Sony repair of 5600HS Minolta flash? NOT!

[orbitcorbett]

I use a Minolta 5D with this flash, and shoot weddings with it. I use it professionally. I had the flash for a couple of months, having bought it in May of 2006 for $300. The flash burned up (quit working), so I followed Sony's instructions for sending off for repair to their 3rd party facility called Precision Camera.

Flash was received by Precision Camera July 12, 2006. I kept checking back, but they seemed to be waiting forever on parts.

In the meantime, I had paying work to do, and had to scour the net and Ebay and finally found a 3600HS flash for just over $200 to get me by. It works fine, by the way.

Finally, I check in and the website says my flash shipped out September 13. By Oct. 4, the flash still has not shown up.

I contacted Precision Camera. They said no parts were available to repair it, and it could not be repaired. Also, I should have been contacted by Sony's Minolta Department to determine what to do next. They gave me their number, 888-516-7669.

I contacted them, and there was no automated voice system. A rep came on the line and presented me with two options:

Option 1: Will return flash to me in un-repaired state (gee, does anyone ever take this option?)

Option 2: If I fax them a copy of the original bill of sale (I sent one to Precision Camera with the flash), they will pro-rate the flash value based on age (from sale date to broken date) and will refund me the resulting funds. He can give me no criteria for how much of a refund they will give me.

They did not present me with the CORRECT option, which would have been Option 3: Send me another flash which they have re-badged with SONY on it. I made him VERY aware that I would spread the news of their mis-deed far and wide! He said he understood my frustration, but those were the only two options Sony would make available at this time.

B&H now sells the SAME flash under the SONY brand name for $350, and I paid $300 for mine. So, I'll get some piece of that back, and then have to put more $$$ with that to get back to square one.

So basically, Sony wants to gamble with our brand loyalty over $50 or $100. They assumed responsibility for repairs of Minolta equipment, but now want to shirk those responsibilities.

So I am left taking option 2 and figuring out what to do next. And all of you be aware of how Sony USA is doing business with us Minolta customers!

[Canuck935]

That is awful. They really should offer replacement since they still make this unit under the Sony name.

[rosalee]

I think you may have inadvertently answered my question...I use a Minolta Maxxum 7 and am looking to buy the Sony A100 for my first digital SLR since I own 4 Minolta mount lenses already and am looking to go pro soon. I however need another flash as the toggle on/off switch on my old one is busted, so it turns on and burns through batteries if I don't remember to remove them. I was looking at either buying a Minolta 5600 on ebay or getting the new Sony 56 flash but I couldn't find anywhere that the Sony brand would work with my 2 Minolta Maxxums. If it is just a rebranded Minolta, then I guess I should buy the Sony.....

[Canuck935]

Yup just a rebadge.

[happyme]

I had the same experience with Sony with my 75-300mm Maxxum lens. They sent me the full price I paid for the lens. I will not buy another one. I feel this was a failure of policy on Sony's side. I like Sony, but I am very disappointed of the way they are supporting the Maxxum equipment.

For me it's time to re-evaluate digital photography against video photography and maybe invest in the latest new video format, the AVCHD (Advance Video Coding High Definition), a joint venture by Panasonic and Sony. Photoshop Elements 5.0 and Premiere Elements 3.0 support this new HD video format. It will also allow me to shoot still pictures.

For now I will just use my 5D with my kit lens and my 50mm f1.7 lens.

[payn817]

I understand your frustration, but it could be worse. KM could have dropped out with noone trying to fill the void, and you would be stuck with absolutely nothing. At least you will get some money back. I would suspect that you will get most, if not all the money back considering the short period of time you had the flash.

As for the other poster, the Sony flashes have better QC, and so far less issues, I think it would be wise to go that direction, and they will work with your KM cameras.

Please repost the outcome, and thanks for sharing your story with us.

[orbitcorbett]

Thanks to all who have replied to my original post. Here's an update: I made another call to a KM line that is being manned to deal with KM issues. A gentleman named Lou S. informed me that Sony did not exactly sign on to handle every aspect of KM's old business. They simply bought out the DSLR portion of the business, the anti-shake technology, and the camera's design. He said they were not exactly obligated to provide the full warranty service that KM would have provided had they not closed up shop. This certainly sheds some new light on the issue, and I think Sony is doing themselves and us a disservice by not clearly defining all of this for us KM customers, so we all know "where the lines are drawn" so to speak. He said that with Sony doing pro-rated buybacks like they offered to me, it's far more than they agreed to do when they took over KM's DSLR business. He was very nice, and after explaining it all, I felt better, but still a bit put out. After all, I feel that a camera company with the history and customer base of KM doesn't just go out of business like that every day, and I think it's incumbent on someone like Sony to "carry the torch", not just drop it wherever they feel like dropping it. Customer loyalty should mean something. So what if they have to spend a few extra bucks making people like me "whole" again with a situation like this? It could mean the difference between me Ebaying my KM gear and Sigma lenses and switching to another manufacturer, or plunking down $900 for one of their new Alphas (which, dammit, do not use the same batteries as my 5D, but gosh, they're such sweet cameras!). One of my longstanding complaints against anything Sony is that whole "proprietary" thing they have to try and snare you into their whole product line; proprietary batteries, memory sticks, tape formats, you name it. If you buy something Sony, you're almost certain to have to buy something ELSE from Sony or your stuff doesn't work! And I don't think that's exactly been the best business model for them, judging some of their problems lately. Anyway, I'm going to get my pro-rated refund from them, and I'll post the amount in this forum. I paid $300 for my 5600HSD, and I'm hoping they'll offer something close to that. If not, it will seriously sway how I feel about staying with Sony for the future. I may get a new Sony version of the flash, or I may prowl Ebay for a used Minolta. B&H has the Sonys for $350 now (they were $450 a month ago). I'll keep you all posted.

[Erik Stiegler]

Thanks to all who have replied to my original post. Here's an update: I made another call to a KM line that is being manned to deal with KM issues. A gentleman named Lou S. informed me that Sony did not exactly sign on to handle every aspect of KM's old business. They simply bought out the DSLR portion of the business, the anti-shake technology, and the camera's design. He said they were not exactly obligated to provide the full warranty service that KM would have provided had they not closed up shop.

According to Sony's web site, they are obligated to provide full warranty service. Does a pro-rated buyback fall under the terms of the warranty?


http://esupport.sony.com/perl/news-i...20&region_id=1

"Effective April 1, 2006, Sony Electronics will be providing service and repair of certain Konica-Minolta products in the United States. Sony is pleased to provide existing Konica-Minolta customers an excellent customer service experience. All terms and conditions of the Konica-Minolta products' limited warranty continue to apply." (empahsis is mine).

[orbitcorbett]

Here's another update from the original poster...

Contacted Sony again today. Since my flash was only 3 to 4 months old, the buyback they're giving me is %100. So, I paid $300, that's what I should get back. Should take about 2 weeks. She checked on getting me another rebadged Sony flash, but they could not offer that to me, which is fine. I'll take the money instead. I'll advise when the check from Sony arrives.

[Canuck935]

Here's another update from the original poster...

Contacted Sony again today. Since my flash was only 3 to 4 months old, the buyback they're giving me is %100. So, I paid $300, that's what I should get back. Should take about 2 weeks. She checked on getting me another rebadged Sony flash, but they could not offer that to me, which is fine. I'll take the money instead. I'll advise when the check from Sony arrives.

Odd that they couldn't just give you a Sony 56 flash. I've heard of Sony sending people a100's as replacements for broken Minolta 5D/7D cameras. I've also heard great things about the Metz 54 MZ4 flash unit in case you were looking for alternates.

[MxMoney]

Reading a lot of different forums lately trying to get the latest info on my new a100. Not that it matters too much but I have seen this very same thread started (under different user names) on at least 5 different forums - jeeze!

[Canuck935]

Reading a lot of different forums lately trying to get the latest info on my new a100. Not that it matters too much but I have seen this very same thread started (under different user names) on at least 5 different forums - jeeze!

Yes I've seen quite a few threads about people having problems with both minolta and sony branded 56 flashes. That's why I suggested the Metz. I have seen nothing but positve comments on it.

[MxMoney]

Yes I've seen quite a few threads about people having problems with both minolta and sony branded 56 flashes. That's why I suggested the Metz. I have seen nothing but positve comments on it.

That may have been good advise and I am not familier with the Metz. I was referring to the original post. It is the same exact post I have read in 4 or 5 other forums. Like when I was browsing stevesdigicams and another forum I can't remember I read this original post. I am not sure if it really matters but one person saying the same thing in 5 newsgroups could appear to be 5 people having the same problem. I bought the 56 flash and so far so good. I like the wireless feature and multi flash. Have a good day.

[orbitcorbett]

Well, folks, as an end to this saga, I just got a check from Sony for $328 and change, which was exactly what I paid including tax for my Minolta 5600 d flash. I guess I'm happy with that. Now I have a used 3600hs flash to use instead from Ebay, and I can take the money and figure out what to do next.

I don't like not having a flash backup unit; if one goes out during a wedding that I'm getting paid $2K for, it would be a real pain to have to use the pop-up flash instead. I'll comb Ebay and see what I can find out there.

Thanks to all who responded to my posts!

www.stevecorbett.com

[dtalbot]

Does anyone know the part number for the Minolta 5600hs flash hot shoe assembly?? It is my understand that one can order the part directly from SONY.....True or False. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards.