Nikon Issues Advisory: Some Z6 III, Z5 II, and ZR Have a Hardware Problem

Nikon has issued a technical service advisory (TSA) for some Nikon Z6 II, Z5 II, and ZR cameras, stating that there is a hardware issue that may cause them to fail. The company is asking affected owners to send their cameras in for repair at no cost.

The advisory was published to both Nikon Japan’s and Nikon USA’s websites and cites a specific issue with hardware that might cause the cameras to stop functioning.

“We have confirmed a manufacturing issue with certain Z6 III, Z5 II, and ZR cameras, which may cause the cameras to become inoperable. We have identified a range of serial numbers for the affected products, and Nikon will provide repairs free of charge regardless of the warranty period, including shipping. We apologize for any inconvenience to our customers,” the TSA reads.

“For more information or to check to see if you have an affected product, please visit this link: Nikonusa.com/service-advisories/z-tsa-3-2026.”

Given the language, it’s likely that this problem was caused by one production run of these cameras, since the company isn’t saying all Z6 II, Z5 II, and ZR cameras are affected, only “certain” ones. Nikon did not share any information on how many total camera units may be affected.

Owners of any of these three cameras can check the serial number of their unit against the affected range by examining behind the camera’s rear display. The serial number is printed on a label affixed to the camera body. If an owned Nikon Z6 III, Z5 II, or ZR does not share a serial number that is affected (after checking Nikon’s website), then there is nothing to worry about.

Service advisories like this aren’t exactly uncommon for Nikon. In 2023, Nikon issued a similar advisory because some Nikon Z8 cameras were found to not be accepting lenses correctly. That was the same year the Z8 reportedly also had an issue with some of the strap lugs. The year previously, Nikon issued a service advisory for the Z9 because some lens release buttons were not functioning correctly. In both cases, Nikon repaired both issues for free, even if warranties had expired.

Image credits: Elements of header photo licensed via Depositphotos.com.