Sony quality control standards; Sony sells despite QC failur

[revoke]

While out surfing and pricing out accessories for my Sony DSC-V3 I ran across this comment at Peter iNova's Sony eBook site:

from: http://www.digitalsecrets.net/Sony/ItsSonyC.html

"This is also the same Sony that has had to cancel sales of six digital cameras which failed to pass quality control standards, yet were distributed into the camera stores and sold to the general public. If you have any of the following models, Sony owes you a huge refund:

"DSC-H1 / DSC-L1 / DSC-P200 / DSC-W7 / DSC-W5 / DSC-S90"

Anybody have any idea is if this cancelation comment is true? I can't find any information validating this statement on any of Sony's North America sites (US, CAN) or their Japan site. I've searched the forums of 4 major photo review sites (DCRP,Steve's,DPReview,Imaging Resource) and have seen no real complaints about these cameras (other than low-light focusing WITHOUT the AF-assist turned on, battery life using Alkaline, etc.). And, Sony is still selling all the models listed above.

The only things that seems weird to me are [1] that ALL the models listed here (with the exception of the L1) have been available on SonyStyle.com as refurbished cameras over the past couple of weeks, and [2] the S90 (which I picked up as a Holiday gift) is the same price or lower than its "cheaper" sibling, the S60 (even refurbished). Stores around me have be clearing out the S90 ($150 US), making it cheaper than both its little brothers (S40, S60). In that regard, it looks like Sony is trying to blow through the stock on some of these cameras, but there is still no evidence of quality control issues that I can see coming from consumers.

Anybody else hear this "rumor" or have issues with any of the listed Sony cameras?

I ask because I picked up the S90 as a gift. The person I'm giving the camera too has had her past two electronic purchases in for service out-of-the-box (a Palm Tunsten E, and a Motorola Cell phone). I'd hate for her to suffer through quality issues for a third straight year.

Thanks,
-revoke

[revoke]

I guess if I had read the news :? (instead of just the forums), then I would have seen that the quality problem only applied to Sony China.

Here is DPReview's news blurb on the issue:

"Sony China Ltd has suspended sales of several compact cameras after they failed quality tests carried out by China's National Camera Quality Supervision and Inspection Center, according to a report by Interfax China. Nine Sony cameras were selected for inspection and six failed. The affected cameras are the DSC-H1, DSC-L1, DSC-P200, DSC-W7, DSC-W5 and DSC-S90. Chinese consumers who purchased these cameras can return them to Sony for a refund. There were also 13 cameras from other manufacturers that failed quality tests."

Hmmm.... makes you wonder if these models would fail quality tests in other regions too. Oh well, as long as they offer refunds, I guess that is what counts. I wonder what the other 13 cameras were that failed.

-revoke

[uuse]

The problem cameras were produced in Sony local factory in China. And they even failed the test according to the SONY own quality standards. This is why Sony has admitted the flaw and offerd refund.

[normc]

So if you have a "China" W-7 what should you do?