Unfortunately, for professionals who need to have their Nikon cameras repaired and returned to them quickly, that is going to be a lot harder starting next year.
iFixit obtained a letter Nikon sent to all authorized repair service center in the United States that states that as of March 31, 2020, the company will not renew their contracts, leaving the service centers likely unable to obtain official Nikon tools or parts. This means that for photographers hoping to get their cameras or lenses serviced with authorized parts and thus, under warranty, they will need to ship their gear to one of two Nikon centers at opposite ends of the country in either Melville, NY or Los Angeles, CA.
iFixit spoke to several of the shops losing the contract, and many said the move would seriously damage their business, particularly since in addition to losing access to official Nikon parts, they also lose the benefit of overnight shipping directly from the company. While Canon no longer offers warranty repairs through authorized locations, they still sell parts to such locations. On the other hand, Nikon stopped selling parts to unauthorized locations in 2012, and with these businesses losing that status, it’s unclear if they’ll have access to official Nikon parts. Similarly, this is likely to significantly increase repair time for professionals, who often need quick turnarounds to get back to work.