Earlier in June we reported on Nikon's new Self Service Repair website called Nikon Parts. At the time this was just a placeholder webpage, but the intent was clear: Nikon will support DIY self-repair of its products, through open access of product service manuals, along with the supply of parts and tools to repair your own Nikon equipment. Now Nikon is starting to develop the service, with the release of the Z6 III repair manual.
This 134-page PDF is downloadable direct from Nikon at no charge and contains clear exploded diagrams of every element of the camera, right down to the individual screws. The part numbers and quantities of each and every element that makes up the camera is also listed, along with helpful pointers like where not to touch particularly sensitive areas on circuit boards, and which direction to unclip electrical ribbon connectors. The detail even specifies things like the individual torque settings required to accurately tighten each screw used to secure the cameras base plate to the main camera body: 0.15nm and 0.25nm, depending on the specific screw, if you're interested.
Of course, a repair manual is all well and good, but it's not much use without a supporting supply of readily available spare parts. At the time of writing, Nikon has now listed 227 products on its parts.nikonusa.com site, though the majority of listed parts are out of stock. It also remains to be seen when - or even if - Nikon will release more service manuals for its other current cameras.
We'd also like to see manuals and parts made available for older, discontinued Nikon cameras, as these would seem more likely to require repair than a brand new model such as the Z6 III. But while the PR optics of Nikon supporting discontinued products may be strong, the business/financial incentive is weaker: Nikon would rather sell you a brand new $2000 Z body than a $10 part to repair your old D810, for instance.
Then there's the question of whether Nikon will start facilitating self-repair of its lenses, though we suspect it won't. Dismantling a camera is one thing, but exposing the internal elements of a camera lens requires a level of cleanliness and dust suppression not found in the home environment. Furthermore, the fragility of a lens's construction and the precision required to disassemble and reassemble a lens would also likely prevent any DIY repair.
Even so, this is still a step in the right direction for Right to Repair, sustainability, and supporting loyal Nikon users who simply want to go on snapping shots with their faithful cameras.
