Fuji Fuji X100 and Fuji UK

Iansky

All-Pro
Location
Cotswolds, UK
Purchased my X100 new in Dec 2011 serial begins 13xxxxxxxxx, had great use but lovingly looked after and treated with respect so still looks like new.

Recently noticed exposure issues and when I check the aperture blades it was plain to see the SAB problem, in turn contacted Fuji UK who have said they no longer repair this issue FOC and claimed Fuji Japan never recognised it as a manufacturing problem?

They have very "graciously" agreed to repair the camer for a fee of £94.21 which they say is labour charge for fitting a new lens and it will then have a 12month guarantee.

Does this sound like a routine Fuji response?
 
Wow, Ian - that doesn't sound right... I suppose it is possible that Fuji Japan never recognized it as a manufacturing problem while Fuji in the states certainly did fix the SAB issues. I wonder if Rico will have any insights? Or perhaps someone else from the UK? I wonder if Fuji over here will still recognize and fix the problem?
 
Purchased my X100 new in Dec 2011 serial begins 13xxxxxxxxx, had great use but lovingly looked after and treated with respect so still looks like new.

Recently noticed exposure issues and when I check the aperture blades it was plain to see the SAB problem, in turn contacted Fuji UK who have said they no longer repair this issue FOC and claimed Fuji Japan never recognised it as a manufacturing problem?

They have very "graciously" agreed to repair the camer for a fee of £94.21 which they say is labour charge for fitting a new lens and it will then have a 12month guarantee.

Does this sound like a routine Fuji response?

I'm not sure what the SAB problem is but, I'd say have it repaired as it is long out of warranty and that seems a fair price for a new lens with a warranty.
You could argue it out and take them to the small claims court saying it should last longer than two years before going wrong but it will also depend on how many shutter actions the mechanics has gone through. It might be worth checking out the sale of goods act but in the end, the offer seems a good one especially for a new lens and 1 year warranty. A difficult choice for you.


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One more thing... if you can prove it's from the same batch of series numbers affected by this SAB, then I'd give them another email and see if they will back down. The other option, and I've been successful with this, is to take it back to the supplier and ask them to intercede on your behalf. My first x100s had a faulty viewfinder blind and Fuji UK tried twice to repair it but my supplier persuaded Fuji to give me a replacement.


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The camera has arrived back and is waiting for me at home - just cannot be bothered to go through a long procrastinated wrangle with Fuji, if it has a new lens as they proclaim and a 12month guarantee then I will just bite the bullet and enjoy having it back into the fold.

I do feel that their ethics are a little off though and do not see how one part of Fuji can admit to it being a manufacturing fault and another part not - they are the same company!
 
Yes, if it hadn't been for the help given by my supplier I'd have been left with a new camera that had been in three times for repair. The third being for a repair that didn't exist when it went in the first time. As I said already, you. Old go back to the place you bought it from and ask them to speak to the Fuji rep but, as you say, it might be easier to have it repaired and hope that the repair is done well. At least a years warranty helps. I sometimes think all manufacturers expect people to just give in and buy a new device rather than fight them. The only manufacturer I've dealt with that are an exception to this is Apple. I've had really good service from them when something goes wrong but that doesn't help you.



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No problems fixing SAB here in Germany FOC. However, spare parts may be out of supply eventually. Typically, all affected cameras should have displayed the issue by now. It's certainly very uncommon for a "new" camera to sit on a shelf for more than 2 years.
 
Just for balance I have to say I have had nothing but exemplary service from Fuji UK. I had the orbs fixed on my X10, the light leak on my X-T1 and some recent to-ing and fro-ing over their choice of @*~?!&^£ incompetent courier to get my Refurb. X-Pro1 to me. At all times they have been unfailingly courteous. I am a Customer Experience specialist (I've just spent two days at a conference presenting on the subject) and have to say that Fuji UK - for me at least - have yet to put a foot wrong.*


*other than that courier...
 
Bill,

I just wish my experience had been as pleasant but alas not, I have in the past had confusing messages from Fuji UK - I wanted to buy a black lens shade /adaptor for the X100s and they were adamant that they had to be purchased separately as they were not a kit, bought & received only to find the box with the lens shade also had the adaptor included as it was a kit so I then had to go through a procrastinated process of getting a refund for the part they made me buy that I did not need - when I rang and explained, their answer.......' oh, we did not know!'

In the case of the SAB the person I spoke to was adamant that Fuji Japan had not admitted that there was a problem with SAB yet Fuji UK graciously had! (mixed messages) but had stopped repairing cameras with the issue FOC after a year.............again very odd that on the one hand they admit there is a problem yet put a time limit on repairing cameras that show the fault later than others (surely that is dependant on use / number of shots taken) as was described when the problem was first exposed.

I did end up having to pay £98.00 to get the issue resolved or end up with a Fuji paperweight and when it is a known manufacturing fault that should not be the case and to challenge that decision officially/legally would cost a lot more and they know that.

Working for a company that has won awards for Customer Service (Customer Experience) and having been a Customer Service (Experience) Manager myself a few years ago I am well aware of what is and is not good service and my two experiences with Fuji have both proved to be "Bad experiences with very poor custoemr service".

I now live in dread in case my X100s develops and issue!
 
The only time I have had to contact Fuji UK was over a stuck battery compartment door on an F70EXR some years ago. They repaired that and got it back to me within about 4 days of my sending the camera to them, which I thought was pretty impressive.
 
For some reason I've only just seen this thread. Like others I can only report good things about Fuji UK.

The X100 SAB story is all about Fuji's response to the Great Eastern Earthquake and how their rapid restoration of the factory in 14 days led to a lens assembly fabrication unit being out of tolerance and the subsequent Sticky Apertures.
Details are all over the internet and although Fuji didn't admit liability up to a year ago it seemed that they would repair affected cameras to the extent that the jurisdiction required.
Here in the UK it was fully covered but in the USA you had to pay carriage.

I believe that you could probably push Fuji for a refund and talk to Trading Standards.
 
Judging by all the positives, I must be unlucky to have had 2 unpleasant experiences but will keep my fingers that if I need a third contact it will be pleasant.(must remember - do not call on Modays).

It is not worth the time / effort / frustration in going the Trading standards route as it will only end up in a long drawn out process and as long as Fuji did not openly admit/commit to fixing SAB issues and there is documentary evidence of this then it will be no use.

I love the products and all about them but feel very dissapointed by the after sales service I experienced on both occasions.
 
Judging by all the positives,...

It does sound like you have had the raw end of things. I had a similar experience with Panasonic a few years ago with the sensor of my LC-1. It took a personal visit to the offices of Panasonic UK (I live not far away) and a print of a notice from Panasonic Canada before they gave in, with bad grace. It soured my view of them for a considerable time. No company gets it right every time, but consistency should be a given. Hope future interactions are better!
 
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