Nikon D610 manufacture dates

Purchased and picked up a 610 from a local camera store and noticed the box wasn't quite pristine - nothing alarmingly torn, nor return tape marks, but
enough to get me thinking about when the camera was manufactured by Nikon. Called Nikon, told them the serial number, and they told me the
camera was distributed for purchase (sent to a store) in early December, 2013. Thus, it has been sitting on the shelf or in the stockroom (I assume) in the store
since December. Maybe it was displayed in the store, maybe not. SO i decided that for the money this is costing me, i would like a more recently
manufactured camera - a fresh boxed one, so to speak. Called the store and they said they have another one in stock, and I can trade for that one - but they
could not guarantee when that was sent to the store or how long they have had it.

The store was willing to cooperate to that level and i have little to complain about when it comes to their willingness to help me with all my questions about
cameras, equipment, settings, etc. Nevertheless, I am returning to the store to compare the two cameras and packaging. What would you do, if anything?
There was no damage to the camera, and it looked fine. But I wondered if there was a problem with the first D610s manufactured, if the had used the camera
as a display model ( i don't like purchasing display models of anything unless incentivized with a large discount), and i also wondered if i was worrying about
nothing.
Any advice?

How many shutter clicks were on the camera when you got it? If you still have one of the first images taken with it, upload the image to My Shutter Count and it will tell you.

http://www.myshuttercount.com/

I agree with hark, but I also think you may be overthinking all this a bit. Would you want your new camera to be 'rushed' to be manufactured? You see, what happened with the D600 is that everyone contemplating buying one saw the shutter problems and then if they were still interested, went to the D610. The D610 was in such high demand that for a few weeks, I could not find one. I just recently bought mine, and not from one of the top 3 sellers in the country.

I am happy with mine, and did not even consider it may have been on the shelf for a while. If it has been, it certainly doesn't show it. I just got it 2 days ago so I haven't checked acutations yet. Just make sure you look on the box above the barcode and see if you see a 'U' on it. That designates that it was manufactured for users in the US and it is not a gray market camera. That is more important if you ever need warranty work done on your camera. Nikon won't touch a gray market camera as there is no warranty sold with them. I know that the company I bought mine from DOES sell gray market cameras so even though I saw the 'U', and got the yellow warranty paper in the box, I called Nikon and had them check to ensure it was a legit US Model. It was.

The other thing I am having to deal with is the store I bought my camera from took the original battery out of the box, and subsituted a 3rd party battery in place of the Nikon branded battery. I immediately filed a claim with Nikon, and called the store and told them I wasn't happy with that. I told them I wanted a new Nikon battery, which they said they are sending me. What the store does, I'm almost positive, is send out cheaper 3rd party batteries, and then resells the Nikon batteries for a lot more cash. An OEM Nikon battery goes for about $50, while a 3rd party battery might fetch $20. That's the only issue I have with doing business with that company. I would have bought from Adorama, or B & H, but they were out of the D610's at the time.

I won't be doing business with AJ Richie any more as they should NOT have switched batteries in the first place. The price I paid more than covers the price of the OEM battery. Hope this helps you in making your decision. It seems to me that if you bought from a local company, their cameras may sit on their shelves a bit longer, but I'm sure they do not have any of the D600 defects you seem worried about. Good luck with your camera. Welcome to Nikonites!

Thanks for the comments. With those in mind, here's my plan: go to store this morning, camera boxed and ready for exchange.
Speak to owner, or manager, asking if the cameras were used at all, and if they would have zero actuations, as suggested by Hark.Bring SD card with me in case I want to check on the spot.
Look at both boxes, checking for the U, as suggested by sonic buffalo. If all checks out, leave with one of the camera - and to stop, following my own gut, overthinking this and to begin taking photos. . . and enjoying this camera.
I will let you know what happens. By all accounts, this camera store is reputable and would not switch batteries . . . IT is a local store, with a very good reputation locally, active in the community, and deserving of benefit of doubt. I enjoy working with them and know the big box stores are putting these types of stores out of business, and that is a shame since the salespeople work as professional photographers as well.

Good deal....hoping for the best for you!

OK - the results! Brought back camera, was offered another, found the box better sealed, opened it and found the manual sealed properly, unlike previous manual, and decided to accept this camera instead. The sales personnel - all photographers - understood, were supportive,
and had no difficulty making the exchange. The boxes did not have the "U" over the barcode, but the warrantee stipulates USA and it matches the serial numbers of camera and lens (24-85) in the kit. I couldn't be happier about the way it went. I'm not worried nor checking when this camera was shipped by Nikon for distribution because it was better sealed than the previous one. I didn't check actuations on either camera.
My guess is that the other one was taken home and exchanged/returned or was a display model and the manual was consulted, thereby unsealing the packaging. No matter - the story came through for me and i will not hesitate to go there to purchase other items or to stop by and discuss the camera with the sales personnel. Thanks for your help and advice.

Glad it worked out for you. The D610 is an amazing camera so I hope you will really enjoy it. Here's to many years ahead full of fantastic photo opportunities!

eal1 said:

OK - the results! Brought back camera, was offered another, found the box better sealed, opened it and found the manual sealed properly, unlike previous manual, and decided to accept this camera instead. The sales personnel - all photographers - understood, were supportive,
and had no difficulty making the exchange. The boxes did not have the "U" over the barcode, but the warrantee stipulates USA and it matches the serial numbers of camera and lens (24-85) in the kit. I couldn't be happier about the way it went. I'm not worried nor checking when this camera was shipped by Nikon for distribution because it was better sealed than the previous one. I didn't check actuations on either camera.
My guess is that the other one was taken home and exchanged/returned or was a display model and the manual was consulted, thereby unsealing the packaging. No matter - the story came through for me and i will not hesitate to go there to purchase other items or to stop by and discuss the camera with the sales personnel. Thanks for your help and advice.

Click to expand...

That worries me a bit about not having the 'U' above the barcode in the white area. Read Ken Rockwell's review of the D610. He explains that for it to be a USA model, it should be there. I would do like I did and call Nikon Support to ensure that your serial number matches up with a USA version of the camera. Why take the chance? Good luck!

The serial number on the bottom of the camera is the same as the USA warranty card from the box, same with lens. I registered the camera and lens with Nikon USA, so the warranty is in effect and legitimate. I purchased the D610, 24-85 VR kit so perhaps that accounts for the difference between this box and the one shown on Rockwell's review. Or, maybe ROckwell's camera was from a first run, and mine was manufactured a bit later and the box changed. Certainly, the kit box is larger since it contains both camera and lens (both with USA warranty cards). Or, perhaps, Rockwell is unaware that the box changed, or that the kit box is different and misleads the reader, unintentionally.