Ricoh Service Germany BEWARE

I had my Ricoh GRD serviced in Germany awhen the camera had started freezing up after using the ADJ. button (following the second to last firmware update).

Ricoh took care of the problem within a 2 week time period (which is nice and fast). The camera came back:

With a large scratch on the lens![

I noticed it immediately. I checked everything before I sent in the camera and I know the scratch was not there before. In fact I took pictures of the camera on a newspaper showing the date on which is was sent to Ricoh, just to have a reference point of the cosmetic condition in case it came back with scratches on the casing. Unfortunately I did not take a picture of the open lens, never thinking that the lens would be in danger during a servie that involves the electronics of the camera.

I immediately called Ricoh and talked to a nice lady about the scratch. She read the description of the camera condition on file and it said nothing about a scratched lens (of course not). Strangely enough it mentioned a scrtached LCD screen and other obvious signs of frequent use. Well, not ths camera. The condition of my camera is "like new", there are no signs of use and I had installed an daproducts.com hardplastic LCD protectoron the first day of ownership.

So how in the world can they claim my LCD screen is scratched?

In any case, I was told to send an email with claim number to Ricoh Service directly.

Ricoh wrote back saying that there is no way, that they use special gloves when fixing a camera. They obviously opened the casing as the screws on my GRD were not black anymore (as they had been before), but you could see the silver shining through after they had been handled with a screw driver (no big deal, but obviously they had to have used a screwdriver).

So are they able to untighten screws with their special gloves? No, they used a screw driver and the scratch lookes exactly like someone had slipped with a sharp object, it is long and crescent shaped, almost covers the whole lens.

I heard back from them and now they claim that the scratch was noticed before the service. However, I had been read the notes on the camera condition word for word and nothing was ever mentioned about the lens. They said they would forward this to the "Kulanzabteilung", their division that deals with repairs to be made free of charge and that they would contact me.

No word. I send 2 emails all together asking Ricoh about all these mysterious happenings (why is my camera described as showing signs of frequent use, scratched LCD,etc.) and about any answers from the Kulanzabteilung.

No answer for almost one month. Before the week-end I sent another email, again asking all the questions I had asked in my other emails. Finally they wrote back and told me (in a short rather cold way). That there is nothing they can do for me, that the scratch could not have been made by any Ricoh service person as "we all use special gloves", and that they have noted the scratch before the service.

They never informed me of this, I never saw the original noted on the condition (when I had my Fuji camera serviced I was sent a note describing the cameras condition before the service). Luckily I asked the have them read to me over the phone. I know the name of the very helpful lady who read me the notes, so I need to contact her again as a witness...

In any case, I am extremely unhappy and need to decide what other steps to take.

I think I wil have to contact headquarters Ricoh Japan.

Really the funny thing is that I rarely have used my GRD without the adapter tube and UV filter or 21mm lens. I have only ever cleaned my lens with airpump and brushes and I know for 1000% sure that I did not make that scratch.
Unfair!

Anyways, I feel better now, thanks for letting me vent!!

D.