Fujifilm warranty is absolutely horrible!

I got off the phone today with their repair center in Edison NJ. I sent them my X Pro1 because A MECHANICAL SWITCH to toggle the OVF/EVF occasionally fails.
They denied my warranty claim, as they claim that there was impact damage because there is a scratch/crack on the front of the view finder. They then gave me this estimate:
Estimate Charge ($) 860.26 Shipping Charge ($) 18 Tax ($) 77.95 Total Charges ($) 956.21!! $956!!!
TO FIX A SWITCH!!
Even if the the front glass was damaged due to a "impact" (which I do not remember, which is not to say that it didn't happen somewhere), it is in a different part of the camera.
Mind you, I'm not asking them to replace the glass on the view finder - that doesn't bother me - it's that this supposed "impact" has voided the entire warranty of every part of the camera, including items that should have nothing to do with the supposed area of impact! Additionally, the camera body is only 3 months old, and is in mint condition - not a scratch on it - except the view finder (I'll see what they're talking about when I get the camera back).
Fuji makes beautiful cameras, but you may all want to buy a from a vendor that honors their own warranties.

That is ridiculous if true. There must be someone to contact who is less reticent about destroying customer image. I've been stung by horrible CS before, but not to the tune of a brand new item price.

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That sounds perfectly normal.

Ask for Steve. He is most helpful and wouldn't do that to you.

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Not sure what you mean by "normal". This is supposed to be a professional camera, even an impact that is enough to crack the LCD shouldn't damage the camera internals. Compare this to my D700. I've got thrown off a motor bike at 30mph in Thailand, landed on top of my Nikon D700 + 85mm f/1.4 lens. Yes, landed ON TOP OF MY CAMERA. The camera and lens were just fine (the camera looks a bit beat up, but everything works perfectly). The only downside was that I broke every single bone in my lower right leg... Compare that to this Fuji!



Surprised at this in every way. I have nothing but praise for the way fuji  uk have dealt with my warranty claims.

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Unfortunately, I spoke to two supervisors already. Both claim that yes, due to impact damage (which may be true - it just didn't occur when I was around - not saying that it didn't happen), every part of the camera is no longer under warranty.

I'm now seriously reconsidering my decision to build an EVIL system based on the X system...

Anyway, they just shipped out my camera. I'll live with a broken switch - it's not fatal, but definitely no more Fuji gear for me.

Unfortunately I'm not dealing with Fujifilm UK.

What do you mean, exactly, by "professional camera"?  It's clearly not in the same build class as Nikon/Canon/et al.'s "professional cameras" (which can be supported by a specialized professional service department (e.g. NPS), a service Fuji doesn't offer).

The local Fujifilm service center told me that they don't handle repairs of the X Pro-1 as all pro cameras have to be sent to NJ. Not to mention, Fuji does call this a pro camera in the very name. But hey, a Nikon D700 is also not a pro camera, and neither is a D300 - which I've dropped onto the concrete side walk before.

But this is really besides the point - even a supposed impact (again, I don't know if it did happen) should not void the warranty on every item of the camera, including things that have nothing to do with the suppose area of impact!

Call and ask for Dan, he is the manager.  See this covered, please ignore.  I am very disappointed after reading Some of the current threads.

Same thing happened to me in Toronto, but on a bicycle, tyre wedging into the street car rail as I was turning left (left is across traffic, right? I'm in Japan now, and sometimes forget), and I flipped head over hoods and landed on my backpack that was carrying my D200 and at that time 18-70G lens.

Camera underwent worse, too, but still works, now 5 years later. Lens is plastic, so took the impact quite well.

I know for sure that my Canon P, a camera that is far more solid than any current camera on the market, however, would lose its rangefinder alignment at the very least. Fuji made a mistake calling the X-Pro 1 'PRO'.

Those three letters dredge up images of incredibly solid, well-supported cameras, whether from the days of Nikon's F, to the current pro line from the only two companies that still put out pro 35mm SLR's: Canon and Nikon.

I would have to say, though, the D200 is far more solid than the D800.

Pro is so auspicious; it reminds me of the word 'authentic'. Label something authentic and it's like saying: "We're real, guys, really! You can trust us!" Authentic Thai food for instance sounds like it belongs in the backwaters of a very non-Thai population in a far away land. 'Pro' in a name is abysmal marketing.

X-1 would have been far better. Gathers less expectations from people who believe in authenticity, garners less bad press when something goes wrong, and generally makes one's line look less foolish.

Still, with the recent nosedive in X-Pro 1 prices in Japan to less than 850$ USD, I'm eyeing one very keenly. I'm already sold, having bought lens adapter from Hawk's Factory, just waiting for the right moment.

There's nothing professional about the X-Pro 1. You can make your living on any camera. But its ethos and ergonomics (apart from the tiny, chintzy OVF/EVF and lack of manual focus confirmation in the OVF) grip me. Shoot digital just like shooting film: all controls at the finger tips, easily recognisable from the outside, without having to turn the camera on, or tweaking the shutter button to get a bloody ISO, FSTOP, SHUTTER speed readout in the viewfinder as per the D800 crap. Really, Nikon have lost all notion of ergonomics since competing only with Canon. Only Fuji understand that gee whiz gadgets actually complicate the process when there is no tangible feedback.

But they fail in marketing. X-Pro 1 is the silliest name ever invented for an expensive, mostly half-arsed amalgamation of interesting parts.

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The D700 and D300 are both considered "pro" for the purposes of NPS support.  Check the list.

The "pro" in the name is nothing but marketing, I'm afraid.

It depends on the force of the impact.

With all due respect Joel - you have no way to know what has occurred, who this person is, how they treated their camera, or if they indeed have one.

They only popped up today to share their sad story - no track record

Could be someone who's so upset that they joined to tell everyone else

Does sound odd that so many on here have had exactly the opposite experience of Fuji service

Who knows - no way to tell

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You are correct - I joined today because I was so upset at the way Fujifilm handled this. I had no idea that idea physical damage to the screen would void the warranty on a 3 month old camera. If you would like, I'll be happy to email you photos of the camera (once I get it back) as well as a copy of the estimates I received.

No way to tell, indeed. But, if true, it paints Fuji in exactly the light their 'professional' label for the X-Pro 1 shouldn't. True or not, a comment here cannot take away the fact that Fujifilm are BSing their customers and playing backwater restaurant authenticity on the mirrorless market simply because.

Strip 'Pro' from the name, establish realistic services for professionals, extend services worldwide, and support the hardware. That is what Fujifilm need to do. Gadgets and whee-doo's we have. Fuji just make them more ergonomic and interesting. Proper professional services we do not have anywhere in the mirrorless market apart from (to a certain extent) Leica.

Unfortunately, it is par for the course with Japanese companies. By and large, they haven't embraced foreign modus operandi; instead, they do things the way they always have in a country without a real government and consumer watchgroups. Companies rule this nation and get away with what would amounts to murder in Europe and maybe even North America (another place where customers get hammered, but not quite as badly).

Fuji need to step out of their stupid Japanese pigheaded obnoxiousness and make a real ecosystem, including services, including a culture of support. If they don't, they're just the Japanese company that have discovered ergonomics.

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Now you're here you should contribute to the forum - don't just make it a negative experience

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I will try! I've been lurking for years, but never had a reason to sign up until today, to gripe.

Having said all this - I will probably get a X E1 (or the E2 once its out). I will just have to buy some extended warranty from a third party this time. The quality of the image is just too good, and unfortunately, Fujifilm seems to be the only company who understands ergonomics.

Got your Email - fair dues and thx for clearing up any doubt about the repair

Just sent you a contact at Fuji USA to try - hope it gets you a better result

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I should point out that they have tow gentlemen there, and they are both named Steve