Sent My Camera in For Repair...Can't Hack it Now

[Framerate]

if my strap rivet breaks, the last thing i would do is send it in for repair...mistake #1.

that's just my opinion, and has nothing to do with panasonic reaffirming their firmware on my cam. just find other means of supporting your camera...seriously....i have never trusted a strap (or the hardware by which is hangs) ever...my hands work better. honestly, i didn't know people still send their cameras in for such a repair....seems as antiquated as bringing shoes to a cobbler to be re-soled. who does THAT?

Except that it's not just a matter of choosing to live with camera that has a missing strap lug.

The lugs fall out because the nut on the shank falls off inside the camera. That nut can then cause major damage by shorting out the PCB's.

Note that the OP stated that his strap lug fell off - and *then* the LCD screen stopped working.

Presumably, it stopped working because the offending nut had shorted something out in the camera.

He, actually, was lucky - in that he was still able to re-load original f/w prior to sending it back to Panasonic (I'm assuming it was a warranty claim)

If the strap lug falls off and the nut shorts something out to the extent that the camera is 'dead' , you have a problem if hacked f/w is on it and you want warranty work.

 

[tommygdawg]

Thanks framerate you are most correct. I certainly had no intentions of sending it in due only to broken strap rivets, however the inability to take photos or use the LCD was a major issue for me.

In fact i may not have sent it in if it was just the lcd that was broke, but who knows, it may have gotten worse after that too.

You`re quite right that i was lucky in being able to reflash the original firmware or i highly doubt they would have repaired it. Though I don`t ever believe Panasonic has the right to secure my camera so I can`t hack it. If we were to continue on this train of thought then I might as well also give up my right to smash my camera with a hammer, just because Panasonic doesn`t want me to.

 

[Chris Light]

sorry for sounding like an a$$...i was in a sarcastic mood this morning

 

[tommygdawg]

No problem, I've been in quite the mood myself since my camera was returned to me.

 

[Blackout]

If I sent my Panasonic GH1.3 hacked cam in for repair I would send it with specific NOTES that they are NOT to touch ANY of my firmware or software modifications and if they did, I would drive into their factory with a Halo jeep and take everyone down.

 

[dts]

so the moral of the story is: DON'T USE THE STRAPRIVET ?? so i will leave the gh13 unstrapped :thumbsup:

 

[mtan]

f$#@ Panasonic, I was going to buy a Gh2 and some lenses, maybe I will go the Nikon route since they now have autofocus. It doesn't take much for me to abandon a crappy company that does stuff like this.

 

[Guest]

f$#@ Panasonic, I was going to buy a Gh2 and some lenses, maybe I will go the Nikon route since they now have autofocus. It doesn't take much for me to abandon a crappy company that does stuff like this.

Are you into photography? Nikon is the same or worse than panasonic in the video realm. They are slow to adopt the standards, and make no real updates, just relentlessly minor tweaks, giving the consumer just enough to hang on, buying this year's new body till the next body "fixes" their issues.

Yeah, panasonic is now on the sucks list too, since they took away the hack option, they want us to pay $5999 for an AF100.

Personally, I will not get an AF100 since it doesn't have 4:2:2 color space. That means it is just an expensive dslr with xlr mic in and zebra bars. It won't be the worst VFX camera, but at that price range, I'd feel gypped that it is only 4:2:0.

And I will not get their GH2 either. Ah well.

Budget: T2i
Enthusiast: 5D
Pro: RED 1 MX (i know there are some red haters, but it is cheaper than sony and arri, while producing about the same results. But if you have a choice, than you don't need to read this forum thread.)

 

[Guest]

But I see how many people in video work will find the AF100 a good tool. Just too specific a tool for me for that price range. Didn't mean to turn this into another AF100 thread.

 

[tommygdawg]

I was looking into the GH2 myself as well, but certainly not now. I really don't like what Panasonic's doing. As for the AF-100, I never was really interested in it. I don't understand how it's really a competitor at it's price range, I agree that it's a glorified DSLR. If I had the money, I would buy Red in an instant.

I'm just so frustrated.

 

[Guest]

Sometimes I feel that these forums help the companies know exactly how and where to skimp on features, while still getting us to buy.

We all keep saying: "If only I had this, I would be set." and then that one thing they leave out, or make the image quality only slightly better, so that we are placated for another 6months, but have to buy in again.

Some people write: "10 years ago we would be selling organs to buy these things." and "We asked for slr video and we got it." Yeah? I don't remember asking for alias, moire, jello, mud, without TC, no manual control cameras that don't have audio capabilities, and oh, I think it is 2010, anyways, not 1999, or '70 or whenever it was that we would have severed an arm for these things.

The technology is there to make a well rounded video capable dslr, the manufacturers just haven't gotten around to it yet. So, if I complain about what is out and available today, I am simply letting my opinion be heard, and hopefully others agree, and if enough of us share our ideas, than hopefully more people will agree, and then maybe the manufacturers will make a camera that I like.

If you hope for the bare minimum and tell others that they are asking for too much, then you are just setting yourself up to get an 17mb/s piece of plastic. We live in a wonderful era where the technology is there, just not the necessity. Too many fan-boys and "pragmatists" making it easy for us all to accept what we are being doled out. Their arguments muddy the debate, and make it harder for requests of basic improvements to be taken seriously. The time wasted on these back and forth's defending who and what company detract from conversations about craft and art.

There were a few years in the video world, when we didn't have to think too much about our purchase, since all the cameras above $2k were good enough for most broadcast requirements. But since the advent of HD, the game has changed. HD has been forced upon the profession, welcome or not.

Seeing as technology has come down in price drastically in the last ten years, I do not see why any of us would have to be excited about being able to afford full 1080p or larger sensors. A DVX without a servo lens, audio interface, and precision tape mechanism would not cost more than $1000, and that is all a camera body is anyway, so why make excuses for companies? They should be able to meet our basic requirements at record prices.

Furthermore, some of you may enjoy that the high expense of gear creates a safety net for your career, but I say welcome the thousands of dreamers and enthusiasts into the field. I see it as a video revolution much like the printing press, type writer, or computer was for writers, or the democratization of photography. It will only spur people to go further, and introduce a larger talent pool to the field.

So, who cares if people on this forum are bashing companies for putting out half baked video solutions for interchangeable large sensor cameras. Let them bash! They do not need to settle. If you are satisfied with the way these cameras perform, or if you are so high-minded that you are more concerned about the "story", then what the F%^& are you doing on this forum in the gear section?!

 

[tommygdawg]

James, after that novel you wrote, it's still not clear to me what you're saying. No matter, I'm sure it's quite off topic anyways.

The topic is that Pansonic changed my firmware when they were supposed to fix a few fried electrical parts, and it took them almost two months. Not cool. That's all I'm saying.

 

[DanDOF]

Well James I appreciate your words, even if they are off-topic. Caught my attention more than just a one-liner.

 

[Homunculus]

Are you into photography? Nikon is the same or worse than panasonic in the video realm. They are slow to adopt the standards, and make no real updates, just relentlessly minor tweaks, giving the consumer just enough to hang on, buying this year's new body till the next body "fixes" their issues.

Yeah, panasonic is now on the sucks list too, since they took away the hack option, they want us to pay $5999 for an AF100.

Personally, I will not get an AF100 since it doesn't have 4:2:2 color space. That means it is just an expensive dslr with xlr mic in and zebra bars. It won't be the worst VFX camera, but at that price range, I'd feel gypped that it is only 4:2:0.

And I will not get their GH2 either. Ah well.

Budget: T2i
Enthusiast: 5D
Pro: RED 1 MX (i know there are some red haters, but it is cheaper than sony and arri, while producing about the same results. But if you have a choice, than you don't need to read this forum thread.)

af100 will be about 4900 not 5999

but I agree with you on the color space thing. real bummer.

 

[Blackout]

The plain fact of the matter is that yeah, they AF-100 will introduce a lot of professional workflow features... but st 24mbits.... unless they do some CRAZY magic... I can't see it beating the hacked GH1.3 image.... at least not beating it byt $4000 worth of money!!!!!

Already it is obvious that the hacked gh1 image blows the pants off the hvx200a and hpx170 in 99% of footage - except for color space and very fast moving action....

But only geeks know this... the audience doesn't know if you spent $1000 or $6,000, and the fact of the matter the hacked GH1 smahses the hvx and hps.. it takes a big poo on it. It also smashes the entire line of Canon hd-dslrs.....

The only thing fanboys of the canons can do is cry about better low light.... but I would way rather have the detailed double resolution and clarity of the GH1.3 then the low light color smoosh soft resolution of the canons.. and I DID my homework like a nutcase pixel peeping both cameras to DEATH.

So.. it comes down to this... GH2 seems like it's going to be a big waste of time or just an extra toy for GH1.3 users.

AF-100 seems like it's not really going to do anything better for the image, but will have all the pro support and in's and outs... but is that REALLY worth $4000 more? Unless you are shooting constantly with full crews on tight schedules and high budgets..... the end all IQ image quality will most likely be the same I am thinking.... if not BETTER on the hacked gh1s.

Sorry... 24mbit does NOT CUT IT on high detail 1920 x 1080 no matter how smart there codec is.

 

[bonobored]

Nobody should be sending cameras in for strap lug failures. It's an easy fix. You can find the repair manual online. If you know it's loose and don't address it in a timely manner you will have problems.

 

[tommygdawg]

Nobody should be sending cameras in for strap lug failures. It's an easy fix. You can find the repair manual online. If you know it's loose and don't address it in a timely manner you will have problems.

Perhaps if you read the thread you would see that I did not send it in purely for the failure of strap rivets. That's twice now that someone has failed to read and then gotten on my case for doing something I didn't do. Seriously people. And for the record, I didn't even realize they were loose. From what I noticed, one time the left side was on, and the next time it wasn't.

 

[Framerate]

Perhaps if you read the thread you would see that I did not send it in purely for the failure of strap rivets. That's twice now that someone has failed to read and then gotten on my case for doing something I didn't do. Seriously people. And for the record, I didn't even realize they were loose. From what I noticed, one time the left side was on, and the next time it wasn't.

I forgot to ask you - how old was the cam?

Was it an 09, or a 2010 model?. The later cams are supposed to have a modified lug fastening, using a small piece of plastic that fits over the internal nut and prevents it from turning (and falling off)

If yours was a later cam (and I'm assuming that it was less than 12 months old because it qualified for warranty) then maybe the problem isn't as fixed as Panasonic might want to believe.

Frankly, it's a disgrace that the strap lugs fall out anyway! - I've owned cameras from most of the major manufacturers at various times - and not once did it even cross my mind that the strap fixings would fall to bits!

 

[tommygdawg]

I bought in the very early part of the year as a "warehouse" deal from Amazon, I think it was used or a refurb or something like that? I can't quite remember. In any case, it was probably an '09 model that I got.

 

[Crosby!]

I bought in the very early part of the year as a "warehouse" deal from Amazon, I think it was used or a refurb or something like that? I can't quite remember. In any case, it was probably an '09 model that I got.

Sorry about the problems and unwanted firmware update. Glad they fixed the lugs under warranty though since it's a refurb -- assuming it was within the 90-days, if no, you scored.

On the upside, if you really don't like it (did they change the sensor?) you can still sell it on eBay/Amazon. After all, you now have a recently serviced non-hacked or hackable camera someone will surely want. Then you can look for a hackable version.

Good luck!