Love the pictures/Hate customer service
Written: Aug 11 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Excellent picture quality/useful features
Cons: question of quality/longevity - Bad customer service
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| hoperuss's Full Review: Olympus IS-20 DLX QD 35mm Film Camera |
I bought my first (key word here FIRST) IS-20 Deluxe in May 1999. With the first 10 rolls (or so) through the camera I was very impressed with the quality of the pictures it took, and the features on the camera. I take a lot of pictures and am familiar with 35 mm SLR cameras, and this camera has all the features you could ever want or need. I chose this camera over the Nikon N60 and Canon Rebel G for several reasons. First, I do a lot of outdoor photography and also some weddings, and having a built in telephoto lens that could cover all the distances I normally shoot was a big plus. No more toting around a huge bag of accessories. Second, was the price, very nice for someone not quite ready to invest the big bucks in a upscale camera, yet still delivering great quality pictures. I was very happy with my camera, until it BROKE. First, the barrel of the lens one day stopped retracting inside the camera, it just got frozen in one position. I sent the camera for repairs. They fixed it but said my warranty was voided because the camera showed evidence of being dropped. I did not drop it. The motor that moves the lens had malfunctioned as I was to find out later. Then one day for no reason the focus drive that focuses the lens kept running and running and also the film winder. It sounded like a broken record. The camera was jammed, so I sent it away again. I sent it back with a complaint that I didn't agree that my warranty should be voided and I wanted my 3 month old camera fixed. This time they fixed it, but told me the camera showed signs of water damage to the electronics, which once again had voided my warranty. Guess what happened on the very next roll of film? That's right it started doing the same thing again. The camera was just simply a lemon. I sent the camera and a letter explaining my problems to the head of Olympus customer service. I also wrote Consumer Reports, the Better Business Bureau, and the President of Olympus. Within a few days I had a letter of apology and a brand new camera. But would you believe this camera had bent threads on the lens mount which makes filters and auxillary lenses screw on crooked. I contacted Olympus about this, but needless to say they weren't to keen on fixing/replacing this camera. I think they think I'm too picky, but for $300 I expect a quality camera in perfect working condition. Is this wrong? Other than the problem I stated with the lens mount threading, I have had no major problems with the second camera, which I have been using since September 1999.
I can't not recommend the Olympus IS-20 because I really love the pictures it takes and the features and portability of the camera. However, I would say examine your new camera carefully for any defects, and report any problems right away to the head of Olympus customer service. And don't let them tell you (like they did me) that the problems are a result of something you did to the camera.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID: hoperuss
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Member: Hope
Location: Virginia
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 1 member
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