The Nikon Canada Trade Up Program allows you to trade in any old Nikon Camera or Nikon lens for a newer model at a discounted price.
My Worst Fear Imagined
While on a recent wildlife photo shoot in a swampy area, my beloved Nikon D850 and Nikon AF-S 80-400MM F/4.5-5.6G ED VR ended up getting totally submerged in water. Long story but my therapist tells me that in time the haunting images that wake me screaming in the dead of night will pass.:))
Nikon Service
I called Nikon Canada Service and the agent suggested that I send both in and they would have their technician take a look and let me know if they could be repaired. I proceeded to box them up and sent them off. A few days later I received an email and as expected due to the water damage neither the camera or the lens could be repaired.
As part of the paperwork that I received back, Nikon offered to replace my Nikon D850 and Nikon 80-400G with new units. After looking into the pricing that Nikon Canada was offering vs retail pricing it was clear they were offering a price that was significantly lower than retail. At this point I still had no idea about the Nikon Trade Up Program. Below gives you an idea of the price variance between retail and the Nikon Canada Trade Up Program.
Retail In Canada – Nikon D850 = $3899.99
Nikon Trade Up Program – Nikon D850 = $3358.97
Difference: $541.02 Before Tax
Retail In Canada – Nikon 80-400mm = $2999.99
Nikon Trade Up Program – Nikon 80-400mm = $2582.97
Difference: $417.02 Before Tax
I did not wish to replace the Nikon D850 given I already had made the decision to move to the new Nikon Z series cameras. I already own the Nikon Z6II so I called Nikon Canada once again and inquired on whether I could replace my Nikon D850 with a Nikon Z7II. That’s when I learned about the Nikon Canada Trade Up Program.
Nikon Canada Trade Up Program
The Nikon Canada Trade Up Program allows you to trade in ANY old Nikon Camera or Nikon lens for a newer model. I thought it was a service just offered to those who had befallen a similar fate to my own where a camera could not be repaired. Nope, ANYONE can send in ANY Nikon Camera and trade up to whatever Nikon camera they choose. ANYONE can send in ANY Nikon Lens and trade up to whatever Nikon Lens they choose.
When I inquired whether the price being offered through the program was dictated by the value of the camera or lens being traded in the answer was no. I could have sent in a Nikon D200 and received the same price on the Nikon Z7II camera. Below is the pricing for the Nikon Z7II through the trade up program vs retail pricing.
Retail In Canada – Nikon Z7II = $3999.99
Nikon Trade Up Program – Nikon Z7II = $3199.97
Difference: $800.02 Before Tax
NOTE: This program applies to Nikon Cameras and Nikon Lenses only. You can not trade up on accessories like battery grips, batteries, etc. nor can you add any of those items to your new purchase. It is a straight trade up on one camera for one camera and one lens for one lens.
What You Need To Do
I went through the Nikon Service Repair process http://en.nikon.ca/service and completed my entry online. If you have a repair follow that link, complete the online form and ship your camera or lens.
This is not what the majority of you will be doing. You will simply be sending in an old Nikon camera or lens and not requesting a repair. My suggestion is that you call Nikon at 1-877-534-9910 and you will get connected to an agent. Tell the agent you would like to use the Nikon Trade Up Program and the model of Nikon camera or lens that you have along with the camera or lens you would like to trade up to.
The agent will provide you with a quote. If you wish to proceed the agent will walk you through the steps you need to take to send in your old camera or lens. Because Nikon already had my D850 for the repair I was able to provide my credit card over the phone and complete my transaction.
I was advised that it would take approximately three weeks to receive the camera.
You will be sending your old Nikon camera or lens to Nikon Canada at the following address:
Nikon Canada
1366 Aerowood Drive,
Mississauga, ON
L4W 1C1
Additional Resources
If you are considering a move or have recently purchased one of the new Nikon Z series camera’s you’ll want to read these two blog posts:
8 Reasons To Use A Mirrorless Camera For Wildlife Photography
Nikon Z6II Autofocus Settings For Birds In Flight
Nikon Mirrorless Camera Slow To Turn On – Fix It Now
Nikon Z6II Firmware Updates – Complete List
Nikon Z6II FTZ Firmware – Required First Step
Nikon Z7II FTZ Firmware – Required First Step
Disclaimer: The Nikon Canada Trade Up Program as described was available at the time of this writing. However it may have changed or been canceled so I recommend you place a call into Nikon Canada to determine if it is still in affect once you have a camera or lens you wish to trade up.
