Great service from Sony Service Center

[cairocks]

My 2nd hand KM5D shutter got stuck couple of weeks ago and I've got to send it back to Sony service center last week to get it fixed. 2 days later, recieved a call from the technician to tell me the shutter component is not working. And to my surprise, he say they will replace a newer, modified shutter component for me FOC. He explained that the old design is not very good, so they have a improved version of it. I was totally surprise that Sony is will to provide such level of support for KM products. It wasn't their generic products after all. Got back my camera last night and so happy that it came back in time for me to go shoot the airshow this weekend.

I was originally still undecided if I will move on to Sony's new DSLR range for my next camera but I think I am quite sold on it now. But still hopeful that their lens prices could be a bit nearer to HK prices.

Good work to Sony Singapore Service Center. Definitely won over a strong supporter and I have been telling my friends about this.

[eow]

Originally Posted by cairocks My 2nd hand KM5D shutter got stuck couple of weeks ago and I've got to send it back to Sony service center last week to get it fixed. 2 days later, recieved a call from the technician to tell me the shutter component is not working. And to my surprise, he say they will replace a newer, modified shutter component for me FOC. He explained that the old design is not very good, so they have a improved version of it. I was totally surprise that Sony is will to provide such level of support for KM products. It wasn't their generic products after all. Got back my camera last night and so happy that it came back in time for me to go shoot the airshow this weekend. I was originally still undecided if I will move on to Sony's new DSLR range for my next camera but I think I am quite sold on it now. But still hopeful that their lens prices could be a bit nearer to HK prices. Good work to Sony Singapore Service Center. Definitely won over a strong supporter and I have been telling my friends about this.

so they still have the part available?
oth how the shutter feel compare to before?

[Edlet]

I will give them another upz for their service which exceeded my expectations.

The last time I went to get the insides of my KM 28mm cleaned for some dust, the technician called me within a day. And when I asked for the charges, they told me it was a simple job and they would do it for free.

Incredible support for even non-Sony stuff!

My experience with a 3rd party lens service center was really bad. All i wanted was to remove a dust speck on the inner surface of the front elements, the receptionist (not the tech) took my lens, immediately stripped it of the filters and covers, and tried to open the aperture with her fingers, she then fumbled and almost touched the rear element!
I immediately took back my lens and left the service center....

[ming9866]

To show sincerity , Sony's A700 is good , A300/350 coming soon , A200 also not bad ... Are you thinking of anyone of them now ?

[psccy]

Originally Posted by ming9866 To show sincerity , Sony's A700 is good , A300/350 coming soon , A200 also not bad ... Are you thinking of anyone of them now ?

Woa Ming... Pressure sia...

[greenieadi]

Wow, my KM5D shutter also jammed on Tuesday while shooting the Airshow acrobatic display halfway. Thought it will never be ready in time for the weekend and just parked it at home until I'm free to visit SSC.

I had similar shutter problem to this, last year September and paid $80 (plus service charge $10.70) for the repair.

How come yours free? Maybe your problem not as severe as mine (clearing spare parts stock?).

I was shooting in burst mode for something like 30mins with breaks of course. Manage to change to another lens for some time before the screen went blank after pressing the shutter release button.

Switching on/off will cause the mirror to flip once. Mine can AF but will just freeze and LCD goes blank when I press shutter button.

Anyway, charge or not, I will get the A700 and send the KM 5D for repairs and use as backup.

[aervintan]

wah, great to hear how good their service are cos i just switched to sony a700

for their service!

but sometime got to see your luck on the customer service guy?

[catseye]

Originally Posted by aervintan wah, great to hear how good their service are cos i just switched to sony a700 for their service! but sometime got to see your luck on the customer service guy?

Agree.

Normally we are all at the mercy of the respective counter person serving us. Too bad Singapore don't have a good service culture where this is a norm rather than an exception!

However I must say that I have been served a few times by the same guy (Minolta) at SSC and have no complaints so far.

[Docno]

Originally Posted by cairocks Good work to Sony Singapore Service Center. Definitely won over a strong supporter and I have been telling my friends about this.

I bought the A700 in Shanghai before it was available here, but the store there screwed up and did not put an international warranty card in the box despite us mentioning it twice. Since then I've had two major repairs to the A700 (mainboard then sensor) and the service centre here was good enough to honour the overseas warranty period even though there was no international warranty card. That's the way service should be.

[eow]

Originally Posted by Docno I bought the A700 in Shanghai before it was available here, but the store there screwed up and did not put an international warranty card in the box despite us mentioning it twice. Since then I've had two major repairs to the A700 (mainboard then sensor) and the service centre here was good enough to honour the overseas warranty period even though there was no international warranty card. That's the way service should be.

u mean there international warranty for body?

[TME]

Hey Docno, do tell us more if there is international warranty or not... cos overseas prices of bodies are so much cheaper!!!

[boombox]

Originally Posted by Docno I bought the A700 in Shanghai before it was available here, but the store there screwed up and did not put an international warranty card in the box despite us mentioning it twice. Since then I've had two major repairs to the A700 (mainboard then sensor) and the service centre here was good enough to honour the overseas warranty period even though there was no international warranty card. That's the way service should be.

Time to get a second body from Shanghai...

[raincool2005]

Originally Posted by eow so they still have the part available? oth how the shutter feel compare to before?

Eow, time to send in your KM5D liao... who knows u might get a brand new A100 ?

[cairocks]

Originally Posted by eow so they still have the part available? oth how the shutter feel compare to before?

Seems the shutter sound is not as loud. Now the mirror flip sound is more noticeable. They also updated the firmware for me. AF seems slower then before from my airshow round, but once it is in focus, the images seems sharper. And the metering/exposure seems more accurate. AF seems slower but have to find a chance to do airshow type of shots again to confirm as the jets were quite fast. Initially, when the black knights were flying, I have hunting problem and I turned to MF, end up with lots shots were not in focus. Later, I found a way to focus faster by opening both eyes to keep track that the camera is pointing at the flying plane and focusing seems better. But I was there on the last day of the airshow, so I feel I may need more practice to determine of the AF is fast enough. Maybe have to go shoot flying egrets or eagles and see if the focusing is fast enough.

[rOnGrEn]

Originally Posted by cairocks They also updated the firmware for me. AF seems slower then before from my airshow round, but once it is in focus, the images seems sharper. And the metering/exposure seems more accurate.

got new firmware meh??

[cairocks]

Originally Posted by rOnGrEn got new firmware meh??

My original seems to be ver1.00 or ver1.00a. Remembered checking it when I got the camera and noted that it is the earliest firmware version. Now it shows ver1.00e.

[Docno]

Originally Posted by TME Hey Docno, do tell us more if there is international warranty or not... cos overseas prices of bodies are so much cheaper!!!

According to Sony here, the Shanghai shop should have given us an international warranty card. But they just left the local warranty card in the box. The Shanghai salespeople insisted that we had everything we needed for the international warranty, but they were wrong. So if you do buy something up there, make sure you see the international warranty and that it says it's so and that it goes into the box. I was too excited about the new camera to check on what they were saying... lesson learned.

[Agetan]

Its very different when come to lens servicing...

there are few times where I get charge excessively when just a minor cleaning. A bit dissapointed few times as I have to go down few times to get a simple dusk speck clean out. Maybe the technician is getting old.

also the quality of work aren't as good as expected sometimes... I send for CLA, and there were a small oily spot on aperture blade. They claim they clean it and not even 1 month later, it comes back. They seems to do half done job and charge full price.

Unlike Minolta servicing centre in Sydney where they do 100% job and of course full price...

Once the see Minolta or KM lenses, they just say, or... that's standard pricing for Minolta lenses servicing!

I think they are plainly disappointing and rather unprofessional when dealing with customer.

Regards,

Hart

[Edlet]

Originally Posted by Agetan also the quality of work aren't as good as expected sometimes... I send for CLA, and there were a small oily spot on aperture blade. They claim they clean it and not even 1 month later, it comes back. They seems to do half done job and charge full price.

Hi, may i know what is CLA and what's the full price for cleaning?

I sent my minolta lens to Sony for cleaning out the dust and they charged only $10 (I think that was for inspection actually) which I thought was really cheap compared to what the 3rd party lens company charged me.

[Agetan]

Originally Posted by Edlet Hi, may i know what is CLA and what's the full price for cleaning? I sent my minolta lens to Sony for cleaning out the dust and they charged only $10 (I think that was for inspection actually) which I thought was really cheap compared to what the 3rd party lens company charged me.

Was charge $85 for half done aperture blade cleaning and $64 for dusk spot cleaning.. what a rip off.

Hart