My run around with Precision Camera....

[digitalshooter]

did they sub it out also? I was told that when Sony acquired the KM end, they acquired lot stock and all. That's an interesting point although I dont know if we can hold KM that far back on the chain of responsibility.

Would be interesting to know if KM actually made the parts themself. Phil had told me at the time of acquisition, they had few parts leftover to pass on to Precision, that it was basically up to Sony who accepted responsibility for warrnty work to get the parts.

Interesting though.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[digitalshooter]

but the lower end employees could care less and my opinion the corporate end could also care less about the BBB.

I think we have to look deeper like some federal trade violation or something, just dont know. We need somone with some expertise that can address corporate responsibility for the products they sell and warranty.

As said earlier, we just dont want to end up with a 50.00 coupon valid towards the purchase of something else from Sony.

United we stand, divided we fall!

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[Mark Pernal]

Regarding warranty...don't they pretty much spell it out in the "overview" here in plain english?

http://esupport.sony.com/perl/news-item.pl?news_id=120 ion_id=1;

--
Mark Pernal, FPSA, RPS
Lk Mary, FL
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=21985
http://photobucket.com/albums/v213/digiartiste/

Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D dslr
Konica Minolta Z3
Minolta DiMage 7(ug)
Minolta HS(d)5600 flash
Konica Minolta 28-75 2.8
Promaster (Tamron) 18-200 EDO
Minolta 50 1.7

 

[Mark Pernal]

My link cut and paste went bad.....just copy inside the quotes

"esupport.sony.com/perl/news-item.pl?news_id=120&"

"region_id=1"

Past as one link adding the second line to the first after the ampersand....when posting part of the link is converted to the registered trademark symbol.

--
Mark Pernal, FPSA, RPS
Lk Mary, FL
http://www.photosig.com/go/users/view?id=21985
http://photobucket.com/albums/v213/digiartiste/

Konica Minolta Maxxum 7D dslr
Konica Minolta Z3
Minolta DiMage 7(ug)
Minolta HS(d)5600 flash
Konica Minolta 28-75 2.8
Promaster (Tamron) 18-200 EDO
Minolta 50 1.7

 

[digitalshooter]

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[Kendra Cleavenger]

Frankly, I have no clue about this legal stuff but...

When Sony bought the Minolta portion. What did they buy? I know they took over the repair and warranty fulfillment part....but what else? Wouldn't it have included the specs for building replacement parts? If Sony just purchased the actual replacement parts and ran out, then wouldn't it be Sony's fault for not doing their own calculations on what the needs would be? (Honestly, I assumed that the new Sony alpha would be italicizing the same parts as the Minolta DSLR's for the most part.)

I would think that my beef is with Sony since they are the one's not following through with the warranty.

Just kicking around some thoughts here. Honestly, it would be reasonable for them to offer the new Sony alpha's when they came out. (Though that wouldn't be an option for those of you left without any camera body until then.)

-Thinking further. What is happening to those that bought an extended warranty through a different company? How are those companies fulfilling the warranty they sold? Anyone going through that?

 

[digitalshooter]

Hopefully there would not be a loop hole like that for Sony. They agreed to do the warranty repairs as pointed out earlier link.

Of course if there are no parts and not enough people who have problems, then I could see very easily where Sony would say: give them a point and shoot it is cheaper than having the parts made or let them take action against us.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[Craig Gillette]

Lets say my 15-20 years experience in inventory control, product management, and defense electronics acquisition and production tells me that you really don't see the problems here and think it's simply a matter of making parts. And that you think that Sony simply won't make the parts because they are part of a conspiracy to force us to buy Sony.

If I had several years of problems or complaints about a product and felt the new "owner" of the business was conspiring against me, I'd buy something else and be done with it.

I think you have unrealistic expectations about the how this kind of product is made and supported and how business accomodates change.

And while you may think you are helping, by contacting Sony, KM, Precision, etc, you are taking people's time and attention away from resolving real problems.

 

[digitalshooter]

Wow all that experience and still no answer to explain how!

Regarding my taking up somones time, Who's? Precison apparrently has plenty because, as posted still today, people are being told NO PARTS."

Other posters have suggested the exact action I have taken, writing letters.

Sorry, we just have to agree to disagree on this one.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[Mogambo]

No I have not. I have no beef with Precision. Its Sony that is making me run around. Is Sony (USA) based in NY?

 

[Mogambo]

No one from KM has called me and of course no one from Sony has called me.

I was hoping to atleast get an email. Sony had sent me an email in the past but they were requesting that I send them proof of purchase for a DSC-H5, which is what they were offering me as a replacement for my 7D.

I have no idea what they were smoking when they sent that email.

I called them, then had to re-send proof of purchase for the 7D. Am waiting now.

 

[JusGene]

Some of us are familiar with the background you mention.

My educated guess is that when KM 'shut down', they had a lot of parts from the stopped production line, not to mention those which would have been already set aside for repairs under their own system.

This is addressing anyone's question about Sony/Precision not having parts. Is there a black hole out there where the parts went?
--
Gene

I live in Minoltaville, just inside Sony City (but I may have to go with the flow) Awaiting 7D upgrade.
'The only thing easier than being wrong .. is denying it!' -me
MaxxuM 7 Digital

 

[digitalshooter]

I was told that once the turn over date of 040106 hit, KM already had a very limited amount of supplies. There was no reason for them to order at that point, supposively Precision got all they had. I dont know why KM did not have a large inventory of parts on hand. Maybe they knew something was pending.

No as to why KM did not have a large surplus, who knows.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[JusGene]

cuz if KM owned them, they could/would still transfer them to Sony.

DID they have them is the bigger question?
--
Gene

I live in Minoltaville, just inside Sony City (but I may have to go with the flow) Awaiting 7D upgrade.
'The only thing easier than being wrong .. is denying it!' -me
MaxxuM 7 Digital

 

[digitalshooter]

told me they had parts to repair 5d and 7D cameras. Yet somone else here on DPREVIEW called to check on their camera and they were told, we have no parts to fix your camera.

Very confusing!

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[digitalshooter]

My understanding is KM gave Precision all they had which was not much.

--
Thanks,

Digitalshooter!

Member of the 7D and Beercan Cult!

The light at the end of the tunnel is becoming clearer and its calling me to the darkside!

 

[JusGene]

but WHAT they knew was uncertain.

They knew they were 'going' under'. And probably had few bucks to allocate to large stocks of parts; whatever allocated to production.

They knew that Sony was a candidate. And probably gave them the 'key'! I think Sony could arrange for parts if they wanted to.

Here's an example of the kind of things that are malfunctioning on my 7D:

The Eye sensor (to blank screen) doesn't work. Other niggles that SHOULD be corrected, but don't warrant me sending it in for an eternity and uncertainty.
--
Gene

I live in Minoltaville, just inside Sony City (but I may have to go with the flow) Awaiting 7D upgrade.
'The only thing easier than being wrong .. is denying it!' -me
MaxxuM 7 Digital

 

[Ken_5D]

My understanding is KM gave Precision all they had which was not much.

"Not Much" to support all the cameras they made money off of in sales is where I think some liability and issues around Merchanability would come in and I am not sure they can sign that away. Though Sony if it had been smart would have require a 1 year supply of parts minimum.

This is starting to smell like a cut and run by KM... Not only did they want out of the camera buisness.. the execs didn't give a Rats A$$ about their customers. Not a good way to end a centriy in the business.
-----------------
Ken
I take photos, I am a photographer.
KM FIVE D

 

[Ken_5D]

but WHAT they knew was uncertain.

They knew they were 'going' under'. And probably had few bucks to
allocate to large stocks of parts; whatever allocated to production.

But they didn't go under.. they just ended that buisness line and sold off tehcnology and liability to Sony.. Going under would have geven them cover.. etc. But KM is a strong buisness just busy making copiers etc,

The question is were they negligent in how the ended the product line. Where there assumptions about transfer of repair materials? If there was a question.. should not have KM transfered replacement 7Ds to Sony/Precision vs loading up the Walmart trucks?

-----------------
Ken
I take photos, I am a photographer.
KM FIVE D

 

[newsshooterjim]

You know, I still read your constant copmplaints and still find
them to be lacking in basic understanding of how products are
supported or how large businesses function, or the aftermath of
major business changes. Your fixation that this is simply a lack
of repair parts and all Sony has to do is make or find a few parts
and whip them off to Connecticut is laughable. I wouldn't excuse
Sony or KM but I don't find the random incidents discussed on
forums like this necessarily to be representative of the way the
business changes have worked out or to be representative of all
customer service issues.

If my camera (not somebody else's) required repair and reasonable
steps didn't result in resolution, then I wouldn't waste my time
here, I'd work with my lawyer to take the appropriate legal steps
to resolve this contract dispute. Other people are free to seek
advice from the sources they find appropriate.

For me, some things simply fall below the radar of full fledged legal action, and I'd say a sub $2k camera would probably land into that category, not being worth engaging the expense of an attorney.

As far as "complaining" goes, I'd say it's actually more sharing our experiences than simply "complaining." Thanks to this forum, I have a very good idea of what's going to expect during my dealings with Sony on my dying 7d, thanks to others' experiences.

Jim Dean