Hi David,
Get a Nikon D800e like I have. These DBs have had there day in the sun mate.
Cheers
Simon
Hi asmp
Nah not trolling just been a realist when it comes to the advertising work I do. I can guarantee David's client wouldn’t give a rats ass what camera he used. The client is only interested in in getting what they want and not having camera malfunctions is not one of them. For the cost of one of these fancy DBs you could have a number Nikon D800e’s. And yes I do own a Leaf Aptus 75
Cheers
Simon
i don't know any photographer who shoots without a back-up which is usually a dslr, those that don't are 25min away from a rental body/back.
can't comment on the level of service, here in london it's the people on the end of the phone who are good (like Teamwork) they don't answer on the phone on weekends though.
Hi David,
Get a Nikon D800e like I have. These DBs have had there day in the sun mate.
Cheers
Simon
Apparently, phase is only responsible for 24 hour replacement Monday through Friday. Wondering how many working photographers on this forum only work M-F? Cost me $1000 to cover a rental back for two days. The second rental day was Tuesday but because I had a 5am call time, they could not accommodate me.
Uh...I think your expectations are totally unrealistic. Phase is like any other business...it keeps normal business hours (like normal people do). The fact you were shooting on a Sun isn't Phase One's fault...it was you for allowing yourself to take a booking on a weekend. Sure, I understand ya gotta shoot when ya gotta shoot, but just because YOU do doesn't mean the rest of the world has to revolve around your schedule...and say Phase One had a 24/7 capability...how do you suppose Phase was gonna ship that puppy to you? Put it on a plane for special hand delivery on Mon? Pretty sure FedEx isn't open on Sun for drop offs either...
The fact you had a 5AM call time on Tues is again, not Phase One's fault...I presume Phase shipped the replacement back FedEx priority overnight? Again, what exactly do you think Phase should have done? FedEx SameDay service is a bit expensive...is that what you were expecting?
The only thing I agree would be frustrating would be to get a P65+ as a replacement for and IQ 160...did you actually talk to somebody at Phase about this? I suspect they were trying to get something in your hands ASAP and simply didn't have an IQ 160 to send you and did the best they could with what they had on hand...
I realize you are embarrassed in front of your client for not having a backup back to shoot with considering you were shooting over a weekend with little chance to do a quick local rental (most rental houses would also be closed on Sun ya know). I understand you're pissed the back got fried...I also understand your frustration at getting a suboptimal P65+ (which still ain't to shabby) but your rant about Phase not being open on Sun and that they couldn't get you a back shipped for your 5AM call time is really just a bit (well, maybe more than a bit) unrealistic...
Pretty much disagree with you. Everyone who works in this industry knows how it works. And that means working weekends. As an assistant and tech, I never told anyone I worked for, provided services and equipment to that I would only be available M-F. If I had known of a regional/ local phase rep, I could have called him and gotten a demo back, at the very least, on Monday. That's how it used to work. That's what Brian H would have done. I would hate to have a vendor in this business that told me I could only reach then at certain hours.
In terms of phase working to get me a back asap and that's why I have a p65+, that's BS. My dealer told me that a client with a 180 got a p65+ when their back went down just a couple of weeks ago. Phase has no excuse for not providing me the proper replacement.
Working weekends is the norm for photographers and when someone purchases a digital back with value added, I would expect better service.
You probably forgot about all the pro wedding photographers and the like who mostly work weekends?
Works great in NYC and I'm sure even on a weekend Fotocare or DT would get you a back that day.
Read the fine print...does Phase One offer 24/7? No...if your expectations are that they do, you didn't read the fine print or you have totally unreasonable expectations.
And having been in the biz for about 30 years, I gotta tell you that if you are working weekends and off hours, you either do the professional thing and work with backups and any/everything you need to do the production or not. The OP apparently didn't read the fine print in the value added warrantee and was shocked that a company closes on weekends. I find that unprofessional on the part of the photographer and he's trying to off load the blame to somebody else...sorry, but if you are gonna do a shoot for a client you have to anticipate production problems and have a system in place to deal with it.
Bitching about Phase One not being open on Sundays is silly. Complaining that Phase couldn't get a replacement back by 5AM Tues is silly. Complaining that he got a P65+ instead of the IQ 160 is legit.
Photographers working weekends and off hours is their choice. Just because THEY do it doesn't mean the rest of the world will (and in fact as the OP has now found out, it doesn't).
On a Sunday? Really?
I think the fact that Phase got "something" in his hands Tues (ok, not early enough for his call time) to be pretty good...and I don't disagree that the further away you are from "civilization" you are, the less likely you will have a replacement back the next day. Which the OP should have known...
Commercial shooters work weekends and late hours, often in strange places. I used to have backs and cameras shit out on me all the time back in the P25/Aptus 22 days. I would switch to the Canon at that point and wait for some dude from Fotocare to show up with a replacement. I think the point is that Value Added may not Add as much Value to a pro's back if s/he works on location in the wilds. Works great in NYC and I'm sure even on a weekend Fotocare or DT would get you a back that day. But I was always suspicious of the value the Value Added warranty provided, just from my experience with the time frames required by FedEx and UPS.Same here!
What eventually happened is that when I sent in th deliverables the editorial clients didn't see a difference between the MF and FF frames, which made me question why I was using a slow $20k back that ate batteries and had issues talking to the camera when the Canons worked flawlessly.
(But Canon glass is better).There is not better glass. period.
There is not better glass. period.
Especially Canon.....
No better glass than canon ? Do you know about a brand called: Rodenstock ? or Shneider ? i might even direct you to Leitz.. ?
Got the Schneider 80mm LS lens. To be 100% honest, I'd take a Canon 50L any day. Clinical sharpness but zero character whatsoever.
Saying the " canons " are the best glass is a bit a dangerous point, as the 16-35's are shit, the 28 300 is shit, ( nikon has better) , Compared to the Leica Elmarit S 50 is way better than the canon, ... The shneider 80 mm on phase one is way better than the 80 mm than the mamiya 80mm and comparable tot the hassy 80mm..
But none of the above can reach the quality you get with Rodenstock Digarons W 's..
So the "best" that's " relative " ...
It's been a while since you've been in the twenty bid world of commercial imaging, but it's a lot different today than before.
Dear David and Photographers friends,
I rarely go on these forums to post, but I read them very carefully to stay alert, and updated on the industry feedback from users of our equipment.
This feedback is used by myself to optimize my own US setup, but also reported directly into R/D and Global support in Denmark where we have our HQ.
When I see negative feedback in shape of form that potentially hurts the reputation of Phase One, normally I contact the shooter directly and talk to him.
In this case since so many shooters are now involved and putting in comments, I thought I´d better have the reply here in the open.
I have Area Sales Managers + a number of tech supporters strategically placed throughout the US, who all have lots of equipment to share, and I know they use it not only for sales purposes but for emergencies like the one you just had. - We try out best to meet any demand and on-site help.
Phase One US is based on a highly skilled distribution setup with multiple dealers/resellers that take care of shooters daily, most of them even on weekends.
The specific case we (Phase One US) only heard about Monday morning at 10.43, immediately (within 40 minutes) we replied that a loaner could go out in shape and form of a P65+ since it was urgent, and this was okay by the contact at the reseller we communicated with.
This loaner was shipped that same morning and arrived the very next day, which under the circumstances I believe is within reason, I read from your comments that you feel so too.
To your comments on P65+ replacing an IQ, I do agree that ideally IQ should be replaced with an IQ and we are getting to that.
Currently I am replacing all P+ service units with IQ units, and we actually have multiple in our service stock here at our US office in Melville.
I have started with replacing P+ units on our own Phase One platform, but the platform you are currently shooting on, will also be supported by IQ service units moving forward.
In short, I am sorry that you had a Phase One product go down at such a crucial time, but I think that Phase One under the circumstances that we worked within did everything we could. - I hope after reading my reply you will agree.
My Area Sales Manager in LA is Brent Siebenaler - you can reach him through your local dealer, and you can always call the me at the US office in Melville.
I wish you and everybody reading this a great day, and happy shooting.
Best regards,
Claus Pedersen
President - Phase One US
Trolling the MF forum now are we?
(http://vejamvoces.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/trollface.jpg)
Dear David and Photographers friends,
I have Area Sales Managers + a number of tech supporters strategically placed throughout the US, who all have lots of equipment to share, and I know they use it not only for sales purposes but for emergencies like the one you just had. - We try out best to meet any demand and on-site help.
Phase One US is based on a highly skilled distribution setup with multiple dealers/resellers that take care of shooters daily, most of them even on weekends.
The specific case we (Phase One US) only heard about Monday morning at 10.43, immediately (within 40 minutes) we replied that a loaner could go out in shape and form of a P65+ since it was urgent, and this was okay by the contact at the reseller we communicated with.
This loaner was shipped that same morning and arrived the very next day, which under the circumstances I believe is within reason, I read from your comments that you feel so too.
My Area Sales Manager in LA is Brent Siebenaler - you can reach him through your local dealer, and you can always call the me at the US office in Melville.
1. His dealer doesn't give him Brent's contact details right away, or call him on David's behalf? In fact, as soon as he has bought his shiny new back, why isn't he given the contact details of ALL the possible people who can help him, wherever he is shooting at the moment?
So you're in Chicago, and you go to LA for a shoot. Your back (with a VA warranty) goes down. Would you like/expect that a replacement back come from LA in a couple of hours, or wait the stipulated 24 hours to come from your dealer (or the Phase One rep) in Chicago?
On the other hand, if I'm gonna spend upwards of $50K (which I did) I would make an effort to get to know the people I need to know such as my local dealer, the regional Phase One guy, the president of Phase One US (yes, I know Claus) as well as some of the guys from Denmark. But hey, that's me...
I would expect (because that is my expectation) that I would call my dealer or Phase One in NY and have a replacement back in 24 hrs. Yes, I might try Murray or Brent to see if I could get a back but I would neither expect or demand it...and if I were shooting on a Sun I would not expect the replacement before early Tues AM (and not by 5AM).
The fact that David didn't have a relationship with an LA based Phase One dealer led to the fact he couldn't get a quick emergency back to keep shooting...if Brent had a back and wasn't otherwise committed for a Sun or early Mon I suspect David could have gotten a loaner quicker. He didn't have an LA relationship so he didn't have a clue who to call. Whose fault is that? Phase One's? I don't think so...
Look, any way you analyze this the only shortcoming from Phase One was sending a P65+ instead of an IQ 160. Everything else was done within the reasonable expectations of a value added warrantee. Do you dispute that? If David expected Phase One to answer a call on Sun and get him a back on Mon, his expectations were not realistic. Right? So, David bit the bullet and it cost him $1K to rent a back for 2 days. Hopefully he was charging enough that it only impacts his profit from the job and that his IQ 160 can get fixed and back in his hands quickly. One wonders what actually happened to his back–as an IQ owner, I'm curious...
On the other hand, if I'm gonna spend upwards of $50K (which I did) I would make an effort to get to know the people I need to know such as my local dealer, the regional Phase One guy, the president of Phase One US (yes, I know Claus) as well as some of the guys from Denmark. But hey, that's me...
I think that this is the crux of the issue. I always try to get to know personally (even if briefly and cursory) the folks in the organization so that even if they only remember my name that there is a connection of some sort. This applies to all aspects of business and definitely greases the wheels ...
Shouldn't it work the other way around too? Shouldn't the organization keep in touch with its customers? When my bank gets a new "relationship manager", he/she calls to introduce him/herself and invites me to the branch for a chat over a cup of coffee...
Kumar
Does it need to be this complicated? I just want to buy the thing, not make friends :-).
I'd rather have lower prices and less friendship, and then just afford a second back (although a DSLR probably would do as a backup these days) and get the repair when there's time.
The fact that David didn't have a relationship with an LA based Phase One dealer led to the fact he couldn't get a quick emergency back to keep shooting...
No better glass than canon ? Do you know about a brand called: Rodenstock ? or Shneider ? i might even direct you to Leitz.. ?I did not explain myself properly.
... it sure seems to me like the cinema cameras are a lot more complicated than that little box that goes on the back of a still camera, but once again I don't know how this stuff is made and hope I never find out.
... when you call the emergency services, what happens? The dispatcher sends the nearest available ambulance to get you that defibrillator asap. You don't have to be a barbecue-buddy with the ambulance driver, or even know his name. And even if you once insulted the local fire chief, he still is going to come sirens-blaring and put your house-fire out because that's his job. He won't say "sorry pal, our relationship is poor: you'll have to get the fire service from some other city".
I do not go through a local dealer for my digital back. I don't think any local dealer are going to be interested helping me with obtaining that information as a result.
If you purchase a Phase One back on your own, and not through a local dealer, is it fair to then demand personal support from a global company thousands of miles away, expecting them to somehow manifest a personal relationship with you?
What eventually happened is that when I sent in th deliverables the editorial clients didn't see a difference between the MF and FF frames, which made me question why I was using a slow $20k back that ate batteries and had issues talking to the camera when the Canons worked flawlessly.
The way I read the problem is as follows;
Customer buys $40,000 Mercedes in California through a tertiary sales channel (Not a local Mercedes Dealership)
Car dies on California Highway (over the weekend) shortly after purchase leaving customer stranded.
Customer is upset with Mercedes as a whole for not sending a new car within 24 hours. (Mercedes being based in Germany, with local sales offices throughout the world)
Again I don't mean to offend and I apologize if I am missing the nuances of the issue and oversimplifying...
2. Brent is in LA, and gets the message at 10:43 on Monday. So why doesn't he call David at 10:44 - or even 40 minutes later? Why doesn't he drive down to David's shoot with a replacement back and FW400 cable?
Yes, Phase One honored the letter of the VA warranty. They didn't provide great customer service.
Kumar
I can guarantee David's client wouldn’t give a rats ass what camera he used.
Simon
No wonder you attempted to blame me for Phase One's customer service failure.
But I'm still left with one question, why would Phase One hire you to be a PODAS teacher?
Also in response to Mr Purdy, we as dealers do more than just mail the digital back to Phase One. We do first line troubleshooting which in many cases alliveiate the need for the back to mailed in, and also provide technical assistance on the hardware and software. That is just some of the value that a Value Added Reseller is supposed to bring to the table.
Lance
Actually having them mail for you is a big deal, at least for me. I have no "Local Dealer" in Arkansas. Thus if the
back fails, which my P45+ for various reasons did 2 times, each time you have to ship it to Phase at your cost. My
insurance policy on the back did and still won't cover shipment to a repair facility. To ship it with insurance to NYC
is around $500.00. Fed Exp will only ship an item of this value overnight. Yes Phase ships your replacement to you
at no extra cost but getting your down back to them is not cheap. Sure you can ship it without insurance, but that
is a roll of the dice I am not willing to take.
Insurance policies vary on shipment/coverage, however I was not able to get one that covered "loss or damage during
shipment". And if you look closely you may find yours doesn't cover it either as many Ins companies see this as outside
of normal coverage issues/and your shipper has insurance.
Paul
Hi Kumar,
You wanted me to reply at the forum so I will, and after reading further into our internal support case I have found procedures that definitively needs to change.
We did fulfill the part of the warranty, but we did not provide excellent service in this matter.
Phase One could and should have done better, if anything then I learned an important lesson from this unfortunate mishap, and things are already changing within my organization.
I already talked to David and explained him that Phase One is to blame for not having IQ units available to replace the unit that "died" on Sunday. - Nobody is to blame but Phase One, it was our product and it was our service level that failed from providing David with a new IQ unit.
As previously mentioned I will do my very best to provide our tech support with several IQ units moving forward, and also I will assure that local Phase One employees are easier reached in case of emergencies like the one we all read about here at this forum. This to help and assist both our customers and our valued partners.
I will continue to read this forum, and I will do my best to provide the service and level of support that we all know is required dealing with professional shooters, weekends or not.
Hope this answers the questions that was asked earlier, and clarifies that we at Phase One take comments in regards to our service and support very seriously.
Best
Claus Pedersen
President - Phase One
A high officer responsible at such personal level makes me feel even happier as a long time Phase backs owner!
Nothing is perfect, but my almost 10 years experience using Phase backs is as perfect as perfect can be. Hardware, never an issue. Software, could be better than already very good!
Pingang