I lost the battery cover for my D800E body today. Does anyone know of a source for replacement.

This is the second time it has fallen off during normal use. I don't really care for the new design. The battery latch is better and holds the battery in place even without the cover.

Eric Bowles
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Sorry to hear you lost it. Mine came off last week too while on a trip; luckily I found it. I have a feeling you may have to send the whole camera to Nikon for repair, according to Thom Hogan's recent story on Nikon's new position on parts sales.
Dave Jolley

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Peachtree Camera Repair claims to be an authorized repair center. Give them a call and see if they can get you the part.


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There's one here Eric but it's in the UK - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nikon-D800-DSLR-Camera-Battery-Door-Cover-Genuine-/280972663801?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item416b469bf9

Thanks Dave and Bob.

I hope I don't need to send the camera to Nikon. Atlanta has two Nikon Authorized shops. It would be silly to have to lose the camera for three weeks for a minor part. Precision Photo (www.bocaphoto.com) sells camera doors for under $20 for most earlier X00 models. Of course, the shape of the door on the D800 is different from the others.

This is the second time the battery door has come off in normal use. I have some concern about the design.

Eric Bowles
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That's the right idea and about the right price. Hopefully I can get one in the US but at least this provides an option.


Eric Bowles
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Just a follow up on this. I ordered the battery door through my local Nikon Authorized shop. This is the same shop that repaired my 24-70 in 4 days. The battery door has been on order from Nikon USA for more than 3 weeks and still not received.

Eric Bowles
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Eric,

Sorry about your door. Mine fell off too but fortunately I didn't loose it. But, to keep it from happening again, I put a small piece of black electrical tape on part of the door, across the hinge and onto the body. It's only about 1" long and 1/2" wide, and is perpendicular to and centered over the hinge so that it does not impede the operation of the door at all. The tape is very thin and flexes easily with the hinge. The tape on the body is mostly covered by an L bracket, so it's hardly noticable - if it matters.

This will not only keep me from loosing the door, but since the tape covers the hinge, I don't think it's going to come loose again in the first place. The door feels more secure when I open and close it with the tape in place than it does without it.

When you get your new door, assuming of course Nikon does eventually send it, you might try some electrical tape on it as a safety back-up. Works well for me.


Dave

Excuse my ignorance but how can you get this part to fall off? Unless you hit the camera on this side?

PS I ask because I have 2 D800e

JD

Tape or something similar is a good suggestion. As is a spare.

It fell off in the normal course of shooting. No impact, wasn't intentionally opened - nothing. I had it previously fall off in my camera bag so it was not unexpected. Obviously it was bumped or something, but it was the same kind of activity I have with 5 other DSLR's that have never once had the issue. It happened twice on the D800E.

Eric Bowles
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I do not know for sure how it came off. I was out in the woods at the time, realized the battery door was not on the camera, and found it nearby on the ground. In order for it to fall off, sequentially the door had to unlatch and open first. Then, once it was hanging loose, get brushed against something that dislodged it from the camera. It could have been my error to securely latch it the last time I replaced the battery, or perhaps I brushed the bottom of the camera against some brush or something that snagged the latch and opened the door and I didn't see it. I really do not know - it only happened once.

Although clearly it is a nice feature that I wouldn't change, the battery latch keeps the battery in place allowing the camera to keep working if the door accidentally opens. Once its open, and hanging by the hinge, it is easily dislodged from that point. If the battery fell out when the door opened, then you would know it immediately if you were actively shooting because you would loose power. But I like the D800 battery latch the way it is. Just recognize that if the door is accidentally opened,and you don't notice it, it can then be easily kocked off hanging in the open position.

For me, there is a simple fix using a small piece of electrical tape as a safety measure.

Dave

A friend had the same , door fell off issue . She had no luck getting a replacement . Must be a common failure point considering all these reports .

Hans K.

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Great idea with the electrical tape. I had one of my battery doors come off because I hit it when the door was open. It was easy to put back on. I will add the strip of tape to keep from losing one.

Thanks!

Larry Jordan

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There were at least two that fell off during ANPAT 12, including mine. I was lucky to find it on the floor of the van. Ever since then I have been using gaffer tape to keep it from falling off again. I would recommend using gaffer tape rather than electrical or duct tape in that the adhesive does not remain on the camera body.

DJM

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Great tip about using a tape to secure the battery door!

Would be great to have a sticky post with different suggestions like that in the D800 thread.

Alex
http://www.yermakov.net

>Great tip about using a tape to secure the battery door!
>
>Would be great to have a sticky post with different
>suggestions like that in the D800 thread.


Would be great for Nikon to make the D800 mot falling apart...


JD

Haha! Tell me about that!

Alex
http://www.yermakov.net

My battery door fell off during night shoot this week. Wish I had read this before. Anyway, I just odered the part from the Nikon parts store. Hope it doesnt take too long to get here.

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I haven't had this occur with either of my D800/e bodies, but after hearing Eric's travails when we were out shooting together in Death Valley, I ordered several replacements to have on hand. They're only $3.90, so I purchased several. Here's a link for those in the US:

http://shop.nikonusa.com/store/nikonprt/en_US/pd/productID.259487800

Rick Walker

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Thanks, Rick - good idea to have some on hand. It's a good supply item - like lens and body caps that I already keep in my bag.

While the part is $3.90, shipping is $12.50 so its worthwhile to combine this with other purchases.


Eric Bowles
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Hmm...Looks like they're now out of stock since I posted the link.

Rick Walker

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Have you thought about going into sales?

There must have been a mad rush of Nikonians at the store.

Eric Bowles
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Apparently!

Rick Walker

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Mine fell off twice and I had it replaced (under warranty) recently when I sent my D800E to Mellville for a left AF adjustment. I put a piece of gaffer tape on the new one just in case.
Dave Jolley

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How about an MB-D12 instead of gaffer tape? Eventually, I know I must have one with an RRS L bracket.

I just cannot afford it today!

Scott Chapin
Powder Springs, GA, USA
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