Nikon Self Service Repair

[Needa]

"Nikon Inc. provides access to applicable service manuals, parts, and tools to enable you to perform your own repairs on certain Nikon digital electronic products."

It appears at this time as far as camera gear only one lens is listed.

https://www.nikonusa.com/content/self-service

We have had a few people in the past post about their repair successes and failures. Would you ever be tempted to try your own repairs?

 

[Clovishound]

I tried to repair an FX mount 105 macro last year. It had stopped focusing, either AF or manually. I had nothing to lose, as it was out of warranty, and repair was more expensive than replacement with a decent used one. I disassembled it as far as I dared and was able to remove a ring that allowed me to use it in manual focus only. That worked OK for a while until I got the Z virus and replaced it with a Z mount 105.

Digging into a modern camera or lens is not for the faint of heart. I nearly had heart failure the first time I cleaned the sensor on my Z5 with a sensor cleaning kit.

 

[BF Hammer]

A couple of weeks after buying my first D80 + 18-135mm lens kit, I managed to drop it directly on to the front of the lens. It was inside of a Lowepro "Toploader" case, so it is properly loaded lens-down. Even though it was lightly padded, the lens did not focus after that.

I should have tried the warranty. But I dug inside figuring I had knocked a gear out of position. That was what happened. On reassembly I broke the wire connecting the AF on/off switch. Since the D80 also has an AF on/off switch on the body, I just left that alone. I was still focusing good with that broken switch wire when I traded in the lens 13 years later.

 

[Sandpatch]

No way. One of my brothers was a camera repair tech for Minolta long ago. He had a knack for it and did excellent work. Looking over his shoulder as he worked, I was amazed at the tiny parts he was able to handle with such ease.