Fuji Gf 670 Repair

[xya]

so perhaps just asking fuji u.s.a. to send the cameras to japan could be an option. I own several sigmas, if there is something that sigma germany can't fix, they send them to japan, even if warranty has expired. it worked every time I had a problem.

I hope that an expirienced repair person will get into the gf670 business in the u.s. soon. no problem for me so far to find a repair person to service my fuji gs and ga in germany.

 

[mnemosyne]

Any news on the repair situation of the Fuji? More specifically, has the TO found a way to have his camera fixed?

 

[Ektagraphic]

While I don't have one of these cameras, I've started to shoot Fuji films, and reading all of this is making my head spin. I can't really believe that they would try to get away with this!

 

[nbagno]

Parts Issues

I don't think it looks real good for this series of cameras GF670 or GW670 from both Fuji and Voigtlander. I've been trying to get an answer on my Bessa IIIW repair which has been at Cosina since August and was just told that they have to make a part for it, another 2 months out.

I guess the good news is they are making a part, bad new is that had to make a part.

 

[Pioneer]

It kind of looks like working GF670s and Bessa IIIs will be big collector items in 20 years or so.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

Making a part? Seriously? I believe that's what they told you but have a hard time they'd actually do that.

 

[Richard S. (rich815)]

It kind of looks like working GF670s and Bessa IIIs will be big collector items in 20 years or so.

Yeah like AMC Gremlins and Pacers. See a lot of those around, don't we.

 

[nbagno]

Making a part? Seriously? I believe that's what they told you but have a hard time they'd actually do that.

"parts are being made over the next 30-60 days to repair it."

Sounds crazy, (and expensive) but not going to argue with them about it :-D Just crazy that the turn around time will end up being 6 months or more.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

I find this very interesting. I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that no camera maker is going to fire up a high-volume production line just to satisfy the need for a single part for a single camera.

That said, it does make me wonder if Fujifilm has perhaps quietly moved to cut costs as they transition away from film-related products, and as part of that consolidation they now might only be making parts for these cameras (and who knows what else) on a batch-demand basis.

Meaning, they would be saving up orders until a MOQ level is reached before firing up the required production?

Or, only slightly more optimistic, perhaps they are now on a fixed batch production schedule. Meaning, parts get made only once per period (six months, one year, two years...) and if certain parts run out in the interim, well the camera owners just have to wait?

I still find it hard to believe Fujifilm would try to walk away entirely and pretend these new cameras, and their new owners, just never existed. And hope that maybe no one would notice? Then leave entities like Fujifilm USA and others to suffer the face-to-face customer wrath?

To me that just doesn't pass the common sense test.

Then again, if sense were common, everyone would have it, right?

Ken

 

[nbagno]

I find this very interesting. I think it's pretty reasonable to assume that no camera maker is going to fire up a high-volume production line just to satisfy the need for a single part for a single camera.

That said, it does make me wonder if Fujifilm has perhaps quietly moved to cut costs as they transition away from film-related products, and as part of that consolidation they now might only be making parts for these cameras (and who knows what else) on a batch-demand basis.

Meaning, they would be saving up orders until a MOQ level is reached before firing up the required production?

Or, only slightly more optimistic, perhaps they are now on a fixed batch production schedule. Meaning, parts get made only once per period (six months, one year, two years...) and if certain parts run out in the interim, well the camera owners just have to wait?

I still find it hard to believe Fujifilm would try to walk away entirely and pretend these new cameras, and their new owners, just never existed. And hope that maybe no one would notice? Then leave entities like Fujifilm USA and others to suffer the face-to-face customer wrath?

To me that just doesn't pass the common sense test.

Then again, if sense were common, everyone would have it, right?

Ken

Just to be clear, my repair is a Voightlander Bessa III 667W that is over at Cosina for repair.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Understood. I used the Fujifilm camera as the example because that's what I own. But it's the same cameras requiring the same parts as your Bessa III. And likely made in the same small production run(s). So the overall aftermarket for repair parts is going to be interdependent. There's only so many of these Fujifilm/Voightlander cameras (and their wide versions) in play. And it's not a large number.

I still don't think it likely they would be doing one-off single part manufacturing for anyone. Perhaps Cosina is actually the one now requiring minimum aggregate batch-level orders for parts from everyone before firing up the lines? I dunno'.

But something has changed. Because it's inconceivable to me that these cameras would have been designed, ordered, marketed, and sold into the customer base as professional photographic instruments knowing in advance that those new customers were going to be immediately abandoned. That would be suicidal for any company's reputation.

Ken

 

[dynachrome]

At a certain point it might make sense for parts to be scanned in all dimensions and reproduced with digital printers. Some larger parts might be milled from plastic or metal using CNC machines. This would work for the mechanical parts but probably not electronic ones.

 

[Karl A]

Coincidentally, I just sent my GF 670 in for repairs. Fujifilm does not have the ability to repair them in Canada so you have to send it to their location in New Jersey. They assured me they have the parts required for the repairs.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

They assured me they have the parts required for the repairs.

Would you be willing to share the nature of the anticipated repairs?

Ken

 

[Karl A]

The metal disc on top of the advance knob fell off, along with the button that depresses the shutter. It only screws in apparently and can come loose eventually as you keep using it. Those two parts ended up somewhere on the ground in Detroit when I was recently visiting there. So the camera will not function at all now. You can try to press the shutter without the external button but it won't activate the shutter. So I had no choice but to send it in to have these parts replaced. I've had it for three years and this is the first issue I've had with it.

 

[Ken Nadvornick]

Many thanks for that. When I finish work today I will check those same parts on mine. I purchased the GF670 in July of 2012, so I've had it for almost as long. Interesting that those parts they still have a in stock, if your issue is a common occurrence...

Ken

 

[nbagno]

The metal disc on top of the advance knob fell off, along with the button that depresses the shutter. It only screws in apparently and can come loose eventually as you keep using it. Those two parts ended up somewhere on the ground in Detroit when I was recently visiting there. So the camera will not function at all now. You can try to press the shutter without the external button but it won't activate the shutter. So I had no choice but to send it in to have these parts replaced. I've had it for three years and this is the first issue I've had with it.

My GF670 has the same problem, that part fell of several times and I was lucky to have found it each time. It seems it's easy to come loose especially if you use a cable release which acts like the tool needed to actually remove that part! Last time it fell off, I found rust starting to build up inside of that cavity. That's really weird since I don't use it it the rain, or have it in the bathroom when I take a shower, etc...

 

[RattyMouse]

My GF670 has the same problem, that part fell of several times and I was lucky to have found it each time. It seems it's easy to come loose especially if you use a cable release which acts like the tool needed to actually remove that part! Last time it fell off, I found rust starting to build up inside of that cavity. That's really weird since I don't use it it the rain, or have it in the bathroom when I take a shower, etc...

Exposure to oxygen and humidity is all that is needed to start the corrosion process.

 

[Karl A]

My GF670 has the same problem, that part fell of several times and I was lucky to have found it each time. It seems it's easy to come loose especially if you use a cable release which acts like the tool needed to actually remove that part! Last time it fell off, I found rust starting to build up inside of that cavity. That's really weird since I don't use it it the rain, or have it in the bathroom when I take a shower, etc...

My advice would be make sure that disc is attached tightly so it doesn't fall out when you least expect it! If you lose it, you will be relying on Fuji to get that part. I didn't see any rust whatsoever on mine, by the way, but what you're seeing might be due to it being slightly loose and allowing the elements in? As long as you have the parts, a normal camera repairman can fix it and hopefully ensure it won't budge. This is all somewhat disappointing, but they built these cameras to be relatively small, light and affordable, and so it is what it is.

 

[Char]

Sent my camera to FRANK MARSHMAN. He will update me later. Thx for all the inputs.

 

[film_man]

...but they built these cameras to be relatively small, light and affordable, and so it is what it is.

I don't think a £1800 camera qualifies as "affordable".

 

[Karl A]

I don't think a £1800 camera qualifies as "affordable".

True, it is all relative and compared to other medium format cameras available new it is indeed one of the cheapest, however that is still way more than the used market. By the way, when I bought it at B&H I think it was $1599 USD, which is still a lot of money, no doubt about it.

 

[RattyMouse]

I don't think a £1800 camera qualifies as "affordable".

A lot of people own this camera so it is certainly more affordable than unaffordable.

 

[film_man]

A lot of people own this camera so it is certainly more affordable than unaffordable.

Not to us plebs.

Oh ok, maybe in the used market it is affordable but Fuji designed it to be a £1800 camera, that's no more affordable than a Leica or a high end digital SLR. Looks to me Fuji designed it as an affordable camera but forgot to price accordingly...

 

[RattyMouse]

Not to us plebs.

Oh ok, maybe in the used market it is affordable but Fuji designed it to be a £1800 camera, that's no more affordable than a Leica or a high end digital SLR. Looks to me Fuji designed it as an affordable camera but forgot to price accordingly...

Fujifilm's current mirrorless camera, the X-T1 is $1300 without a lens. I bought my GF670 new for $1600, so it's really in the same ball park. The X-T1 is a consumer grade camera, not pro gear by any measure. Even an X-E2 with a lens will be close to a GF670 in price.