SCHNEIDER 80MM LENS SHUTTER JAMMED

[AntonyNobiloStudios.]

I am onto my third 80mm LS Schneider lens.

This weekend the shutter blades jammed closed and my camera was unusable.
This is the third lens of the same model to do this.
Phase One have replaced my lens every time but I am beginning to lose complete faith in the camera system?
I am shooting in the Maldives early March and I can't afford to have my kit breaking down or out of action.

The digital technician operating my camera and I were both at a loss to explain why the kit was breaking down so consistently.

I am interested to hear from Phase One or anyone with similar experiences?
thanks
Antony
http://www.antonynobilo.com

[Drew]

Antony,
I would suggest you contact your dealer, they'll be able to get a detailed report for your past lens repairs/replacements to see what exactly was the cause and process in each case. It could just be a bit of bad luck, details will bring the circumstances to light.

[AntonyNobiloStudios.]

Thanks Drew

I am waiting to hear from Denmark.
My camera and lens have been returned for diagnosis.
Could out-of-date firmware on the camera cause this?

[NN163027UL]

I had the same issue 2 weeks into the new lens. The dealer replaced the lens no questions asked but amazingly annoying. Now that new lens doesn't auto focus to infiniti. Need to bring it in to be fixed. WTF?!

[NNN634255317662300975]

I have had very similar problems lately.
During my last job, the shutter in the df body destroyed itselt while shooting.
I rented a second body. Then the shutters in both my LS80mm and LS110mm would stick shut like once in 10 shots.
They make a strange noise and then open back up.
This went on during the whole shoot.
Both the body and the lenses were one and a half months out of warranty.
I sent the body in for repair and the shutter in the body was replaced at full charge.
When I asked about the lenses, phase one's answer was I would have had to pay €350 for them to look at them, with no guarantee that they would find a fix. In which case the shutters would be replaced at full charge.

That's about the worse service I've ever received in my life. And I'm stuck with two time bombs in my bag.

Anyone else have this problem?

[NN159009UL4]

The shutter on my DF body stuck closed after only 2500 cycles. It has been sent in for repair but frankly, I am hesitant to make any further additions to this system. My scheduled purchase of the 110 LS is on indefinite hold as I have again been forced to regress to my 1Ds III to complete an upcoming job. If P1 wants to survive upcoming Japanese competition they should take notice, provide excellent customer support and and meet any responsibility arising from their own manufacturing deficiency.

[NNN634552462167219451]

This happened to me during my last shooting in Bangkok. Thanks god I had also a 50mm lens so I was able to finish the shooting. Later that day a Swiss Phase One rep gave me a hint that fixed the issue. Remove the lens from the camera. Remove the back, remove the CF card and battery from the back. Remove the battery from the camera. Remove the grip from the camera if you have one. Wait 2-3 minutes. Reassemble the camera. Mount the lens. Turn it on.

In my case this caused a reset and the shutter in the lens opened again and since then is again fully usable.

He also mentioned that in case the shuttle opens but doesn't work use C-18 setting on the camera to change to the camera shutter.

[HEIKO121]

Yes had just the same issue! The shutter jammed and Phase One refused to repair it and send me an invoice for 714.- €
I asked them about this issue two years ago, because the shutter didn´t open correctly sometimes, but was answered that this just happens if the battery is low.... Hahahaha. The built a Mamiya shutter into a schneider lens. Nobody else is allowed to repair this. The want to gain our money by building cheap devices........
I just sold the whole Phase One P45+ equipment and changed to the very new Nikon 800D. I made tests with both Kameras and all my lenses. The Phase One lost this not only of it´s exaggerated price but sure because of the much better handling of the Nikon and also with the new Nikon Lenses compared with the Nikon Software.
I suggest to all of you: sell your Phase One as long yet some money for it at all..... and before you are shut down by your Phase One Kamera or lens in the middle of nowhere.

HEIKO HELLWIG

[Jon]

Yes had just the same issue! The shutter jammed and Phase One refused to repair it and send me an invoice for 714.- €
I asked them about this issue two years ago, because the shutter didn´t open correctly sometimes, but was answered that this just happens if the battery is low.... Hahahaha. The built a Mamiya shutter into a schneider lens. Nobody else is allowed to repair this. The want to gain our money by building cheap devices........
I just sold the whole Phase One P45+ equipment and changed to the very new Nikon 800D. I made tests with both Kameras and all my lenses. The Phase One lost this not only of it´s exaggerated price but sure because of the much better handling of the Nikon and also with the new Nikon Lenses compared with the Nikon Software.
I suggest to all of you: sell your Phase One as long yet some money for it at all..... and before you are shut down by your Phase One Kamera or lens in the middle of nowhere.

HEIKO HELLWIG

If an invoice was sent for that amount then a repair was done and not refused by Phase One. Do you mean that you received an estimate and decided not to repair the lens? If you send us the RMA number lens was sent in on we can look into the case and offer an appropriate response.

It should be noted that occasional shutter closings can be very different than an actual broken shutter in both cause and solution.

[HEIKO121]

Of course you mad a repair..... sorry I´m not a native speaker in English, but anyway I do not think that a lens shutter of a professional Kamera system should break after 4000 exposures!!! So what you refused was to repair it for warranty reasons. Especially I showed up in your store in stuttgart and mentioned that the shutter of this lens sometimes keeps shut while working and opens up again after minute or after having the battery removed. The answer was that this could happen if the battery is at low charge. ttwo years later the lens broke down totally and I have to pay now? thats really customer friendly.

You want to know the invoice Number? here it is...... 606114
Serial Number of the lens? here it is.... PK001302

[Jon]

Hi Heiko,

Whether or not there is a charge for a repair is based on warranty dates and in your case the warranty had expired more than a year prior. As far as your previous visit to our location went, this sounds like the first step in troubleshooting the original issue, but I am not familiar enough with your interactions with our German staff to comment further. I will pass along this thread to our Support team at Phase One Germany to follow up with you directly.

[HEIKO121]

In my opinion a lens for a phase one camera should´t break after only 4000 exposures. Therefore this is all too expensive, and can´t be used professionally if you are in danger that you can´t go on with a shooting. I pay a lot of money for being very secure with all my equipment.

kind regards HEIKO HELLWIG

[HEIKO121]

Hello Antony,

Sad to hear you had so bad experiences with your 80 mm Phase One.
But I had the same. Mine broke at only 4000 exposures and the refused to replace it and charged me with 800.- € for the repair. Which doesn´t work. It didn´t funktion and I refused to pay it.
And yes i sold the whole system and changed for the new Nikon D800 which has far more and better lenses. Would like to hear how you dealt with those arrogant phase One people?

[Drew]

Phase One ... send me an invoice for 714.- €

...Mine broke at only 4000 exposures and the refused to replace it and charged me with 800.- € for the repair. Which doesn´t work. It didn´t funktion and I refused to pay it.?

Antony,
I apologize if you were disappointed in the way any lens repair was handled. Of course, after any repair if there was any issue with the lens there would have been no charge at all if any additional services were required. If this was not communicated through your dealer I sincerely apologize.
As with any product there are terms associated with the warranty. In the case of Phase One Leaf Shutter Lens, the warranty limits are 1 year or 100,000 Shutter Actuations.

http://www.phaseone.com/Search/Article. ... nguageid=1

In your specific instance the 1 year warranty had lapsed by several months. In addition, the shutter actuations (although not relevant to warranty coverage) was different then what has been listed in this thread.

Again, I apologize for any misinformation regarding your service and wish you luck with your Nikon D800. It is certainly a fine camera but I would urge you to also be aware of it's 1 year limited warranty and 200,000 Shutter Durability limit to avoid any future frustrations.

[HEIKO121]

You claim that the leaf shutter will work over 100000 actuations and do not repair mine after only 4000?
kind of ridiculous isn´t it? And regarding to my new Nikon, there is a much bigger variety of lenses that you can carry with you and they do not cost a fortune. On top they do not cost fortunes for repairing them.
And they do not sell me "Schneider" lenses made in Japan.