Getting the RD-1 fixed - Problems anyone???

ClayH

Diana camera, coffee
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Well, it has been a month and a day since I sent my RD-1 in to have the rangefinder aligned under the 1 year warranty. I called Epson today, and they apparently haven't done anything at all. No contact, no work. Just sitting on a bench somewhere I guess.

It was hard enough convincing the guy on the other end of the phone that it was indeed a problem. He asked me what lens I was using. I told him that I had a 35 version 4 cron. He then proceeded to try to convince me that there were 'known problems with some Leica lenses'. When I told him I had other film cameras that could accurately focus this lens wide open, he finally relented and sent me a repair authorization number and shipping instructions.

Has anyone else had this sort of experience with Epson USA service? This on top of trying being on hold at least 45 minutes each time I have called. This is pretty poor service for such a pricey piece of camera gear. Any other experiences out there similar to mine? Or am I just lucky???
 
Well Clay, I just sent mine in for repair/replacement and I'll let you know how it goes. I was on hold for a long time but they were cooperative about the authorization.

Cheers,

Sean
 
My service experience with Epson was pleasant. It took a month but they sent me a brand new unit. My very first inquiry call wasn't too great. The rep wasn't very helpful but the next time I called I got a very pleasant and extremely helpful rep name Wanda. She took my name and number and gave me occasional calls to keep me up to date as to what the status was. My experience with Wanda was so great I forgave the first call.
 
warning! bad pun alert!

warning! bad pun alert!

Hm... Sounds like there's something *fishy* going on with Epson USA! 🙄

*bad pun gone*

Sorry - as with most puns it's distinctly off-topic. But I couldn't leave it.
 
Good info about Wanda. She is actually working on my case as of yesterday. I had exactly the same experience - the first few calls were taken by others and were just sort of gruff and unhelpful. Wanda seemed to be a lot more interested in making things right. So - I guess I should just be patient a while longer.
 
Agreed. I hope if Epson begins to take the professional camera market seriously, they'll come up with a professional repair department like Nikon NPS or Canon's CPS. I can send something to Canon and they'll fix it and return it to me within 4 business days. As I am waiting for my R-D1 to return from repair or replacement, I'll be logging extra miles on the Leica M7 bodies, which are, fortunately, very reliable.
 
My camera, with which I had a rangfinder alignment problem that I reported here a short while ago (Which DAG said he wouldn't not be able to fix) is at Epson for few long weeks already. I sent RD-1 for repair twice before and it returned (replacement body) very fast. This time it is clearly different. I hope they did not simply run out of replacement bodies. Because it clearly doesn't sound like there will be anybody there to repair or adjust it. BTW "There are some known problems with Leica lenses." I love that one. What is he talking about? Noct at f/1? Luckily I have 3 M bodies so I too didn't have hard time insisting that it is no problem with my lens. The high level technician was extremely kind, but I want my camera back. I find myself traveling with Kodak slr dcs/c and 3 L lenses instead of RD-1 and one two Leica lenses.
 
I just got a call back finally from Epson USA service. Apparently, the delay has been in waiting for a shipment of new cameras. I sent mine in for a rangefinder alignment issue, and they apparently could not fix it, so I am getting a new camera. Is it just me, or does everyone else think that the warranty service costs on this camera must be eating Epson alive?

In any case, once I finally got through to the right person, everyone was friendly and helpful. I just would not count on getting a camera back in a week if you send it in for repairs....
 
ClayH said:
I sent mine in for a rangefinder alignment issue, and they apparently could not fix it, so I am getting a new camera. Is it just me, or does everyone else think that the warranty service costs on this camera must be eating Epson alive?
QUOTE]

What I find worrying here is if they can't fix a relatively simple problem like a rangefinder alignment issue what will happen when the cameras are out of warranty - mine expires next month. I can't see them offereing replacements then. One would expect a good AND speedy repair.

Further adding to the problem in the U.K. is Sanger's who were handling the importation and distribution have now gone into receivership. They did at least know about rangefinders as ther also imported the Voigtlander range for quite sometime.
 
Epson's returns policy reminds me of a film I once saw about the French Foreign Legion, where a bunch of soldiers in a fort kept running round so the enemy would think there were more of them than there really were. Are all these bodies getting recycled? And does this mean that there are no concrete future plans for this camera?

Seems to me that, if the R-D1 was a proof-of-concept product, they probably underestimated the amount of support infrastructure necessary, and that makes me wonder if it won't scare off the other potential manufacturers.

The current pro market seems geared to a few heavyweight DSLRs, while the amateur market is definitely moving in the light DSLR, P&S and camera-phone direction.

So, all in all, if I was proposing a business model, digital RF looks very dubious. I'm starting to think of the R-D1 as a one-off; supported for a while and then quietly abandoned. Hope I'm wrong, but...
 
I got back a camera different from the one I sent, they simply replaced the hotshoe so the S/N is the same, and definitely not a new camera since it as a very small scratch under the LCD casing that mine did not have.
I am not that happy about the scratch, but I am reluctant in sending it back because it works very well, framelines ok, and RF spot on (tried with Summilux 75 at f1.4 and short focusing distance) so I guess I'll keep it.
 
ClayH said:
... He asked me what lens I was using. I told him that I had a 35 version 4 cron. He then proceeded to try to convince me that there were 'known problems with some Leica lenses'....

The rep is right i'm afraid.
The version 4 of the Summicron 35mm does not focus accurately on the R-D1. At least my own copy (below) that i don't use any more on the R-D1 for this very reason.
No problems with other Leica lenses so far but i've got focussing issues with the Rokkor-M 40mm as well.
Best,
LCT
 
LCT said:
The version 4 of the Summicron 35mm does not focus accurately on the R-D1.


Aaaargh :bang: :bang: :bang:

I am about to order one for my RD-1 😡

The Epson lens database does not state any incompatibility with the Summicron 35mm M ver.4, has anyone used it successfully?
 
FWIW - I use the 35 Asph on an RD-1 and have found it an awesome combination. I don't get it. All Leica lenses focus at the same point and are built to exacting tolerances. If they did not, you'd have heard about this sort of performance issue on M bodies -- 4th gen. 35s have been around for -- what -- 20 years now. . . seems a little late for incompatibilities to be popping up. I can focus all of my Leica lenses 50 and shorter predictably and well on my RD-1. The Noctilux is a special case. 75/1.4 is hit and miss. 90/2 hit and miss. But a 35? Seems more likely to me that it is a rangefinder adjustment problem if anything.
 
I just received my replacement camera yesterday. It took about a month. Thankfully, it seems to have no rangefinder alignment problems at all. I am in the process of checking the accuracy of the focus right now. The previous problem was with the superimposed image - it was off in the vertical dimension. It also had the tilted frameline problem. I really wish that we could get the Epson electronic guts in a Leica-made body!

So I just picked up that thread about the 4th Gen 35 cron having problems. That is totally weird. How can a lens that focuses fine on every other Leica body I own have problems on the RD-1? But it sounds like that indeed may be the case. Strange. Anyone have experience using the 40 Cron-C from the CL on the RD-1 body. I have one that I am going to try out.
 
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