Aaargh!

[Digifrog]

Help please. Today I dropped my Nikon 24-70 f/2.8G lens and it hit a ceral bowl. There is now a mark on the side very near the filter thread but more importantly I am now unable to screw on any filters/adaptor ring and the zoom ring has become very stiff. This lens is only 5 weeks old.
I'm also worried I may have caused some internal workings but it's still seems to AF fine.

What do I do? As it's still under warranty am I liable for repair costs?? I feel pretty peed off as you can imagine. Should I take it back to the retailer in the hope they'll swap it over (which Doubt as it's just outside the 28 days return policy) or send it direct to Nikon Repair??

Yours unhappily.

 

[Jackwow]

What do I do? As it's still under warranty am I liable for repair costs??

Warranties only cover defective materials / workmanship, not damage by the purchaser, so yes you are.

Should I take it back to the retailer in the hope they'll swap it over (which Doubt as it's just outside the 28 days return policy) or send it direct to Nikon Repair??

Why would a retailer swop a lens you've damaged for a new one, even if was in the return period?!

You will have to send it somewhere for repair but perhaps you've got insurance to pay the cost of repair?

 

[grotty]

Ouch, I can only imagine how you feel. However, even if you were within 28 days you can't and shouldn't (morally) try to return it accident-damaged. With the cost of a D800 and a 24-70 I'd imagine you have insurance for your kit? If not the only real options are live with it or get it repaired.

 

[Digifrog]

Why would a retailer swop a lens you've damaged for a new one, even if was in the return period?!

As a gesture of goodwill? But yes, that's what I thought.

Ouch, I can only imagine how you feel. However, even if you were within 28 days you can't and shouldn't (morally) try to return it accident-damaged. With the cost of a D800 and a 24-70 I'd imagine you have insurance for your kit? If not the only real options are live with it or get it repaired.

:|

Yep, I feel what can only be described as stupid and peed right off. I only took out insurance on the camera and lens earlier today. I don't think that would look too good to my insurers.

:bang:

 

[[GSV]Myocardial]

Don't worry whether it looks bad, it's what insurance is for.

 

[Tigger.ufo]

Don't worry whether it looks bad, it's what insurance is for.

....only if the insurance was in force BEFORE the accident, otherwise it is fraud.

Heather

 

[Digifrog]

Don't worry whether it looks bad, it's what insurance is for.

Ya, but making a claim 1 working day after accident is probably not wise. It looks like I'm going to have to soak up the cost myself. Also, making a claim will only up the premium and I'm reluctant to do that.

The fault happened after the claim was set up so it's not fraud. Saying otherwise would go against my own sense of honesty and decency. I simply wouldn't contemplate it.

Still feel gutted

 

[pauld]

Check your house contents insurance for accidental damage - i was able to claim for damage done to camera and lens and as neither were high value they did not have to be declared on the policy - a phone call will sort it one way or the other

 

[Digifrog]

Check your house contents insurance for accidental damage - i was able to claim for damage done to camera and lens and as neither were high value they did not have to be declared on the policy - a phone call will sort it one way or the other

and about £200 Paul :|

 

[faddius]

Send it off for a damage assessment, I used fixation.

They came back to me very quickly with a repair quote, and the damage my 24-70 suffered seems fairly similar to you - the filter thread was damaged / ripped off, zoom ring became very stuff and the lens extensiony bit was rocking side to side plus other bits and bobs.

I think total repair inc VAT for mine was near to the £600 mark, however my front element needed replacing (most expensive bit, £200+ alone + VAT) and the whole lens essentially needed rebuilding. No harm in paying postage + a bit extra for the damage quotation, it may well be lower then you imagine.

Luckily I had insurance so I paid nothing for the repair.

 

[Digifrog]

Send it off for a damage assessment, I used fixation.

They came back to me very quickly with a repair quote, and the damage my 24-70 suffered seems fairly similar to you - the filter thread was damaged / ripped off, zoom ring became very stuff and the lens extensiony bit was rocking side to side plus other bits and bobs.

I think total repair inc VAT for mine was near to the £600 mark, however my front element needed replacing (most expensive bit, £200+ alone + VAT) and the whole lens essentially needed rebuilding. No harm in paying postage + a bit extra for the damage quotation, it may well be lower then you imagine.

Luckily I had insurance so I paid nothing for the repair.

£500?? (gulp!) I hope Nikon don't take me to the cleaners or go over the top. That cost would break me right now. :|

 

[gramps]

Ya, but making a claim 1 working day after accident is probably not wise. It looks like I'm going to have to soak up the cost myself. Also, making a claim will only up the premium and I'm reluctant to do that.

The fault happened after the claim was set up so it's not fraud. Saying otherwise would go against my own sense of honesty and decency. I simply wouldn't contemplate it.

Still feel gutted

Although it may "look bad", it must happen from time to time - I'm guessing that any increase in premium could be a lot less of a sting than a full repair cost.

 

[gad-westy]

£500?? (gulp!) I hope Nikon don't take me to the cleaners or go over the top. That cost would break me right now. :|

If you have insurance, you should just use it. There is point in having it if you don't use it for things exactly like this.

 

[LongLensPhotography]

Although it may "look bad", it must happen from time to time - I'm guessing that any increase in premium could be a lot less of a sting than a full repair cost.

Yes, otherwise what is the point of insurance (feed 'em?)

Other than that you should have bought a cannon

 

[gad-westy]

Other than that you should have bought a cannon

Serious insurance claim potential with one of those!

 

[keifster]

Did you purchase using a credit card? If so, check if it has accidental damage cover. Most of them cover purchases over £100 for 3 months. Fingers crossed that you did, hate for that to happen to anyone.

 

[Digifrog]

I didn't use a creadit card. The reason I am reluctant to go through the insurance channel is simply because the accident happened several houirs after applying for insurance. If it was 6 months after then yes, I would probably stick a claim in (depending on the setimate).

The knock the camera took has slightly impacted on the front filter ring (the part that screws onto the front element). So it looks like I'm going to need one of those replaced. The front element itself looks fine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tYLKFUWP68
In this video, it is the first part the demostrator removes after removing the sticky ring and screws and before removing the front element.

The knock has also done something to the zoom mechanism, it will zoom but the ring is stiff and there is resistance.

Gramps. Yes I'm sure it does. I'm wondering at what point costwise I feel I have no option to claim. At the moment I can cover £200-£250 costs myself. Anymore than that and it's going to hurt a whole lot more.

 

[Rob 80386]

I dropped my 85mm macro lens some time ago, anyways it cost £120 to fix the broken focus motor and f-mount.
I didn't bother going through the house insurance, as the cost of the repair wouldn't have worked out any cheaper in the long run.

 

[gramps]

The reason I am reluctant to go through the insurance channel is simply because the accident happened several houirs after applying for insurance.

So it happened during the period of insurance, 6 mins, 6 hours or 6 weeks - as long as that's the truth you were insured for what happened, (assuming by "application" you mean acceptance by the insurers, rather than after you posted the spplication).

 

[Digifrog]

Ithe cost of the repair wouldn't have worked out any cheaper in the long run.

Aye. That's my take on things too.

So it happened during the period of insurance, 6 mins, 6 hours or 6 weeks - as long as that's the truth you were insured for what happened, (assuming by "application" you mean acceptance by the insurers, rather than after you posted the spplication).

Yes the insurance was accepted yesterday afternoon, accident happened last night. :bonk:

 

[Digifrog]

I'm also eligable for the Nikon FX cashback for buying the lens and D800 so I'm wondering if the Nikon cashcard of £80 can be used as part payment?

 

[dejongj]

Well that is ok then...

My home insurance would cover such accidents as well, for my home/content insurance covers items up to 15K...I understand how you feel on how it may look so why not try the other avenue...But then again if you have been honest then why not use it...

 

[simonblue]

Sometime theses thing just happen , you just got to bite the bullet,find out how much it's going to cost to repair,then take it from their