Sending your DSLR "in"

[Dcanoli]

I've seen so many posts where people say they have sent their camera back to the manufacturer for "insert whatever here."

How often do you send your cameras in? Do you send them in only when there is a problem or do you send them in for "tune-ups" say?

Just curious. I've had mine a little over a year now, and you guys have piqued my curiousity.

 

[Chikabowa]

There is a pro repair shop here in town and I send my camera in twice a year for sensor cleaning. I have them do any lens calibration as well.

I've sent in older bodies directly to Nikon to have issues repairs - broken auto focus, etc.

 

[My2Girls66]

Only for repairs under warranty. I just sent my D80 in to Nikon. I was getting an F-- error which means the lens isn't being read by the camera. Probably a problem with the lens since it only does it with 1 lens. I've also sent a few p&s's in for warranty repair.

 

[Groucho]

I recently sent my K20D in for warranty service. It was more of a "tweak" thing than something that was broken - it was still performing the same after over 10k as when new. However, the focus was slightly off (more noticeable with the big megapixels and fast lenses!) and the sensor had a little more noise at the top and bottom. I didn't even notice the focus thing for about 7k photos (though it's now more obvious looking as some older photos) and I was able to fix it in the camera's custom menu, but figured that while it was under warranty and I didn't "need" it for a little while, that I'd get it taken care of.

It was gone for about a month or so and came back with the focus tweaked and an entirely new circuit board w/sensor installed. The big wait was for parts... that would seem like a long wait but at the same time, Nikon took over a month and a half waiting for parts to fix my scanner.

I wouldn't bother sending your camera in unless you're really seeing an issue. I never sent my *ist DL or K100D in and wouldn't bother (both had spot-on focus and everything still works perfectly on them)... and I would not pay anyone else to clean my sensor for me, so that's not an issue.

I may be sending in a lens though... I finally picked up the 16-50mm F2.8. There was lots of talk of some having issues with sharpness across the frame but when they're good, they're spectacular. I think it was mainly early versions, and mine is fantastic optically but the in-lens focus motor is sometimes a tiny bit sluggish for the first few focuses then works at full speed. It actually may have cleaned itself up now, I need to play with it a little more. No time to do anything about it before the next WDW trip so I'll be living with it as is regardless.

 

[tjl1388]

Unfortunately my 18-200VR while attached to my D70 landed lens first from about 7-8ft. Won't focus worth a crud now. The lens is screwed up but I am sending them both in for service. Oh well.

 

[handicap18]

I haven't had to send in either of my bodies in thus far (almost 3 years for my D50 and 3 1/2 months with my D300). I did have to send in my 18-135mm twice. Once under warrantee for a focusing issue and a 2nd time because it fell onto a ceramic tile floor from about 3 1/2 feet. The front lens element ended up falling off.

I do my sensor cleaning myself, though I haven't had to wet clean my D50 for well over a year now, just a few blows from a rocket blower has taken care of it thus far and the dust reduction thingy on my D300 has worked so far.

If you don't have to send it in, why bother.

 

[Dcanoli]

Thanks for the posts guys.

I was just wondering since I'm fairly new to the DSLR thing; I didn't know if you sent them in for "check-ups," per se or waited until something goes wrong.

Also, I specifically had Grouch in mind when asking because I knew Groucho that, you, had sent your's in. I don't think I'm technically sufficient to realize if something is wrong (unless it's really apparent)! LOL...

My 8YO did drop my camera off a table outside of Casey's Corner this past September, and I almost had a heart attack when I got back to the table and he told me what happened.

BUT...it's been working great; I just wasn't sure if I should sent it in for an overall cleaning/check-up type of thing....I guess I don't trust myself enough!

Thanks! I guess I'll hang on to it until I need to send it in for something apparent.

Oh yeah--I've never done a sensor cleaning. How often do you guys do one?

 

[Groucho]

Oh yeah--I've never done a sensor cleaning. How often do you guys do one?

Only when you need to... if you start noticing dust spots in your photos, try using a rocket blower or similar when the camera is in "sensor cleaning" mode. Try that a couple times and if there's still bits of gunk that are stuck on there, you may need to do a wet cleaning... I haven't done one in probably a couple years now.

 

[Dcanoli]

Now, Jeff, why do you throw stuff out at me like that?

You know, I've only had my DSLR a year. You know I can't wet clean it!!!!

 

[Groucho]

No problem, you probably don't need to!

My first WDW trip, I had terrible dust spots as I'd never cleaned my sensor and I was a little skeptical of the seriousness of the problem. I changed lenses often, took my time leaving the camera open, and paid the price. But you know what? Nearly every one cleaned up easily in post-processing. (Another reason that I'm glad I shot raw that early; not that you can't take dust from jpgs, but you just have that much more flexibility to process the photo later.)

I think that as long as you're careful swapping lenses and you have a rocket blower, you'll be pretty safe.