Nikon parts dept. SUCKS!

[heathkit tv]

Somehow I busted the LCD view screen on my Nikon Coolpix 3200 camera. E-mailed Nikon asking them for a ballpark repair quote, and if perhaps I could buy just the needed parts. They told me about $117 for the complete repair.....I paid $150 for the camera!!!!!!!!

Anyway, spent over 15 minutes on hold trying to get thru to their parts department...called back and got ahold of the operator who was kind of surly with me. Not a good experience at all. Really pisses me off.

Opened up the camera and discovered that the screen was made by Casio and has a part number on it....did a web search and can't find any info. Perhaps one of you guys might be able to refer me to some place where I can get this: #4F16BTB049638 (that's the number on the screen itself). The camera lists the following on the bottom:
E3200 N150 serial number ends with 919

By the way, the camera came apart very easily and there are only two ribbon cables (one on the back half of the camera and the other for the screen)....plus two separate wires which need to be de-soldered. EASY REPAIR!!!

Thanks, Anthony

[mhardy6647]

At the price points which American consumers currently dictate, virtually all massmarket electronic equipment is designed for replacement rather than repair. You can buy the 4MP Nikon now for what the 3MP cost at Christmastime (ask me how I know this!).

That's what I like about my 40-plus year old tube hi-fi equipment. Most parts are still available and easily replaced. The few that are custom/proprietary either aren't likely to fail in my lifetime (e.g., output transformers) or could always be "adapted" (e.g., power transformers) to new, NOS, or used, off-the-shelf components.

[heathkit tv]

I understand what you're saying, but I don't know of any digital cameras that use tubes :-)

For what it's worth, I take a sick pleasure in repairing the unrepairable, and if I could find the screen for around $50 then it would be worth it to me to just fix this bugger rather than be a typical wasteful consumer and throw it away and buy a new one.

Anthony

[one1speed]

dpreview.com has a decent and well attended forum, perhaps someone there could offer some advice.

found this link via google, not sure if it will lead you anywhere...
http://www.horizontechnology.com/sitemap_lcd_Casio_0.html