D800 rubber grip problem (and my experience at NSC)


river811

New Member
Mar 26, 2011
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Hi everyone.

I have a slight problem with my D800 rubber grip (the one under the right hand). It has expanded slightly (has been like this since I took over from previous owner) and I'm looking forward to changing it. Called NSC to confirm stock availability and they mentioned it is a 2-3 hour job. They also said they do not give out quotations over the phone.

Went down the following week and lo-and-behold... After their assessment, they suggested that I change all the grips amounting to a total of 179 (exclude GST, labor). Reason being, they have to open up the whole camera and remove all the other grips to access the main rubber piece that has a problem. Once they replace the expanded grip, they cannot put the rest back properly and would also result in them being expanded. So their suggestion was to change all rubber grips. This would take 2-3 days because its quite intensive.

So my question to fellow CS-ers.
-Was I being over quoted/baited-and-switched/carrot head? Changing one rubber grip turned into changing all the rubber grips and 'the camera will feel like new'
-How can NSC not know that a job like that would take 2-3 days even though i mentioned clearly on the phone?
-I've been using it like that for the past few years, are there any negative effects? (like dust being able to enter via the gap between rubber and body and screwing up the internals of the camera etc)
-Any suggestion as to where I can get the grips replaced?
-Any similar experience that you all have encountered with NSC?

Thanks in advance for sharing!
 

You can draw your own conclusions when you search for aliexpress nikon d800 replacement rubber.
 

haha! That's very succinct. Thanks OEJ!
 

I'm wondering which rubber grip are you referring to, is it the one in front of the camera where your right hand fingers rest, or the one on the back of the camera where your right thumb rests?

I took a look at the parts on Aliexpress, the back rubber grip replacement looks just like a stick-on part, however the front replacement looks much larger and seems to involve some disassembly (and much more expensive too)

I don't have first hand knowledge, but I'm guessing that NSC was thinking that you just needed the back rubber grip replacement, however after assessment the front rubber grip replacement was also needed, thus more disassembly required and much higher price and time needed.

I'd like to give humanity the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise... don't think NSC tried to "over quoted/baited-and-switched/carrot head" you, I also think that it's unlikely the technicians get commission on how much they earn from customers. However what I read is that nowadays electronics are made more modular and technicians are taught to replace the parts rather than repair them, so the companies can save on training technicians and also easier to maintain consistency.

If you want a second opinion, you might want to check with our forum guru "fatigue" though he usually has a backlog to clear as he is world famous :)
https://www.clubsnap.com/threads/camera-whisperer-mr-david-hilos-featured-in-cna.1687823/
(his contact is in his signature)
 

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Thanks thoongeng!

"I'd like to give humanity the benefit of the doubt unless proven otherwise... " indeed sometimes i am quick to judge. I dropped "fatigue" a PM already. patiently awaiting his reply.

Cheers!