Three Nikon SLR’s In Trouble - Service Advisory Issued: Looks like three of Nikon’s SLR have some electronic failure possibilities. Service advisories have been issued to notify owners of potential problems with Nikon D2H, Nikon D70, and N55 film camera.
Service Advisory:
Nikon Inc. has today published service advisories for three of its SLR camera products, all related to failure of certain electrical components.
Of the three advisories, two are for digital SLRs, while the remaining advisory covers the N55 film camera.
The Nikon D2H digital SLR advisory notes that the camera’s electronic analog exposure display may freeze, and the camera may become unable to change exposure settings. It is also possible that the camera’s autofocus system may stop working.
The Nikon D70 digital SLR advisory describes potential problems as being camera lockup accompanied by a blinking access lamp when a flash card is inserted, or the camera failing to turn on at all when the battery is fully charged, and there is no memory card in the camera.
In both cases, Nikon is offering complimentary service to correct the issue. Procedures for the service can be found in the advisory document below. If your camera isn’t exhibiting the problems, Nikon advises that you should continue to use it as normal. Cameras sent for service will apparently be repaired in five business days from receipt, and customers who’ve already had the repairs performed out of warranty at their own cost should contact Nikon as per the instructions below.
{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
Leslie Leyh 09.26.05 at 7:32 pm
Ihave a Nikon D70 and have owned it since Oct 2004. I have not had a problem yet but have read about the green light of death with the D70. Is there anything I should watch for and do to prevent the problem from arising in the future?
David Weiner 09.26.05 at 11:09 pm
Has anyone heard about a new Digital SLR from Nikon (D90 Perhaps), an 8 MP camera to compete with Canon’s Digital Rebel XT ?
raman kuumar 10.03.05 at 5:23 am
With a memory card inserted: The green memory card access lamp blinks continuously and camera does not respond to any controls.
With no memory card inserted: The camera will not turn on despite the battery indicator showing a fully charged battery.
Jim 10.05.05 at 10:17 pm
I have a D70 that I’ve owned since they were introduced (early-adopters-disease) and it’s started the blinking-green light antics. I’ve found that if I remove the memory card, and the battery while the light is blinking, after 3 or 4 removal-insertion activities, the camera will start fully functioning again. I took it to Nikon service, but they refused to service it under the free-service-campaign saying since it’s not fully deceased, it doesn’t meet the service criteria and I’d have to pay to have it checked out and fixed…so here I sit fiddling with cards and batteries, with a upcoming trip to Japan, just hoping it dies later than sooner!
Dr.naveen 11.21.05 at 9:54 am
i own a d70 since 6months,pretty happy with the results.since yesterday when i click the shutter release button,the mirror fires up and stays there i need to press the button again to get back the mirror to place.and no picture is comming,it stays in the same old frame.can any body help me.i tried with changing the battery,charging,but nothing helped
chris 03.06.06 at 10:48 am
I sent my broken D70 in for complimentary service which is covered under this advisory and Nikon send me a bill for $140.50!!!! Beware! I have been trying for 2 weeks to get through busy signals and customer service hold times to find out about my “free” repair. If anyone has a more direct line or email address please help!
Randy Magee 03.30.06 at 4:11 am
I have a Nikon D70 that started the Green Blinking Light of Death syndrome outlined in the D70 Service Advisory. I followed the information to a “T” on Nikon’s website about sending the camera in for repair and was advised that my camera’s repair didn’t fall into the parameters of the service advisory and was mailed a bill for $142.50. I am still fighting it out with them at present and this experience is starting to make me lose faith in Nikon as a company. I suppose they had too many repairs on these cameras and have decided there will be no more “complimentary” repairs.
Holly 04.13.06 at 7:56 am
Here is a linnk to the advisory:
http://www.nikonusa.com/email_images/nikonusa/service_advisory/d70.html
under the FAQ it has an address to send your reciept to get reimbursed. Maybe it will help.
Richard 04.13.06 at 10:02 am
After close to 2 years Nikon D70 stopped working, green flashing acces light: remove memory card, light goes out but camera is dead. Send it in to nikon per advisory repair code 4445. Call nikon and find out that it does not qualify for this repair (they do not see the blinking light), talk to the rep they will take another look. The preliminary repair estimate on their website is $200 (I guess someone has to pay for the free repairs). I used to have have Canon film camera (no problems), have to check out their digital stuff maybe nikon was a wrong way to go.
Does anyone have more technical info on the problem beside the failure of “select electrical components” as described by Nikon, please post it I am sure there are more users asking the same question.
Mad 05.08.06 at 12:44 pm
My beloved D70 just quit on me 5/6/06 with the Green_flashing_light and no function as others has been experienced before me. I will try to send my D70 body back with the code 445- repair form. Wish me luck.
Marcel 05.29.06 at 11:36 pm
I sent my D70 back to the factory to get the sensor cleaned last month. When I got it back a month later the sensor was cleaned and they upgraded the firmware, which I did not ask them to do or want them to do. As soon as I started using it I noticed it was responding slowing, almost like a locked up PC. The memory light kept flashing for 10 seconds at a time and when I turned it off it was still on for a minute or so. The condition got worse over the next few days even after resetting the unit, trying different cards, etc. Now the memory light will flash for several minutes at a time leaving the camera in a locked up state. Sometimes I’ll try to snap a picture and get no response from the camera, and then set it down on the table where it will remain locked up for several minutes and then suddenly takes a picture long after I’ve left it alone. I’ve taken thousands of pictures with this camera in the past. It seems like Nikon did something to mess it up when I sent it in for repairs. It’s almost like I got a different camera back.
Onesmo 05.31.06 at 7:56 am
My D70 succumbed to the flashing-green death two weeks ago, a couple of days before my son’s birthday party.
After a quick Internet search I found out there was a Nikon service advisory that described the problem to a T. Off I shipped the camera to Nikon. Yesterday they informed me I’ll either have to pay $220 for the repair or have the camera shipped back to me unrepaired. To say I was disappointed at Nikon and outraged would be a major understatement. I have purchased tons of Nikon equipment in the past, and I guess this is their way of thumbing their nose at my loyalty.
Before I switch to Canon, I plan to publicise this incident and report it to every consumer protection agency you can imagine. I guess I should have paid more attention to all the postings on DPReview about this problem. I’m also contemplating a lawsuit. Does anyone know of a class-action lawsuit against Nikon about this problem?
Renee 07.28.06 at 5:05 pm
I have two D70’s that have experienced the same problem. When shooting with flash in the aperture or shutter modes the controls are all over the place. In shutter mode the shutter speed and the aperture are changing constantly and the same with aperture mode. I have had them both fixed once and now the same thing is happening to one of them again. Im surprised there isnt some kind of recall. THis is strange that its happening to both cameras with two different sb800 flashes. Has this happened to anyone else?
Scott Christian 08.28.06 at 3:36 pm
I finally found the answer to my problem since there was no
mention on the Nikon site. My D70 gets the blinking light.
Sometimes it will come to life, take a couple of frames and
then go into sleep mode again. Back LCD flashes when activated,
but will not stay on. Top LCD sometimes comes on, sometimes not,
sometimes displays Err. Thought it might be the battery so
ordered one new one to check. Guess off to service it goes.
Great quality control and now I have to pay to get it fixed?
Last Nikon I buy.
Renee 12.04.06 at 6:08 pm
Just heard back form Nikon and they want to charge me 128.00 for a re repair!!! I will call them tomorrow and hopefully they will rectify this. I have had most of my NIkon equipment repaired at least once and when they were still under warranty. I owned Mamiya and Minolta and Metz for years and never had these problems.
sebastiano 02.17.08 at 4:21 am
I have a D70 she doesn’t succeed in reading any memory card, signalled error “CHA.”
What must I do? I have tried her all, the D70 it is jammed.