I would just like to warn people about Sony and how since I have purchased my faulty HVR Z7E, that their after sales is terrible. (a long story short) I purchased my camera, I used it for a few hours and after leaving it for a month I switched it on and I could not record to the MRU. I reported this to Sony and then my Z7E & MRU went back to Sony Prime Support....

This is the bad part they lost my MRU asking me did I even include the unit...it is broken so why would I keep it, after a few weeks and getting a replacement MRU I got my camera back...within a few weeks the MRU was not working correctly or the Firewire port on my Z7E.The camera was frying itself via the firewire?? I contacted Sony again and this time my camera would be away for two weeks I was told and a Loan unit was offered I said NO as I had not paid for a loan unit I had pid for my faulty Z7E....for the second time, I said to Sony and the Retailer that I wish to report the Z7E as faulty and want either a replacement or a refund, this is not possible I am told.

I was only offered a replacement three weeks after getting my camera back the second time, I was under the impression CATCH 22 keep my repaired unit with new TSS Board and firewire or....

Now next week when I have finished with my camera I have to send it back to Sony so hopefully no one has to go through what I have I even informed sony with two letters of complaint informing them I was not happy with having to contact them and the retailer nearly 60 times by email and about the same in calls....all I asked was to be kept informed and this has led me to this post so no one can go through what I have, I even told them this nearly killed my New Career.....

James, Just try to hang in there, I had the opposite experience with Sony service and found them to be Fantastic in
Teanick NJ

Keep calm and continue to communicate with Sony and things should work out
Also consider networking with other video people to get your hands on a camera when need one or buy a back-up

Thanks for the feedback Steve, my only problem with buying a backup camera I saved for two years then bought the camera right for me or so I thought, only to find I have bought a faulty camera. The reason for my main complaint to Sony and still has never been addressed is no communication between them and myself or even the retailer and they had my camera for TWO months the last time......Only for me to find I had been mislead some information and this backed up my original concerns in not trusting them.

I had a great relationship with Sony and their products after buying my Sony Minidisc recorder MZ R90, all my products have been Sony but I told them after this mixup (I say this nicely) I sadly have lost confidence in them.Also that buying my Z7E has been a rather expensive mistake if I had known I was into all this.......

Sounds like a terrible situation, James. It is too bad that it has soured your opinion of the Z7. Fortunately for me, my experiences with Sony service were better. I am obviously dealing with a different service department in the US, even though they operate under the same name. One of my experiences was unbelievably fantastic. The second was just OK. The 2 instances were about 6 years apart. In reality, I never want to have to do business with any service department, no matter how good it is. But stuff happens.

hi Greg, it has made me feel maybe I should not have went down this road, or even that another camera may have been less hassle....I know from the responses on hear and that Sony have said that what happened to me was an isolated case BUT I have a small list of these mistakes and it did not help and Sony used this against me as to my lack of experience in this field....

My old day job was a Chef and I wanted to do something less stressful. I should have stuck with my day job?

James, Just try to hang in there, I had the opposite experience with Sony service and found them to be Fantastic in
Teanick NJ

Keep calm and continue to communicate with Sony and things should work out
Also consider networking with other video people to get your hands on a camera when need one or buy a back-up

I also have had great service from the Teanick NJ Sony repair service. Just this past week my 270 ate another tape and I sent the 270 back to Teanick NJ on Thursday.It arrived at Teanick NJ on Monday and I got it back on Tuesday. This was warranty service. the Camera was repaired and now operates correctly.

Great Job Sony!

Ronnie Martin
Page 1 (http://www.dirtracingvideo.com)

Hi Ronnie, thanks for the post I only just got my camera back for the third time as since I had her Shot Transition had not worked? Long Story short Vortex Media DVD purchase and a trip to London confirmed that I did have a fault with my camera so all these things to happen & like it was mentioned before to me speak to Sony and hang in there???

I have tried with Sony all the phone calls and emails and now two actual letters nothing only way of apology was to extend my Prime Support for three months(this was after the losing of the MRU) but a lot has happened since then and only yesterday an email to another part of Sony to see if this stirs up a response.

I have told Sony the last three times that because of the way they treated me that I am in no hurry to buy any of their products, and the main reason for my post is getting nowhere with them and just hoping that the same thing doesn't happen to someone else WHICH from the comments I am glad hasn't......

Cheers
James

Hi Ronnie, thanks for the post I only just got my camera back for the third time as since I had her Shot Transition had not worked? Long Story short Vortex Media DVD purchase and a trip to London confirmed that I did have a fault with my camera so all these things to happen & like it was mentioned before to me speak to Sony and hang in there???

James, I quote you (above) not because I want to refer to anything in that paragraph, but because it shows how difficult it must be for Sony to figure out what it is you're actually saying when you contact them.
Go read that paragraph again and assume you're a repair technician at Prime Support - could you make head or tail of what the fault was, what the customer wanted?

Your English is so jumbled by anger that you're giving everyone a headache, and this will put you to the back of the queue. Remember you're dealing with people at Prime Support, not machines, so make it easy for them and they'll make it easy for you.

So, calm down and write an accurate, succinct, detailed letter.

On a clean A4 sheet state when and where you bought the camera. Give its model and serial nr. Then with bullet points give dates and accurate info on the fault(s). Offer them a demo tape.
State what outcome you expect and when.
Give all your contact details.
List all the items you'll be returning. All.
Be polite. It works wonders with people.

Remember that the Z7 is an amazing camera for the money. As such there will be production line faults now and again, but PS is there as backup to the sort of person who appreciates this. And look how it's forced Panasonic's hand this year - they've upped their guarantee to 3 years.

This post is not meant to upset you - only to calm you and guide you.

tom.

Hi Ronnie, thanks for the post I only just got my camera back for the third time as since I had her Shot Transition had not worked? Long Story short Vortex Media DVD purchase and a trip to London confirmed that I did have a fault with my camera so all these things to happen & like it was mentioned before to me speak to Sony and hang in there???

I have tried with Sony all the phone calls and emails and now two actual letters nothing only way of apology was to extend my Prime Support for three months(this was after the losing of the MRU) but a lot has happened since then and only yesterday an email to another part of Sony to see if this stirs up a response.

I have told Sony the last three times that because of the way they treated me that I am in no hurry to buy any of their products, and the main reason for my post is getting nowhere with them and just hoping that the same thing doesn't happen to someone else WHICH from the comments I am glad hasn't......

Cheers
James

Your experience with Sony service is just opposite to mine. I have owned many Sony Cameras and they have been most reliable. When I have had a service problem, either my dealer or Sony corrected the problem very quickly. I sure hope that you are able to correct the problems you are having with the Z7. I have both the 270 (full size Z7) and the EX-3. Last year I put over 100 hours on a first production run of the EX-1. When Sony indicated that there was a firm ware update, I called them and asked if I could establish a date for the upgrade before the warranty ran out. They were most accommodating and sent me a repair form dated back in September. I needed the EX-1 to complete a project that would run past the warranty date. After completing my project I sent the Ex-1 to the service repair office in NJ and it was completely brought up to date with all upgrades at no charge. This added over $100 in value to my Ex-1 and I promptly traded it for the EX-3. Another thing that has always helped me is the relationship with my dealer and the dealer's relationship with Sony. I am very fortunate to have a dealer in NY ( I live in Mississippi) Armarto's that has an excellent relationship with Sony warranty service center in NJ. (My Sales person Is Dennis Hopkins at Armato's Pro Video in NY.)

We all have problems with software cameras and other equipment all the time and it is very frustrating. However, this is no fault of the people that you are dealing with at the Sony service center. Treat them with kindness and understanding and they will do the same

I sure hope it all works out for you..



Take care,
Ronnie Martin
Page 1 (http://www.dirtracingvideo.com)

PS. I learned the following from a still photographer friend of mine years ago and it relates to back up. He told me that one camera on a gig is no camera. Two cameras (a back up) is one camera. Since that time, I have always had a back up camera just in case the main camera went down on every project. Usually what happens is, that I use the last camera that I bought as the back up. In the case of the EX-1 I always took my ZU1 with me as a back up on every job. Even now I take the Zu1 with me when I am shooting with the Ex-3 or 270. It is a great little camera if you can give it enough light.

Thanks for the comments but I would like to say to Tom that the paragraph you quoted was a cut down version of the many factors that have played a problem since I bought my camera and I am not angry at Sony or Visual Impacts.

I just felt that in order to get a response I should not have to phone 60 times and about the same in emails.....it is because of this and also being told the wrong information by Gary Banks at Sony Prime Support that I only contacted them via my two letters, as how many times do you have to inform someone that you have a faulty product I mean as I have said before it the MRU had broken while in my hand....I only had switched the Z7E on.

With the problems I had with my Z7E it was only confirmed, after I bought the Z7E DVD from Vortex Media and my trip to BVE 2009. That my camera was not able to do a Shot Transition.

My overall complaint is I was a Chef I have moved to being a freelance film maker, my lack of experience had shown when not knowing what works or doesn't work when recording to Tape or MRU? I had even told Sony on the first instance it was a problem with my Firewire port BUT after the second visit a new Firewire port and TSS Board and I had pointed out to Sony that I had saved hard to buy the Z7E only to have the problems that I had.

I mean who would be happy that a camera that you had bought in may 2008 and up till now Sony have had three times for a total of three months........

Hi Ronnie, as it stands for me I don't have the funds for a second Camera but when I do it won't be a Sony as I have stated to them after all the problems with my Z7E even though I thought I was buying from the No1 company in this field and from a Sony specialist.

Only to end up with all this hassle I said in a recent email I maybe should have just purchased a grey import? after all that's what it feels like I have bought BUT before anyone posts to point out that I haven't as I am getting Prime Support? here in UK this would not have been the case if I had bought a grey import.

All I wanted to state in my original post was to give people a wee taste of what I had went through, hoping that it won't happen to someone else and as I had stated in an earlier post it hasn't.......