Hello all,

My EX1 has a few miles on the clock now and I was looking for somewhere on the East coast of Australia to send it in for a service, general check and firmware update etc (images also appear a little noisier than they used to be...).

There are alot of places that claim to be Sony Authorized service centres - I even called a few regarding servicing the EX1 - and got responses like..."Um...yeah, I suppose we could have a look at it for you..." .

Hmmm. Confidence building.

Does anyone have a (positive) EX1 experience with a Sony service centre on East coast of Australia? I'm in Queensland but I don't mind couriering it interstate if I know the job will be done right.

Thanks for any replies,

Regards,

David.

Hi David,

I have been very satisfied with Pro-Hitech Services at 30 Boundary Rd in South Melbourne ph 03 9686 9500.

Good luck

Alastair is correct, Pro Hi Tech truly are an authorised Sony service agent. They do a top job.

Hi Alastair and David,
thankyou for your thoughts, I will give Pro-Hitech a call and see if I can tee something up.
Thanks and regards,

David.

David, you haven't indicated a location. If Victoria then Pro Hi-Tech are excellent. If Sydney (or thereabouts) check out Sony there (they did all the EX1 lens exchanges); Bob Grant will know where they are.

Hi Serena,

thanks for the reply. I think I mentioned above that I'm in Queensland (Brisbane) but I'm happy to courier the camera interstate to NSW or VIC to get it done.

It's a much better feeling having the recommendations of some of the folks here than to just send it off somewhere and hope for the best. There's still going to be a hit on the wallet but at least there's some reassurance that it'll be done right.

Sydney's a closer trip so if there's somewhere there that people can vouch for (Bob..?) then that'd be great.
Again, thank you guys for replying.

David.

David, you haven't indicated a location. If Victoria then Pro Hi-Tech are excellent. If Sydney (or thereabouts) check out Sony there (they did all the EX1 lens exchanges); Bob Grant will know where they are.

The company we've used in the past, Macray Specialist Services no longer repair cameras (long story). The tech who worked for them is in the same building which we now own so he's very much still able to repair Sony cameras. To be frank though I'd have some reservations about having this chap "service" a camera such as the EX1. Replacing dead assemblies no problem, what he lacks are the tools to check optics etc.

If anyone does know of anyone in Sydney that can do the full deal of checking optics etc I'd love to know. My understanding is not even Sony AU are that capable.

Bob, that's interesting. When my second EX1 went in for mods under warranty Pro Hi-Tech sent it to Sydney because that's where that work was being done. It came back with a new lens module. Maybe it was a special team from Japan? I know that in those early days (for EX1) Sony imposed tight restrictions on who could service the camera and at that time our local people didn't have the specific jigs. I had presumed Sony AU had a major service centre in Sydney.

They may well have a major service centre, it's certainly a big building. The only time I've been there I didn't get to see much and there's no effort made for you to get to see anything. They might have more capabilities than I'm aware of.
On the other hand when Panavision were still running in Artarmon you could easily see what they had at hand, I know they could run the full gamut of tests on optics and I would anticipate if you sent a lens to them for testing or service you'd get a full report back, along with a decent bill.
My EX1 went to Sony HQ and came back with a list of what they'd replaced, that's it. No reports saying the new lens had been tested and here's the results and how they are within tolerance. The OP raised a concern that his camera is a bit noiser than it was. I cannot say for certain if he was to spend the money to get Sony HQ to look at it just how much satisfaction he'd get for his money. I would hope he'd get back a report that showed what and how it was tested and what the results were, if they were out of spec what was done to get them back in spec etc. Unfortunately I've not seen or heard anything to indicate this is what would happen. I'd love to be proved wrong though.

Being able to see the capabilities does give confidence, as does being able to talk to the guys doing the work. Next time I pass Pro Hi-Tech I'll ask them about Sony facilities.

Wow,
again thanks for the replies guys.

From what Bob was saying it all sounds a bit scary, like we have a bunch of board-replacers out there and no real technicians looking at these cameras. I had a similar issue with my macbook pro recently. A fault on the motherboard and apple auth repair said 'new motherboard - $2,800 thanks'. Then I found a technician in Melbourne that diagnosed and repaired the fault for $160. He actually used a soldering iron and everything.

So we no longer have just a throw away society with regard to new goods - but Sony's after market repair might have become 'after marker replace'. I think I'll call Pro Hi-tech and talk to them anyway, Serena but yaarrgh, doesn't give us much confidence in the longevity of the products we're investing in.

Regards,

David.

David, how did you get on? Unfortunately many manufacturer's specified service limits repairs to replacing boards (no guarantee on repairs to boards). Does make it expensive.

I'm in Sydney and about to take my own EX1 to a mob called Definatech in north western suburb of Seven Hills. They're authorised Sony engineers and the head man Don is helpful: 02 9620 7588. They're repairing the camera but I'll also ask about firmware upgrade.

Wow,
again thanks for the replies guys.

From what Bob was saying it all sounds a bit scary, like we have a bunch of board-replacers out there and no real technicians looking at these cameras. I had a similar issue with my macbook pro recently. A fault on the motherboard and apple auth repair said 'new motherboard - $2,800 thanks'. Then I found a technician in Melbourne that diagnosed and repaired the fault for $160. He actually used a soldering iron and everything.

So we no longer have just a throw away society with regard to new goods - but Sony's after market repair might have become 'after marker replace'. I think I'll call Pro Hi-tech and talk to them anyway, Serena but yaarrgh, doesn't give us much confidence in the longevity of the products we're investing in.

Regards,

David.

Hi David, Any possibility that you could pass on the name of your macbook technician. I have a problem with my macbook and like you my only response from a dealer is a new motherboard which is worth more than the macbook itself.

By the way, John Van Beek (Jvb Electronic Industries) in Port melbourne has been servicing Sony cameras for a lot of Cameramen for many years.

Only a very small number of all the Sony authorised technical facilities available in Australia are authorised to touch EX's. Sony will not supply parts even to their own authorised facilities for EX unless they are specifically authorised to carry out EX servicing. I think that Pro Hitech in Melbourne is authorised and I think there is a facility in Sydney but other than that I don't know of any. To confirm who is authorised I would contact Sony Australia- Professional division. I certainly would not hand my camera to anyone without independent confirmation that they are specifically authorised to work on EX's

regards
Ian Skurrie

Pro HiTech is authorised.

I'm in Sydney and about to take my own EX1 to a mob called Definatech in north western suburb of Seven Hills. They're authorised Sony engineers and the head man Don is helpful: 02 9620 7588.

The guys at Definitech know what they're doing, I got my EX1 firmware updated with them, as well as another service. I recommend them. (NOTE: I'm actually good friends with Don's daughter so I might be a little bias, but they are good and very helpful, take it from Michael)

Did you do a search for Sony's Service centres?
Home : Service Centres : Access Service Information : Support : Sony Australia (http://www.sony.com.au/section/servicecentres)

Hello,

sorry for the delayed reply, been out of action for a while and not checking the board.
Update: Contacted Pro Hi-tech - Stuart was very professional and helpful. They are closed for the Xmas break and reopen 10/1/11 - so I'll be sending the camera off to them then to get the service done.

Prices (as of Dec 2010 anyway) : general clean/check/firmware update for approx $159.50 inc gst - an additional $99 to get a full service to the camera - in Stuart's words - "but to be honest if the camera is in relatively good condition it's probably not worth worrying about.". Refreshingly candid.

Neil - sent you a mail regarding the MBPro repairs, let me know if you don't get it for some reason.

Thanks again to all who chimed in here - Serena et al.

Regards,

David.