+Huntnlady Posted June 29, 2003 Share Posted June 29, 2003 My teenage daughter dropped my digital camera. Now when I turn it on it makes a whirring noise and I just get an error message. It is a Nikon Coolpix and it is no longer on warranty. It took me a long time to save up for it, and there is no way I can replace it. Is there any way to get it fixed, or am I going to have to take my Nikon EM out of mothballs? Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 I'd check with Nikon about service. Unfortunately it often costs more to fix a camera than to buy a new one. "Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach a man to fish, he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day" - Dave Barry Quote Link to comment
+cachew nut Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Shoot it and put it out of it's misery. Quote Link to comment
Swagger Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Before you give up on it completely, give Nikon technical support a call. Give them the error message you're getting and see what they have to say. I agree that you're probably out of luck, but a phone call doesn't take much effort and you never know... Good luck. -- Random fortune: Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Definitely call the company and also maybe check with a local camera shop. Unfortuantely, I have heard stories about digital cameras costing so much to fix that people tend to replace them. Quote Link to comment
+Renegade Knight Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 If you are lucky they might have a once size fits all service plan. If they do the cost of repair would be that amount and they may or may not repair the camera vs. send another one. Until you call you won't know for sure. Don't plan on this though. The GPS companies seem to have this type of repair. Quote Link to comment
+hmarq Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 While I tend to agree with the others here (shoot it, buy an new one) I'll offer one more resource ... go post the error and other descriptive info on the nikon forum at Digital Photography Review *lots* of subscribers and most quite helpful ... you may find someone with to comiserate with or even a solution, can't tell till you try Good Luck! Quote Link to comment
+Planet Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Huntnlady, the whirring noise is probably the mechanism that opens and closes the lens, but I have no idea how to help you there. I just want to mention that I found my digital (an Olympus 520 Zoom) at Costco for $239. So if you have that type of warehouse store near you you might want to look into that. Or check you local Pennysaver type magazine for a second hand camera. Sorry to hear it. Was your daughter screwing around with it? Maybe take it out of her allowance, or at least half of it? (sorry kid). Cache you later, Planet So many caches, so little time. Quote Link to comment
+TEAM 360 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Fake up the receipt to show it's still within the warranty period (either with a photoshop editing program or the old way, by hand) and send them a copy of it. Problem solved. Quote Link to comment
+Team Shibby Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 quote: Fake up the receipt to show it's still within the warranty period (either with a photoshop editing program or the old way, by hand) and send them a copy of it. Problem solved. I highly doubt that will work. They solved that problem a long time ago when manufacturers started making customers mail in the warranty card in order to be eligible for repairs or support. Nowadays you can register over the web. If Nikon does not have the serial # on file, they still know the date it was manufactured and therefore will charge for repairs accordingly. Honesty is your best bet, call their support group, let them know what happened and maybe they will work with you on the problem. Considering the cost of these cams when new, I doubt they will turn their back on someone who truly loves it and wants it serviced. Keep us posted....Kar Quote Link to comment
+Woodbutcher68 Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 A guy I know bought a "hot" laptop a few years ago. He went to Best Buy and bought the exact same model. The next day he took the hot one back and told them "His wife had bought him one for his birthday". They didn't check anything and gave him a refund. Buy a new one, put the old one in the box and take it back. Not that I would do anything like this....but there are people that do! Maps?!? We don't need no stinking maps! We got coordinates! Quote Link to comment
+Team Shibby Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Ahh but what IF they just happen to match the serial number to the one on the box? Back in the days when I worked in retail we had a guy bring back a laptop that he supposedly bought from us, well he claimed when he got it home and opened it up, there was nothing in there but a bunch of cans of tomato soup! He came in screaming and hollering and they (the mgmt) gave him a brand new laptop. Policies in the store changed the minute that happened, every laptop sold after that was opened at the security counter and all contents accounted for before it left the store. Kar Quote Link to comment
+FangFour Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 This message is for Woodbutcher68: I worked in Retail Loss Prevention for 13 years and I can tell you that what you have related is not new. Yeah, people may pull this type of theft off but they're only hurting themselves and other honest consumers in the end. Do they really think this kind of loss for retailers won't show up as higher prices for all of us? But then again, I gather by your "friend" that he's the type that just doesn't care. Hope he enjoys his ill gotten gains...for now. [This message was edited by FangFour on June 30, 2003 at 07:12 PM.] Quote Link to comment
+RobertM Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 quote:Originally posted by TEAM 360:Fake up the receipt to show it's still within the warranty period (either with a photoshop editing program or the old way, by hand) and send them a copy of it. Problem solved. Ooooh! I know someone here in BC that could help you with that! ;-) Quote Link to comment
+carleenp Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Hmmm. I went back and forth on whether I wanted to post about suggestions of illegal/fraudulent activity. I say to each his/her own, but I hope honesty will win. I just don't like the idea of the geocaching forum used as a way to suggest fraud! I vote for being honest! Quote Link to comment
+Kouros Posted June 30, 2003 Share Posted June 30, 2003 Fully agreed, carleenp. ------ An it harm none, do what ye will Quote Link to comment
+nevin1977 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 ok, call nikon. they may tell you that for $$$ they can send you a refurbished unit witha 30 day warranty on it, in exchange for your old one. I just went out and got a Canon Powershot A300, it is a nice little camera. I had been using my Sony Mavica FD-95, but the thing was so big, and I was going on vacation, and didn't want to have to lug it around. The canon did great. It was like $240 Granted it didn't have the features the Sony has like 3:2 ratio mode (lets you shoot full-frame 4X6 pictures, which most camera's image would be chopped off on the top and bottom) and it uses AA batteries (but if you get the 1850 MAH Ni-MH batteries, it is no problem) Quote Link to comment
+woodsters Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 quote:Originally posted by carleenp:Hmmm. I went back and forth on whether I wanted to post about suggestions of illegal/fraudulent activity. I say to each his/her own, but I hope honesty will win. I just don't like the idea of the geocaching forum used as a way to suggest fraud! I vote for being honest! I agree carleenp! And it has nothing to do with your employment! I'm ex law enforcment of 14 yrs. As FangFour stated, it only hurts us, the consumers, in the long run. Brian Wood Woodsters Outdoors http://www.woodsters.com Quote Link to comment
+Brian - Team A.I. Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 I'm surprised this thread wasn't locked due to the suggestions of committing crimes in order to resolve a situation that was an accident to begin with. If your daughter dropped the camera, make her work to pay for it. Not only do you get a new camera, but you teach accountability at the same time. Brian Team A.I. Quote Link to comment
+Woodbutcher68 Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 FangFour, I worked with the guy 9 years ago when he did that. The sad part was, he could afford to buy the thing in the first place. Maps?!? I don't need no stinking maps! I got coordinates! Quote Link to comment
DR Doolittle, the Mrs. & Zoo Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Use the 35 mm and order pix on CDROM until you can afford a replacement.... check eBay. Quote Link to comment
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