Bamboopictures
Senior Member
Anyone here can introduce me a good camcorder technician?
Last week, I took a 2 year old HMC152 to the Panasonic Service Centre for lens-cleaning. The camera has a 3 year international warranty. But I was informed the warranty does not cover maintenance and a charge of $200 will be levied. I agreed as I did want to risk opening the lens element by myself.
A few days later, a technician called to inform me that my lens looked clean and double check if I required the service. I told him there was some condensation marks behind the front element and told him to point the camera towards the light where the specks would be apparent.
He did so and told me that company policy forbids him to remove the front element. So the cleaning cannot be done in Singapore and he has to ship the unit to Japan at my own cost and the wait will be more than a month!
Some years back, I took a DVX100 in because a Panasonic Anamorphic lens attachment was stuck in the filter screw thread. I received a call informing me that their technician cannot remove the attachment without breaking it. I told them to proceed with the procedure and indemnified them against the damage.
Guess what?
The technician said it was company policy not to break its own product!
He wanted me to come down to the service centre and break open the attachment myself! I went there fuming, broke the attachment in front of them left them to unscrew the remaining bits. I was charged more than $200 for that whole fraca!
Panasonic products may be good but don't expect any service.
Last week, I took a 2 year old HMC152 to the Panasonic Service Centre for lens-cleaning. The camera has a 3 year international warranty. But I was informed the warranty does not cover maintenance and a charge of $200 will be levied. I agreed as I did want to risk opening the lens element by myself.
A few days later, a technician called to inform me that my lens looked clean and double check if I required the service. I told him there was some condensation marks behind the front element and told him to point the camera towards the light where the specks would be apparent.
He did so and told me that company policy forbids him to remove the front element. So the cleaning cannot be done in Singapore and he has to ship the unit to Japan at my own cost and the wait will be more than a month!
Some years back, I took a DVX100 in because a Panasonic Anamorphic lens attachment was stuck in the filter screw thread. I received a call informing me that their technician cannot remove the attachment without breaking it. I told them to proceed with the procedure and indemnified them against the damage.
Guess what?
The technician said it was company policy not to break its own product!
He wanted me to come down to the service centre and break open the attachment myself! I went there fuming, broke the attachment in front of them left them to unscrew the remaining bits. I was charged more than $200 for that whole fraca!
Panasonic products may be good but don't expect any service.
