Response from Nikon on their ****-take upgrade to D3.

I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling errors
in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them, and their
response.




************** SENT TO NIKON *****************

Subject: Why are Nkin taking the **** over the D3 upgrade?

I'd just like to make that point that I feel Nikon are being very unfair
in charging for "D3 buffer memory expansion".

After paying this much for a camera, I think Nilon should have put the
extra RAM in before shipping it. Memory is not that expensive these days.

I gather in the US this is $499/ I've not seen a UK price from Nkon, but
I've seen in Amateur Photographer this is £352 pounds, which is about
45% more. This is really is taking the pee.

IMHO Nikon should offer this free. Doing it in order of serial number,
so those that bought the D3's first get upgraded first. I only bought my
D3 last week, so I would be almost last on the list, but I think Nilon
should do this free. Not take the mic out of people who have paid good
money for a camera.

So I have three questions.

1) Is there any good reason the D3 was not shipped with this.

2) Is there any good reason Nikon and charging so much for a couple of
GB of RAM in the USA?

3) Is there any good reason Nikon charge so much more in the UK than in
the US?

I can see how you will irritate a lot of processional photographers with
this.

Dave


****** Response from Nikon Europe Support. ******

Subject: Why are Nkin taking the **** over the D3 upgrade?

Dear David,

Thank you for contacting Nikon Support. The upgrade has not been
implemented in D3 cameras before because mainboards with extended buffer
was not yet available. However it will not be installed in new cameras
by default either - it will be an optional upgrade only.

The upgrade does not consist on just RAM unit replacement - actually the
buffer unit cannot be unsoldered and soldered back in the service centre
and therefore the whole mainboard has to be replaced. This also adds a
significant cost of labour to the cost of part alone.

You can find more details on D3 buffer expansion in the link below:

Title: D3 Buffer Memory Expansion Service
URL:
https://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/...ted=1216726798

In regards to your third question, unfortunately I am not qualified to
comment on Nikon's financial strategy and economic environment.

If you require any further assistance, please update your incident and I
will be happy to help you.


Kind Regards,

Aleksander Nowak
Nikon UK Professional Support
www.europe-nikon.com/support

Dave wrote:


3) Is there any good reason Nikon charge so much more in the UK than in
the US?

Oh I can answer that one. EVERYBODY does it.

--
Paul (We won't die of devotion)
-------------------------------------------------------
Stop and Look
http://www.geocities.com/dreamst8me/

Rita Berkowitz wrote:
Dave wrote:

I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling
errors in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them,
and their response.

Thanks for taking the time to write Nikon on this. Since they are making
this an optional upgrade ($500) to future manufactured D3s, I don't see it
as a problem or kick in the ass to present D3 owners. It's kinda like
buying a new car and selecting the options you need, want, and can afford.
Sure, everyone wants a fully loaded whatever, but you gots to pay to play.
Now if they can make upgradeable sensor packs that can be factory installed
for $500 the rules will change and we will be the winners in the end. It
sucks having to obsolete a camera every 18-months.



Rita


If a new car comes with leather seats, satellite navigation, a turbo,
larger engine etc, then I can understand making these features optional
as extra cost to build the card would be significant.

In the case of a bit of memory in a D3, I can't see why Nikon just don't
put it there to start with. The main cost associated with this upgrade
is clearly the time it takes someone to take the camera apart and fit in
the new board. If the board was built with the memory in the first
place, the extra cost to manufacture the camera would be only $20 or so.

On 2008-08-13 00:16:47 -0700, Dave said:

I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling
errors in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them,
and their response.




************** SENT TO NIKON *****************

Subject: Why are Nkin taking the **** over the D3 upgrade?

I'd just like to make that point that I feel Nikon are being very
unfair in charging for "D3 buffer memory expansion".

After paying this much for a camera, I think Nilon should have put the
extra RAM in before shipping it. Memory is not that expensive these
days.

I gather in the US this is $499/ I've not seen a UK price from Nkon,
but I've seen in Amateur Photographer this is £352 pounds, which is
about 45% more. This is really is taking the pee.

IMHO Nikon should offer this free. Doing it in order of serial number,
so those that bought the D3's first get upgraded first. I only bought
my D3 last week, so I would be almost last on the list, but I think
Nilon should do this free. Not take the mic out of people who have paid
good money for a camera.

So I have three questions.

1) Is there any good reason the D3 was not shipped with this.

2) Is there any good reason Nikon and charging so much for a couple of
GB of RAM in the USA?

3) Is there any good reason Nikon charge so much more in the UK than in the US?

I can see how you will irritate a lot of processional photographers with this.

Dave


****** Response from Nikon Europe Support. ******

Subject: Why are Nkin taking the **** over the D3 upgrade?

Dear David,

Thank you for contacting Nikon Support. The upgrade has not been
implemented in D3 cameras before because mainboards with extended
buffer was not yet available. However it will not be installed in new
cameras by default either - it will be an optional upgrade only.

The upgrade does not consist on just RAM unit replacement - actually
the buffer unit cannot be unsoldered and soldered back in the service
centre and therefore the whole mainboard has to be replaced. This also
adds a significant cost of labour to the cost of part alone.

You can find more details on D3 buffer expansion in the link below:

Title: D3 Buffer Memory Expansion Service
URL:
https://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/...ted=1216726798

In

regards to your third question, unfortunately I am not qualified to
comment on Nikon's financial strategy and economic environment.

If you require any further assistance, please update your incident and
I will be happy to help you.


Kind Regards,

Aleksander Nowak
Nikon UK Professional Support
www.europe-nikon.com/support

Gee. You wrote an incredibly rude and profane letter full of spelling
and grammatical errors and got a polite and reasonable response. Good
for Nikon.

--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor

In message , Dave writes
I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling
errors in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them,
and their response.


Part of the problem may be the availability of memory chips. When the
camera was initially designed (2 years ago?) they fitted the largest
ones that were practical. 18 months on the capacity of parts that
physical size and power consumption may have doubled.

Just look at the size and cost of PC memory? 1GB strips now cost less
than 256Mb strips did. My first 50 Mb hard drive cost twice the 500
Gbyte Serial ATA I bought last month.

The problem is the new memory devices may not fit the old main board.
There will almost certainly be a new pin out. Try fitting a serial ATA
drive to an IDE connector.



--
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
\/\/\/\/\ Chris Hills Staffs England /\/\/\/\/
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

In article , Chris H
wrote:

Try fitting a serial ATA
drive to an IDE connector.

there are adapters for both directions. it adds a little depth to the
drive so the drive may no longer fit, depending on the dimensions of
the enclosure or drive bay.

"Rita Berkowitz" wrote in message
m...
Dave wrote:

I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling
errors in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them,
and their response.

Thanks for taking the time to write Nikon on this. Since they are making
this an optional upgrade ($500) to future manufactured D3s, I don't see it
as a problem or kick in the ass to present D3 owners. It's kinda like
buying a new car and selecting the options you need, want, and can afford.
Sure, everyone wants a fully loaded whatever, but you gots to pay to play.
Now if they can make upgradeable sensor packs that can be factory
installed
for $500 the rules will change and we will be the winners in the end. It
sucks having to obsolete a camera every 18-months.




I've upgraded the sensor in my cameras many times over the years: every time
an improved film comes out, I upgrade the ":sensor". The cost each time has
only been a couple dollars. Pretty sweet for forty year old Canons!

C J Campbell wrote:
On 2008-08-13 00:16:47 -0700, Dave said:

in the US?

I can see how you will irritate a lot of processional photographers
with this.

The assistants who have to snap walking backwards as the B+G leave the
building.

****** Response from Nikon Europe Support. ******

Subject: Why are Nkin taking the **** over the D3 upgrade?

Dear David,

Thank you for contacting Nikon Support. The upgrade has not been

Snipped bits out

Gee. You wrote an incredibly rude and profane letter full of spelling
and grammatical errors and got a polite and reasonable response. Good
for Nikon.

Whatever the 'problem' I am sure "Rita" will have an excuse.

--
john mcwilliams

Dave wrote:
I sent the following to Nikon about the D3 Buffer Memory Expansion
option. Their response is below. I know there were a few spelling errors
in my original post, but I've copied exactly what I sent them, and their
response.

snip

Early adopters understand that they often end up with a product at
higher cost and/or with more technical issues. $500 isn't unreasonable
for the upgrade.

I think you're kidding about sending that e-mail to Nikon. It's so full
of grammatical and spelling mistakes that it's guaranteed to be ineffective.

SMS wrote:

I think you're kidding about sending that e-mail to Nikon. It's so full
of grammatical and spelling mistakes that it's guaranteed to be
ineffective.

Rather stupidly I did not compose it in OpenOffice or an email client
first, but put it directly on their web site.