Anyone ever deal with Vivitar customer support/repairs?

[RobNYC]

I have a few Vivitar 285s and one of them decided to have a problem. I want to send it in to Vivitar while still under warranty for repair. So I called Vivitar and gave my info and they said they would have someone get back to me. A week later nothing, so I called againa and they apologized and told me they would escalate it and have a tech get back to me quicker. It has been nearly a week again and still nothing!!!

Anyone ever deal with them or have a good or bad experience?

[FlashZebra]

I have a few Vivitar 285s and one of them decided to have a problem. I want to send it in to Vivitar while still under warranty for repair. So I called Vivitar and gave my info and they said they would have someone get back to me. A week later nothing, so I called againa and they apologized and told me they would escalate it and have a tech get back to me quicker. It has been nearly a week again and still nothing!!!

Anyone ever deal with them or have a good or bad experience?
Vivitar has been bought and sold several times in recent years.

I think the marketing name "Vivitar" is also held by more than one company now (different companies are marketing different devices using that name).

Currently I think the company Sakar owns the flash part of Vivitar, this is a recent change.

Previous experiences with the traditional "Vivitar" are likely to have no bearing on the company you chatted with on the phone.

See:

http://www.dcviews.com/press/Vivitar-Sakar.htm

Enjoy! Lon

[tetrode]

Vivitar has been bought and sold several times in recent years.

I think the marketing name "Vivitar" is also held by more than one company now (different companies are marketing different devices using that name).

Currently I think the company Sakar owns the flash part of Vivitar, this is a recent change.

Previous experiences with the traditional "Vivitar" are likely to have no bearing on the company you chatted with on the phone.

See:

http://www.dcviews.com/press/Vivitar-Sakar.htm

Enjoy! Lon

So sad that the company that once brought you the glorious Series 1 lenses of the 70's, the Perkin-Elmer designed 600mm solid cat, and the legendary 283 and 285 flash units has been reduced to the level of blister-pack junk that's marketed alongside such Sakar gems as this:

http://www.sakar.com/images/resources/zoom/14097/zoom/14097.jpg

and this:

http://sakar.com/images/resources/zoom/Max90721/zoom/Max90721_1.jpg

(Marketing text accompanying the above: "Take pictures in a snap. With the Maximo Concepts Spy Lighter Digital Camera, you'll be sleek and suave, like a popular British spy. Go on and live life on the edge! Being a secret agent has never been easier than this." )

Someone should just put the Vivitar name out of its misery once and for all. Let it die with at least a shred of dignity remaining.

Dave F.

[Rudi]

That's it! Now I know what to buy you for Christmas, Dave... :D

[mattograph]

The dirts still fresh on Polaroids grave. They could just toss Vivitar in the same hole.

[Rudi]

The dirts still fresh on Polaroids grave. They could just toss Vivitar in the same hole.

Throw Kodachrome in there, too (Kodak won't be long...)

[tetrode]

That's it! Now I know what to buy you for Christmas, Dave... :D

I hope you're referring to the spy lighter camera, Rudi, and not the heart and butterfly girl gear camera because I *really* want to be sleek and suave like a popular British spy.

Dave F.