Phase One Warranties

[felix5616]

If i buy a used fully operational Phase one back that has no warranty can i purchase a warranty for the back from phase one or a phase one dealer?

 

[dougpeterson]

Phase One does not sell direct; you can contact your local dealer to discuss options for adding warranties to backs. It varies based on which back and whether the back is already in warranty. Depending on the situation they may wish to see/inspect the back to avoid a situation where someone buys the back, finds it has a hardware issue, and then buys a warranty in order to get the repair at no additional cost (the warranty is less expensive than most repairs).

But the short answer is "yes".

Just keep in mind that warranty only covers repair of hardware defects. Also keep in mind that support/troubleshooting/customer-service for Phase One is provided primarily through their dealer network; they have very little contact with end-users directly.

Over 90% of the support/service calls we get from our customers are something other than a hardware repair. Maybe upwards of 95%.

Some types of calls we receive:
- Software usage questions
- Software errors/crashing/freezes
- Software optimization
- Software version suggestions ("whats the latest stable version for my X + Y + Z computer/camera/OS")
- Firmware questions/issues/problems
- Sensor cleaning (usually because they've tried to clean but still have residue that requires a more practiced cleaner)
- Hardware errors ("what does X error message mean") which aren't related to actual hardware problems, even though nearly everyone assumes nearly every such message means "its broken"
- Advice on lens selection, including evaluations in the office or evaluation rentals
- Troubleshooting (given that we've seen just about every possible cause of a problem we are very good at this) which nearly always shows an issue is with a cable, battery, setting, computer port, OS, software, or anything but the back. (of course the back can also be the problem, it's just very uncommon)
- Compatibility issues with 3rd party items (e.g. troubleshooting H4X body issues, Contax body issues, Fuji 680 bodies, tech cameras, view cameras etc). Given our extensive use of just about every such system out there we can help isolate/confirm where issues lie, even though they technically aren't Phase One components.

We make these sorts of services available to our customers as a result of them purchasing the back through us, and thereby receiving our unlimited phone/email/remote-video-conference support and even studio visits when a problem is especially tricky. If someone brought a digital back to us which was purchased elsewhere and was under warranty and they were having a problem with it we would carefully listen to their problems/concerns, thoroughly check to see if the back worked on our reference body/lens/cable/computer/battery setup - if it did we would politely give it back to the customer and let the customer know the issue is not with the back.

 

[f8orbust]

I wish Kevin Raber had asked Henrik Håkonsson to justify only supplying a 1 year warranty as standard on a $40,000 digital back. I mean, that's the sort of thing the shop vac you just bought on special at Lowe's for $49.99 comes with.

And yes, I'm aware of the 'Value Added Warranty' (an anagram of which is, somewhat oddly, 'a vandal raw eyed turd' - very apt methinks). But, what is it ? Another $4,000 ?

Surely it's about time to include 'a vandal raw eyed turd' as standard with the purchase of any new Phase One back?

Jim

 

[f8orbust]

As a compromise, how about the Standard Warranty (which covers inherent manufacturing defects) being extended to 5 years on all new digital backs ?