The GetDPI Photography Forum
Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!
Warranty for Phase One P45+
- Thread starter bomzi
- Start date
IMHO one must look at the resale value of the P45+ versus the warranty cost. If the warranty costs are say 33% of the resale value, is it worth paying out that much to you? What is the resale trend over the last few years? Also how do you take care of your gear and/or what shape is the DB in right now. Have some internals already been replaced making the likelihood of expensive repairs less likely?
Might you want to put that $1500 into saving for another model? You have many options including self insure.
I used to own one and loved it as it was my first Phase DB, but sold it due to incessant error messages I was getting while using it on a V camera not to mention its bad weather capabilities were less than optimal when in rain or blowing sands. But this holds for most Phase DB's even the new ones.
Might you want to put that $1500 into saving for another model? You have many options including self insure.
I used to own one and loved it as it was my first Phase DB, but sold it due to incessant error messages I was getting while using it on a V camera not to mention its bad weather capabilities were less than optimal when in rain or blowing sands. But this holds for most Phase DB's even the new ones.
Checking used prices from Teamwork in London (where I got my P1 system) a P45+ is £3500. Simply replacing might be cheaper than keeping a warranty going for a couple of years.
If you can't afford the downtime associated with a replacement, I would have thought there would be cheaper systems that should be adequate as a backup by looking in the smaller formats. (I don't know how you use your camera, so I could be completely wrong about this.)
If you can't afford the downtime associated with a replacement, I would have thought there would be cheaper systems that should be adequate as a backup by looking in the smaller formats. (I don't know how you use your camera, so I could be completely wrong about this.)
ChrisLivsey
New member
The warranty price the OP quoted is for "classic" warranty which is the version that comes with refurbished backs and does NOT include a "free loan unit during repair" in fact IMHO it offers very little.
Classic Warranty & Services Digital Back
Warranty Period 1 Year
Free Repair of Manufacturing Defects Yes Y
Shutter Actuations Covered Unlimited
Product Defect Within First Month
Free Loan Unit During Repair No
Free Camera Platform Exchange No
24/7 Online Support Forum & Access to Knowledge Base Articles Yes (Free to any owner with a back or running C1)
That kind of reinforces my feeling that the warranty isn't worth a fraction of it's cost: If the repairs are limited to manufacturing defects, they won't cover general wear and tear repairs. Given a device that has worked for 5+ years, I would assume manufacturing defects would have already shown themselves, but general wear and tear and material ageing would be the main concerns. With no moving parts, I don't expect the digital backs don't tend to suffer wear and tear issues in the same way a conventional camera would.
dougpeterson
Workshop Member
In practice, over the last 11 years, I've never seen a single repair not covered under warranty other than those that were clearly the result of physical trauma. In other words if you drop it or scratch it, that's on you (or your insurance); if it breaks on it's own the warranty covers it.
Cosmetic wear and tear such as scratches on the bottom of the back are not covered. But even a wear-and-tear functional issue such as a broken off CF Card door is covered unless it's clear it broke off because someone slammed it against a hard surface (e.g. the door shows a large dent or the socket shows clear impact damage).
It also goes without saying that the warranty does not cover things that are not working at the time the warranty is initiated. In other words if you let the warranty lapse for several years and something breaks you cannot purchase the warranty to retroactively cover that problem.
Note that I'm not arguing whether or this means that the warranty makes sense to you or not; that's up to you. On more recent backs I think a warranty is a no brainer, but backs this old (2007 release date) the warranty price has to be weighed against the cost of replacing the back. I'm just wanted to make sure you have good information on which to make that evaluation.
Don Libby
Well-known member
In the time I was using Phase One I owned 6-different backs beginningwith a P30+ and ending with an IQ1-100; the first and last we bought new andincluded the P1 warranty. The others which were all brought from my dealer alsoincluded a 12-month warranty period. Ofthe 6-backs only 1-had to be returned to the mothership for repairs after the12-month warranty expired. I paidapproximately $1500 for the repair and received an excellent working back witha warranty for the work performed which was extensive.
I was going off what was posted here regarding what the warranty covered, and I had thought my comments were clearly only applicable in the context of a 10 year old DB. In no way was I trying to suggest that a new DB warranty isn't worth it!
I was suggesting that the most likely problem (after accidental damage, obviously) on a back that has survived 10 years already is straight up material aging: The PCBs themselves begin to get brittle and degrade. Would main circuit boards get replaced under the limited warranty?
dougpeterson
Workshop Member
Yes.
Unless there was solid evidence the main circuit broke due to physical trauma (eg a big drop onto a hard surface) it would be covered.