Hexar RF still being serviced?

[pphuang]

Discouraging... the camera still has film-handling problems. A bit different than before, but when I get the film back tomorrow it'll be clearer. I never saw the counter go above 2 this time, there was often a little buzz sound with no shutter action when I pressed the shutter release, while pressing it a second time resulted in an exposure. I think. It finally jammed at the end of the roll as before, but the manual rewind button didn't work. I opened the back to look, and ooooppss the film hadn't rewound. After closing the back the manual rewind did work. It's messed up and will need further service.

Boy, that sounds just like my problem. I looked at the repair ticket, and it says that the transport gears and associated items were repaired, as well as a general check, cleaning and recalibration. There was a small hiccup with my first roll (early rewind in the middle of the roll), but everything has been fine since then.

 

[Doug]

Discouraging... the camera still has film-handling problems. A bit different than before, but when I get the film back tomorrow it'll be clearer. I never saw the counter go above 2 this time, there was often a little buzz sound with no shutter action when I pressed the shutter release, while pressing it a second time resulted in an exposure. I think. It finally jammed at the end of the roll as before, but the manual rewind button didn't work. I opened the back to look, and ooooppss the film hadn't rewound. After closing the back the manual rewind did work. It's messed up and will need further service.

 

[aizan]

i'm going to japan this christmas, so i'll see what the repair situation is over there. somebody said it was much better than in the us, but never found out if they'll take cameras from overseas.

 

[Doug]

Aizan, it would be useful to find reliable repair there; I'd be willing to send mine, as there appears few choices. Fortunately I do have another body to use while it's away once again...

 

[reala_fan]

Sorry to hear that Precision didn't repair your camera properly, Doug.

I hope Precision refunded you 100%....

 

[Doug]

Thanks, reala_fan...

On the 24-exp film I shot, there were 6 exposures in two singles and two pairs, the groups separated by about 4 blank frames. It seemed to keep "thinking" I'd opened and closed the back. Before frame #6 there was solidly exposed film, surely as a result of my opening the back when the camera had not fully rewound upon my pressing the manual rewind button. A second press got it all into the canister. But there may have been successful images obscured by that back-opening exposure.

I emailed Precision with my commentary on the history and what it's now doing, receiving this reply: "I apologize you are still having problems with your camera. I spoke to one our head technicians regarding your camera and he suggests you send it back in with one of your lenses. We are going to run a lot of film through it so we can pinpoint the problem for you."

Why they once again bring up lenses is a mystery. Film handling can surely be tested without a lens, plus they might have a lens or two lurking about their shop? But since they requested, I'm now considering what lens to send along. Maybe my least valuable, the 50 Skopar...

Nice of them once more to provide a prepaid UPS shipping label, so I'll box it up tomorrow and send it across the country again.

 

[Doug]

sepiareverb, Have you gotten your HRF back from Precision, repaired fully?

I sent them mine along with the 50 Skopar, not that I expect them to find the lens suitable. 🙂 It arrived at their location 5/20, and today it's shown both Received and In Work as of 5/22. Back in the cycle for the third time, hopefully with charming results.

 

[sepiareverb]

In repair since 4/29. I'm getting ready to have a lawyer contact them to get the camera and my money back- what I paid for the camera and their 'repair' cost. Hopeless.

 

[sepiareverb]

Lo and behold a phone call today, asking for the lens so that they can attend to the camera. A month plus with nothing done. A free shipping label is coming to me to send in the lens for free!

 

[Graham Line]

Tell them you're OK if they use Doug's lens 😀

 

[pphuang]

My Hexar is still going strong after the transport mechanism was repaired, and turnaround was very quick. I just don't understand why so many are having problems with Precision...

 

[Issy]

Could have gone back and forth to Japan multiple times in the same time frame.... they're probably an hour drive from my house, and I would still rather ship it to Japan.

 

[pphuang]

I'm curious - has anyone had work done on a non-Hexar camera through Precision? Are the problems related to the camera or the company??

 

[Issy]

See reply 10, this thread, for a F100 I sent in.

 

[sepiareverb]

Could have gone back and forth to Japan multiple times in the same time frame.... they're probably an hour drive from my house, and I would still rather ship it to Japan.

Agreed, but even with connections at Sony USA, that was a no-go. Being so close I'd stop by for lunch everyday and bug them about it. 😀

 

[Doug]

Lo and behold a phone call today, asking for the lens so that they can attend to the camera...

Well, some action anyway! Will you send them a 50 Hexanon? 🙂 I just have the two 50 ZM lenses, plus the Heliar Classic, and figured in the absence of a "proper" Hexanon I'd send them my least expensive 50, the Color Skopar... half expecting a phone call in complaint...

 

[sepiareverb]

I'm working on a Hexanon- I don't own one anymore.

What gets me is that they only need the lens because they screwed up the RF- it was fine when it left my hands. First time it was at least useable- if out top to bottom- second time it was out so far you couldn't even tell what was going on. As the only 'official' Konica Hexar 'repair' place you'd think they'd splurge on the lens.

And I wish I'd known the lens is required for alignment- I'd have kept it on hand.

 

[Doug]

Update... No communication from Precision. You may recall that as of 5/26/09, checking Repair Status shows gear was both Received and put In Repair on 5/22.

Checking again on Friday 6/19, it's shown Out of Repair as of 6/17 and Ship Confirmed Three-Day Select, tracking indicates it was in Portland OR the following afternoon, and delivery is due tomorrow 6/22.

I'm really curious about the current condition of the camera. Will there be any notes about the repairs? Tomorrow I should find out!

Sepiareverb, what's the situation with yours? Back yet?

 

[trev2401]

Hey guys, chanced upon this thread some time back and decided to do a bit of homework myself, especially after adding a Hexar AF and RF to my collection.

Talked to the nice folks at Mapcamera, Tokyo, about whether Sony/Minolta would service anything related to the Hexar, both af and rf models.

The reply was that, with regards to tune ups or service not requiring any parts, sony would do their best. The chap then told me that RF clean ups, alignments, shutter CLAs were still being done by sony, but with a 1-2 month turn around.

Now for the bad part. Parts are scarce.... almost impossible to find even here in Tokyo, and as such, anything that needs replacing, would be subject to the availability of parts. There are 3rd party manufacturers out there that would re-do a broken part for you, but it would be more cost effective to perhaps buy another body.

Hope this helps.

 

[sepiareverb]

My camera is back, and alignment is fixed! Miracle of miracles. Thanks to the generous RFF'er who loaned me the 50/2.

Now, do I keep the body or sell it???