Nikon has announced that an electronic component related to power control in some Nikon D5000’s may, in certain circumstances, prevent the digital SLR from turning on, thus preventing operation of the camera.

The following service notice on the issue was posted by Nikon this morning.

Notice to users of the Nikon D5000 Digital SLR Camera
While Nikon takes great measures to assure high quality in its imaging products, it has come to our attention that an electronic component related to power control in some Nikon D5000 digital SLR cameras does not meet factory specifications and may, in certain circumstances, prevent the camera from turning on, thus preventing operation of the camera.

Indications of this issue include:
    1.    The camera cannot be operated when the power switch is on, even with a fully-charged battery.
    2.    The camera cannot be operated with the EH-5a AC Adapter connected through the EP-5 Power Connector and the power switch on.

The solution:

Nikon has isolated the issues related to this and is effectively resolving them. Preparations are under way at a special Nikon repair facility to streamline the processes associated to the solution and Nikon will be equipped to correct D5000 cameras at this facility, beginning July 23, 2009.

Service related to this issue, including the cost of shipping affected D5000 cameras to Nikon, as well as their return to customers, will be free of charge. To further minimize customer inconvenience, Nikon will return serviced cameras to customers promptly, employing (whenever possible) transportation that limits transit time to two days.

Is your D5000 affected?

Your D5000 serial number will make it easy to determine if your D5000 is affected by this issue. A serial number look-up tool will be available on this page beginning July 23, 2009. Therefore, we kindly ask D5000 users to return to this page on or after July 23rd to establish whether or not your camera requires the complimentary service related to this Service Advisory.

If your serial number indicates that your D5000 requires service:

Beginning July 23, 2009, this page will include easy-to-follow instructions for customers whose D5000 cameras have been identified (by serial number as noted above) as needing service related to this Advisory. The instructions will include shipping tips and a shipping label generator will be provided. Using the Nikon-generated label is both convenient and relieves you of the expense of shipping your camera to Nikon.

We apologize for any inconvenience that Nikon customers may experience as a result of this issue.ýýýNikon remains committed to providing only the highest quality photographic products and hopes that you will continue to choose Nikon for your imaging needs

For additional information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions provided here.

You can also read the service notice by clicking here.