Steve'sDigicams

sam walker · Jan 31, 2006, 10:24 PM

Hi all! Ok here's the situation. I'm about to buy an fz30 Lumix here in Taiwan. From what I'm being told, the only warranty you can get here is a Taiwan based coverage for three years which costs about 120 U.S. otherwise you only get the one year manufacture's warranty for Japan. Which means if it breaks I'd have to send it to Japan to get it fixed.

My wife wants me to save the money and put it towards other things etc but I'm just not sure what would really be best as I have very little experiance with Digitals. A friend of mine told me he wouldn't pay the extra as he's never had a camera break on him while it was under warranty and he's had a few. So I'm open to any advise you all can give from your greater experiance.:-) TKS for the help!

KENNETHD · Jan 31, 2006, 11:38 PM

Electronics generally follow the famous "bathtub curve". It's a graphic depiction of the liklihood of an electronic device failing over the normal predicted period of it's lifetime. If it is going to fail, the greatest liklihood is that it willfail early on it it's lifetime, and if it does not, the curve lowers dramatically, quickly, and stays low, right until the end of it's useful days, then clunk...it goes pershnokity, and quits. (The chart rises back up. Looks like a bathtub profile.) Based on the number of electronic gadgets in our family, I'd say it's about right. If you are covered for a year, and given the steep cost for a 3 yr ext warr, I'd stick with the 1 yr, pocket the 120 and start taking pictures. Best regards, good luck...

KennethD

sam walker · Feb 1, 2006, 12:15 AM

Thanks KennethD!

I appreciate the counsel. I will most likely go that way since I may want to get some accesories for the camera and those are also pretty pricey.

genece · Feb 1, 2006, 8:30 AM

Thats has to be a personal call...I never buy extended warranties and have never regretted that decision, but shortly after the factory warranty ran out on my SUV the transmission failled , 3000 dollar repair bill.....now I am not so sure....over the years I saved money but one big bill like that makes one wonder.

Telecorder · Feb 1, 2006, 1:35 PM

Sam- (As I posted over at DPR--)

Not sure but you might be able to purchase a Mack warranty when you get back in the states. It can be purchased at any Mack vendor (see their web site; shop around and negotiate the price -- I paid $30 for a 3-year warranty on my <$500 FZ5) The warranty must be purchased within 30-days of camera purchase.
http://www.mackcam.com/index.html

I'm not sure if/how it would work with the camera being purchased overseas, though...

Since the Pany warranty is only 90-days labor/1-year parts, $10/year for 3-years (+possible shipping costs) is, to me cheap insurance if something goes wrong...

I haven't had the need for using the warranty. Research on the web shows a few isolated reports of being slow (2-4 months) but no really great number of incidents of big issues that I've found considering the possible number of warranties they sell - http://www.photo.net/... ...ne-about?about=Mack+Camera+%26+Video+Service&id=1

Others here may be able to offer additional insights on Mack Warranties but might be worth checking into. The warranty can be purchased by phone to one of their vendors (Best - so you can negotiate the price down; visit a number of the vendor's web sites to get an idea of the price spread and use that to start negotiating from). Once you get the certificate, you go online and register it.

tiger98 · Feb 1, 2006, 1:39 PM

Sam I would go with the 1yr warranty and give it, (the camera) a good workout during the warranty months, if it's going to fail hopefully it will prior to the warranty running out. I've taken 11,000 with mine since last Sept. and so far so good, knock on wood! Good luck! Jim

KENNETHD · Feb 1, 2006, 3:04 PM

tiger98 wrote:

Quote:

Sam I would go with the 1yr warranty and give it, (the camera) a good workout during the warranty months, if it's going to fail hopefully it will prior to the warranty running out. I've taken 11,000 with mine since last Sept. and so far so good, knock on wood! Good luck! Jim

Our numbers and findings are the same...good advice. Mine's been clicking since August/numbers are ball park...love it more every time I shoot. (Slow learner. Haven't made it thru the whole manual except to browse.)

Kd

sam walker · Feb 2, 2006, 12:11 AM

Thanks you all for you advice! I appreciate it. I will be looking into the different options that were mentioned and will get back to you when I make a descion. Happy New Year!

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Jan 31, 2006, 10:24 PM	#1
sam walker Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3	Hi all! Ok here's the situation. I'm about to buy an fz30 Lumix here in Taiwan. From what I'm being told, the only warranty you can get here is a Taiwan based coverage for three years which costs about 120 U.S. otherwise you only get the one year manufacture's warranty for Japan. Which means if it breaks I'd have to send it to Japan to get it fixed. My wife wants me to save the money and put it towards other things etc but I'm just not sure what would really be best as I have very little experiance with Digitals. A friend of mine told me he wouldn't pay the extra as he's never had a camera break on him while it was under warranty and he's had a few. So I'm open to any advise you all can give from your greater experiance.:-) TKS for the help!

Jan 31, 2006, 11:38 PM	#2
KENNETHD Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,724	Electronics generally follow the famous "bathtub curve". It's a graphic depiction of the liklihood of an electronic device failing over the normal predicted period of it's lifetime. If it is going to fail, the greatest liklihood is that it willfail early on it it's lifetime, and if it does not, the curve lowers dramatically, quickly, and stays low, right until the end of it's useful days, then clunk...it goes pershnokity, and quits. (The chart rises back up. Looks like a bathtub profile.) Based on the number of electronic gadgets in our family, I'd say it's about right. If you are covered for a year, and given the steep cost for a 3 yr ext warr, I'd stick with the 1 yr, pocket the 120 and start taking pictures. Best regards, good luck... KennethD

Feb 1, 2006, 12:15 AM	#3
sam walker Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3	Thanks KennethD! I appreciate the counsel. I will most likely go that way since I may want to get some accesories for the camera and those are also pretty pricey.

Feb 1, 2006, 8:30 AM	#4
genece Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 2,111	Thats has to be a personal call...I never buy extended warranties and have never regretted that decision, but shortly after the factory warranty ran out on my SUV the transmission failled , 3000 dollar repair bill.....now I am not so sure....over the years I saved money but one big bill like that makes one wonder.

Feb 1, 2006, 1:35 PM	#5
Telecorder Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 490	Sam- (As I posted over at DPR--) Not sure but you might be able to purchase a Mack warranty when you get back in the states. It can be purchased at any Mack vendor (see their web site; shop around and negotiate the price -- I paid $30 for a 3-year warranty on my <$500 FZ5) The warranty must be purchased within 30-days of camera purchase. http://www.mackcam.com/index.html I'm not sure if/how it would work with the camera being purchased overseas, though... Since the Pany warranty is only 90-days labor/1-year parts, $10/year for 3-years (+possible shipping costs) is, to me cheap insurance if something goes wrong... I haven't had the need for using the warranty. Research on the web shows a few isolated reports of being slow (2-4 months) but no really great number of incidents of big issues that I've found considering the possible number of warranties they sell - http://www.photo.net/... ...ne-about?about=Mack+Camera+%26+Video+Service&id=1 Others here may be able to offer additional insights on Mack Warranties but might be worth checking into. The warranty can be purchased by phone to one of their vendors (Best - so you can negotiate the price down; visit a number of the vendor's web sites to get an idea of the price spread and use that to start negotiating from). Once you get the certificate, you go online and register it.

Feb 1, 2006, 1:39 PM	#6
tiger98 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 2,696	Sam I would go with the 1yr warranty and give it, (the camera) a good workout during the warranty months, if it's going to fail hopefully it will prior to the warranty running out. I've taken 11,000 with mine since last Sept. and so far so good, knock on wood! Good luck! Jim

Feb 2, 2006, 12:11 AM	#8
sam walker Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 3	Thanks you all for you advice! I appreciate it. I will be looking into the different options that were mentioned and will get back to you when I make a descion. Happy New Year!