When Nikon launched the D600 in September 2012, it was lauded for being one of the first (relatively) affordable full-frame DSLRs, with a decent feature set to boot.
But soon after keen shooters started putting the device through its paces, it became apparent that there was an issue in some units with the sensor and shutter mechanism, with the appearance on images of dust and oil spots, described by Nikon as “granular black spots.” While it’s common knowledge that all DSLR sensors gather dust particles, it seemed the D600 was more susceptible than most.
For a long time Nikon said nothing, but as photo forums started to fill with comments from irate D600 users – some of whom went as far as taking legal action against the Japanese camera giant – it finally acknowledged that in some D600 units there was indeed a technical problem, and promised to sort it out.
A measure of Nikon’s concern about the issue has been highlighted in a recently published Q&A related to the firm’s Q1 financial results in which it reveals it has put aside almost $18 million to deal with the problem, as well as the challenge of repairing the damage to its reputation.
The money covers a special service announced back in February involving the cleaning of affected cameras and, if necessary, the replacement of faulty components, free of charge.
In its Q&A, Nikon said it had “allocated 1.8 billion yen (about $17.7 million) for warranty reserve in the year ended March 2014 to cover the cost of repairs and replacements,” adding that it’ll be “taking steps to restore confidence in the Nikon brand.”
[Nikon Rumors via PetaPixel]
