On February 26th, Nikon issued a Technical Service Advisory for the D600 DSLR. Some users have reported dust particles on the camera sensor beyond the normal infiltration expected with interchangeable-lens cameras. Not all users have experienced this problem. Yet, for those who feel they have experienced this dust issue, Nikon is offering free D600 camera service.
Appearing as small dark spots on images, dust particles are most clearly seen in shots containing a clear blue sky, or other uniform, light-colored backgrounds. Dust is inevitable and normal, and all interchangeable-lens DSLRs will need occasional manual cleaning of the sensor, in addition to the built-in cleaning feature, to completely eliminate issues. Using a bulb blower and sensor cleaning swabs, the dust on a camera sensor can be removed.
Even after normal sensor cleaning by this method, some D600 users noticed a greater-than-expected occurrence of dust in a specific area of their images. These particles seem to appear most often on the upper left corner of the image, which corresponds to the lower-right corner of the sensor. Internal components of the shutter mechanism moving at high speed, as well as materials used inside the camera, can generate particles that appear as dust on the sensor.
While not specifically identifying the shutter as the source of the particles, the Nikon Technical Service Advisory will replace the shutter free of charge for any D600 owner, even if the camera’s warranty period has already expired. Nikon will inspect and clean the sensor prior to the shutter replacement and before returning the camera body to its owner.
Nikon D600 owners living in the United States can go to the Nikon USA website listed below and follow the instructions for sending their camera body to Nikon for the service, which includes free shipping both to and from Nikon. The Nikon European website instructs D600 owners requesting this service to first contact their nearest Nikon Service Center. Below are links to the full Nikon Service Advisory that includes detailed instructions for obtaining service:
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