Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Started Aug 16, 2014 | Discussions
Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
20

A warning for anyone who is considering buying the Nissin i40 flash unit. I suspect that this will be a generic defect with the unit rather than a issue with my particular sample, although it would be good for other users to contribute to help confirm this.

The text markings on the unit's dials and buttons are of poor quality and, with my sample, have rubbed off through contact with the inside of my camera bag (soft fabric lining) over a period of approximately 6-8 weeks. Once the text has started to rub off it is possible to rub it off completely by further (gentle) rubbing with your finger (finger, not finger nail!).

The flash unit has no LCD screen and so the markings on the buttons are the only way to tell what the flash settings are set to. This issue makes the operation of the flash a real problem.

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MrFresno Veteran Member • Posts: 3,197
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
1

Did you contact Nissin and share this photo with them? I would like to hear how they respond to this as I was planning to buy this flash (when it is released for Fuji). If they don't take care of an issue like this, then I would quickly lose interest in their products.

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quezra Veteran Member • Posts: 3,915
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Randy Benter wrote:

Did you contact Nissin and share this photo with them? I would like to hear how they respond to this as I was planning to buy this flash (when it is released for Fuji). If they don't take care of an issue like this, then I would quickly lose interest in their products.

Same here. Is it a common problem with Nissin flashes though?  It sure makes the flash look cheap (or maybe extremely overpriced).

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OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Randy Benter wrote:

Did you contact Nissin and share this photo with them? I would like to hear how they respond to this as I was planning to buy this flash (when it is released for Fuji). If they don't take care of an issue like this, then I would quickly lose interest in their products.

I'm currently in the process of contacting Nissin via the supplier / camera store. I'll hopefully have a response sometime in the coming week.

I am still hopeful that this could be a problem with a particular batch (my unit was one of the very first batches released for micro 4/3). It is a very competent and simple to use flash unit and it would be a shame to have to go for something else because of an issue like this.

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HymanRoth Regular Member • Posts: 106
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
2

Clear nail gloss applied sparingly. Problem solved.

OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
11

Clear nail gloss applied sparingly. Problem solved.

Should be simple for Nissin to correct then
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Red Boar Regular Member • Posts: 103
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

HymanRoth wrote:

Clear nail gloss applied sparingly. Problem solved.

Rigging a new retail product shouldn't be necessary...hopefully Nissin will fix the problem before sending any more out.

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Julius
Julius Contributing Member • Posts: 865
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Have you ever heard from Nissin about this problem and if you did what was their response?

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OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Have you ever heard from Nissin about this problem and if you did what was their response?

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54215836

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absoluutbeginner
absoluutbeginner Contributing Member • Posts: 667
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Bugger ..ive just bought one !

Well..... lets by the nail polish then....

Any better suggestions then nail polish ?

Kind regards

OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
1

Bugger ..ive just bought one !

Well..... lets by the nail polish then....

Any better suggestions then nail polish ?

Kind regards

I'd just use it without modifying it at all... it could be that mine is a bad copy. Also, painting anything over the surface is likely to invalidate the warranty. If it fails then decide if you want another or want to return it and get something else. If it doesn't fail then just continue to enjoy it.

I'm not a big fan of buying things to modify. I think the product should be right in the first place and it's down to the manufacturer to sort out any faults.

I'll let you all know what response I get back from Nissin and the UK distributor.

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Rudolf Regular Member • Posts: 479
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING
3

absoluutbeginner wrote:

Bugger ..ive just bought one !

Well..... lets by the nail polish then....

Any better suggestions then nail polish ?

Kind regards

I wouldn't apply nail polish as it could have an adverse chemical reaction with the ink, The reason for the failure in the first place could be that they used the wrong thinner with the ink for it to bond with the plastic. Placing an adhesive screen protector over the figuring may be a better solution

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OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Nissin i40 Flash WARNING - Update
2

I received the following response from Nissin today.

Thank you for your mail and using Nissin i40 for Four Thirds.

Our local distributor Kenro have contact to us about your case on yesterday. For sure that the printing quality is not perfect on your unit. This case is covered by warranty terms. Service engineer in Kenro will contact to you and assist for exchange. This defective unit will return to our factory for further analysis.

As we didn’t found the same issue in our inventory, and the same dial is shared with Canon and Nikon version. We trust that this case will be one of the particular case in early batch. To ensure that this problem is solved for you. Kenro will do exchange to you with the unit form later production.

Welcome to contact to us or Kenro for further assist.

Thank you again for your supporting.

Hopefully the issue is, as they say, due to the flash unit being from an early batch. I will be exchanging this with another version and let you all know how it goes... but I guess the proof will not be out until I've had it several weeks. In any event it is good that Nissin have provided such a prompt response and seem to be keen to address the issue (a lot of camera manufacturers could learn from that approach).

Anyone else with a Nissin i40 experienced the same issue?

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quezra Veteran Member • Posts: 3,915
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING - Update

Photo Pete wrote:

I received the following response from Nissin today.

Thank you for your mail and using Nissin i40 for Four Thirds.

Our local distributor Kenro have contact to us about your case on yesterday. For sure that the printing quality is not perfect on your unit. This case is covered by warranty terms. Service engineer in Kenro will contact to you and assist for exchange. This defective unit will return to our factory for further analysis.

As we didn’t found the same issue in our inventory, and the same dial is shared with Canon and Nikon version. We trust that this case will be one of the particular case in early batch. To ensure that this problem is solved for you. Kenro will do exchange to you with the unit form later production.

Welcome to contact to us or Kenro for further assist.

Thank you again for your supporting.

Hopefully the issue is, as they say, due to the flash unit being from an early batch. I will be exchanging this with another version and let you all know how it goes... but I guess the proof will not be out until I've had it several weeks. In any event it is good that Nissin have provided such a prompt response and seem to be keen to address the issue (a lot of camera manufacturers could learn from that approach).

Anyone else with a Nissin i40 experienced the same issue?

Thanks for the update.  Hope the second unit goes better.  It's interesting no one else yet has reported this issue.  But it looks like it will be worth waiting a while to get mine.

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AV Janus Senior Member • Posts: 1,994
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING - Update

Cool!

Detailed, personal and honest answer from them.

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JCB123 Senior Member • Posts: 1,274
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Photo Pete wrote:

A warning for anyone who is considering buying the Nissin i40 flash unit. I suspect that this will be a generic defect with the unit rather than a issue with my particular sample, although it would be good for other users to contribute to help confirm this.

The text markings on the unit's dials and buttons are of poor quality and, with my sample, have rubbed off through contact with the inside of my camera bag (soft fabric lining) over a period of approximately 6-8 weeks. Once the text has started to rub off it is possible to rub it off completely by further (gentle) rubbing with your finger (finger, not finger nail!).

The flash unit has no LCD screen and so the markings on the buttons are the only way to tell what the flash settings are set to. This issue makes the operation of the flash a real problem.

Thanks for the warning. I bought one a couple of weeks ago. Its fine but I haven't used it all that extensively and have been hauling it inside my bag in its own case. I'll keep a close eye out for this issue. Its good to hear that Nissin responded well to your report. I've used a Di466 for a few years now plus a couple of Nikon compatible models and had no issues with any of them. I am very pleased with the operation of this little flash so far but longer term reliability is yet to be discovered.

Regards

John

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OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Update
5

I now have a new i40 from Kenro, Nissin's UK importer. The lettering appears fine... but the last one took a few weeks to start to wear off, so only time will tell. As it stands at the moment though I would say the problem appears to have been a bad sample from an early batch rather than a generic problem.

Very impressed with the response from Nissin and Kenro and my local camera store (Harrison Cameras). No denial of the issue and an immediate replacement and commitment to assess the faulty unit, in order to rule out any risk of future failures. There are a lot of manufacturer's and dealers who should be paying attention and trying to emulate that approach.

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absoluutbeginner
absoluutbeginner Contributing Member • Posts: 667
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Oeps .........Warranty gone!

I took the "advice " to apply some  nail polish (the cheapest to find). .

The sales lady looked at me like :" nail polish for letter protection on flash ? o.k. ?! poor bugger ..what a dumb excuse !"

Ive placed a few layers .

It looks o.k. bonding o.k. no problems at all .

Its a article to use and not to stay beautiful!

OP Photo Pete Veteran Member • Posts: 5,430
Re: Nissin i40 Flash WARNING

Oeps .........Warranty gone!

I took the "advice " to apply some  nail polish (the cheapest to find). .

The sales lady looked at me like :" nail polish for letter protection on flash ? o.k. ?! poor bugger ..what a dumb excuse !"

Ive placed a few layers .

It looks o.k. bonding o.k. no problems at all .

Its a article to use and not to stay beautiful!

I hope it wasn't coloured nail varnish.... although red dials could be quite funky even if you can't read them!
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steve r29 New Member • Posts: 14
Re: Update

Any update on how the new unit is holding up?

Thanks

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