Sony buyers Beware!!

[sanj]

This is Sony Service in US?

Mumbai, India. When I call Canon they connect me direct with the guy who will service the camera. We know each other by first name. At Sony it is always a call center somewhere who is as clueless about everything as I am about nuclear physics.

My experience with Sony CS service in US wasn't bad at all. I had some issue with my A7s - camera doesn't go into sleep mode after 10seconds. I called and spoke with CS agent. We didn't not have a solution for it due to firmware issue. They did called me back couple times to try out different methods - couldn't fix it. Few weeks later Sony released new firmware and problem solved. This is not repair service, but I do feel they did their best.

As for Canon, I live 10-15mins away from Canon Service Center in Irvine California. Always received VIP service. Cleaning ects...only take 2days.

Yes sure Dylan. It would never be that everyone would get disappointing service at Sony. We keep saying 'Sony' 'Canon' etc as if they are person. The service on that particular moment depends upon the human who takes the order and the one who executes it. That person can ruin it for Sony or Canon alike or make it great. Canon seems to be structured much much better at service centers. But the human executing matters a lot. Yes?

 

[RGF]

CPS has always been a +1 to everything that canon does well. I know they've been reliable when the chips are down.

CPS is much better than Nikon (non-pro service). I shot Nikon in the last century and had a 300 F2.8 go bad. It took them 6 weeks (or so) get a part from Japan in order to fix my lens.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Two minute ago I bumped into a guy who took is A7 for sensor cleaning. His words - "The guy took off the lens, walked closer to the window to see spots. Attended a longish phone call while the camera lay open. Then blew on sensor with a hand air bulb and returned it."

Unfortunately, there are incidents like that everywhere. As I recall, the Indian Citizens who worked with me as engineers said that the number of people with college degrees far outstrips the available jobs. Maybe he had that degree in nuclear physics and was bored with having to clean lenses

I've hired people with advanced degrees from India and Eastern Europe, really bright people, our company would not classify them as engineers or scientists until they took a test from a ABET accredited University and received a equivalency certificate. That's expensive and time consuming. There was no problem with UK, Europe, or Scandinavian degrees. I think that it is done that way due to us working on Government contracts. It certainly has nothing to do with qualifications.

 

[Loswr]

Maybe he had that degree in nuclear physics and was bored with having to clean lenses

Just after the end of the Cold War, I knew someone with a doctorate in nuclear physics from a prominent Ivy League university working at a major US National Lab in a department run by the only scientist to have an element named after him while still alive. He was working as a file clerk.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Just how common is it to send cameras in for repair?

I started getting serious in photography in 1980. Since then I have owned 5 camera bodies. I have never sent in any of them for any servicing. My first DSLR I took to a local shop to have the sensor cleaned... once. That's all.

From reading some of the posts on this and other sites, it sometimes appears that people are sending in cameras multiple times a year!

 

[Maiaibing]

Sony has the worst service center EVER. I gave Rx 100 3 for repair and it is now 3 weeks and every time I call, I get a set reply: It is in head office, we will revert soon. Disconnect.

I so hope I never buy Sony again. Grrrrr.

Sadly, life is full of such disappointments.

Canon CPS Gold member. Canon did not:
1) Keep promised (guaranteed) turn around time *)
2) Failed to inform me so I went to Canon in vain twice to pick up with no luck (after being told that next day it would certainly be there!), and
3) Did not deliver replacement lens (70-200 f/2.8 IS L II) as requested and promised before important trip abroad (and as guaranteed also by the CPS Gold membership even though this is a very standard lens).
4) After weeks of no feedback and several mails, calls and finally a letter to Canon HQ admitted they had "lost" my original lens and had no idea where it was but were "working on it". Accordingly, I assume that I was lied to at the beginning of the repair cycle when I went there to collect it.
5) Charged full repair price after finally having "found" my lens again.

*) 48 hrs

 

[Marsu42]

Sony has the worst service center EVER. I gave Rx 100 3 for repair and it is now 3 weeks and every time I call, I get a set reply: It is in head office, we will revert soon. Disconnect.

Service centers vary a lot across countries. Over here, the same could happen to you with Canon *if* you don't have cps because you get pushed to the bottom of the queue automatically. I've been told that for example Tamron has shorter repair times in this case, dunno about Sony.

So basically what applies to the actual gear might apply to the service: Totally terrific if you buy the premium stuff, but if you're on a budget it depends on the specifics.

 

[Loswr]

I've had just one experience with Canon service, with the 1D X service notice (never had anything actually fail). I was in NJ for business, dropped it off at the Jamesburg facility expecting they'd do the fix and ship it to me. They fixed it in <1 hr while I waited, cleaned the sensor, too.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Just how common is it to send cameras in for repair?

I started getting serious in photography in 1980. Since then I have owned 5 camera bodies. I have never sent in any of them for any servicing. My first DSLR I took to a local shop to have the sensor cleaned... once. That's all.

From reading some of the posts on this and other sites, it sometimes appears that people are sending in cameras multiple times a year!

It depends on the use and number of cameras. If a camera is used daily by a pro and gets knocked about, its had a rough life and needs more frequent repair. I've had at least 50 DSLR's, and never repaired any (One Sony Minolta DSLR had a bent CF pin when I bought it. I straightened it myself and it was fine after). Lenses need repair for me more often. However, a camera can sit unused, and fail the next time its used. the longer it sits unused, the more likely something will fail. Heat from having a camera in a car during hot weather is extremely hard on equipment.

I think the statistics given were for camera bodies and lenses. I'm sure that the number of lens repairs overwhelms the number of body repairs, simply because there are more lens rented than bodies. That's why the business is called "Lens Rentals"

 

[YellowJersey]

I worked in a camera shop for a year and the store policy was not to send any equipment out for repair until we had at least ten pieces to send away. The owners (sleezeballs is putting it lightly) wanted to save money on shipping. So if you're sending the camera away via a shop, there's a chance it's spent most of that time sitting in a drawer.

(I ended up getting myself fired for "not being a team player" when I asked for a copy of my employment contract (something they're legally obligated to provide) and then pointed out all their very illegal business policies. We're talking about people who repackaged used and demo equipment and sold it as brand new. I remember one of the owners boasting that their knockoff Gary Fong flash diffusers were "just as good, in fact, they're better." I could write a bloody book on these clowns.)

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I worked in a camera shop for a year and the store policy was not to send any equipment out for repair until we had at least ten pieces to send away. The owners (sleezeballs is putting it lightly) wanted to save money on shipping. So if you're sending the camera away via a shop, there's a chance it's spent most of that time sitting in a drawer.

(I ended up getting myself fired for "not being a team player" when I asked for a copy of my employment contract (something they're legally obligated to provide) and then pointed out all their very illegal business policies. We're talking about people who repackaged used and demo equipment and sold it as brand new. I remember one of the owners boasting that their knockoff Gary Fong flash diffusers were "just as good, in fact, they're better." I could write a bloody book on these clowns.)

That type of store will eventually fail because word gets around. Stores that are willing to go the extra step for customers have a better chance of making it, but lets face it, retail brick and mortar stores can't compete on price with the internet. We have a local camera store that's been around over 100 years. They saw the internet thing coming and went into it in a big way. (www.onecall.com). They also share a warehouse and shipping department with Mountain Gear (http://www.mountaingear.com/). I suspect its a family business.

They were really not able to match B&H and Adorama for volume, and even tried selling on Amazon. They began selling high end audio gear and installations as their primary product, and I can no longer walk into their store and speak with a "Pro" photographer like I could 30 years ago. They have opened a 2nd store, and seem to be doing ok, but their camera sales feels more and more like Best Buy. They still hold seminars hosted ny Nikon or Canon where you can try all the latest gear, while Best Buy does not stock most of the pro lenses and bodies locally.

There is a tiny camera store in Couer D Alene Idaho that is just hanging on. They do employee photographers, so I buy my gear there when I can. They do not usually stock high end stuff, but get it for me in 2-3 days, direct from Canon or Nikon, about the same time as shipping from the East coast. Canon and Nikon do a fair job of supporting them and ship orders quickly. I decided to buy a D800 when they first came out. Camera Corral got one from Nikon for me in less than 2 weeks. I used it for a month before giving up in disgust due to the high ISO noise and lower quality lenses. Buyers even then were waiting weeks to get one from B&H, so I sold the camera for a profit.

 

[RGF]

I've had just one experience with Canon service, with the 1D X service notice (never had anything actually fail). I was in NJ for business, dropped it off at the Jamesburg facility expecting they'd do the fix and ship it to me. They fixed it in <1 hr while I waited, cleaned the sensor, too.

All my experiences with Canon repair facilities have been excellent.

 

[YellowJersey]

I worked in a camera shop for a year and the store policy was not to send any equipment out for repair until we had at least ten pieces to send away. The owners (sleezeballs is putting it lightly) wanted to save money on shipping. So if you're sending the camera away via a shop, there's a chance it's spent most of that time sitting in a drawer.

(I ended up getting myself fired for "not being a team player" when I asked for a copy of my employment contract (something they're legally obligated to provide) and then pointed out all their very illegal business policies. We're talking about people who repackaged used and demo equipment and sold it as brand new. I remember one of the owners boasting that their knockoff Gary Fong flash diffusers were "just as good, in fact, they're better." I could write a bloody book on these clowns.)

That type of store will eventually fail because word gets around. Stores that are willing to go the extra step for customers have a better chance of making it, but lets face it, retail brick and mortar stores can't compete on price with the internet. We have a local camera store that's been around over 100 years. They saw the internet thing coming and went into it in a big way. (www.onecall.com). They also share a warehouse and shipping department with Mountain Gear (http://www.mountaingear.com/). I suspect its a family business.

They were really not able to match B&H and Adorama for volume, and even tried selling on Amazon. They began selling high end audio gear and installations as their primary product, and I can no longer walk into their store and speak with a "Pro" photographer like I could 30 years ago. They have opened a 2nd store, and seem to be doing ok, but their camera sales feels more and more like Best Buy. They still hold seminars hosted ny Nikon or Canon where you can try all the latest gear, while Best Buy does not stock most of the pro lenses and bodies locally.

There is a tiny camera store in Couer D Alene Idaho that is just hanging on. They do employee photographers, so I buy my gear there when I can. They do not usually stock high end stuff, but get it for me in 2-3 days, direct from Canon or Nikon, about the same time as shipping from the East coast. Canon and Nikon do a fair job of supporting them and ship orders quickly. I decided to buy a D800 when they first came out. Camera Corral got one from Nikon for me in less than 2 weeks. I used it for a month before giving up in disgust due to the high ISO noise and lower quality lenses. Buyers even then were waiting weeks to get one from B&H, so I sold the camera for a profit.

It baffles me how this store hasn't gone out of business yet. I won't name names due to the fact that my boss still works there, he's a really good guy, and I'd hate for anything I have to say come back to bite him.

I think the brick and mortar stores still have a place and can still compete, though their market share has significantly shrunk and it's not coming back. The situation here in Canada is a bit different as it can be too difficult to buy from the big U.S. online retailers due to the dollar, customs, warranty issues, and because some manufacturers have prohibited U.S. retailers from shipping north. My store of choice, both online and in person, is The Camera Store (www.thecamerastore.com).

I really think that, in Canada at least, the key to survival and success is to provide exceptional service, selection, and prices at your physical store while also having a well implemented online storefront. What I love about The Camera Store is that you can walk in and they have virtually everything you could ever want in stock along with demo copies you can pick up and fiddle with. Even things like digital medium format bodies you can pick up and have a play with. All of their staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Everything about these guys is top notch, and if you want to survive, I think this is the only way to do it. If you're good to your customers, a lot of them will be good to you and keep coming back. (and maybe trumpet your virtues on an internet forum ) Hell, I live on the other side of the country now and I still buy my stuff exclusively through them because they've been so good to me in the past.

I think the success of places like The Apple Store shows that physical retail is far from dead. Online shopping is here to stay, but given how packed a place like The Apple Store is all the time, I think a lot of people still value being able to go to a store and physically see, feel, and use the product before they buy it. (even though there is no shortage of people who will go into a store, get all the help and advice from staff, and then buy it online somewhere else, but that's just the nature of the beast).

 

[ritholtz]

There is a lot of talk on other forums about Sony outsourcing everything to precision or some third party vendors.
I think, Sony will direct you to precision for any repairs. Lot of people are not happy with the delays. Is it the case with Canon?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I think the brick and mortar stores still have a place and can still compete, though their market share has significantly shrunk and it's not coming back. The situation here in Canada is a bit different as it can be too difficult to buy from the big U.S. online retailers due to the dollar, customs, warranty issues, and because some manufacturers have prohibited U.S. retailers from shipping north. My store of choice, both online and in person, is The Camera Store (www.thecamerastore.com).

I really think that, in Canada at least, the key to survival and success is to provide exceptional service, selection, and prices at your physical store while also having a well implemented online storefront. What I love about The Camera Store is that you can walk in and they have virtually everything you could ever want in stock along with demo copies you can pick up and fiddle with. Even things like digital medium format bodies you can pick up and have a play with. All of their staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Everything about these guys is top notch, and if you want to survive, I think this is the only way to do it. If you're good to your customers, a lot of them will be good to you and keep coming back. (and maybe trumpet your virtues on an internet forum ) Hell, I live on the other side of the country now and I still buy my stuff exclusively through them because they've been so good to me in the past.

I think the success of places like The Apple Store shows that physical retail is far from dead. Online shopping is here to stay, but given how packed a place like The Apple Store is all the time, I think a lot of people still value being able to go to a store and physically see, feel, and use the product before they buy it. (even though there is no shortage of people who will go into a store, get all the help and advice from staff, and then buy it online somewhere else, but that's just the nature of the beast).

I'd like to visit "The Camera Store", they are a days drive (427mi) from Spokane, Calgary is a nice place to visit. I'm getting to the point where I don't like long drives. I used to enjoy going 900 miles in a day, now 300 miles seems grueling.

I lived in the Toronto area for 2-1/2 years and tried to purchase cameras from the stores there. At the time, selection of high end video cameras was very limited, service was a joke, so I ended up Placing my first order with B&H. I had it shipped to my home in Seattle, and then brought it back the next time I was there.

 

[YellowJersey]

I think the brick and mortar stores still have a place and can still compete, though their market share has significantly shrunk and it's not coming back. The situation here in Canada is a bit different as it can be too difficult to buy from the big U.S. online retailers due to the dollar, customs, warranty issues, and because some manufacturers have prohibited U.S. retailers from shipping north. My store of choice, both online and in person, is The Camera Store (www.thecamerastore.com).

I really think that, in Canada at least, the key to survival and success is to provide exceptional service, selection, and prices at your physical store while also having a well implemented online storefront. What I love about The Camera Store is that you can walk in and they have virtually everything you could ever want in stock along with demo copies you can pick up and fiddle with. Even things like digital medium format bodies you can pick up and have a play with. All of their staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. Everything about these guys is top notch, and if you want to survive, I think this is the only way to do it. If you're good to your customers, a lot of them will be good to you and keep coming back. (and maybe trumpet your virtues on an internet forum ) Hell, I live on the other side of the country now and I still buy my stuff exclusively through them because they've been so good to me in the past.

I think the success of places like The Apple Store shows that physical retail is far from dead. Online shopping is here to stay, but given how packed a place like The Apple Store is all the time, I think a lot of people still value being able to go to a store and physically see, feel, and use the product before they buy it. (even though there is no shortage of people who will go into a store, get all the help and advice from staff, and then buy it online somewhere else, but that's just the nature of the beast).

I'd like to visit "The Camera Store", they are a days drive (427mi) from Spokane, Calgary is a nice place to visit. I'm getting to the point where I don't like long drives. I used to enjoy going 900 miles in a day, now 300 miles seems grueling.

I lived in the Toronto area for 2-1/2 years and tried to purchase cameras from the stores there. At the time, selection of high end video cameras was very limited, service was a joke, so I ended up Placing my first order with B&H. I had it shipped to my home in Seattle, and then brought it back the next time I was there.

Should you ever find yourself in Calgary, I highly recommend dropping in. I'm currently in Toronto and looking to move back out west in the next year or two. I don't mind long drives outside of cities, particularly if it means I get the shot (put 10,000km on my van during my last drip to New Zealand). Flying is an absolute nightmare though.

 

[martti]

"Flying is an absolute nightmare, though."

That's what Xanax is for. Just do not take too much so that you wet yourself.

'Al Prazolam, never leave home without it'

 

[fragilesi]

Yes sure Dylan. It would never be that everyone would get disappointing service at Sony. We keep saying 'Sony' 'Canon' etc as if they are person. The service on that particular moment depends upon the human who takes the order and the one who executes it. That person can ruin it for Sony or Canon alike or make it great. Canon seems to be structured much much better at service centers. But the human executing matters a lot. Yes?

sanj yes the individuals matter and for this reason as much as any other it's pretty much impossible to always guarantee good service. But good processes, training and structure as well as good recruitment practices make a hell of a lot of difference to the overall trend.

 

[sanj]

Camera came back today. Happiness. The way it was going I was not sure if I will get it before my USA trip. Just got it and made some quick tests. All good so far.

 

[fragilesi]

Camera came back today. Happiness. The way it was going I was not sure if I will get it before my USA trip. Just got it and made some quick tests. All good so far.

Good news! Hope you have a great trip and share some of the pictures when you get back .