Dear SONY,
I previously have a Sony DSC W510 camera but when I
learned about the water proof TX-5 model, I immediately sold my old one and
planned to get TX-5. I plan to buy it in time for my trip to Boracay on July
2011. When I checked out the store, it was too expensive for me, so then I
waited for a new camera model to be launched so that it’s price would go low.
Fortunately, after almost a year, on 2011, I finally got my new TX-5 at Php
21,999, with a 3-year warranty, and right in time for my ultimate beach trip.
I was so happy and proud then. For a simple employee
like me, at that time, it was a great accomplishment to buy such camera at such
price. Because it is expensive, I really took care of it. I read the specs,
learned how to use it correctly and specifically memorized its limitations.
The TX-5, as promoted by SONY, is a Water-proof at “up to
3m deep for up to 60 minutes,” Temperature-proof “even below
freezing point up to –10ºC,”
Dust-proof and Shock-proof which “allows drops of up to a height of 1.5m.” Pretty tough right?
I have brought this camera to numerous vacations,
mostly beaches, since I am a beach bum, and enjoyed every moments captured by
it. Until, one day when I was swimming in a pool.
Since I am alone in that trip, I brought with me my
camera and took photos of myself. When I was at the pool, which is only 4 feet
deep (because I can’t swim), I still got the camera with me. I was very
confident since it is still safe at that depth. Until, when I raised it and
took a photo of myself. After taking the photo, I looked at the LCD to check it
out, and then a black screen surprised me. The camera did not turn on anymore.
I immediately got out of the pool and went back to my room. I wiped the camera
with dry cloth and used a blower at low range to dry it off. It became dry and
the power turned on. But then no display was seen.
I immediately bought the camera to the local service
center in our city. But then they advised me that it would be shipped to Manila
and I have to wait for a few weeks for the feedback. Since I will be going to
Manila, I decided to bring it myself to the main service center.
On September 21, 2013, I went to Solid Electronics
Corporation, a Sony Authorized Service Centre located at #1172 EDSA Balintawak
Quezon City to have my camera checked. I was issued SR No. J30024295 and was
told to wait for a feedback after 5-7 days. The receptionist cannot answer why
my Water-proof camera was damaged after it got wet. And to top it all, they
have to void the warranty because of the same reason that the camera was
damaged after being wet. Funny, right? So the camera can’t get wet even if it
is water-proof? Just funny!
I have to pay Php 550 for the diagnostic fee, which I
agreed upon and pay for labor cost and additional repair fee. I decided on
myself that I would pay as high as Php 5,000 for the repair of this camera
(which I have learned to love) than to buy a new one which is priced at Php 20,000.
And today, the service center called me and I got the
surprise of my life when I was told that my camera was beyond repair because the
inside part got wet, or if I pursue repair then I would have to pay around Php
68,000. I told her that I will just pay the diagnostic fee and will pick up my
camera in 15 days time. When I told a friend about it, he suggested that maybe
it was Php 6,000 to Php 8,000 (6 to 8 thousand) and not Php 68,000. The repair
amount of Php 68,000 is just exorbitant for a camera I bought at Php 21,999. So
to clarify, I called up the service center and asked again. And then the
representative told me that it would cost Php 68,327 (not 6 to 8 thousand), to
repair my waterproof camera which was damaged after it got wet and which I
bought at Php 21,999.
Until now, upon writing this, everything is very vague
to me. First, why would my TX-5 water proof camera be damaged after I used it
in a 4-feet pool when it was not even submerged for more than a minute? Second, why would Sony void the
3-year warranty for a water-proof camera after it became wet? What is the point
of it being water-proof? And lastly, why would the repair cost Php 68,327, which
is more than three times the price I bought my TX-5?
I do not know where to address this situation. I will
be sending this letter to Sony Philippines using their “contact us” section, I
will post this on my blog and tweet the link to @SonyPHinc and @Sony and I will also publicly post
this letter to my Facebook account, hoping that friends would share it until it
will reach Sony. I want answers to my questions and a replacement for my
water-proof camera which was damaged after being wet.
Thank you.
 |
| this is my TX-5 after the damage |
WTF to Sony. And to you S.A. be wise enough not to be fooled by those false advertisements and promotions.
ReplyDeleteHmm maybe you should have brought your camera at a more "legit" store. IDK ha. Balintawak doesn't sound like a good place for me to bring your gadgets for repair.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your concern. But Solidmark in Balintawak is the main Service Center of Sony in the Phil. It is indicated in their website.
DeleteSimilar experience here, although not that ridiculously high cost of repair! Mine is an RX100, which costs considerably more than your TX-5. Same diagnostic fee of P550.00. The problem is my only complaint with my camera was the lens moved back and forth upon start-up and the screen would flash "Turn power off then on", sensing something wrong with the system. About a week after I brought to Sony, their call center informed me that the lens is defective and it costs P14,440.00, excluding the labor of P800.00. I decided to pull-out because a similar enthusiast camera (Panasonic LX7) was only selling for P14,000.00 at the time. So instead of having it repaired, I bought an LX7 and have been happy with its performance ever since. Sounds like no big deal here, but my real complaint was when I picked up the camera, the lens wasn't moving at all! I asked the receptionists why and they couldn't give me any convincing answer. They just told me that it's possible the lens got stuck in the process of checking which, for me, is unacceptable. I suppose the technician who checked the camera seemed to have damaged the lens or the lens drive circuits and charging a premium price is kinda of a 'strategy' to make the customer pull-out their unit. Even the branch manager was not up to task in handling a situation like this, not offering any compromises or solutions to the problem. I don't know if we are but only a few complainants here. But I think your situation is worse. Under warranty units must be dealt with fairly and if I were them, instead of charging you P68k, I would gladly request the management to replace it with a new one. Business must be a win-win situation. You may lose some money, but you win more customers in the process! 68K? Simply preposterous!
ReplyDeleteHey I didn't notice yours was already replaced by TX-30. Good for you! Hope mine would also be given justice, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope so too! do update me when yours is replaced!
Delete