Α1 Problem

[LiveShots]

My α1 arrived on Tuesday 9th March. I inserted the battery and started working my way through the menus. I soon became aware of a humming sound coming from the camera. The sound was similar to what would be made by a cooling fan and I assumed that was what it was, though I was concerned that it was running all the time.

I took the camera out and took a few photos that evening and a few more the following morning, by which time the battery had lost about 50%. Having used an a9 for a long time I know that the batteries do not drain this quick. The camera was still humming, I checked the specifications and confirmed that the camera has passive and not active cooling. So there is no fan that could have been making the humming noise.

I contacted Sony Support via chat at 10am ET on 11th and described the problem, they asked if the sound could be detected on video, so I recorded a quick video and confirmed the sound could be heard. I was told that the camera should not make any noise at all and that I needed to send it in for repair.

I have no idea how long the repairs should take and whether the repair shop even has any α1 parts in stock as the camera was only just released. With shipping delays due to weather it will probably be at least two weeks before I get the camera back.

$7k (incl. tax) for a camera that is now on its way to the repair shop.

Posting this for anyone considering purchasing this camera.

[Pieter]

Sorry to hear that, must be pretty darn frustrating. I doubt this issue is specific to the a1, but for such an investment you would have expected this specimen to have failed QC. Keep us posted on your findings!

[LiveShots]

Update: B&H have accepted my return and will be shipping me a new α1 once they receive the next shipment.
 

I think the next batch arrives on 5th April so hopefully less than 2 weeks before I can start shooting photos again.

[XKAES]

That's a good resolution, for sure.  But you're not likely to know what the problem was.  There are always cameras and lenses that are defective "off the assembly line", but things can also "go bad" between the factory and you!  So who knows?

I bought a new lens, years ago, and used it for quite a while, but the results were not as good as I expected.  The exposures were fine, but it lacked clarity -- even though the shots were in focus.  After a while, I sent it in for a "check-up" -- it was still under warranty.  They discovered that one of the lens elements was slightly "off".  They fixed it and it still works perfectly today -- but there is no way to fix the shoots that were already taken.

I hope it works out for you, like it did for me.

Edited March 24, 2021 by XKAES

[photocowb0y]

On 3/11/2021 at 7:48 PM, LiveShots said:

My α1 arrived on Tuesday 9th March. I inserted the battery and started working my way through the menus. I soon became aware of a humming sound coming from the camera. The sound was similar to what would be made by a cooling fan and I assumed that was what it was, though I was concerned that it was running all the time.

I took the camera out and took a few photos that evening and a few more the following morning, by which time the battery had lost about 50%. Having used an a9 for a long time I know that the batteries do not drain this quick. The camera was still humming, I checked the specifications and confirmed that the camera has passive and not active cooling. So there is no fan that could have been making the humming noise.

I contacted Sony Support via chat at 10am ET on 11th and described the problem, they asked if the sound could be detected on video, so I recorded a quick video and confirmed the sound could be heard. I was told that the camera should not make any noise at all and that I needed to send it in for repair.

I have no idea how long the repairs should take and whether the repair shop even has any α1 parts in stock as the camera was only just released. With shipping delays due to weather it will probably be at least two weeks before I get the camera back.

$7k (incl. tax) for a camera that is now on its way to the repair shop.

Posting this for anyone considering purchasing this camera.

Thank you so much for sharing this info. I was actually thinking about buying one of these a1 cameras. I’m really suffer you had to go through this uncomfortable situation.

[LiveShots]

Update; According to my return notice from B&H I should have received a shipping notification around 5th April. As no notification was received I sent off an email to Customer Service on Tuesday morning, two days later and no response. 

Other B&H customers are reporting that they are getting shipping notices yesterday, 7th and today. 

I called B&H to find out why I had not received a shipping notice and was told  that I should have been first in the list as it was a replacement but my order had ‘slipped through the cracks’.

They told me they had no more α1’s in stock and that I would have to wait for the next shipment.

Had someone in Customer Service responded to my email on Tuesday then none of this would have happened.

I’ve been without a camera for a month, my credit card was charged on 9th and no camera for at least another week, maybe two.

This is appalling service from a company where I have spent over $22k over the past few years.

[photocowb0y]

On 4/8/2021 at 3:20 PM, LiveShots said:

Update; According to my return notice from B&H I should have received a shipping notification around 5th April. As no notification was received I sent off an email to Customer Service on Tuesday morning, two days later and no response. 

Other B&H customers are reporting that they are getting shipping notices yesterday, 7th and today. 

I called B&H to find out why I had not received a shipping notice and was told  that I should have been first in the list as it was a replacement but my order had ‘slipped through the cracks’.

They told me they had no more α1’s in stock and that I would have to wait for the next shipment.

Had someone in Customer Service responded to my email on Tuesday then none of this would have happened.

I’ve been without a camera for a month, my credit card was charged on 9th and no camera for at least another week, maybe two.

This is appalling service from a company where I have spent over $22k over the past few years.

I'm really sorry you have to experience this awful situaiton. Customer Service should always act in the quickest and most efficient manner.