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Archive 2016 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report

  
 
Ho1972
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


I sent my D700 and Nikon 180 f2.8 lens to Authorized Photo Service in Morton Grove, IL for repair and cleaning. The primary issues were the D700 thought every shot was taken in landscape orientation (bad sensor) and the lens' aperture stops were very weak, to the point of being way too easy to move when shooting using the aperture ring (which I do on occasion). I shipped the two items off on April 15 and received estimates on April 20

For the D700:
Labor 2059 replace main FPC (main circuit board) 1.00
Labor 2036 replace grip/grip rubber 1.00
Labor 2069 replace other/misc. elect. parts 1.00 (a couple of significant parts externally, maybe more under the hood)
Labor 1157 repair aperture lever 1.00
Labor 3462 adjust focus accuracy 1.00
Labor 4125 check shutter speeds 1.00
Labor 4463 check image processing 1.00
Labor 5055 clean and check CMOS image sensor 1.00
Labor 7282 general check, adjust and clean 1.00

For the 180:
Labor 2299 replace other small parts 1.00
Labor 1261 repair focusing mechanism 1.00
Labor 1253 repair aperture ring 1.00
Labor 7451 lubricate AF gear shaft 1.00
Labor 5264 clean lens elements 1.00
Labor 5265 clean auto focus operation 1.00
Labor 4263 check aperture operation 1.00
Labor 6282 general clean, lubricate and adjust 1.00

I gave the approval on Thursday and received shipping confirmation the next day. My camera and lens arrived today, Monday, April 25 looking and working as new after a 10 day round trip.

A couple of observations. All my custom settings on the D700 were wiped out, maybe due to the main board being replaced. Should have backed them up. Fortunately I can replicate what I had using my D300 as a guide since they were set up identically. Second, the gear was packed for the return trip much better than Melville managed to do a few years ago. One of my lenses was actually damaged on the way back to me due to M'ville's carelessness. Nikon took care of it, but still...

Cost: $560 for the camera and $245 for the lens + $15 for shipping. I hesitated on the camera authorization for a bit but realized that I have spent exactly zero dollars on D700 maintenance in all the time I've owned it. Plus used ones are going for more than the repair bill, so... The 180 was easy to spend money on because I just love that lens.

So, consider this an endorsement for APS. If any issues arise, I'll be sure to report back.



Apr 25, 2016 at 08:06 PM
jhinkey
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


Yep, nothing but good experience with APS for my repairs over the years.
It's also nice that you can talk to someone on the phone who actually knows what they are talking about regarding repairs.



Apr 25, 2016 at 08:22 PM
John Skinner
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


These guys took my hard repairs as far back as the F2s days. I've only felt a pinch once in all of those years. The rest of them have been solid as one could ask for.

This is one of those places you hope never closes due to a crazy happening.



Apr 25, 2016 at 10:06 PM
DGC1
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


Excellent service from these folks. Highly recommended.


Apr 26, 2016 at 01:46 PM
eSchwab
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


I've taken a few things there. They are an awesome shop. Fairly priced and very knowledgeable.


Apr 28, 2016 at 03:02 PM
CGrindahl
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


The amazing story was when folks on the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread sent a lens around the world a few years ago. A fellow in Sydney, Australia offered to lend an 85 f/1.8 H.C. with the Nikon AI conversion kit installed. That lens was last produced in April, 1975. The lens traveled from Australia to SIngapore, to Hong Kong, to Amsterdam and to a number of stops in Europe before arriving in this country. It has made a few stops in this country when one of our number living in Dayton, Ohio, accidentally dropped the lens... bending the lens hood, smashing the filter and badly denting the front of the lens. She sent it to APS and remarkably, they found a replacement for the front end, including the filter ring and the lens resumed its journey. It is hard to believe they would have repair parts for a forty year old lens but they did. I've not used them, but from everything I've read and heard about them, there are the only folks I'd use for a major repair.

Here's what the lens looked like when I opened the box...

http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UcaI84C7DlY/UVJIksLSWAI/AAAAAAAASvs/ZupffRjyAJonzeMUwYwxux48SIbA66BFwCCo/s1000/50.1.2.NikkiBuddha.jpg

Anyone curious about the adventure we all shared with that lens can use the WWW link at the bottom of my post. The lens successfully traveled around the world over an 11 month period of time... each of 20 men and women had two weeks with the lens. Amazingly, we're doing it again with a P.C. lens. Hopefully it won't need help from APS, but you never know.



Apr 28, 2016 at 04:41 PM
NightOwl Cat
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


And since I'm the one that had the case of butterfingers, here's what the lens looked like after the accident. The lens was attached to a D700, which also made the journey to APS. I called before shipping the lens to see if they actually had a part to fix it, they did, so it left here the same day the accident happened. I also bought another lens just like it, in case it couldn't be repaired.



CGrindahl wrote:

The amazing story was when folks on the Manual Focus Nikon Glass thread sent a lens around the world a few years ago. A fellow in Sydney, Australia offered to lend an 85 f/1.8 H.C. with the Nikon AI conversion kit installed. That lens was last produced in April, 1975. The lens traveled from Australia to SIngapore, to Hong Kong, to Amsterdam and to a number of stops in Europe before arriving in this country. It has made a few stops in this country when one of our number living in Dayton, Ohio, accidentally dropped the lens... bending the lens
...Show more





© NightOwl Cat 2016





© NightOwl Cat 2016




Apr 28, 2016 at 11:59 PM
MRM4
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · APS--Authorized Photo Service--Report


I used APS to clean the sensor and body on my D700 and fix the VR on my 70-200 f4 a few months ago. Both experiences were extremely positive. Just make sure to check your junk mail folder when waiting to hear back from them. Mine was sent there on the lens and didn't realize it until I called them two weeks later.


Apr 29, 2016 at 08:47 AM





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