Be Careful of Fujifilm Warranty Repair Service Singapore
- Thread starter Zadarkh
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iamnubie
Senior Member
That's more expensive than fixing a Leika.
You should probably write in and complain to the higher management. I'm not too sure about the accuracy of the information, but I had frequented dpreview forums in the past and where the SAB is concerned, the fujifilm service centers have been reported to repair the SAB free of charge that has expired warranty. I don't see why Fujifilm Singapore shouldn't do the same as this is a manufacturing defect, unless your camera has some other damage or is a grey set. But from your post, I can see its not the case. Take it up with the senior management. I agree its too much to pay for a premium camera with a defect, and then have to pay more to repair said defect. If this is the way fujifilm handles their customers, I won't own another camera from them again.
Cheesecake
Senior Member
Jus when im ready to buy! Haiz!
well, this 'large' amount is not unheard of...
I called them up recently to find out if I can purchase extended warranty for a unit after the 14 days of purchase and they say no. And I ask them about the SAB issue. I mean it may fail anytime, so I just wanted to make sure the cost isn't too high if I purchase a 2nd hand. The customer support rep suggested the repair cost should be below $900. I asked her that's absurd knowing that it's about 70-75% of the cost of a new one? She says she cannot confirm actual price, but should be below $900. That's also almost the cost of a 2nd hand these days on Buy and Sell.
Imagine buying a 2nd hand one, spoil the very week you bring it for a trip, and when you ask FujiFilm to help repair, they are basically asking you to buy another 2nd hand one in the market (just an analogy). *FAINT*
I think the 8xx seems to gel with what I received from the support team in Fujifilm.
So for me, unless I buy 1 with warranty (not just a few weeks), it's just too risky.
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MichaelLee
Senior Member
imagine if u decided to buy another 2nd hand (the 2nd time u bought X100), and it also has SAB (heartattack !)
yrh0413
Senior Member
there is always risk in buying used electronic gadgets. I don't see the reason why Fuji should fix for free for cameras that are out of warranty. Their quoted $900, might be $400 for the new lens assembly and $500 for services... because it is no longer under warranty Fuji will have to charge you full rate.
Few months back I have a customer who had hardware failure on their IBM server (out of warranty). IBM charged $1,500 per day of service, and 3x the price of the faulty part. In the end my customer paid almost $5,000 for the repair. FYI their server cost them only $3k 3 years back.
If you want peace of mind, get a brand new x100 + 2yrs extended warranty.
Sure, I agree with that. I already said so in my message. And there's also no suggestion that I want it for free.
Wear and tear, no problem.
SAB, I think that's a different matter. And even so, I have suggested that I may even risk it if the cost was a little more reasonable.
Anyways, that's alright ... I'll save myself the trouble until Fujifilm "fixes" this issue with new versions of this camera (if there's 1).
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MichaelLee
Senior Member
personally I dun think SAB is a wear and tear. It is more like manufacturing defect, just like toyota call back the cars to replace the brake, whether or not it is in/out warrnaty, has or doesn't have the problem.
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yrh0413
Senior Member
can't compare camera and cars... faulty brake kills but faulty aperture doesn't :bsmilie:
Mostly regarding hardware problems, I'd agree with you - for computer parts that out of of warranty, repair costs are applicable and I find that reasonable. If my hardware fails, I'd just pay for repairs if the fees are reasonable or get a new unit.
However, in the case of the x100 SAB issue, Fujifilm is practically selling a camera with a ticking time bomb for failure inside - I had that problem on my second week on a brand new camera. If it was a one off case, so be it. But there have been owners who's cameras went in for SAB repairs more than twice, one case even thrice - each time Fujifilm assuring them that it will be fixed and won't happen again.
for cars that come with such a defect, such as a batch of the mazda rx8 defects, a worldwide recall was issued. Mazda to recall nearly all RX-8s
to draw a fairer comparison - Widespread CCD problems in consumer imaging products
basically there was a bad batch of sensors that went bad. and I quote from the website :
"What to do if you have an affected product:
In all cases, the manufacturers involved are offering free repair of affected products, even if the original warranty period has expired. If you have a product that displays the problem described here, you must contact the manufacturer to arrange for the repair. This is important. -- None of the manufacturers involved are contacting consumers to announce a blanket recall: It's up to the consumer to contact them to take advantage of the free repair service."
This is what I expect from Fujifilm regarding the SAB problem. Till date they have never given an explanation regarding how this problem occurs, and it seems to me that they don't know why it does happen. Except it does. It can fail as early as one week into ownership, or 1 year even. After paying 1700 for a camera and getting the extended warranty, I'd expect a better service policy.
As it stands now, I have read many accounts of owners stating that fujifilm has repaired the SAB problem free of charge even outside of warranty (proof of purchase is required though - grey sets will not be covered), but those users were mainly based in USA, Canada or EU/UK. If the poster saying that fujifilm is charging him for the repairs when he meets all the above requirements, then I think Fujifilm Singapore is doing something wrong compared to the offices based in the abovementioned countries.
For cars, it's the ability to drive ... for cameras, it's the ability to take photos. Faulty brakes means you can't drive the car, Faulty aperture means you can't take photos.
Get the drift?
I feel that too ... but FF SG doesn't think so.
keep in mind that for the fujifilm x10 orb issue, fujifilm is replacing sensors free of charge - for an issue that doesn't show up all the time. it doesn't hamper the camera's ability to take photographs as much as a SAB does to the x100, and yet the x10 pretty much gets a blanket replacement policy.
I don't see why x100 owners should be getting the bad end of the deal here when its a pretty premium priced camera to begin with, and it IS a manufacturing defect.
@yrh0413
i assume that you don't know that the SAB problem can return after getting 'fixed' at fujifilm. one owner had it return 3 times over the course of a year. are you saying that x100 owners should be paying 800 for each repair? or are you telling me that you would pay another 1500 sgd to buy another x100 when your camera is out of warranty and has the SAB? To me, both options are not acceptable.
Its pretty easy to give an answer when its none of your concern, isn't it?
I don't see why x100 owners should be getting the bad end of the deal here when its a pretty premium priced camera to begin with, and it IS a manufacturing defect.
@yrh0413
i assume that you don't know that the SAB problem can return after getting 'fixed' at fujifilm. one owner had it return 3 times over the course of a year. are you saying that x100 owners should be paying 800 for each repair? or are you telling me that you would pay another 1500 sgd to buy another x100 when your camera is out of warranty and has the SAB? To me, both options are not acceptable.
Its pretty easy to give an answer when its none of your concern, isn't it?
yrh0413
Senior Member
Car manufacturers have to take action (mass recall for example) because the implication is too huge to be ignored. Faulty brakes can lead to accidents, accidents cost lives, death/ disability compensations are very costly. Human safety is at stake thus car manufacturers have to do the right course of action: to acknowledge the defect and issue a mass recall. Rolls Royce has recalled almost every car sold in Australia for the last 10 years due to possibility of cracks in their turbo cooling pumps, and that cost Rolls Royce over $100 million.
In turn you can't take a photo if your camera is defective, that's all... you don't lose any body parts nor you have your camera explode in your hands. That is why I said, car faults is not the right example to relate to SAB issue.
Dude my replies are to respond to the poster who was unhappy Fuji Singapore charged $800 to replace the lens assembly of his out-of-warranty, SAB-infected X100. Are you telling me Fuji Singapore is charging you $800 for each repair during the warranty period? If yes then I strongly felt disgusted with Fuji. I will discard my camera if it has issue after the warranty period... warranty is over what can I do? Make a fuss at Fuji service centre?
Fuji does offer extended warranty as stated clearly on their warranty cards. When I bought my x-pro1 and the lenses I chose NOT to get the extended warranty; that's a decision I made and I will not blame Fuji for any problem arise after the warranty period. My point is, warranty over means warranty over; Fuji has the right to charge what they think appropriate to repair out-of-warranty equipments. Will I pay $800 to fix my camera when the warranty is over? NO, definitely not. My expectation on warranty claims differs from yours.
Coming from a long time Canon user, I can tell you the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM is notorious for having failed USM motor. Canon fix it for free during the warranty period but it cost half the value of the lens for the repair if it is out of warranty. Is this Canon's manufacturing defect? I don't know but the lens still sell well. I bought mine used, used it for a few months and sold it with no AF issue. The AF issue does not seem to affect all 50mm f/1.4 USM...
X10's white orb issue can easily be replicated under specific situations. I tried it on my friend's X10, and even shown the staff at Cathay Photo on their demo set. For the white orb issue I personally thinks it is a manufacturing defect: image sensor simply should not behave like that. Fuji issued a statement to fix this for free; in my opinion this might due to international pressure from major review sites (DPreview etc) documenting this defect. Is SAB a manufacturing defect? I seriously don't know. A close friend of mine has an X100 and his unit is working fine for over a year. Maybe he is just lucky?
Based on your reply seems like Fuji Singapore has fixed your X100 once. Does your camera still has SAB issue after the fix? Has the "time-bomb" been diffused or you can still hear it ticking in your X100?
Yes, Fujifilm has replaced my camera instead of repairing it - for what reasons, I don't know. And yes, I have the extended warranty, and I still have about 2 years on it; honestly speaking, I am not worried for my own case. To answer your question.
1. Fuji will repair the SAB repairs FOC while under warranty. That's a given. Their service quality is one issue, but that's another story for now.
2. I have extended warranty - its still covered for 2 more years. But that doesn't mean that I would agree with the situation if the x100 owners that bought it with only 1 year warranty gets screwed over a known issue just one year outside of ownership. Not to mention the resale value of the camera, which I don't particularly care about because I'm not looking to sell mine. But I didn't buy extended warranty for manufacturing defects.
3. I'm well aware how Canon handles warranty issues. The shutter problem with the Canon 5D charged for repairs after warranty - I concede that point.
But
4. You seem to have ignored that fact that are many reports of the same people sending in their cameras for repairs, not once, but twice or even thrice in less than a year. If Fujifilm is clearly able to fix the problem once and for all without the chance of it happening again, I would pay what they're asking if its out of warranty. But that is not the case - there has been no assurance or clear indication that Fujifilm has pinpointed the problem. They haven't even officially acknowledged it. Would you be happy to pay for repairs not once but twice or thrice for the same issue?
5. And yes, it seems that owning a x100 is dependant on the luck of the draw. Should it be that case? x100 owners have to take a chance on whether their camera has the SAB problem after a purchase or after a repair? I can understand that electronic devices don't last forever, but it is not reasonable to expect people to pay to repair their cameras with a chance that the same problem can come back again.
6. Obviously we have different expectations about the warranty coverage. If Fujifilm issues an official stand that they will charge for SAB repairs for out of warranty units, I'm fine with that. A little miffed, but ultimately fine. But I'm not okay with double standards if they start charging in specific countries and not in some - why should any country be screwed over?
7. With regards to the Canon lens - after repairs, what's the chances of it spoiling again with the same issue? Like I said, if paying once fixes the problem and the chance of recurrence is small, sure, go ahead. But I doubt anyone would repair it if the manufacturer themselves can't assure that the chance of of it happening again would be minimal (I'm not say that it shouldn't happen at all, but I know that flukes do happen, but that's not the case in the case of the x100 imo.)
And to answer your final question - my camera has been working fine for over a year. But I cannot be sure that the problem won't return, but neither can Fujifilm be sure about it, from all reports. So yes, that time bomb is ticking.
1. Fuji will repair the SAB repairs FOC while under warranty. That's a given. Their service quality is one issue, but that's another story for now.
2. I have extended warranty - its still covered for 2 more years. But that doesn't mean that I would agree with the situation if the x100 owners that bought it with only 1 year warranty gets screwed over a known issue just one year outside of ownership. Not to mention the resale value of the camera, which I don't particularly care about because I'm not looking to sell mine. But I didn't buy extended warranty for manufacturing defects.
3. I'm well aware how Canon handles warranty issues. The shutter problem with the Canon 5D charged for repairs after warranty - I concede that point.
But
4. You seem to have ignored that fact that are many reports of the same people sending in their cameras for repairs, not once, but twice or even thrice in less than a year. If Fujifilm is clearly able to fix the problem once and for all without the chance of it happening again, I would pay what they're asking if its out of warranty. But that is not the case - there has been no assurance or clear indication that Fujifilm has pinpointed the problem. They haven't even officially acknowledged it. Would you be happy to pay for repairs not once but twice or thrice for the same issue?
5. And yes, it seems that owning a x100 is dependant on the luck of the draw. Should it be that case? x100 owners have to take a chance on whether their camera has the SAB problem after a purchase or after a repair? I can understand that electronic devices don't last forever, but it is not reasonable to expect people to pay to repair their cameras with a chance that the same problem can come back again.
6. Obviously we have different expectations about the warranty coverage. If Fujifilm issues an official stand that they will charge for SAB repairs for out of warranty units, I'm fine with that. A little miffed, but ultimately fine. But I'm not okay with double standards if they start charging in specific countries and not in some - why should any country be screwed over?
7. With regards to the Canon lens - after repairs, what's the chances of it spoiling again with the same issue? Like I said, if paying once fixes the problem and the chance of recurrence is small, sure, go ahead. But I doubt anyone would repair it if the manufacturer themselves can't assure that the chance of of it happening again would be minimal (I'm not say that it shouldn't happen at all, but I know that flukes do happen, but that's not the case in the case of the x100 imo.)
And to answer your final question - my camera has been working fine for over a year. But I cannot be sure that the problem won't return, but neither can Fujifilm be sure about it, from all reports. So yes, that time bomb is ticking.
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