The “Fujifilm X-T1 Rubber Grip Issue” is No Longer an Issue! My Last Experience with Fujifilm Repair Service
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INITIAL NOTE by FUJIRUMORS
My Fujifilm X-T1 has the same issues, bending door and rubber coming off. I already fixed it once, and paid for nothing, since the problem persisted. Now that this story is out, I will contact my local Fujifilm support and ask if they can perform the fix again, with the improved material and for free, like they did for All.
In case you have the same issue, contact your local Fujifilm support and direct them to this article on FujiRumors, to make sure you will get a definitive, durable and possibly free fix for you X-T1.
Guest post by All @allebewop instagram.com/allebewop/
It was March 10th, 2017 when I participated a discussion here on Fujirumors about the “Replacing the X-T1 Rubber Grip” issue.
I had my bending door replaced the first time in September 9th 2015.
I spent 15€ for shipment but I had it replaced for free because my camera was still under warranty (I bought it in March 2014). At that moment X-T2 wasn’t on the market and when the camera came back I knew that the grip was just the same as it was out of the box. No surprises there.
As the grip was the same, the next summer I had the same problem as the summer before: with the heat, the USB door bended again. It was making me mad. I tried everything, from the duct tape to the reverse bending after heating up the rubber with a hairdryer. Nothing worked.
This time the problem affected all the grip and it was starting to unstuck in several points: the from the handling, from the MCS selector in the front and near the back/disp button.
I was really upset so I decided to send the camera back in after the summer.
It was February 8th 2017 when I sent my camera to the repair center.
This time the camera’s warranty was expired so I was expecting to pay from 50€ to 150€ for the service, as it was told me by the local seller I asked to.
But here comes the surprise.
I got my camera back in two weeks. Fujifilm replaced the entire grip (door included) completely for free even if the camera was no longer under warranty.
But there was more.
The grip was completely different and I could say that even without taking the camera in my own hands. It was polished and it was not rubber anymore, I don’t know how to put this but it was more hard plastic-like. At the time, my friend had just bought an X-T2 so I could immediately recognize that my X-T1 grip was the same as his X-T2 grip.
Now comes the best part. The durability test.
My X-T1 was in mint condition after both the services, but only after a few months from the first one, the situation had reverted the same as pre-intervention. So it was clear to me that I had to test the new grip under my usual shooting situations.
Now, two of the things I love most is hiking and climbing (mostly “vie ferrate” type of climbing), and when I do of course I take photographs! ;)
When I climb or hike my camera stays never in my backpack because I can’t take my bag out when I’m on a 30mt. wall for taking a picture of my friends above or below me, so I use a Peak Design Clip to hang it on my shoulder strap or I leave my camera swinging freely at my side with a camera strap. This means it takes a lot of hits and bumps against rocks, but the X-T1 is really tough and it always works great! ;)
This just for saying that I’m not a person who is worried for scratching my gear and I don’t treat it the best ways possible… I know someone could blame me, but honestly taking the shoot I want it’s more important to me than having a mint condition camera.
Anyway, this summer I tested my X-T1 durability in several climbing, hikings (even at near 0° temperatures at 2985mt altitude), some speleology stuff and having a 16-days trip in Andalusia with temperatures above 42° most of the time!
“Well, now that you are back did the X-T1 survived all of this?!” you may ask…
And I’m proud to answer that IT WORKED GREAT!
The grip is in the same condition as it was when it came back from the repair center in February. It doesn’t have a scratch, it’s not slipping of in any point of the camera and the door is not bending anymore! I couldn’t be any happier!
Take a look if you want proofs of what I’m saying:
By the way, you know what’s funny?
My battery grip rubber, the same old rubber of the original X-T1, started coming off right at the end of my trip in Andalusia! Look at it:
I think there is no more doubt that the new grip of my X-T1 it’s a whole different story! ;)
Thanks all for reading this long post and sorry for my bad English! Hope to read you all on Fujirumors, I love this community!
If you want to see more pics from my hiking trips or urban exploration stuff (mostly abandoned places) follow me on Instagram @allebewop ( https://www.instagram.com/allebewop/ ) and I would love to follow you. That’s the best part of being in a community right?
Bests from Italy,
Alle
Guest post by All @allebewop instagram.com/allebewop/