How to react with a problem camera

Suppose you order a new digital SLR camera. Let's just take a Canon 10D as an example, since it is current. The package is opened and you take out the pieces, the body, the lens, the manual, the battery, etc.

First, you probably sit down in a good chair and read the manual, cover to cover. Somewhere in the beginning of that, you will get the battery plugged into the charger and let it go while you read the rest of the manual.

Sometime that first day, you will be ready to take some test shots. Once done, you will have to fool around with new software to get that all going on the computer. You transfer image files to the computer, and after a while you can see your tests on the screen.

Suppose you see (what you think is) a generalized focus problem. You go re-read the parts of the manual that seem to apply, just to make sure that you didn't skip something important about focus. Let's further the example by searching on the web and finding some focus test procedures. If you go through those fully, either you will find a problem or else you won't. If you do find a problem, then do you immediately jump to the conclusion that it is a defective camera? (I sure as hell don't.)

There are at least three or four different technical malfunctions of the whole system that could account for that. There are about a dozen user errors that could account for that, including misunderstanding something stated in somebody's focus test procedure. A new camera can be mishandled getting from the factory to the user. A few dangerous camera vendors will re-pack a previously sold problem camera to make it look like it is brand new. There's all kinds of *stuff* out there.

If the problem camera had one of the early serial numbers from the first couple of months of production, then that leads us to one clue. But then you would send that to Canon for adjustment as a warranty repair, wouldn't you?

Instead, it seems like some folks just fire a few shots across the bow and then leave. They don't offer any proof to substantiate their claims. They don't offer any details.

Oh, well. That just doesn't seem productive to me.

---Bob Gross---

Do I read between the lines that there might be/not be something wrong with your new 1DMKII??

--Jens--

I'm with Bob on this one!

I guess I qualify as a regular here, and I have seen many discussions turn sour for many different reasons. Some of them I may have had a hand in turning, and some of them may have turned on me. There was one recently where I think the person responding was reacting to a previous discussion that still had some emotion left in it. The person asking the question took the response in a manner that was unfortunate, and things went downhill from there. I watched from the sidelines because I had nothing to add to the discussion (I don't own the camera in question), but as an observer I think the original requestor (newbie?) was expecting all of the forum members to get him some slippers, a cup of warm tea, and the latest newspaper while we ran off and fixed his problem. I know it doesn't work that way, but maybe newbies have a different perspective coming in. We are all (scratch that, I'll speak for myself) just common folks that have a common passion - not gods from above who can evaluate the appropriate way to respond to every question.
It is unfortunate that this member decided to bail after such a short time, but if one response to one post sets you off to "see ya" land, well maybe you're better off in "see ya" land than here.

No, Bob's alluding to a situation with which he doesn't share a problem, I think.

On the one side of the coin, we've got the occasional problem camera out there for whatever reason. And those problems need to be fixed, returned, or dealt with as they arise.

On the other side, we've got a big pile of internet hysteria about focus problems and such. The hysteria has superceded the legit problems to such an extent that the first reaction to someone claiming focus problems is similar to the reaction given in the fable, "the Boy that cried 'Wolf'". This, of course, masks the legit issue and creates an antagonistic situation for the rare individual with the real issue.

IMHO!

I would use it. Check the results. Go back to the manual - yes, I am one of those crazy fools that reads most of it, skimming the rest; and then try again.

If convinced that it was a product fault, and if new within a few days, I would first contact the selling vendor and see if I could exchange it. Sometimes they may, other times they may not.

Failing that, I would contact the manufacturer, if they provide a support phone number or email address.

If that is unsuccessful, I then need to decise whether to attempt to return the item for a refund, knowing that sometimes there will be a restocking fee; or send it in for warranty repairs.

What happens next depends upon the specifics of the situation.

Bottom line is that well designed and manufactured products still have a small percentage that will have problems, whether manufacturing defects or after manufacture handling caused....not that the UPS man has ever dropped (or even backed over) a package I wish it weren't so, but that doesn't change things.

Therefore, another reason to purchase from a respected manufacturer through a trusted vendor.

I haven't the foggiest idea what you refer to.

I haven't referred to a 1DMKII, nor do I own one.

Please clarify.

---Bob Gross---

For the record, I am not referring to Bob in any of my previous post - I'm really hijacking his thread to respond to what happened in another. I think most will realize that, but I thought I should clarify.

Have Fun

Exactly.

Some users are able to sort out the facts, run some tests, sort some more, and then come up with a good idea of what is going on, whether that is good or bad. Some other users read a couple of items on the web (and we all know that the web is 100% reliable [not]), and then they jump to conclusions, fire shots across the bow, and maybe even go find a lawyer.

The first time that I thought I had a front focus problem, I ran some quick tests and found that the only focus problem was my own user-impatience. I got over that in a hurry.

---Bob Gross---

I do agree with Bob and many of the others here that some new members of the forum come here looking for a quick fix to a problem which may or may not exist, without putting any significant effort into researching the facts or issues. It seems that in that case, however, the proper thing to do would be to politely point out the steps he or she might want to take and perhaps provide some brief information or links which might be helpful. The majority of the time, this is what I have seen here.

There are many reasons which caused me to become a member of this forum and which make me want to continue to come here. Of course, photography is one, but more importantly, it is the comaraderie of the members here and the selfless efforts they take to build a sense of community and help one another, including those less knowledgeable (I place myself in this category). Of course there is the occasional heated disagreement here or there, but those are usually few and far between. In the end, everyone seems to be respectful of each other, regardless of knowledge, skill or ability.

I do believe that this forum will continue to be a quality photography resource, attract new members and grow successfully if we continue in that vein without jumping on someone because they jumped to conclusions and failed to take the time to undertake their own investigation. Just point out the error of their ways politely.

Just my two cents.

Bob has hit on a point here. It's not just the focus issue (although that's a frequent one), but it's many other issues too. Some want us to tell them how to be overnight successes in product photography/wedding photography/portraitur​e. Some have problems (or perceived problems) with their camera, still other want us to tell them what lenses to buy. Some have actually done a pretty good job of researching their question, others have done nothing on their own (not even a search of these forums).

I think that's human nature, at least in many people. If they have a problem, they want to offload it to someone else to handle for them. Some just want sympathy, or at least empathy. Some get ticked off right off the bat and bail when someone tells them to do some looking for themselves. Others remain and become a permanent part of our little party. It's all good. Even the ones that get ticked and bail take something with them. It's a good bet that before they start asking other people to solve their problems from now on, they'll do a little research first.

I've had a couple get ticked at me over the "instant Wedding Photographer" syndrome. You know what? That's OK. I'll bet that no matter what they said on here while they were ticked at me, it made them think a little. That's all I was trying to accomplish. I've seen the same thing occur with Bob and some others on here with newbies. No matter how unpleasant the conversation turns, I doubt if it was ever a total loss. They come on here and they ask experts for expert opinions. If they can't handle the answers, they shouldn't ask the questions. I've never seen one of them told anything by anyone on here that they shouldn't have already thought of themselves.

Here's the bottom line. People come here and they think that the folks on here have all of the answers. You know what? We do. Between all of the different Photographers on this forum in all of the different disciplines of the art, we have the answers. And we provide them. Sometimes that answer isn't what the person wanted to hear, but it's probably what they needed to hear.

Give them a fish and they'll eat for a day.
Teach them to fish and they'll eat for the rest of their lives.

Give them a quick answer to a question, they're good for the moment.
Teach them how to find the answers on their own, and they're good forever.

Dumb analogy, I know, but I've gone through that learning curve myself. I still don't know a lot, but I'm a little better equipped to solve my own problems than I was a few months ago.

My related experience of 3 or 4 years ago.

While not a Canon camera, the story applies.
Back when a digital camera came out that met my initial needs, I went and found the Kodak DC4800. After charging the battery and reading the manual I took some pictures, loaded them onto the computer and wondered why my pictures were blurry. So I reread the manual check the settings and shoot again. Same results. Then I decide to try something I really did not think I should have had to do. I upped the sharpen dial from the default of Normal to Sharper. Massively huge difference. Very sharp pictures of very good quality at the time (at least for my needs).
At the time, I thought that whoever set the default settings at Kodak were idiots. While I still think that, I have learned that they were thinking about photographers when they set the defaults and not consumers. They had stupidly assumed that consumers had nifty software to fix the images; As I said they were idiots.

What the above did do for me though, was when I bought my D60 I did not panic when I first saw soft pictures out of the camera, I did some research and found out it was supposed to be that way. So I got the equivelant to a darkroom and bought the full version of photoshop and have lived happily ever after (okay that was a little white lie, since I won't be happy until I can get my hands on a multi-terapixel camera and a 1mm to 6000mm zoom "L" lens in a 35mm body - not likely to happen in this universe)

So the moral of the story is don't panic, there may be a reason for something you can't see. Do you research first, try everything YOU can to fix the problem and if that still doesn't work, then call tech support. And then if that fails, then and only then can you complain.

Just my experience,

Dumb analogy? Not at all.
It's totally true. There are a lot of people that just join and ask questions before even opening their manual.
I've asked for that one fish before
Now I'm trying to learn how to fish

I am relatively new to this forum, but I am a member of several web forums across several subjects. From one new guy to all the old guys: please remember that the troublesome new members are vastly outnumbered by "well-behaved" new members.

As of this posting, there are 17,200 members of this forum, a community built in just 14 months time. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment, and doesn't take into account "readers" who never register. It says a lot about Pekka's work, the time and consideration of you old guys, and probably the digital Rebel has a role in there somewhere.

I, myself, have learned virtually everything I know about photography from the people here and the links they've offered. Yes, my manual helped too, but it's not very good at explaining "why" something works the way it does. For that, I offer my sincerest thanks, and my promise that I will always be polite, civil, and thankful.