · 7 Oct 2010

One year on and mines got just over 95,000 on the clock and still going strong.

I would not worry too much unless there is a fault with it

as apart from a bit of a clean I dont see how they can " service" it with out replacing the shutter and all moving parts.

andephotographic · 7 Oct 2010

Cyclops said:
One year on and mines got just over 95,000 on the clock and still going strong.

I would not worry too much unless there is a fault with it as apart from a bit of a clean I dont see how they can " service" it with out replacing the shutter and all moving parts.

Tbh I wasn't even sure if there was such a thing as a camera 'service' but reckoned someone here would.

Ozei · 8 Oct 2010

andephotographic said:
My card slots took a bit of a funny turn ages ago, slot one didn't seem to recognise one of my cards but that was back when I was shooting Raw on card 1 and Jpeg on card 2, since I moved to shooting just Raw and using slot 2 for back up if i'm on an important job, overflow if I'm on holiday etc then it's been fine.
There was a while that I used the high speed burst a lot to bracket but my ways have changed in that respect too so don't use it much and hopefully shutter will be good for a while longer.

Unless you can show them the above slot issue, I don't think Nikon will do anything under warranty. To me it sounds more like firmware rather than a hardware fault. Did you try reloading the firmware?

I certainly wouldn't worry about a 26k shutter.

andephotographic · 8 Oct 2010

Ozei said:
Unless you can show them the above slot issue, I don't think Nikon will do anything under warranty. To me it sounds more like firmware rather than a hardware fault. Did you try reloading the firmware?

I certainly wouldn't worry about a 26k shutter.

Actually, it might have been when I updated the firmware that the issue resolved itself. Never put the two things together before.
I was just looking through paperwork and had a look in the box for my D3 and it seems I never sent off the card to get the 2nd year free warranty (idiot thing to do I know but I was probably too busy playing with the damn thing to worry about what was left in the box!) but I have breakdown and accidental damage cover through Domestic and General until Dec 2011 anyway.
Well actually the breakdown cover doesn't kick in till the 2nd year of warranty would have been out so no warranty for a couple months - EEK! - but the accidental damage cover is current.
Be a shame if I dropped it out a window/into a river or something next year wouldn't it.

Ozei · 8 Oct 2010

andephotographic said:
Actually, it might have been when I updated the firmware that the issue resolved itself. Never put the two things together before.
I was just looking through paperwork and had a look in the box for my D3 and it seems I never sent off the card to get the 2nd year free warranty (idiot thing to do I know but I was probably too busy playing with the damn thing to worry about what was left in the box!) but I have breakdown and accidental damage cover through Domestic and General until Dec 2011 anyway.
Well actually the breakdown cover doesn't kick in till the 2nd year of warranty would have been out so no warranty for a couple months - EEK! - but the accidental damage cover is current.
Be a shame if I dropped it out a window/into a river or something next year wouldn't it.

If you've got Domestic & General you should be covered anyway. TBH I think you're worrying unnecessarily, just don't chuck it in the river.