hi, im having a problem with my sb600.

a few months ago the flash unit started acting weird when u put it on the hot shoe of the camera and sometimes when you introduce movement(like tilting your cam front and bck ect..) the flash unit will flash by itself. sometimes it randomly 'discharges' itself and it will take a few seconds to restore charge again.

being naive during my early photography days i bought this gray import flash. so i cant really claim warranty. and whats worse is that im in a country far away from the country of origin of warranty.

i did open up the flash unit to see if a wire has came off or something previosly but didnt find any.(without breaking anything)

then recently when i used the flash things just got worse and the display on the LCD is flashing/blinking. then i noticed that a screw at the hot shoe is no longer there and i opened up the bottom i found a wire broken. i tried taping the wire bck(since i dont have a solder handy) but its still giving me the problem.....

so i would like to know if its worth getting nikon to repair it and get it over with or just ignore the flashing or get another unit....

at the moment i dont know if the i-ttl system is functioning or not but the unit flashes when i take pics and the random self flasshing problem is still present....

if i should try repairing it what sort of % of the the cost of a new unit should i be putting in before i scrap the idea of getting it fixed.... nikon UK charges ppl for estimates even if you decide not to repair it...

im planing to go bck m`sia at the end of aug, so is it better to get it fixed there? do they charge you even if you dont get it fixed?

opening it up probably made the unit void of any warranty by any nikon in any countries.

u could try 3rd party repairs when u come back. there are a few in kl i think.

if its less than 100 or so, den i think u shud get it fixed.

u still can go back to Nikon Service Centre for repair
just that need to bare the service charges

Just bring it to the Service Center and ask them to quote you before fixing.

I think it's better like that.

If can fix for not too expensive, why not?

exactly,
you can let them diagnose and quote u the price first then only decide

apparently nikon uk charges for diagnose as well...?

Nikon Malaysia Charge rm20 for diagnose fees

*it will be waived when u paid full amount of the repair cost later

yes. even if you dont want to repair, they charge a 'nominal' fee which isnt stated at all... >_< at lease nikon m`sia says its rm20...

hmmm..... 3rd party repair.... might consider it...

so what sort of $ should i be willing to put in before i should be getting a new unit instead?
i was thinking about 40% of the price of a new 1? is that too much? too little?

I think that's reasonable.