Problem with 2nd hand camera. What should I do?

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:23

Bit of a dilemma. Sold my Nikon D90 a week ago and replaced it with a second hand D7000. It was advertised as mint and had taken less then 4,000 pics so I was chuffed when I got it at pretty good price off the bay.

Finally got round to testing it properly today and noticed some marks showing on every image. Took a few shots of a light blank wall and sure enough there's something not the sensor. It looks like oil marks which are supposed to be pretty common on the D7000. As it stands the camera is useless to me, I would have to touch up every image taken. Leaves me with 2 options.

1: try and get money back off seller. Advert made no mention to oil marks. So think I have a valid reason for refund.

2: buy a cleaning kit and have a go at cleaning the sensor. Looks straight forward enough to do, although I'm loathed to risk making matters worse.

Decisions decisions. The joys of eBay I guess. Normally buy my bodies new but thought I'd take a punt on this and it's bit me on the arse. Just wondering what others would do in my situation? :confused:

Ac1dh0u$3. · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:25

have you tired the cameras clean sensor function to see if that removes them ?

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:32

Yeah tried that a few times mate. Didn't make the slightest bit of difference.

Quick pic showing how bad is is

F5 it's pretty bad

F11 it's a mess

Ac1dh0u$3. · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:45

Oh dear, I thought you ment one or two, which normally clean off with sensor clean, but I've never seen it like that

Clum · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:47

100% seek a refund, that's ridiculous and has been miss sold as there's no way the seller didn't know about this and it's hardly been caused in transit.

James J · 23 Feb 2014 at 00:56

Never seen so much dirt on a sensor before. Must have been poorly treated to get that bad.

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 01:00

Cheers. Just what I thought. Opened a case and sent them the pics.

PU7E · 23 Feb 2014 at 09:24

Out of interest have you tried it with more then one lens?

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 09:37

PU7E said:
Out of interest have you tried it with more then one lens?

Yep, tried it with the 2 I own, same result with both

PU7E · 23 Feb 2014 at 10:06

That rules out a mouldy lens then

danoliver1 · 23 Feb 2014 at 10:20

Have you locked up the mirror to look at the sensor?

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 11:17

Not yet mate no. Never cleaned a sensor before as I have never had to. Always bought new before and I really look after my gear so this has never been an issue until now.

It does seem to be quite common on the d7000. With many people just cleaning it with a kit. Others say its a defect which should go back to nikon to fix. Not heard back off the seller yet but they seem genuine enough. Lots and lots of excellent feedback and have been a member for years.

K.C. Leblanc · 23 Feb 2014 at 11:54

Was the seller a dealer or a private?

danoliver1 · 23 Feb 2014 at 12:11

Ive not heard of this problem with the d7000, the d600 yes but not the d7000, maybe it only affected the first batch of cameras.

D.P. · 23 Feb 2014 at 13:09

^^^^ yep, d7000 never had any sensor dirt issue.

Have you trid cleaning the sensor, might be the easiest course of action. Camera shouldn't have been sold in that state. It it might be easy to clean.

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 14:00

It you google 'D7000 oil problem' it seems quite widespread. Some people sent them back to Nikon, and they replaced the mirror box which fixes the issue once and for all.

Ive only tried the inbuilt sensor clean function. I have got a proper sensor cleaning kit of its way but if I can return it then thats what im going to do. They seem to side with the sellers these days and ive sent them enough proof.

kitfit1 · 23 Feb 2014 at 17:14

If you got it for a pretty good price, as you say, then why not just ask the seller to cough up the money to have it properly cleaned by a Nikon repair center ? Give the seller the option, have it cleaned to your satisfaction or a full refund.

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 19:52

kitfit1 said:
If you got it for a pretty good price, as you say, then why not just ask the seller to cough up the money to have it properly cleaned by a Nikon repair center ? Give the seller the option, have it cleaned to your satisfaction or a full refund.

yeh, was thinking that maybe an option. Went to a local camera place. Manager said he could give it a good clean and be good as new for £40

Raymond Lin · 23 Feb 2014 at 19:56

I know it looks daunting but cleaning the sensor is a useful skill to have as a modern DSLR owner, sooner or later it needs a clean.

I can have that spotless in 10mins, 9min of that is prep work.

kidloco · 23 Feb 2014 at 20:41

Raymond Lin said:
I know it looks daunting but cleaning the sensor is a useful skill to have as a modern DSLR owner, sooner or later it needs a clean.

I can have that spotless in 10mins, 9min of that is prep work.

Don't live in warrington do you by any chance Raymond

The fact you say you could sort it in 10 mins does put my mind at ease about possibly keeping it. Other then this issue it looks like new and has only taken a couple of thousand pics. I'll see what the seller comes back with.