Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Medium Format / Film / Digital Backs – and Large Sensor Photography => Topic started by: mstevensphoto on April 20, 2013, 10:09:39 am

Title: H4d longevity questions
Post by: mstevensphoto on April 20, 2013, 10:09:39 am
   With the new h5d coming out I'm wanting to pick up a used h4d. I've not used a digital mf camera for years. In revisiting the hasselblad page I'm a little concerned, they state that the warranty is only for the first purchaser and warranty service must go through the original reseller. Has anyone had luck getting service as a second user? How likely is this expensive beast to last past 100,000 activations? I'm a little floored to see something sooooo expensive coming with such poor coverage. Are any of you happily shooting past 100,000 actuations?
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: BlasR on April 20, 2013, 12:31:22 pm
Where you got the info?

You can buy used and have the warranty as anyone else..As list had been always the way...
So, maybe they change it..but I do not think so...
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: FredBGG on April 20, 2013, 04:38:26 pm
Mark is largely right. It's all on the website.

Quote
Hasselblad Business Partners will provide the minimum of a twelve month warranty to end-users (subject to their normal statutory rights)
on new Hasselblad equipment sold, valid from the date that the equipment is purchased by the first end-user.
 
For H System camera bodies, film backs and lenses the warranty will be limited to the warranty period provided by the partner or to 100,000 exposures, whichever is reached first.
Limitations:

- Warranty claims must be made through the dealer and/or company where the product was originally purchased, and not directly to Hasselblad (unless purchased directly with a Hasselblad subsidiary). The factory warranty is NOT international, and warranty claims cannot be made through other channels. This is also valid for equipment purchased outside the country of residence.

Regarding warranty transferring to a second owner the wording is not clear.
However about having to go through the original dealer is a pain and really limits resale value and convenience.
The fact that the warranty isn't international is really stupid for proffessional gear.

That said Hasselblad does have really good repaire service. Reaonably priced in my experiance and my last two repairs were under a week turnaround.
One was even the replacement of an out of production rare lens that needed an iris replacement and other service. Total was $300 including return shipping.

Additional warranty can be purchared, even if the camera is out of the 1 year warranty, but there are limitations.

Quote
For digital backs and DSLRs up to 2 additional years can be purchased during valid warranty period for a total of 3 years.
For scanners it can be extended for up to 2 additional years.
For H-system camera bodies, film backs and lenses up to a total maximum of 5-years of age or 100,000 exposures, whichever comes first.

So nothing is available over 100,000 exposures on bodies.
Backs can only be extended before initial warranty ends and only for a total of 3 years.
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: Steve Hendrix on April 22, 2013, 02:20:38 pm
   With the new h5d coming out I'm wanting to pick up a used h4d. I've not used a digital mf camera for years. In revisiting the hasselblad page I'm a little concerned, they state that the warranty is only for the first purchaser and warranty service must go through the original reseller. Has anyone had luck getting service as a second user? How likely is this expensive beast to last past 100,000 activations? I'm a little floored to see something sooooo expensive coming with such poor coverage. Are any of you happily shooting past 100,000 actuations?


Warranty is not transferrable, is not international.

Warranty service does not have to be facilitated by the original dealer. It's probably a preference by Hasselblad, but not a requirement. Obviously some dealers lose their dealership or go out of business, so there has to be some leeway there.

I was under the impression the warranty at one time in the past was transferrable, so I will look for some context in this policy change and get back to you.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: mstevensphoto on April 23, 2013, 10:58:32 am
thanks for the info.

curious, how many H4d's find their way past 100,000 actuations? my canon DSLR's have all doubled their advertised shutter life before any problems. given the extreme expense of repair by comparison I'd like to believe that my investment will have some chance of lasting longer in a professional studio setting.
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: Dustbak on April 23, 2013, 02:05:42 pm
Not sure what you are after. I have had H1's go way over 100K. My H4 is now at appr. 54K all without issues. Most people that I know which are working with it don't bother with this number. The lenses carry the shutter not the body so you divide the actuations over a larger number of lenses in most cases. The body is not affected by shutter actuations like a DSLR is. The H body does NOT have a shutter, it does have an auxilary shutter (the cloth one at the back) which is advised to be serviced every 50K of actuations or so. It also has other moving parts like the mirror. The mirror mechanisme can go bust which is expensive, this I have experienced myself :(.

I have owned a 384 that was happily going strong with over 500K of actuations which is no wonder since it has virtually no moving parts.

Having said that there is always the chance of bad luck. My experience is that something often breaks pretty early or lasts for a long time. I have seen shutters give up at 1200clicks and others go way over 100K. Repairs with MF can be expensive.
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: Kitty on April 24, 2013, 12:46:31 am
I have H2 = 2, H1 = 1, FujiGX645 = 1
All H1 and H2 shutter need replacement after 30-40K same to FujiGX645.
Now Hasselblad refuse to repair FujiGX645 body. (I thought the body was made by hasselblad but Lens made by Fuji).
Try to get the shutter life for new H4X but no information.
I still like H lens but reparing cost is what I don't like.
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: jerome_m on April 24, 2013, 08:57:54 am
Has anyone had luck getting service as a second user?

Yes. You need to bring the camera to a dealer, the dealer sends it to Hasselblad in Sweden and it costs about 800€. There is a list of service prices on the Hasselblad web site.
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: Stefan.Steib on April 24, 2013, 01:12:59 pm
Maybe that´s done like that outside of the EU, but this would violate EU laws.
e.g. in Germany if someone buys a used item the date of the first enduser who bought it is valid for a guarantee by law which lasts for 2 years (6 months with
proof of misuse by maker) another additional 18 months with proof of failure by user.
As much as I know this is valid for all EU countries so if anone would sue Hassselblad for not giving Guarantee to a secondhand buyer,
they would win the trial hands down.Hasselblad would be charged to fulfill.

regards
Stefan


Warranty is not transferrable, is not international.

Warranty service does not have to be facilitated by the original dealer. It's probably a preference by Hasselblad, but not a requirement. Obviously some dealers lose their dealership or go out of business, so there has to be some leeway there.

I was under the impression the warranty at one time in the past was transferrable, so I will look for some context in this policy change and get back to you.


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration
Title: Re: H4d longevity questions
Post by: Steve Hendrix on April 24, 2013, 10:05:57 pm
Maybe that´s done like that outside of the EU, but this would violate EU laws.
e.g. in Germany if someone buys a used item the date of the first enduser who bought it is valid for a guarantee by law which lasts for 2 years (6 months with
proof of misuse by maker) another additional 18 months with proof of failure by user.
As much as I know this is valid for all EU countries so if anone would sue Hassselblad for not giving Guarantee to a secondhand buyer,
they would win the trial hands down.Hasselblad would be charged to fulfill.

regards
Stefan



That very well could be. I'd be interested to see the policy in other countries. This is the policy in the USA. I would like to see transferable warranties enabled. In the USA anyway, it is a fairly common and apparently legal practice across many industries. 


Steve Hendrix
Capture Integration