Sent the camera in to Precision Camera after paying a flat rate in advance of about $130. I knew ahead of time that if they could not fix the camera I would be out my $130. That is not the issue of this complaint. The original symptoms and the rapidity in which the camera failed suggested a repairable electronic problem, or I would not have taken the chance.
Camera arrived with the following short statement:
"Unfortunately, we must return your equipment unrepaired as it is beyond economical repair (BER) due to extensive internal corrosion damage found upon examination.in our opinion a reliable repair is not possible to your equipment due to this damage."
The first thing I noticed is the camera body had an internal rattle that was absolutely not present when I mailed it. I also noticed the pop-out flash had been damaged as if the camera had been dropped. This damage was absolutely not present when I mailed it in to them.
I myself am an electronics tech, very familiar with electronic circuitry and surface mount components. I figured I had nothing to lose, since the symptoms were actually a lot worse than before I sent the camera. So I pulled off the outer case completely and did a very careful inspection of my own. I know what corrosion looks like on miniature ribbon connectors, leaking/defective surface mount components, and metal surfaces. As far as I could tell there was absolutely NO corrosion of any kind anywhere inside the camera... Much less the "extensive internal corrosion" claimed by Precision Camera.
I say again - there is absolutely no evidence I can see anywhere of corrosion of any type whatsoever. The camera exhibits physical damage in at least the two areas outlined above, and the display symptoms are worse than when I sent it in.
You can draw your own conclusions on this. Personally, I will never do business with Precision Camera again, and you can bet I'll relate my experience to all my photographer friends, most of whom are professionals.
Since I suspect many camera shops use Precision Camera for repairs, you would do well to check with them beforehand on any of your repairs.
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