Precision Camera

Sorry Sony users you have no choice!
I have a 70 – 200 G1, the big white lens that makes you look like you know what you’re doing. Unfortunately dropped due to lack of carefulness. I called around local shops and no parts are available. The motor is broken and parts cannot be purchased anywhere besides Sony. So I searched online and called a few more stores and the consensus is to go directly to Sony. I Googled and Bing searched an authorized Sony dealer and it brought me to there website. I can tell the website is from the MySpace Netscape era. I wasn’t too confident on there business based on there website which I admit is bias. Well finally I called Sony, read off serial number to customer care and of course it is of warranty so they emailed me Precision Camera’s info. Why didn’t Sony just read it off to me is a mystery.
First I went online went through the pulldown menu to look for my specific lens and cost. 300 bucks, I would accept it. I filled out my CC info ordered shipping both ways and got some order number. I didn’t get the shipping label since it was Sunday so no one was there, no big deal since tomorrow is a normal workday.
So I called them Monday morning at the time they were suppose to open, no answer no voicemail nothing. I called 3 hours later finally someone picked up and asked about my shipping label. She said it should be done today. Well I didn’t get it the whole day.
Next day I called them again, after finally getting through to someone about a 20 minute wait. I finally get the packaging slip so not a big deal again since I understand they may have been swamped Monday.
By they way there check status page is broken.
About 1 week later it finally reached it’s destination. A few days later I was given a work order through email which looked like it hit a copy machine and refed back to scan and emailed to me. It gave me the option to choose repair at $ 1,800.00 for parts and $ 300.00 for labor or send it back for $ 40.00. Keep in mind this lens is discontinued and is worth about 1,100.00 to 1,300.00 on Ebay. So it is a no brainer I better get this on Ebay and this would be a salvage part for another lens or a paperweight.
Now this stuff is being sent back to me with a 40 shipping fee. Keep in mind I would not go with this company other than Sony forcing their customers to go through this company. Overall dissatisfaction comes from taking my credit card info post repair, charging me so much for shipping (5.95 bucks if it were USPS), long waits, broken promises, broken web page repair status. The ladies on the phone seemed nice though.
About this lens. I bought this in 2011, it worked great I had a 3 year extended warranty which expired. It is a rehash of the last gen Minolta lens which still goes for at least $ 900 on Ebay.
Lesson learned, buy expensive camera equipment with extended warranties and accidental damage. Also Sony warrants 90 days on this lens! I’m getting the Tamron version now with 6 years warranty and maximum 396 for repair.

I was happy to pay the requested price to fix my Canon PowerShot SD550 but I’m rapidly learning that prepaying for a repair to small electronics doesn’t always work out well. In this case my camera’s autofocus had quit. After I got it back, unfortunately I didn’t test it right away (another tip to inexperienced– check out all repairs IMMEDIATELY). When I did try it out a few months later just before leaving on a vacation I found that the autofocus now «appeared» to work (the lens step motor moved the lens in and out) but in fact all of the photos were now «auto out of focus». Apparently they didn’t calibrate the focus after fixing the step motor. I sent several emails and tried telephoning Precision but got no response to any of my requests for them to try the repair again. I just gave up and replaced the camera, and chalked the few hundred dollars I spent at Precision up to a lesson learned… when small electronics break, replace, don’t repair them.

I had a somewhat unique experience with Precision Camera. After getting instructions from Sony, I sent my RX100 M2 to PC for warranty repair and replacement work.
While the rest of the work was done the first time around, the LCD window was untouched. The window had been one of the main reasons I sent the camera in for repair. So, I called PC, and they said I could send the camera back to them and they’d follow up.
Although their website showed no receipt of the item, and there was no further communication until I called them a week or so later, they did return the camera in a timely fashion shortly afterward.
The camera had been only a few days from going beyond warranty, so it was just under three years old when I sent it in. I had used it a LOT, and had not kept it in a bag. And I live near the beach. So it was scuffed, scarred, and well-​worn in appearance and function.
When the camera was returned to me the second time, it appeared as though they had replaced the entire camera.
So, all in all, I’d say that though they didn’t exactly break any speed records, they did follow through and eventually went above and beyond the call in the process of repairing my camera. I would definitely send them my camera gear again.

THE WORST! No customer communication at all. Two months after sending in my camera for repairs, I called them. They stated are you willing to pay $ 157 for the repair? I said its under warranty from sony. I asked to speak to a manager. They said one will call you before the end of the business day. No calls, no emails, nothing. Waited another week. No call. I called them to see what was going on. They stated we have repaired and returned your camera (fedex delivery went to my home while I was on the phone with them). I wonder if it works.

Awful service. Over 2 months waiting time, then my camera was returned to be and IT WASN’T REPAIRED.
Now over $ 300 is literally wasted and I have to wait ever longer for this awful company to work on my camera again.
I would chose ANY OTHER option over precision camera if I could.

If I could give a zero I would. No one ever answers the phone, no idea why they even list a phone number. Going on 2 weeks without my camera that I was told would be repaired in 5 – 7 business days. Can’t even get a hold of anyone to see what the hold up is.
All around horrible experience. Will update when I get my camera back. Who knows how long that will be but Sony needs to start sending their cameras somewhere else for repairs

Called in multiple times to get an update on my camera since I was notified that I had to call. Every single time I called in customer service was extremely rude. The first time it happen I was extremely frustrated, but I gave the benefit of the doubt since they may just had a bad day. Called in again the next day. A different representative hung up on me. Precision Camera takes pride that their call center is in the States, however I had better experience speaking with call representatives from other countries. Also wanted to charge me a crazy amount to get my Sony repaired even though it was under warranty. Had to pay $ 13 for shipping back. What a waste of money and time. Avoid if possible.

Sent one of my most valuable lenses in for repair… the prized Pentax FA Limited 77 mm f1.8 because something jammed the focus barrel and it had limited movement along its entire range.
Lens was sent in April 2015, it is now August 2015 and after several correspondence, No one is able to tell me what is holding up the repair process. When you call for Customer Support no one answers the phone.
Makes me feel that this is a low level small time operation with a limited skill set which prevents them from operating at an efficient capacity.

I sent my RX100m3 in for repair under Sony’s warranty. I received the camera back with a weird ding on the lens barrel and no battery. Precision Camera did not respond to my email for 4 days now, and don’t answer the phone regardless of business hours. Batteries are relatively cheap and the damage is cosmetic only, but I will attempt to avoid purchases from companies that use Precision Camera for warranty service in the future. I’m bummed that this puts Ricoh off of my purchasing list as well. Hopefully the manufacturers pay attention to customer feedback.

If there was the option to give a zero stars, I would do so. I sent in my rx100m3 to be fixed. 3 weeks later, the status is «on hold». Calling in, the csr had no idea what happened. After 1 more week, I called in and was told the repair would cost $ 305, even though the camera was under Sony warranty. I had to pay another $ 12.50 to have my camera shipped back. The rx100m3 came back dinged up and damaged.
I also sent in a Sony sel18200 lens for repair. After 3 weeks, it was mailed back to me unrepaired. I called to ask why no repairs were done. The csr said they cleaned the lens. I told them that wasn’t the problem. She said to mail it in again and put a note saying «please repair». That’s what I did the first time. I give up.

Terrible customer service!!!, I sent my RICOH GR camera in for servicing for a dust issue and they sent it back with still dust in the sensor. I send it back again because of this and they send me a notice saying it is working in full operational condition and did not repair the issue. I even sent it with a thumb drive of the image showing the dust spots in the sensor. I doubt they even looked at it. I now have a $ 800 brick sitting on my desk (did I forget to say I am a freelance working photographer?) that I can’t even sell it now if I wanted to for the value of what they are used.
This «company» never calls people back and is a embarrassment for Pentax/​Ricoh to even have them as their only authorized servicing center.
IF YOU CAN AVOID THIS PLACE LIKE THE PLAGUE IF THERE IS ANOTHER PLACE TO GET YOUR CAMERAS REPAIRED DO NOT SEND IT TO THEM. 7 – 8 MONTHS OF A NIGHTMARE TO DEAL WITH THEM AND I’D RATHER SEND MY PRODUCT OVERSEAS TO GET REPAIRED THAN TO DEAL WITH THEM. If I could I would have given them –3 stars.
SHAME ON YOU #RICOHPENTAX for only allowing them to be the only authorized repair center in the USA. I WILL NEVER EVER SEND MY CAMERA BACK THERE FOR REPAIR AGAIN.

These Guys are unbelievable. After my USB port failed on my sony action cam, I had to send it to Precision. First they tried to deny my claim was covered and charge me a $ 250 out-​of-​pocket repair cost (twice what i paid for the camera new). then finally sony told them to cover it after i informed them this was clearly a scam.
it then took them 2 weeks to get the part from sony and was «in repair» for another 2 months. Finally I called sony because Precision does not answer the phone.
Turns out they were unable to fix it and were recommending a refund from sony… after 3 months… I kid you not.
I use the action cam as a safety device to record my rides to and from work on my motorcycle. So not having it for 3 months was really bad. Please don’t give these guys your business and tell sony to stop using them…
This is by far the worst service I have experienced anywhere in my entire life. They should be ashamed.

I called three times to ask about sending them my camera for a repair, they did not pick up the phone. I emailed them a month ago, they did not reply. They do not respect their customers and we should not respect them.

I’m not even able to write an actual review because every time I try to call them I get a ringing phone with no answer. Are they still in business or is it just a complete lack of customer service?

I had a lens that was damaged and called Sony customer service. They instructed me to send the lens to Precision Camera. I sent a lens to them that arrived on ²⁄₁₃. I was told the repair would be completed in ten business days. 12 business days later I called them. I call twice during business hours, they have no answering machine on their service line and they did not pick up the phone. I call Sony customer service and they inform me that precision is waiting for me to give them money (a separate issue to be detailed in my Sony review). They missed their deadline, they did not inform me of a status change and I can’t reach them. I get a new number and go through a different queue — to pay. They pick that line up, imagine that. I am told I will have my lenses in 5 – 7 business days. 7 business days later, no lens. I call Sony (no reason to call Precision). They tell me they are waiting for a part. I am going on vacation tomorrow — no lens. Short of them cursing at me I can imagine no poorer customer service. I strongly recommend not using Precision. I strongly recommend not purchasing Sony products serviced at Precision (all of their camera products).

I sent my camera to these guys 10 days ago and I have not heard back from them.
They do not answer the phone either.
I have a bad feeling about this place…
I sent them an e mail. Maybe they will respond to that.
I’m not impressed so far let’s put it that way…
If you can go somewhere else, do it…

If you have any alternative places to have your camera repaired, explore any other option! This place takes for everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
I sent my camera in to have a simple button repair, they have had my camera for 5weeks and I am still waiting.
They indicated that they needed to wait for a part that they did not have in stock,
so I cannot fault them with any additional wait time as a result of their part supplier being slow… but they seem to use this excuse in a lot of other Unilocal reviews.
There snazzy on line repair status page has indicated that the repair was completed on march 4^th which was 6 days ago…
5 days have gone by without it having been shipped back to me. I thought the whole repair would take 5 days, let alone having a «repaired» camera sit on the shelf waiting to be shipped taking longer then 6 days…

Sent a Ricoh GR to get the sensor cleaned (for the not uncommon dust spots). Precision Camera is Ricoh’s official service center in US. Process was simple, camera came back reasonably quickly (a week or two maybe?), and both the sensor and the lens unit were replaced (free under warranty). Lens mechanism sounds better than new. They plain did a great job for me.

These people are total jokers from a customer service perspective.
Had a new Nikon camera from Amazon acting funny, so per the Nikon warranty we went it to Precision for repair. They received it on November 19^th. Subsequently, we noticed on their status page that it was shown as «delayed». It took a month of ignored emails and unanswered phone calls before we managed to get a hold of someone, who was able to «get it unstuck in the system» (whatever the hell that means), at which point the repair finally began. At this point things went smoothly, but thank goodness we weren’t in a hurry.

Point and Shoot customer service in a DSLR world:
If you enjoy low levels of customer service, navigating through endless phone trees or look forward to the phone ringing without customer service picking up (or returning a voice mail) Precision Camera is exactly for you. This place does great work I’ve heard, but with the indelible negative impressions left by «customer service» you might believe otherwise.