Nikon body cap

Pig Cat

Pig Cat

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Suffolk
My Nikon D40 is broken so I went to Jessops to see about getting it fixed. The sales assistant told me that it will need to be sent away so I said that was fine. He then asked me for the camera's body cap. I think that's what he called it. He said that he didn't want the lens or the strap, just the body of the camera and that the cap would protect the inside. I told him I didn't have it. He said of course I have. When I disagreed he told me it would be in the box. I said I'd thrown the box away. All this time he made me feel like an amateurish idiot. He said there was no way he was sending it unless I had a cap. I asked him if he had one he could lend me. He said he didn't have one anywhere in the shop. I walked out. :twisted:

Now all you photography enthusiasts, do you think I was unreasonable to expect him a) to have a body cap for one of the most popular cameras around, and b) to just send the bloody thing with the lens on?

Sadly Jessops is the only camera shop in Bury St. Edmunds so I couldn't go elsewhere, but I've found a place in Colchester where I'm going to post the camera, lens and all!
 
I can maybe see why they were a bit hesitant about sending it with the lens attached, it could get damaged in transit, but you'd hope that they pack it well enough that this wouldn't be of concern. The bit that I find hard to believe is that he didn't have a body cap that would fit the camera in the entire shop. Seriously? WTF? It's a camera shop, what exactly does he feel they should stock?

As for his patronising attitude, his loss as you'll be less likely to spend your cash there.
 
20 years ago, Jessops was good, then they turned into Dixons (which used to be called Dixons Photographic before they went totally shit) for cameras. At that point I stopped patronising them and moved my custom 95 miles down the A1 to Jacobs (who have gone down the same road as Jessops & Dixons now).

There are very few "proper" photographic shops left :( I would expect "in the olden days" that they would (a) have some kicking about that they'd not sold with a camera/lens kit or (b) from 2nd hand stuff coming in. Since the move to box-shifting rather than knowledgeable staff your experience is not a surprise.

At the very least the daft twat missed out on an opportunity to flog you a new one for a fiver.

Dunno if these two are still there or not...

Leesons Photographic
12 Abbeygate Street
Bury St. Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 1UN 01284 754 098

Sneezums Photographic Department
10 Cornhill
Bury St. Edmunds
Suffolk
IP33 01284 752 634
 
It is more important in these days of digital SLR cameras that a body cap is fitted to a camera when a lens isn't. If not, then you'll get dust on the image sensor, and in turn, dark marks/blobs on your pictures.

Over the last 25 years (I have worked in the photography trade for THAT LONG!) I have seen Jessops change from a 'proper' photography shop, into a big box-shifting outfit that swallowed up a whole load of other, independent photographic retailers. Its saddens me.

Ian
 
Normally the camera should not be sent with the lens on as it's not the 'kit' that has the issue, but the body itself. The cap is needed for protection of sensor (dust, etc.) Secondly, even to the slightest possibility of something happening to the lens, they wouldn't like to take the risk. So he has his reasons for saying what he says. Finally, all these shops sell lens or body caps as well. Technically it is not their obligation to supply every camera handed over to them for service with such a cap. Another opportunity to sell you smt more. Now, forgetting all that, it's the attitude that makes the difference. And it appears here he has a lot to improve on.

Experienced users or pros, when they send their dSLRs to Nikon or Canon for service, sensor cleaning, etc. usually take out everything from their cameras - whether it is the strap, the CF/SD card, lens, etc.
 
No PM received yet Ian. Can you try again?

Yes he was unhelpful. I didn't mention that, while I was waiting, a woman with four kids was in the shop and one of the children was really playing up. I was in front of her in the queue and another guy was in front of me. A second assistant was talking to someone else. So quite busy. The bloke was taking his time serving someone else which is fair enough, but when he'd finished he had a camera with some bits on the counter. Instead of helping the next person in order to get the queue down he took ages putting everything back in the box. OK, I'm sure it needed putting away, but surely it wouldn't have hurt to put everything out the way on a shelf so he could quickly help? Perhaps he was having a bad day.

Anyway, I agree that at the very least he should have flogged me a cap. They must cost the shop pence, so why not offer me a discount on it to ensure the sale and the subsequent repair charge. Happy customer who keeps coming back. Now I'm not going close. I appreciate the purist argument about dust getting in to the camera, but surely with a bit of careful packing any damage could have been prevented? And why not just borrow a cap from another camera? When mine is returned they could put it back again?

Now Sneezums is still there. Thanks HM, I've got to go back in to town tomorrow so shall ask them for some help.

I'm not in a good mood now, as not only was there the camera incident I got fleeced by a garage for a service. I thought I'd stop using my usual one and go to the one in my village. I reckon they've charged a good £100 more than the other place would have charged. Plus I've left our Fiesta there to be serviced on Wednesday as we're going away for a few days. The same thing will happen again! :twisted: :evil:
 
Pig Cat said:
I'm not in a good mood now, as not only was there the camera incident I got fleeced by a garage for a service. I thought I'd stop using my usual one and go to the one in my village. I reckon they've charged a good £100 more than the other place would have charged. Plus I've left our Fiesta there to be serviced on Wednesday as we're going away for a few days. The same thing will happen again! :twisted: :evil:
Click to expand...

Insist on a fully itemised invoice and to see all the replaced parts - except the oil :lol:. Tell them not to fill the washer bottle and all of the other "add ons" that they try... Usually that wakes the service manager up to someone taking it seriously and not a walk-over.
 
hunnymonster said:
Pig Cat said:
I'm not in a good mood now, as not only was there the camera incident I got fleeced by a garage for a service. I thought I'd stop using my usual one and go to the one in my village. I reckon they've charged a good £100 more than the other place would have charged. Plus I've left our Fiesta there to be serviced on Wednesday as we're going away for a few days. The same thing will happen again! :twisted: :evil:
Click to expand...

Insist on a fully itemised invoice and to see all the replaced parts - except the oil :lol:. Tell them not to fill the washer bottle and all of the other "add ons" that they try... Usually that wakes the service manager up to someone taking it seriously and not a walk-over.
Click to expand...

The invoice was itemised as was the one from my car's last service so I was able to compare. The main difference in price was the labour, by quite a long shot. The oil was more expensive by quite a way too as was one part, I think something to do with the breaks. I was able to compare almost like for like as the only extra this year was a silencer. The other garage is further away to go to but they do have a courtesy car I can use, albeit a monumentally shite one.
 
<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Body-Cap-for-Nikon-Cameras---D40,-D60,-D80,-D90---NEW_W0QQitemZ250663795073QQcmdZViewItem?rvr_id=&rvr_id=&cguid=f9bbcc341290a0aad4344a14fee15381" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Body-Cap-for-Niko ... 14fee15381</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=12921&langId=-1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stor ... &langId=-1</a><!-- m -->

;)
 
antdad said:
http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10001&storeId=10001&productId=12921&langId=-1

;)
Click to expand...

:D Let me loose on my Fiesta and this would happen...

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7q4qZNTxBU[/youtube]

:shock:
 
OK I've just heard back from the repairers that my Nikon D40 will cost £255 to be repaired. This came as a bit of a surprise but there you go. Anyway, I have three choices. I can pay to get it repaired, I can attempt to claim on my insurance* for like-for-like but I've a £150 excess, or I can buy a new/used D40 body. I can't find the bodies particularly cheap anywhere.

What would you do in my situation? My main reason for owning a DSLR is not to produce any works of art, but to be able to snap my family quickly and in good quality, without that annoying pause that my old digital does before it focuses on each shot. Am I out of touch with what the non-SLRs can do these days? Perhaps they have improved them now. I must say that the quality of shots with the D40 is excellent. So, what would you do?

*Still waiting for them to get back to me to say if it's OK
 
There seem to be plenty of D40 bodies on ebay, buy one, sell yours for spares or repair, you should end up paying less than the insurance excess overall.

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-D40-Body-Only-/260651729304?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-D40-Body-On ... Cameras_JN</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-D40-Body-only-Digital-Camera-/250685232654?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nikon-D40-Body-on ... Cameras_JN</a><!-- m -->
 
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