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Nikon Quality Control

harleymhs

harleymhs

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Jul 19, 2009
790
177
Hey Guys, I bought a Nikon D3200 for my wife and she complained about seeing black specs of dirt in the view finder.. So I took a look at the blue sky and she was correct.. took the camera back to Best Buy and swapped it out to find the same type of dirt in the prisim. Its not on the mirror or on the sensor.. So we took it to Nikon here in NY and left it there for a couple of days, she picked up the camera and looked at the sky again and saw MORE dirt! Took it back inside and the Nikon man inside said " we dont live in a dust free world" She said WOW thats your answer..And left.. We tried one more at best buy and still had dirt in the view finder! I would understand if she was chaninging lens in and out but this camera was new put the lens on and that was it! Never swapped out no dirt going in cause of swapping lens! You cant get that dirt off the prism with anything, once it gets on it thats it! Its like a magnet! If it was on the mirror or sensor thats easy but on that prism there is no way to get it off! I had this same issue a while ago when the D7000 came out took me 3 camera to get a perfect one! I am no way a pro but I dont want to see dirt when I look through my VF.. I was just curious if we are the only ones that notice this issue or people just dont care that they have dirt in a 1000.00 Brand New DSLR.. We went to Sonys A77 and will never have this again, they use a OLED VF ! Just wanted to VENT! Sorry..
 
I've been a long time Nikon user since the good old film days and haven't had issues before but I imagine there will be quality issues due to the hightened production of a fairly large line. The response you got is unacceptable, I would write Nikon headquarters and tell them your story. Also mention you felt the need to ditch Nikon for something else. Unfortunately, in times like these the best you can do is use your wallet as your voice. I don't blame you for moving to another system.
 
Talk to Nikon again and mention that you were most unimpressed with their response. Also mention that you did buy a different brand of camera.

That said, I'm another long-time Nikon user with a large amount of their gear and have never had any big troubles with it. Though I'm dealing with Nikon Australia and not your lot in NY, which I suppose are Nikon Melville.

I've heard a few horror stories of them giving international people a tough time until those people waved about their NPS member cards... :rolleyes:
 
I had my wife write a long letter to Nikon and told them what has happened and how we were treated in Melville.. And she did mention that we always had Nikon equipment and had no other choice to go to another brand totally! Lets see their response! Im sure it will be the same response thatI got from the worker at Melville! LOL ..
 
My Nikons have some dust in the viewfinders, but they are 35-40 years old and have been through a lot. Also, they have interchangeable prisms and focusing screens as well as lenses. Never been a huge issue. Just have to clean them out once in a while. I would expect a brand-new camera to be delivered pretty clean, though. I guess the transition from a camera company to a consumer electronics company hasn't been good to them.
 
I wish there was a simple quick way to just clean the prizm or focus screen.. but it seems to get a spec of dirt on it and once its on it there is NO getting it off.. I tried everything! its like its between the groves and once the dirt is on there you are finished! If I could just blow it off I would of been happy with that! Sad cause the D3200 was a great camera!
 
You're seeing dust on the focusing screen. Dust on the focusing screen is going to happen on all dSLRs (w/o electronic viewfinders, of course). Solution: Take off lens, point the camera down, aim a rocket blower towards the focusing screen, squeeze rocket blower a few times, check viewfinder, repeat until happy.

FYI: Dust on the focusing won't affect your images.
 
harleymhs said:
I tried everything! its like its between the groves and once the dirt is on there you are finished!
Click to expand...

In Ye Olde Dayes, we were taught to be very, very careful cleaning the focusing screen. The fresnel grooves are very delicate and easily scratched. Perhaps today they are more robust, but that seems to go against the general trend of things.
 
ocabj said:
You're seeing dust on the focusing screen. Dust on the focusing screen is going to happen on all dSLRs (w/o electronic viewfinders, of course). Solution: Take off lens, point the camera down, aim a rocket blower towards the focusing screen, squeeze rocket blower a few times, check viewfinder, repeat until happy.

FYI: Dust on the focusing won't affect your images.
Click to expand...

I tried exactly what you said to do with the rocket blower and NO LUCK! in fact it made it worse! Once the dirt was on the focusing screen that was it! There is NO WAY to get it off! its like a magnet! I think the dirt gets in between the grooves and will not come off! I tried everything! I wish it was as simple as turning the camera over and just blowing it off!
 
ChrisA said:
You do know of course that the optical quality of the Nikon view finder even with the dust is dramatically better than any electronic viewfinder. You'd be better off with the dust.
Click to expand...

The OLED VF in the A77 is totally amazing.With the picture preview button and the EVF is great and with a push a button and you will see the exact picture on the VF in realtime before the shot it taken. Plus the Magnesium body and water resistant buttons and a PLUS over the D3200 I returned.. And NO DIRT! LOL..
 
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