Recomendations on were to buy CFV

[toona]

Bruce, it makes sense, but I wanted to check the fine print, as the warranty issue is used by Hasselblad and/or distributors to restrict people importing their own gear.

Marc, the issue is how many multiples of $1000 local service is worth, if indeed there is greater support than the distributors deliver in countries with populations that can't support large numbers of pro dealers competing on service quality. (Mind you, Kennedy's have answered a number of questions for me in the past, gave me a couple of little things etc.)

There is also less tolerance to paying $1000s more is if one isn't a pro, paying for the gear with 'capture fees' or whatever, getting tax breaks etc.

I just spent $AU400 on a cordless drill, when i could have spent $40, as I need something that WORKS at a high level and is rugged and fixable as I make money from it and if i can't do the bush regeneration work as the tools are broken, then I don't get paid. But most people would be silly to pay that much.

I think there is a lot of agreement really: local is better, but not at any cost.

 

[colin]

If I recall correctly, Hasselblad will not honour warranties on equipment brought in by any means other than via the official distributor of the country in question.

The "sole" exception to this is if you were travelling abroad and purchased an item during this time. Hasselblad WILL require you to produce tickets or other such documented proof of travel to said country,(covering the date of purchase), before agreeing to acknowledge warranty claims.

This information is/was, on their website

This is one step better than Mamiya USA, who couldn't give damn if you bought a camera during your travels. If it did not enter the USA through them, there was absolutely no warranty.

 

[qnu]

It still is two steps better than Mamiya, who would not just not repair your camera (Nikon would/will not do so either), but since they - by some dark ploy, allowed by the US legislator - had gotten posession of the Mamiya Trademark in the US they could and would sue for trademark violation whenever they wanted.
You were allowed by them to bring a Mamiya camera into the US, but only just, after removing all things on it that said Mamiya. "Free trade"...

In the past, Hasselblad had a worldwide company warranty. It didn't matter at all where you bought anything: they would honour the warranty without problems.
And if a 'national' distributor took exception (which they sometimes did), a call to the company would rectify things quickly.
(National distributors could, and did, also offer an extended duration warranty (for free). That of course was not universally recognized/honoured.)

But the present Hasselblad company clearly isn't the same company Victor Hasselblad AB once was, so nothing would surprise me now.

 

[gjames52]

Things have changed a bit.

Hasselblad Internationl Warranty-Important

http://http://www.hasselbladusa.com/service--support/add-on-services/international-warranty.aspx

" The International Warranty is only available to professional photographers who have purchased their equipment through a company or their business - and not to individual consumers."

Extended Warranty
http://http://www.hasselbladusa.com/service--support/add-on-services/extended-warranty.aspx

Factory Warranty
http://http://www.hasselbladusa.com/service--support/after-sales-policies/factory-warranty.aspx

Regards:

Gilbert

 

[gjames52]

In the past, Hasselblad had a worldwide company warranty. It didn't matter at all where you bought anything: they would honour the warranty without problems. >

Just about every product sold in the USA costs more to have USA warranty. So called gray market items. Hasselblad USA was or still is very strict about USA warranty and specifically will not honor items purchased out of the country for warranty service. I recall reading that if you purchased a non USA product you could not obtain any warranty service. Hasselblad did or still carries that theme to the purchase of printed manuals. I had misplaced mine and telephoned to purchase a new one and I had to give them my camera serial number before I could buy one. They told me it was there policy to help prevent foreign purchases.

I understand that Nikon is also strict about their USA product warranty service.

It is not the same company at all. I also noticed that they refer to their dealers, I presume as "business partners." Nor does their website list their dealers or partners.

Regards:

Gilbert

 

[fotografz]

I wasn't necessarily advocating local purchase. I was forwarding the idea that if you bought in the USA, there were other choices than the "Big Box Stores" that offer surprising levels of value added services for the money spent. A phone call from NZ to B&H in NYC is the same as to my re-seller, since we're in the same time zone. Or use e-mail for free.

Hasselblad may indeed not be the company it once was for those pining for the days of old when all was shiny goodness and truth. I wonder if the company had maintained that dedication to the customer over all other considerations, would they have any dealers at all?

MF isn't what it once was, fewer and fewer advanced amateurs go there anymore. Very few wedding and event photographers use MF... where it once was THE mark of professional status to use a Hasselblad, the DSLR now reigns supreme. Lower demand has put the MF dealer in a position to want and need some local retailing protection ... otherwise why sell the stuff at all? Were I in the camera business, I sure wouldn't sell Hasselblad unless incentives made it attractive enough.

 

[mr_orange]

I have just ordered my first digital back, just the CVF, can't stretch to the larger models just yet, besides there not square (love square); fingers crossed it’s a working model, so a big thanks to all the information provided on CVF backs and places to purchase, just need to sort out firewire for my pc now.

With out this forum I probably would still be sitting on the fence trying to justify it. Thanks again.

 

[polypal]

I would go for the best price with a dealer that can also give technical support.
So American dealers may expect some more business from abroad at the moment.

When a digital back fails it has to be send to Sweden anyway.
The only disadvantage not buying locally is the fact that the buyer has to pay for freight to the dealer or the factory in Sweden.
As far as I know Hasselblad digital backs are only serviced in Sweden.

 

[fotografz]

I think they are serviced in Denmark. However, the point is still valid.

 

[limnoguy]

>My understanding is that the CFV backs are produced (and probably >serviced?) in Sweden. All the other models of Hasselblad / Imacon >digital backs are assembled (and serviced?) in Denmark. However I >agree that within the topic being discussed, Marc is correct in that >if it is Sweden or Denmark where they are serviced, it is of little >real difference.