Nikon D500 service where to take it or send it: Hello, Feeling like a jerk today. I was at the Marritt Island Wildlife Refuge today and had set my Nikon D500 with the 200-500mm lens on...

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Hello,

Feeling like a jerk today. I was at the Marritt Island Wildlife Refuge today and had set my Nikon D500 with the 200-500mm lens on a small table out on a deck near the water. Long story short... I had looked at something in the opposite direction of the camera and a huge gust of wind blew the camera and lens off the table (it was attached to the deck). The camera and lens landed on the deck floor and the lens snapped off the D500. Both camera and lens is broken where they attached and who knows what else might have broken...

So I'm looking into insurance with AMX which I used to pay for the gear and I have filled out the service information with Nikon USA and will look into home owners insurance. Sure wish I had purchased camera gear insurance now...

Would you send a broken camera and lens to Nikon USA or to an authorized service center? I think Colonial Photo and Hobby in Orlando is an authorize Nikon service center where i could take them. Camera what purchased there and lens from Adarama. I can take it to Colonial or send it to Nikon USA or frankly to any service center that might help me out but I think in screwed.

I wonder how much it will end up custing to have the camera and lens fixed...

Thank you,

Laura72568 Loc: Anderson TX

I recently sent my 200-500mm lens to the Nikon service in California and they did a great job. It was the only service center listed for that lens. Good as new now!

Bill_de Loc: US

Nikon outsources much of their repair work to authorized service centers. Since they are independent dealers if you go directly to them you may get a better price. You need to go to Nikons site and put in the serial numbers as if you are scheduling a repair. It will list the appropriate centers. Not all service centers are authorized for all items.

My last repair even Nikon, Melville wasn't authorized to touch it. It had to go to Nikon Labs in Japan.

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jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

Bill_de wrote:

Nikon outsources much of their repair work to authorized service centers. Since they are independent dealers if you go directly to them you may get a better price. You need to go to Nikons site and put in the serial numbers as if you are scheduling a repair. It will list the appropriate centers. Not all service centers are authorized for all items.

My last repair even Nikon, Melville wasn't authorized to touch it. It had to go to Nikon Labs in Japan.

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Thank you and i'll keep you all in the loop. But do I feel dumb. I know a guy on a trip to Central America. His camera dropped and landed on the only rock in the area.... As Forest Gump says: "chit happens"

DMGill Loc: Colorado

I’ve used Nikon equipment since 1968 and have found their repair service excellent on those few occasions that it has been needed.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

DMGill wrote:

I’ve used Nikon equipment since 1968 and have found their repair service excellent on those few occasions that it has been needed.

Good to know. Just hoping it’s not to expensive.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

jccash wrote:

Hello, br br Feeling like a jerk today. I was at... (show quote)

If it was windy enough to blow a DSLR and 200-500mm off a table, that must have been pretty dramatic weather.

Nikon is your only logical choice for repair. Let's hope the insurance comes through. "Dropping" is not always covered.

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

[quote=jccash]Hello,

Feeling like a jerk today. I was at the Marritt Island Wildlife Refuge today and had set my Nikon D500 with the 200-500mm lens on a small table out on a deck near the water. Long story short... I had looked at something in the opposite direction of the camera and a huge gust of wind blew the camera and lens off the table (it was attached to the deck). The camera and lens landed on the deck floor and the lens snapped off the D500. Both camera and lens is broken where they attached and who knows what else might have broken...

So I'm looking into insurance with AMX which I used to pay for the gear and I have filled out the service information with Nikon USA and will look into home owners insurance. Sure wish I had purchased camera gear insurance now...

Would you send a broken camera and lens to Nikon USA or to an authorized service center? I think Colonial Photo and Hobby in Orlando is an authorize Nikon service center where i could take them. Camera what purchased there and lens from Adarama. I can take it to Colonial or send it to Nikon USA or frankly to any service center that might help me out but I think in screwed.

I wonder how much it will end up custing to have the camera and lens fixed...

Thank you,[/quote

Nikon in Melville only outsources to their authorized service centers IF the repair can be completed faster by the service center than the Melville employees can do it. Typically, the time leading into summer and between Halloween and Thanksgiving/Christmas are the busiest for Nikon (and probably Canon) and other repair facilities, which leads to more "outsourcing". However, I always let Nikon Melville make the call as to best turn around. I have used the "Tampa" facility and I don't think (it may have changed since I retired from Nikon) that there is any authorized facility in Orlando (which I thought was strange given Disney ((a strong Nikon participant)), Universal, and other venues). Personally, it is probably faster and better to just send it to Melville and let them deal with outsourcing or repairing. Whatever you do, you need to do it quickly in order to get it through before the holidays.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

jccash wrote:

Hello, br br Feeling like a jerk today. I was at... (show quote)

Contact Nikon through Nikonusa.com. Several numbers on the web site. I do not believe they will quote you over the phone. Most will want to see it first. And, this is a side note, must have been on hell of a gust of wind, that rig is heavy, the wind would have to have been enough to blow a man over. Hard to figure it was just the wind, considering the low profile of the body and lens sitting on a flat surface. Me thinks your story may not have all it's facts?

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Send it to Nikon. Use the NikonUSA site to set it up. I've used their repair service 3 times for damaged lenses and they did a great job.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

jerryc41 wrote:

If it was windy enough to blow a DSLR and 200-500mm off a table, that must have been pretty dramatic weather.

Nikon is your only logical choice for repair. Let's hope the insurance comes through. "Dropping" is not always covered.

My guess is the camera and lens will not be covered. Hard lesson to learn. But at least it did not call into the water were gators live. LOL. I’ll just pay to fix it but called AMX and they sent me two claim forms to fill out. Hoping for the best.

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

billnikon wrote:

Contact Nikon through Nikonusa.com. Several numbers on the web site. I do not believe they will quote you over the phone. Most will want to see it first. And, this is a side note, must have been on hell of a gust of wind, that rig is heavy, the wind would have to have been enough to blow a man over. Hard to figure it was just the wind, considering the low profile of the body and lens sitting on a flat surface. Me thinks your story may not have all it's facts?

I head a Manfrotto tripod mount on the camera so was not 100% flat. I feel stupid and wish I had it on a shoulder strap or had set it on the floor of the deck.

That’s the facts mate. No reason to try and BS UHH members.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Did it happen during Irma? I guess strong winds are needed to do what happened to camera and lens since that combo is heavy.
My first choice would be to send them to Nikon. Only they could tell you how much the repairs will be.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

jccash wrote:

I head a Manfrotto tripod mount on the camera so was not 100% flat. I feel stupid and wish I had it on a shoulder strap or had set it on the floor of the deck.

That’s the facts mate. No reason to try and BS UHH members.

No BS intended. My observation was that we must not have all the facts, you never mentioned in your original post that your camera had a Manfrotto tripod mount on the camera. I assumed it was lying flat on the table.
Again, I never BS, I tell it like it is.
Still, had to be hurricane type wind to push that off a flat surface. I own that rig and it goes just about 6 1/2 pounds. One hell of a wind. Here is hoping you get it fixed quickly so you can get back in the action. I shoot that combo and find it fantastic for birds in flight. I have used Nikon service in Melville NY may times and have found them professional, good communicators and quick.

Festus Loc: North Dakota

My local camera store is an authorized Nikon dealer (not authorized repair). When I have had problems in the past, I took the Nikon product back to the local store and had them send it in for repair. Always worked well for me.