GH1 Strap rivet broken
- Thread starter themartist
- Start date
d1rockwild
Well-known member
This really sucks. And not to diminish your argument that there is a defect in the GH1 but I remember this precaution in my first camera class in high school:
Never let the camera just hang from the neck strap. Always hold it. The neck strap is a safety device, not meant to always be supporting the weight of the camera.
Never let the camera just hang from the neck strap. Always hold it. The neck strap is a safety device, not meant to always be supporting the weight of the camera.
I'm really dissappointed with Panasonic customer support. I told them about my broken strap rivet and they repeatedly dismissed it saying "This is a cosmetic fault Sir. It's not covered under warranty." , So I'm left unable to use my strap and the bolt is rattling around inside the camera body. I don't understand how a broken strap rivet can be considered a cosmetic issue. It has a specific function that now doesn't work. We're not talking about a scratch here.
Pansonic also insisted that the strap rivet problem is not wide-spread but a single isolated incident, to me alone. When I told the person on the phone that there were threads on forums online with many people having the same problem, she said "Sir, no one has reported this to us, so we're not aware of any issue here." When I replied "What do you mean no one has reported it? I'm reporting it to you. I'm letting you know that others have the same problem. Just look at the forum threads for yourself. I'm just saying, I don't think this is an isolated incident." She replied "Sir, this is an isolated incident. If other people are experiencing the same thing, well they haven't reported it to us." . She just refused to look at the threads or links I gave her and refused to acknowledge that this might not be isolated.
I'm afraid to get it repaired by a third party for fear of it voiding my warranty.
After many telephone calls and hours of arguments with Panasonic on the phone, they finally stopped telling me it was a "cosmetic" issue and agreed to "look at it" for me. I'm posting it in now, special signed delivery. I still have to pay for the postage myself though. And after the way they have been behaving with me on the phone, I'm a bit scared to send it in to them at all for fear of something happening and me losing the camera entirely. They don't seem in the mood to help people.
Pansonic also insisted that the strap rivet problem is not wide-spread but a single isolated incident, to me alone. When I told the person on the phone that there were threads on forums online with many people having the same problem, she said "Sir, no one has reported this to us, so we're not aware of any issue here." When I replied "What do you mean no one has reported it? I'm reporting it to you. I'm letting you know that others have the same problem. Just look at the forum threads for yourself. I'm just saying, I don't think this is an isolated incident." She replied "Sir, this is an isolated incident. If other people are experiencing the same thing, well they haven't reported it to us." . She just refused to look at the threads or links I gave her and refused to acknowledge that this might not be isolated.
I'm afraid to get it repaired by a third party for fear of it voiding my warranty.
After many telephone calls and hours of arguments with Panasonic on the phone, they finally stopped telling me it was a "cosmetic" issue and agreed to "look at it" for me. I'm posting it in now, special signed delivery. I still have to pay for the postage myself though. And after the way they have been behaving with me on the phone, I'm a bit scared to send it in to them at all for fear of something happening and me losing the camera entirely. They don't seem in the mood to help people.
Last edited:
Hi,
I also am very disappointed with Panasonic Support. This has to be the worst support I have every experienced.
I contacted them with concern regarding the strap issue. I asked if I gave them my serial #, they could tell me if the issue was fixed or not. They said they could not tell which camera's had the fix. They also stated that as long as it's under the 1 year warranty, they will fix the issue. So we have a camera with worries that it will one day fall off our straps? We could also run into out of warranty issue.
I will see if I can contact upper management regarding this issue.
I also am very disappointed with Panasonic Support. This has to be the worst support I have every experienced.
I contacted them with concern regarding the strap issue. I asked if I gave them my serial #, they could tell me if the issue was fixed or not. They said they could not tell which camera's had the fix. They also stated that as long as it's under the 1 year warranty, they will fix the issue. So we have a camera with worries that it will one day fall off our straps? We could also run into out of warranty issue.
I will see if I can contact upper management regarding this issue.
i sent my gh1 on 01/25/2010 to the elk grove village (illinois) repair location via usps signature confirmation.
according to usps, they received/signed for it on 01//29/2010.
then i received a letter from panasonic on 02/05/2010, it showed they received my camera and listed what i had reported as problems with my camera needing them to fix under the warranty:
- my LCD screen no longer works
- when zooming in/out on the stock lens i get "lens not properly attached" error message
- camera intermittenly shutting itself off on its own
- loose bolt rattling inside the camera
it also shows:
- "Estimated Repair Cost: $0.00"
- "Diagnostic Fee Received: $0.00"
i am taking this to mean i owe nothing to fix this defect.
i'm hoping they fix/replace and send back soon!
i'll keep everyone posted on how this turns out.
well, i got my gh1 back today and panasonic fixed the LCD, the "lens not properly attached" error, it intermittently shutting itself off and swapped out both strap rivets. glad to have my camera back this quickly... but most importantly: FIXED!
Just received a GH-1 from Dell. If I'm looking at the back of the cam, the strap rivet on the right rotates a few degrees. Should I assume they're not supposed to rotate at all?
If they're not supposed to, should I ship this back to Dell or contact Panasonic for a repair?
<rant>
this is just a tad irritating as these cams are NOT cheap...lol, well maybe they are...and I JUST got it and am excited to use it, but am hesitant because I'm afraid to put the strap on and carry it around now.
</rant>
If they're not supposed to, should I ship this back to Dell or contact Panasonic for a repair?
<rant>
this is just a tad irritating as these cams are NOT cheap...lol, well maybe they are...and I JUST got it and am excited to use it, but am hesitant because I'm afraid to put the strap on and carry it around now.
</rant>
mojo43
Well-known member
Mine rotated when I got them as well. I believe that they are supposed to do this. Why not just make your own R-strap. It is a heck of a lot more comfortable and easy to make imo.
I'm not making my own strap...yet...because this is my FIRST dslr type cam and I'm just learning the in's and out's of it all. I don't know the difference yet between an f-stop and a an aperture..let alone making a r-strap! lol
Seriously though, thanks for the info. I am on my way to getting to know all this new tech, just wanted to make sure about the rivets and neckstrap before I go out and start shootn.
No, the strap is NOT supposed to rotate that is part of the defect. I had this happen to my gh1 a few days ago, one side just fell off as the nut inside unscrewed, the other side is loose and will most likely fall off with a bit of further use. Why in gods name they couldn't have have built the nut into the body of the camera I don't know, but it is unacceptable for a $1100+ camera.
mojo43
Well-known member
Are you sure about that?
tflak
Veteran
Have two GH1s here that have never had a strap attached and none of the rivets rotate even the slightest. Have to assume they should be tight and any play is a sign of possible problems.
I had the lugs on my GH1 replaced under warranty, when the camera was only 4 weeks old. It was done by an authorised camera repair centre and I got it back within a week. The old lugs were replaced with the new (screw-fitting) design. One day later, however, the lug on the LHS was loose again.
So is the new design any better than the original one? It seems to work for some people and not for others - which hardly suggests a real fix.
The service centre said that the part "can't be fitted incorrectly as it comes as a whole block section..." and "we only fit the parts as supplied by Panasonic, and do not know how much movement there should be." The part numbers are VYQ5612 and VYQ5614.
Any more feedback from people who have had the lugs replaced with the new design under warranty?
So is the new design any better than the original one? It seems to work for some people and not for others - which hardly suggests a real fix.
The service centre said that the part "can't be fitted incorrectly as it comes as a whole block section..." and "we only fit the parts as supplied by Panasonic, and do not know how much movement there should be." The part numbers are VYQ5612 and VYQ5614.
Any more feedback from people who have had the lugs replaced with the new design under warranty?
marcdalessio
Member
Just happened to me while scurrying around on cliffs. Luckily I caught it.
I emailed Panasonic again - twice - and this time they acknowledged that there has been a problem with the lugs, and that they have had to take action to address it. They wrote:
“...in some cases, the lugs have become loose. The replacement part was to reduce play in the lug. If the replacement parts have been used, these should not become loose.”
The question is, what is the difference - in practice - between ‘play’ and ‘become loose’? Or do you only find out, when the lug fails completely?
After a follow-up email, Panasonic say that "our engineering department... have checked models that have had the replacement part. They have confirmed that the replacement lugs should have a slight amount of play in them, to prevent the lugs from becoming loose as previously."
I remain dubious. Only one of the replacement lugs on my camera has any play - which makes at least one of them faulty - and there are others who report no play after replacements are fitted. If you've had lugs replaced, what have you found?
“...in some cases, the lugs have become loose. The replacement part was to reduce play in the lug. If the replacement parts have been used, these should not become loose.”
The question is, what is the difference - in practice - between ‘play’ and ‘become loose’? Or do you only find out, when the lug fails completely?
After a follow-up email, Panasonic say that "our engineering department... have checked models that have had the replacement part. They have confirmed that the replacement lugs should have a slight amount of play in them, to prevent the lugs from becoming loose as previously."
I remain dubious. Only one of the replacement lugs on my camera has any play - which makes at least one of them faulty - and there are others who report no play after replacements are fitted. If you've had lugs replaced, what have you found?
One of my bolts fell off, I attached a handstrap the the existing bolt, (silly me!)
that one fell off and the camera went boom on the pavement.
Camera stopped working and I shipped it to Pana for repair,
I pray they fix all, and send it back to me quickly.
I love my GH-1 and keep it with me like an appendage.
I have a 5d mk ii and other assorted sordid cams but I really love this one and hope Panasonic
does right by me. I mean whoever thought that strap bolts would break? I've been doing this camera thing since 1968..
that one fell off and the camera went boom on the pavement.
Camera stopped working and I shipped it to Pana for repair,
I pray they fix all, and send it back to me quickly.
I love my GH-1 and keep it with me like an appendage.
I have a 5d mk ii and other assorted sordid cams but I really love this one and hope Panasonic
does right by me. I mean whoever thought that strap bolts would break? I've been doing this camera thing since 1968..
Please keep us up to date on the turnaround time.
I bought my new GH1 in Feb and already noticed a little play in the lugs. I'm a little reluctant to send it in because nice weather is finally here and I've been waiting for some sun to go out and take some pics.
It's hard to part with the camera after I JUST got it! But will reluctantly send it in to get the lugs fixed at some point soon.
