Clock Failure

[Riki]

I have been having clock battery problems on my D2X since some time., The first battery lasted 3 months and the second one 30 days and the 3rd one just 3 days. Anyway today the clock resets to 01.01.2005. and is not possible to set it.
My question is , do you feel this is a major problem or a minor one ? I am confused if I should visit a busy Nikon service or just about any service should be able to handle this problem. Dont want them learning or practising on my camera hence the fear. All opinions highly welcome.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Gale]

thanks Paul,

that may apply to any of the cameras. Never thought of that...

I am more a computer person. And was think onboard battery. (Which it also would need replacement by nikon)..(although it should be charged by the regular battery) Unless leaving out for a period of time.

Appreciated.

 

[Riki]

Not the onboard battery

No Gale , it is not the on-board battery. Though it is supposed to have a life of 4 years, mine conked out in 3 months. I replaced one, then this one died out in a month and finally the third one lasted only 3 days. So its not the clock battery for sure. I wonder if it could be a firmware issue. You see the clock resets to 01.01.2005 and then starts ticking from here. Its not that it just stops working.

 

[Riki]

visited the Nikon service in Poland

I went to them this afternoon and a very serious looking technician came up and asked mt the problem with the camera. He spoke English. I explained everything to him and he asked me to wait and went inside with the camera to probably consult a senior techie. He returned after 12 minutes (I was racing up and down like a expectant father) and says the following to me.
The camera is working perfectly. There are 2 batteries in the camera one is the big one and the other one is inside the camera which is not accessible as is right inside the camera. This battery recharges with the help of the main battery and if your main battery was down then this one has discharged completely. Now you will have to wait one month before this battery gets fully charged. We can charge this clock battery for you but our waiting time is 3 weeks. If you want you can leave the camera for 3 weeks or wait for a month and this battery will get recharged on its own.
For a minute or so I was dazed. I didn't know what he was talking about. Then I asked him, do you know where this clock battery is in the camera ? He says yes pointing to a point under the flash bracket. I knew I was never going to let him touch my camera again, so I opened the battery case and took out the clock battery and showed him where it was.
To this he just shrugged his shoulder and said, like I said, it will get recharged. I asked him if he knew that this was a button cell and was not rechargeable. He insisted it was.
I left , never to go back again.
Can you imagine, this was Nikon Poland !
Now am stuck, unable to decide what to do.

 

[MontyDog]

#1064 - You have an error in your SQL syntax;

 

[Riki]

Hi paul

If you remember I had got mine very early in Feb just when it was released in Hongkong in Feb. Honestly I don't mind paying for the repairs if it comes to the crunch. but just want it handled by professional people and not duds. I wish i could complain about these guys to someone in Nikon.
One funny thing Paul, is that the clock is now holding the time for about 3-4 hours and then resets to 01.01.2005 and starts ticking after that. Meaning the clock is not faulty and neither is the battery. I have a feeling it could be moisture since I had got the camera pretty wet at one Polo match recently. Maybe the moisture will go and the clock gets back to normal. Thank God I didn't tell the Nikon guys about the moisture, else they would probably have told me to put the camera in a microwave and dry it out ! Honestly such duds they are.