Received my third camera today and the same viewfinder problem!

[driggett]

Argh! Epson customer service was gracious enough to send me a replacement camera before I sent my second one in. Unfortunately they were out in Indiana and found a camera on the docks in Long Beach, CA. The serial number is 9 less then my current one which raised my suspicions. I received it yesterday and yes it has the same frame lines being off by 1.5 to 2 degrees. It is even noticeable in the playback window. I have fired off an email to the customer service rep and see what they do this time. I am getting frustrated with this whole affair. Maybe I should just go out and buy a pin hole camera!
Cheers,
Chris

 

[LCT]

DAG is repairing them now AFAIK.
See http://tinyurl.com/6xeel
Best,
LCT

 

[driggett]

LCT,
Thanks for the info. Unfortunatly the rangefinder is not out of alignment just the frame lines are crooked. I wonder If he could fix that. My camera's serial number is abovt 19xx so it is not the early batch the poster in your link refered to. I will contact him an see what he has to say.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[pfogle]

Chris... my sympathies, having been through the same process. I do think we should persist until Epson sort out these issues; letting them off the hook re QA grates even more than putting up with a sub-standard product.

I'm tending to think that Epson didn't expect this camera to be taken seriously except as a status symbol. However, when it works, it works soooo good it's worth persisting. And I suspect we may never see anything else like it!

My first camera had s/n 002449, and a good v/f. Second and third were around 0034xx and had dodgy v/f frames. Then I got (from another supplier) one with s/n 0025xx and that's ok. It seems to me that there was a dicky batch around the 3000's. Does that fit your experience?

best of luck
Phil

 

[driggett]

My serial #s were 17xx to start out with and everything okay except for a scratched ccd unit. My second and third cameras which had frame line problems were 193x and 192x. So I would say the 19xx batch seems to have the frame line problems.
I will keep persisting with Epson unitl I get a camera that is perfect or nearly perfect. This is what I expect for $3000.
Thanks,
Chris

 

[driggett]

Just got a response from EPson They are trying to find out now through advanced support what is going on.
Here is an excerpt of the email.
" This is a new camera that was sent to you and I'm not sure why you are having these issues. I will need to check with our advanced product support department and advise them what is going on with these units.
For now though, please send back your original camera, and I will be in touch regarding the one you just received after I speak with our APS department.
"

I hope for the best.
Cheers,
Chris

 

[aizan]

email dag. maybe he fixes crooked framelines. i think it makes more sense to fix it than hope the next one is fine.

 

[driggett]

I just got off the phone with DAG and he said he has not done that before but is willing to give it a try and it should be doable. I asked him how much and how long he said around $50 and about a week. I will wait to see what Epson has to say and I will decide then.
Cheers,
Chris

 

[Sean Reid]

If DAG can fix the alignment and the camera is fine otherwise I think that option is worth considering. Ask Epson to cover the cost of repairs and shipping.

Sean

 

[driggett]

Sean,
Should I say that it was okayed for them to cover the cost of a DAG repair by the offical Epson liason person? ;-)

 

[Sean Reid]

Me...? I'm not an official Epson anything. I just think Epson should get a repair and adjustment program together rather than just replacing cameras.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[pfogle]

Sean.... sorry if I lost the plot somewhere, but what happened about that conference call you were going to have with the Epson people? I guess they're following all this stuff? Any news?

cheers
Phil

 

[Sean Reid]

Phil,

The conference call has been rescheduled twice by Epson's PR firm. Needs to be rescheduled again but they haven't suggested a new date and time yet.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[driggett]

Well I just got done talking with someone in Epson's second level support. He took down my history with the R-D1s and was going to pass it to Advanced Product support. I gave him a link to this website for more information. He said he had not heard of these problems. He said that someone from the advanced product support should be giving me a call within the next couple of business days.
Hope for the best,
Chris