D600 dust/oil splatters - would you risk it?

[Ari]

After a lot of thought I've pretty much decided to go with the D600 as my first full frame camera. Current camera is a D7000 which I've been over the moon with.

Slightly put off by the focus point issue but feel I can live with that and work around it. The D800 is just too many mega pixels and the D4 too dear, plus everything I've read suggests that the D600 is effectively a full frame D7000 which sounds perfect to me.

All the reviews absolutely rave about it too.

Trouble is, wherever I look there are horror stories about dust/oil splatters on the sensor after 500 actuations. I can take 1,000 photos in two days so this would be hopeless for me.

Apparently Nikon are denying there is a problem, swapping shutters under warranty and sending them back only for the issue to return.

So now I'm stuck. Desperate to go for it but scared of having issues.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[cornet]

My current understanding of this issue is that it stops happening after ~3k shots and I think newer versions don't suffer from it at all.

I've got a D600 that does suffer from it but it doesn't appear to be getting any worse now (taken about 4k shots on it). It is only noticeable when shooting small apertures (f16/22) which I don't do much however am planning on getting it cleaned soon.

Dust issue aside the D600 is a great camera and it's ISO performance is amazing. Get one, you won't regret it

[Ari]

That's really helpful thank you, and echos everything I've read.

There's a part of me that thinks maybe I should just go for a used D3 instead.

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

[ian in lancs]

Ari said:

That's really helpful thank you, and echos everything I've read.

There's a part of me that thinks maybe I should just go for a used D3 instead.

http://www.mpbphotographic.co.uk/used-equipment/us...

I have two D700s and found a D3 with 10k actuations, bought it and am very pleased. I could be persuaded to part with the D700 with c25k on it...

[ffc]

I've had a D600 since before Christmas. No spots and no issues, I love it.

[RobDickinson]

A friend has a d600 and apart from it being a nikon its a great camera.

[Ari]

ian in lancs said:

I have two D700s and found a D3 with 10k actuations, bought it and am very pleased. I could be persuaded to part with the D700 with c25k on it...

Thanks Ian. If I'm going used I think it will be the D4, but I'm definitely leaning toward taking a punt with the D600 at the mo...

[Ari]

I meant D3, not D4!

[Ari]

Bought this morning, about 1,500 photos taken playing with it this afternoon and then at a mates gig this evening. Guess if I've got the dust/oil problem I'll know soon enough...

[cornet]

Ari said:

Bought this morning, about 1,500 photos taken playing with it this afternoon and then at a mates gig this evening. Guess if I've got the dust/oil problem I'll know soon enough...

Don't worry if you do start to see dust - just rack up another 2k shots and get it cleaned. Should have stopped happening after that - what appears to happen is part of the shutter box's paint gets chipped off, hence it stopping after ~3k shots).

[Ari]

1,743 actuations in, and there are two dust spots that look like this (100% crop and at F22).

[cornet]

Looks like yours is not effected then (you'd have many more than 2 spots if it was).

[Ari]

Phew!

Just ordered a rocket blower, hopefully that'll get shot of the couple of dust spots on it.

[kojak]

ffc said:

I've had a D600 since before Christmas. No spots and no issues, I love it.

Ditto. If you have problems with dust, nikon will sort the problem out for you free of charge anyway. Read that somewhere.

[Ari]

Indeed. Just a pain to have to take the camera back (nearest dealer is an hour away) and then wait whilst they send it off.

Fingers crossed the blower will sort it.

[chrisj_abz]

ive got one that has plenty dust spots, im only about 1700 actuations but as im in London next week will get it cleaned at Fixation.

[Ari]

Here we go, dammit!

[GetCarter]

I've never owned a DSLR that hasn't had this problem. For what it's worth.

..and I'm on my eighth.

[Ari]

I appreciate it's an "occupational hazard", but within nine days of buying brand new?

I just checked my D7000 (two years old, serviced six months ago and used plenty since) and it's clean as the proverbial whistle.

[Simpo Two]

Open it up to f3.5, stop looking so hard and take some photos