I dropped my camera on a concrete floor. Oh well, things like this just happen. Anxious to have the camera running back again as soon as possible (I use it at my everyday work) I went to look for the service phone number. When I found it I rang them up, told what happened and was instructed to send it to them with fault description and warranty card description, just in case (I told it was totally my fault). So I did. I also asked my editorial office manager to write a letter confirming that I am a professional photographer, attached my press card and sent the camera by a courier the very next day.

07 Aug 09 - repair status - repair suspended
12 Aug 09 - cost estimate. Unfortunately, nearly 1500 PLN. Thats a lot, but it feels weird to work with D50 again. I rang the service to ask if it was possible not to replace two pieces of the casing (almost 500PLN) and the lady said she would find out and get back to me - obviously, she never rang back. I wrote to the guy that sent me the estimate - unfortunately, it was not an option not to replace them (despite they weren't seriously damaged). I approved the repair (cost estimate) and waited for any news. I also asked for an AF assistant cover for my sb-600.
17 Aug 09 - I e-mailed the person that sent me the estimate asking what was going on with my camera - repair status was still 'suspended'. I received an answer that it was waiting to be repaired.
17 Aug 09 until 02 Sept 09
Neither the status changed nor was I informed, despite a note in the repair confirmation letter sayiyng that 'Any information about repair status will be forwarded by phone or e-mail. Due to our phone lines being busy, please wait for us to contact You. Estimated repair or expertise time is about three weeks. It may change if any pats need to be ordered. We will keep You informed'. It also said that estimated repair timeframe was 20 Aug 09.
02 Sept 09 I rang up the service to find out that they were short of one part to fix my camera. Surprised, I asked them how was it possible if they were an authorised service centre and D300 is not a rare camera. They asked me to call again in a week, that they were expecting a delivery from a warehouse, that might contain the part for my camera.
09 Sept 09 They still didn't have the delivery, the part was not there.
10 Sept 09 My part wasn't in the delivery. To cheer me up I was given a phone number to the service's manager. He promissed to find out what was going on and ring me back (never has).
11 Sept 09 I e-mailed the manager asking what was going on. I received a response late in the evening that they were expecting to receive the part on monday (14 Sept 09). Repair status was 'suspended' all the time.
15 Sept 09 Suddenly status 'fixed' shows, half an hour later it said it would be delivered by tomorrow.
16 Sept 09 I waited from early morning, the courier didn't show up, it wasn't at the editorial office. I rang them up asking where did they send it, they said they didn't know, had to check (despite I clearly instructed the service manager to send it to my office instead of my home address). It turned ouut they didn't send it the day before because they didn't have time to attach the AF assist cover order (they had a month to do so and it still wasn't long enough). late in the evening the manager rang me that the camera was despached with the cover. Ok. I informed him that I would write an official letter to him and Nikon Poland management. And I will (despite sharing this story here).
17 Sept 09 There it is! Opened it, tried the camera out- it works. Had a look at the invoice and how was I surprised - AF assist cover itself - 9 PLN, AF assist cover replacement - 11PLN (its worth mentioning, that I had the flashgun on my at all times, as I was using it with my spare camera!).
Summary: Very expensive, very long service, paying for parts that weren't necessary to be replaced, not ringing back (only did once despite few promisses), hundrets of attempts to ring them up, paying for labour that never had place.
PS. I had to deal with them few years ago when a pop up flash had to be repaired under warranty in my Nikon D50. It took way over a month, but I can't remember any details.
Pawel "soko" Wisniewski

translation: Marek Pietrzyk