Nikon D600 sensor dust problem highlighted at TV show

Persistent dust accumulation on the image sensor of Nikon's D600 camera and Nikon's refusal to acknowledge it as a quality issue were highlighted at China's annual consumer rights TV show on Saturday, March 15.

During the show, China Central Television(CCTV) aired interviews with D600 owners who complained about the problem recurring after the sensor was cleaned by Nikon service centers. One owner had his D600 cleaned for 5 times, but the dust was back every time after some shots.

When repeated cleaning didn't solve the problem, Nikon started replacing shutter assemblies of D600 cameras, according to CCTV.

But this didn't solve the problem for Mr. Du Yang in Shanghai. Just two days after the shutter assembly was replaced, he found dust again on his D600 sensor. He returned to the service center to have it cleaned again.

In a video clip played by CCTV, Mr Du was shown trying his camera at the service center in Shanghai after it was cleaned. The dust returned after ten shots. Then it was cleaned again, and again the dust returned after ten shots.

Du Yang and many other D600 owners in China have demanded a refund or a free upgrade to the newer model D610, but Nikon refused.

According to China's consumer rights law, if a digital camera is faulty and the same problem persists after two repairs, the owner has the right to a refund or replacement. But Nikon is saying that a cleaning doesn't constitute a repair.

On February 26, Nikon issued a service advisory for all D600 owners, offering to inspect, clean and replace the shutter assembly and related parts for free. But CCTV noted that Nikon still has not touched upon the cause of the issue and some D600 owners were frustrated after repeated cleaning and even shutter assembly replacement didn't solve their problem.

CCTV said that the dust issue is also affecting D600 owners in other countries including the US. A US law firm is preparing a class action lawsuit on behalf of more than 1000 D600 owners. CCTV also reported that some D600 owners in the US have been offered a free upgrade to the D610.

Nikon China hasn't officially responded to the CCTV report.

It is not clear if D600 owners in China are also preparing class action lawsuits. But starting Saturday, March 15, 2014, they may have a more potent weapon to protect their rights.

According to China's revised consumer rights law, which came into effect on March 15, the Chinese Consumers' Association and its provincial-level branches can launch public interest litigations on behalf of consumers if a large number of them are affected by the same quality issue. If they win, everyone affected by the issue will be covered.

The Nikon D600 is a 24.3 effective megapixel full-frame digital single-lens reflex camera announced in September 2012. The sensor dust issue has plagued users since its release.