Nikon Camera Warranty

etherz

Hi,

As you can see I am a newbie on the MSE forums, thats not entirely true, as i have been browsing the forums for tips for years :-)

I am a Student, and I bought a camera to take to University with me last September. The Camera in question was a Nikon S200, around £110 from a local Currys (the only place that had the camera in stock).

In December the LCD cracked when the camera was in my pocket. I was not running around, sitting on it (it was in a front pocket), or being a typical student drunkard. I phoned Nikon when I went home for Christmas the next week. Nikon offered to send out some packaging for me to return the camera in, after I had explained what had happened to the camera, and they said they would repair the camera under warranty.

The Packaging never arrived until after I had gone back to university, and my mum didn't bother to mention it had arrived, so I didn't return the camera for a few months. After the camera had been returned, I got a letter in the post a couple of days later saying my camera would be repaired, and returned to me within the next two weeks.

Two weeks later I receive an invoice for £60, more than half the price of the camera, when the camera was only 3-4 months old. After 10+ phone calls and numerous emails later, I am no closer to getting my camera fixed. I have been sent to this webpage http://www.europe-nikon.com/home/en_GB/local_content/broad/95/1.html which states:

a) Where damage to the Goods is occasioned by accident, mishandling, the non-observance of operating instructions, or unauthorised modification or repair.

The quote does not apply in my case (or so I am trying to argue).



(sorry if the image is too big!)

Any advice guys? Some of the reviews here: http://shopper.cnet.com/digital-cameras/nikon-coolpix-s200/4014-6501_9-32319120.html#info-3

Summary: I bought Nikon S200 because of the brand and my past experience. I got worse camera and service I ever had!!
Horrible service: I sent camera to the Nikon repair (it is under warranty) in late December ? after seven weeks ? no camera and no news. I rang 5 times ? I had never got clear answers from the service center. It seems for me the Nikon has absolutely unreliable, hostile and incompetent service I have ever come across!!
Guess what? I rang on the sixth time ? the Nikon had system down and no help as usual.

Try to avoid this camera. And stay away from this brand at least for a while.

Summary: I bought this camera to carry in my pants pocket. I placed the camera in my pants pocket and when i pulled the camera out to use it. I found ...
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Summary: I bought this camera to carry in my pants pocket. I placed the camera in my pants pocket and when i pulled the camera out to use it. I found out the LCD screen was cracked. I owned a sony camera for 3 yrs and never had this happen. After one day and your out 200 bucks!

Other people are having the same problems it seems. The camera does not have any form of screen protection. If i look at my mobile phone, or my sisters camera, they both have protective plastic covers over the LCD screens as standard. Could I argue that the Camera is not 'Fit for Purpose'?

etherz

uktyler

Cameras are designed to be stored in cases, not pockets. From the picture it looks like the camera was flexed, causing the screen to break.

If you still have copies of Nikon agreeing to repair under warrenty send them this in a letter of complaint.

Its always worth firing off a letter to the head office, you might get lucky, but don't get your hopes up.

You found three bad reviews, how many units of this camera have Nikon sold? I would imagine they have sold a few. Did you read the review before you purchased it?

etherz

1. Point taken, although the camera is advertised as being "pocket sized".
2. The repair was agreed over the phone so i do not have proof that they said that the camera would be fixed under warranty.
3. Will look into it, sent them an email last night stating i was not happy, and i wanted to speak to their supervisor. I received a reply this morning saying they would get their manager to call/email me today, which has not happened.
4. I did not read the review before, just found it with some googling of 'nikon s200 review lcd' or something like that.

thanks for your input uktyler :-)

Tozer

Pocket sized doesn't mean that pockets are a good place to put a camera in. Was it in a case?

Realistically, it appears that it has been accidentally damaged so is not a warranty claim.

uktyler

If the manager won't do the repair for free try a letter to the head office.

If they won't do it then its a choice between £60 for the repair or a new camera. Cameras are a lot cheaper now, however I doubt you will get a new Nikon for £60. If you liked the pictures the camera took it might be worth paying for the repair, if not try a different one.

Good luck with it.

Tozer

In fairness, this looks to me as though there has been an impact or pressure to the mid-right hand side of the LCD.

I think the camera is a goner. We've just bought a Nikon S520 for £90 and are delighted with it. Maybe it is time to upgrade...and buy a case.

unrich

Nikon P50 in Asda reduced to £75.