Infrequently Noted

I got my EXP-600 back from Casio yesterday. To my shock and pleasant surprise, it actually works. One would hope not to be surprised by getting a functioning object returned from a repair center, but then one wouldn't normally be dealing with Casio either.

To recap: I buy camera before trip to Japan. Camera performs admirably. A month or two after return from vacation, flash on camera suddenly ceases to function. I ignore this for about a month. Eventually, I get pissed off enough to call up Casio, write up problem description in excruciating detail (after researching all documentation and upgrading the firmware), and send in camera with $15 check to repair center.

Then I wait 2 months.

Then I get the camera back in exactly the state which I sent it in. My displeasure with the situation grows.

I eventually navigated through the Casio VRU to a particularly dusty corner of the maze in which, it was promised I might be able to talk to an actual person about a repair problem. Lo and behold, not 15 minutes later, I was discussing the problem with a live person who actually said something to the effect of "give me your address and I'll have UPS pick it up". And they did.

And 3 weeks later, I have my (fully functional) camera back.

Why wasn't that the initial response to my problem? At this point I cannot in good faith recommend a Casio camera to friends, even though I think the camera's performance has been wonderful, the technology great, and the form-factor amazing. It seems Casio is a case study in how to get it wrong post-sale. From now on, I'm buying all my camera equipment through Wolfe/Cord Cameras, since they have their own repair shops for most issues.