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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Walk in Nikon Service?
Randy Abrams, Photographer
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Bath | NY | US | Posted: 1:44 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Does anyone know if you do a 'walk-in' at Nikon's Mellville, NY service location? Specifically, my 1.4tc and my 300/2.8 don't play nicely together. The tc works great with my 400/2.8. I've tried the whole AF Fine Tune, but still can't get the combo where I want it. Nikon will say send in the lens, tc and body to get them all tuned together, but the idea of sending over $5000 (D3s body plus the lens and tc) and being without them for a week or two doesn't excite me. I'm about 5 hours from the Mellville location and would almost be willing to drive everything up there and perhaps stay the night.
Has anyone done something like this? Will they get a walk-in done pretty quickly? |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 1:55 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> IMHO, DON'T DO IT!!
After what I went through, Next time I send stuff in of this value, I'm flying to El Segundo and dropping it off in person!!
AFAIK, you can go to Melville and drop it off!!
BTW, which TC-14 do you have and which 300/2.8??
Is it the VR lens??
Is the TC-14 the TC-14 EII???
Good luck...
Y |
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Randy Abrams, Photographer
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Bath | NY | US | Posted: 2:10 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Yamil,
I definitely don't want to send it all in. Minus the fear of it being shipped, I can't be without the items that long. I have my 105/vr there (Melville) now and it already driving me nuts waiting for it. The tc is the 1.4EII and the lens is the 300/2.8 VR. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 2:21 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Randy if you are an NPS member why not put in for loaners while the gear in in the shop? If not now would be a good time to join......
UPS has managed to lose (and find) a D2x, 2-D3's, and even a loaner D3. That being said I never insure through UPS and even upped the limits on my commercial policy to cover items in transit when I had 2 400's surfing that wave of brown. Avoid UPS insurance and keep in mind that if you ship through a Staples that STAPLES is the shipper as far as UPS in concerned and that YOU won't be able to file the claim or to do much other than to wait for Staples/UPS to hash it out. Carry your own insurance and sleep better at night. |
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Randy Abrams, Photographer
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Bath | NY | US | Posted: 2:28 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Thanks Eric for the Staples hint. Good idea. I have a commercial insurance policy. I'm not a full-time photographer so I doubt I'd be able to qualify for NPS.
I should add that I wouldn't mind making the trip to NYC and tie in a little family site-seeing, mainly not sure about the walk-in idea for Nikon service. |
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Yamil Sued, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Peoria | AZ | USA | Posted: 2:38 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Randy, if you go to Melville, have fun with traffic on the LIE.... It sucks!!
If I were you, I would drop it off!! Something is wrong because all those items should communicate well with each other.
The sooner you send it in, the better off you will be,
Shipping that stuff will cost a fortune.
Y |
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James Escher, Photographer
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Garden City | NY | USA | Posted: 4:46 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Randy,
Yes, Nikon does offer walk-in services at its Melville office. They're located off LIE Exit 49N. After exiting, make a left at the first traffic light onto the service road, then make a right when you see the sign for the Marriott. Nikon's office is nearby, and can be accessed through Marriott's parking lot. The servicing department is located on the lower level of the building, and they're open Mon-Fri til 3:30PM.
Good luck with the repairs,
James Escher |
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Sean Gates, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Hempstead & Cooperstown | NY | US | Posted: 5:00 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> James,
Being a Nikon user and a student at Hofstra I have always wondered about taking my gear in. Is it really as simple as just making the drive over to Melville and dropping gear off? |
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Jim Pierce, Photographer
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Waltham | MA | USA | Posted: 5:14 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Randy,
How far are you from Warwick RI? Get in touch with Keith or Mark at http://www.midstatecamerarepair.com
I have sent many a camera/lense to them with great results and QUICK turn arounds... have two body's going there this week for a tuneup. Turn around is usually 3 days and includes shipping BOTH ways... Ship Monday and get it back Wednesday obviously if parts are available but so fare no problems.
If there are so many problems with UPS, why use them??? I never ship UPS always USPS (United States postal Service), due to the problems, and when I can select between UPS and another carrier for critical items I always select the alternative to UPS.
And yes I have had a few issues with "lost" items and I will tell you UPS could care less....I ordered a large order of supplies needed for an event 2 weeks prior to the event and they got "lost" by UPS. I was fortunate that the vender sent me another order fedex overnight got it just in time for the event. I paid for the product but NOT the overnight shipping... I did eventualy get the original product but not in time, this was just used for my next event.
If it is not warranty work try Mid State
Good Luck,
Jim |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 9:32 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Jim ,not much you can do when it comes to the return trip. Nikon ships UPS and the one Canon CPS member that works for me gets his CPS gear back via FedEx ground. I'm not aware that Nikon will ship gear back USPS.
Yamil's gear was damaged on the return trip from NPS to him. All of the gear that UPS has lost (and found) of mine has always been on the return leg of the journey. I have always had good luck getting gear TO the shop.....
Of course I just shipped a loaner D3 this afternoon and now that I've jinxed myself The Hartford will be cutting NPS a check for the D3 that Karma is going to intercept.
Yamil UPS in the same zone is cheap. The D3 I sent back today cost me $8.86 to ship back to NY and will get there overnight. Again the gear is being insured under my biz policy rather than to cover it by UPS.
I'm about to have a 1/2" 30x14 piece of tempered glass shipped up from TX for my kitchen remod...... can't wait to see how THAT turns out... |
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John Cheng, Photographer
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New Milford | CT | USA | Posted: 11:54 PM on 08.03.10 |
->> Sean,
The answer is Yes. When I had a little break last month I took in 400/2.8, 200/2 and 200-400/4 for clean and check up. I don't think you get faster turnaround by dropping them off but if you're a NPS member you'd get priority in the queue. I even took a picture of the place:
http://pics.john-cheng.com/nps.jpg
The hours are M-F 8:30am - 3:30pm. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 8:12 AM on 08.04.10 |
->> Randy
I would second Jim's suggestion of Midstate Camera Repair. Even when I was a CPS member I sent (well really brought since I drove it) all my gear to Keith and Mark at Midstate Camera Repair.
If you give them a heads up, they can often do your service while you wait.
Search them here on SS you'll see a lot of happy and loyal customers. |
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Randy Abrams, Photographer
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Bath | NY | US | Posted: 11:06 AM on 08.04.10 |
| ->> Midstate is almost 7 hours from where I'm located. I may half to wait till next summer and maybe make a site seeing trip out of either location. The more I think about it I'm a little worried about what might happen by taking in the 1.4tc with the 300 as the tc works very well with my 400/2.8 with no micro adjustments and the 300 is fine without the tc. If they make the tc work well with the 300 I'm afraid it won't play as nicely with the 400. Never an easy solution. |
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Steven E. Frischling, Photographer
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| | | Posted: 11:19 AM on 08.04.10 |
| ->> Ship it to Midstate, call ahead they can usually flip your gear in a day |
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