The cover for the MB-D12 battery pack connector on the bottom of my D800 has gone missing. I didn't remove it intentionally (I don't use a grip). I could have knocked it off by accident. I can't find out where to get a replacement or what part number I should be looking for. Is this a "call Nikon" issue? Should I stick some black electrical tape on and stop worrying?

If it is uses the same one as the D700, you can get it on eBay. Just search for "D700 bottom terminal cover."

Rocky

Its nowhere near the D700. It is a straight line connector rather than an "L" shaped connector set like the D700. However it may be identical to then D7000 cover. I'll check later this evening.

And how on Earth could you have "knocked it off?". It is not easy to remove!

Tom
D5000IR, V1, Oly OM-D E-M5
Nikkor Zooms: AF-S 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 VR, VR, AF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6
Nikkor primes: 24 f/2.8Ai-S, 28 f/2.8D, Micro 60 f/2.8, 85 f/1.4D, Nikkor-C 500 f/8 Refl.
Nikon 1 lenses: 10mm f/2.8, 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR, 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6.
Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4, Sigma 70-300 Macro f/3.5-5.6.
Oly 12-42mm f/3.5-5.6, 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3, 12mm f/2.0, 45mm f/1.8, 75mm f/1.8.
Lumix 20mm f/1.7, 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8, 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Gitzo GT3541L, Manfrotto MT293A4, MP 680B
Markins M-20, RRS BH-25 Pro

>And how on Earth could you have "knocked it off?".
>It is not easy to remove!

It was my first hiking trip with a DSLR belt mount. The ball-in-slot mechanism doesn't lock reliably and/or is vulnerable to bumping the camera at the wrong angle. Crash. I assume the cover fell off when the camera hit the ground. I didn't notice it missing until a week later. I don't normally pay attention to the bottom of the camera. The cover could have come off at some other time, but as you note it's not a part prone to falling off spontaneously.

My camera seems in working order; it's just missing a piece.

> Crash.
>I assume the cover fell off when the camera hit the ground.
>

Couldn't happen. It would take a lot more than the camera landing on the ground to get that cover off. I would suspect it might take a sledge hammer or a well directed set of pliers.

Tom
D5000IR, V1, Oly OM-D E-M5
Nikkor Zooms: AF-S 18-105 f/3.5-5.6 VR, VR, AF-S 18-135 f/3.5-5.6
Nikkor primes: 24 f/2.8Ai-S, 28 f/2.8D, Micro 60 f/2.8, 85 f/1.4D, Nikkor-C 500 f/8 Refl.
Nikon 1 lenses: 10mm f/2.8, 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6 VR, 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6.
Voigtlander 58mm f/1.4, Sigma 70-300 Macro f/3.5-5.6.
Oly 12-42mm f/3.5-5.6, 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3, 12mm f/2.0, 45mm f/1.8, 75mm f/1.8.
Lumix 20mm f/1.7, 14-140mm f/4.0-5.8, 100-300mm f/4.0-5.6
Gitzo GT3541L, Manfrotto MT293A4, MP 680B
Markins M-20, RRS BH-25 Pro

These people can probably get you one - http://www.bocaphoto.com/products/new/nikon/nikonparts.htm

The D7000 cover could be used in a pinch - I had to finesse it in place and it is a tight fit and then a little hard to get out and also is not perfectly flat but very close.

The D800 cover does fit the D7000 pretty well though.

Visit my Nikonians gallery.

Try calling the Nikon Parts Department in El Segundo. The telephone number is 310-414-8107.

http://www.nikonusa.com/Service-And-Support/Service-And-Repair.page

Rocky