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Author Topic: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].  (Read 35397 times)

jjj

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #20 on: August 12, 2015, 06:52:26 am »

Congrats with your promotion to the off-topic police  ;)
Your post was unhelpful, not off topic.
Nice bit of selective quoting though, conveniently missing the part which explains why your suggestion is not helpful.

Quote
You posted this UK experience on an international forum and wasn't looking for any advice or help from us.
If not helpful to you it might still be helpful for members living in other countries hearing about positive or negative experiences over there.
I also posted this as a warning to others, not to elicit help. As that would involve someone fixing my camera under warranty and in a timely manner.
BTW, I posted this in a pro photographer's only group and Sony Benelux also got slated for taking 6 weeks to fix things and charging £120 delivery fees for a warranty repair.

Now if someone asks advice about Canon cameras, will you then suggest buying on Nikon equipment and get annoyed with them, because they didn't take your 'helpful' advice?  ::)
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pegelli

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #21 on: August 12, 2015, 08:09:45 am »

Now if someone asks advice about Canon cameras, will you then suggest buying on Nikon equipment and get annoyed with them, because they didn't take your 'helpful' advice?  ::)
Why do you think that? This thread is about Sony UK repair experience and you want to turn it into a Canon - Nikon flame war? Canon and Nikon are different brands and competitors, Sony UK service and Sony Benelux service are working for the same company. I don't think this analogy you try to bring up makes any sense here.

BTW, I posted this in a pro photographer's only group and Sony Benelux also got slated for taking 6 weeks to fix things and charging £120 delivery fees for a warranty repair.
As I mentioned in my post I have no problem posting both positive and negative experiences from other countries. In the end it's the balance that counts  :). It might be unhelpful to you, but there are non UK members for which this might be helpful. Or was the negative experience in the pro forum "helpful" and my positive experience in here "unhelpful" because it didn't support your case?
« Last Edit: August 12, 2015, 09:03:11 am by pegelli »
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jjj

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #22 on: September 03, 2015, 08:10:55 pm »

Why do you think that? This thread is about Sony UK repair experience and you want to turn it into a Canon - Nikon flame war? Canon and Nikon are different brands and competitors, Sony UK service and Sony Benelux service are working for the same company. I don't think this analogy you try to bring up makes any sense here.
Duh! You completely missed the point being made and I certainly was not suggesting a Canikon flame war. Anything but.


Quote
As I mentioned in my post I have no problem posting both positive and negative experiences from other countries. In the end it's the balance that counts  :). It might be unhelpful to you, but there are non UK members for which this might be helpful. Or was the negative experience in the pro forum "helpful" and my positive experience in here "unhelpful" because it didn't support your case?
Duh! Again. You suggested using the wrong countries facilities for warranty fixes. Not an actual option, therefore pointless advice.
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pegelli

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2015, 02:27:30 am »

Duh! You completely missed the point being made and I certainly was not suggesting a Canikon flame war. Anything but.
I don't think I missed your point, you presented a fully flawed analogy (as explained) and you are missing the point I was making.
Duh! Again. You suggested using the wrong countries facilities for warranty fixes. Not an actual option, therefore pointless advice.
Sometimes people need repairs after the warranty period and I think they have a free choice where to go. Secondly there might be people in the Benelux that need warranty repairs who appreciate reading about experiences with the service they "must" use.
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Hans Kruse

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2015, 07:10:05 am »

I also had a lens repair declined, due to the lens being within specs, theirs not mine :-(

I recently had two cases like this:

1) Sigma 24-105 f/4 OS which clearly was a bit soft in the left hand side. Returned being within specs, I didn't insist, but maybe I should.
2) Canon 24-70 f/2.8L II slightly blurry in the edges of the right hand side. The repair center in Copenhagen said it was within specs. I took test shots using the 5DsR to my dealer which works with the repair center being colocated and they helped med convince the repair center that it was not within specs. The lens was then sent to the repair center in Stockholm where they have better diagnostic equipment (I didn't know there was such a hierarchy in the service centers) and they agreed about the error and it is being repaired. I haven't got it back yet. While being repaired I have the same lens on loan for some weeks. As I had a trip planned for Scotland I would not have had the 24-70 if had not gotten the loaner.

Slobodan Blagojevic

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2015, 09:50:15 am »

... (I didn't know there was such a hierarchy in the service centers)...

There probably isn't (at least not in terms of measuring instruments). A cynical view would be the same as with insurance claims. The lowest level you interact with is instructed to deny your claim. A lot of people give up right there. Those who persist and escalate it to the next level have a much better chance.

Hans Kruse

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #26 on: September 04, 2015, 11:34:04 am »

There probably isn't (at least not in terms of measuring instruments). A cynical view would be the same as with insurance claims. The lowest level you interact with is instructed to deny your claim. A lot of people give up right there. Those who persist and escalate it to the next level have a much better chance.

If must have expressed myself unclear ;) I was specifically told by the service center people in Copenhagen that such hierarchy exist and that they had more sophisticated equipment in the center in Stockholm. And that was the reason they found the error. If that hierarchy exists everywhere or only in certain places I did not ask about.

jjj

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #27 on: September 04, 2015, 07:17:17 pm »

I don't think I missed your point.
Nope, you certainly did.
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jjj

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #28 on: September 04, 2015, 08:15:31 pm »

Anyway. I finally got my camera back 7 weeks later, the afternoon before I went on holiday. The shop ended up footing the not inconsiderable bill as Sony were adamant it was a damaged camera, one that was also more faulty than when I took it to shop. I could see this in the photos they sent back of camera showing the lens cover sticking and covering a lot more lens than I ever experienced with it.
But I decided to buy some Olympus kit from the shop as I didn't know if the Sony would return in time and didn't fancy lugging my bulky Canon gear around whilst on vacation.
So I got an EM5 II with 12-40/f2.8 and the 40-150mm f2.8 which I'd wondered about getting for a while as a light interchangeable lens camera travel kit.
Though due to the Sony returning in nick of time I never even used the 12-40mm because the RX100 III covered the same angle of view and has a better sensor [for handheld work] and complemented the EM5 + 40-150 wonderfully and with no faffy lens changing needed.  :)

However whilst on holiday the lens cover stuck again and EVF randomly failed to work on several occasions which has never happened before, so not impressed. >:(
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Some Guy

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #29 on: September 04, 2015, 09:03:00 pm »

Even in the States, Sony has a lackluster service performance.  http://www.customerservicescoreboard.com/Sony

My own experience with them has been pretty much they'll replace the busted item with a refurb, or sell you another at wholesale if broken.  Repair prices are very high.

We had one of their big-screen 'component' TV sets (CRT, tuner, amps, speakers, all separate items.) and it was a nightmare to fix.  Local shops that sold and serviced them refused Sony's warranty service on them as the local shop guy said "Sony doesn't pay me enough to work on their stuff, so I will charge you for it - or you can haul it to them."  Had to haul it 250 miles to get fixed.  Even their $350 Walkman costs about $240 for a battery replacement (The serial changed.).  Some of their Vaio batteries are almost the cost of their laptop too.

I suspect this will keep them from ever being considered a Pro camera unless they up their service network as well as lens portfolio.  Nikon isn't stellar either, and just a few points above Sony.  Canon seems to be better than both right now.  Sony should have kept the Minolta name going even if they made them, much like Ricoh did with Pentax, imho.

SG
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Justinr

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #30 on: September 05, 2015, 03:31:59 am »

There probably isn't (at least not in terms of measuring instruments). A cynical view would be the same as with insurance claims. The lowest level you interact with is instructed to deny your claim. A lot of people give up right there. Those who persist and escalate it to the next level have a much better chance.

It's what a friend recently and so  presciently described as the 'bullsh!t economy'. We are sold promises that are rarely delivered when called upon.
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #31 on: September 05, 2015, 04:00:46 am »

It's what a friend recently and so  presciently described as the 'bullsh!t economy'. We are sold promises that are rarely delivered when called upon.

What's prescient about a description (whether accurate or not) of the current state of affairs?

Jeremy
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Justinr

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #32 on: September 05, 2015, 09:25:04 am »

What's prescient about a description (whether accurate or not) of the current state of affairs?

Jeremy

Because it is not yet generally recognised, labelled, described or discussed. Let us hope that it does become so.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2015, 10:02:06 am by Justinr »
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Jeremy Roussak

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #33 on: September 05, 2015, 12:43:35 pm »

What's prescient about a description (whether accurate or not) of the current state of affairs?
Because it is not yet generally recognised, labelled, described or discussed. Let us hope that it does become so.

Wrong word: "prescient, adj. having or showing knowledge of events before they take place".

Not "being the first (or near the first) to become aware of something which (allegedly) currently exists".

Jeremy
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Justinr

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #34 on: September 05, 2015, 01:24:23 pm »

Because it is not yet generally recognised, labelled, described or discussed. Let us hope that it does become so.


Wrong word: "prescient, adj. having or showing knowledge of events before they take place".

Not "being the first (or near the first) to become aware of something which (allegedly) currently exists".

Jeremy

Ahem.

The event I was referring to was the general recognition, labeling, description and discussion of the situation which is not  yet widespread under the name bullsh!t economy.

There's another hatefest going on in the AE thread if you want to take your rather trivial concerns over there and join in as well.
« Last Edit: September 05, 2015, 01:34:19 pm by Justinr »
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littledab

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #35 on: September 05, 2015, 11:08:13 pm »

 In the words of the immortal Rodney King -"can't we just take pictures ???.
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Justinr

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #36 on: September 06, 2015, 04:28:30 am »

In the words of the immortal Rodney King -"can't we just take pictures ???.


Good lord no! This is a forum of photographers after all!!    :D
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Rhossydd

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #37 on: September 08, 2015, 08:22:45 am »

In the words of the immortal Rodney King -"can't we just take pictures ???.
Not if we're waiting for Sony UK to fix our cameras.
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jjj

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #38 on: October 05, 2015, 01:31:56 pm »

Update. Camera has now started to fall apart. It's had very little use bar the week after I got it back and now the one of screws holding the screen tilt mechanism has fallen out, so screen is rather wobbly.
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Justinr

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Re: Why I won't be buying any Sony kit again. - Terrible after sales [UK].
« Reply #39 on: October 06, 2015, 03:27:03 am »

Update. Camera has now started to fall apart. It's had very little use bar the week after I got it back and now the one of screws holding the screen tilt mechanism has fallen out, so screen is rather wobbly.

I fear you might be failing in your duty as a consumer here. Rather than actually expect things to work for more than five minutes you should instead be happily tossing it into a storage unit with all the other stuff accumulated over the years with the idea that you'll dig it out someday and get it fixed properly. Meanwhile, you must go and spend your money on another camera that that boasts all the latest, wonderful and quite superfluous features and be happy until that fails for some reason and the process starts again!

This is the true function of modern society, to unquestioningly  consume on the semi fulfilled promises of the vast marketing departments that sometimes have a factory attached, almost as an afterthought.

Not that I'm cynical or anything.  :)
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