1/5

posted Jun-23-2011

On 1 June 2011, I ordered two Nikon Coolpix L110's in Red @ $155 each from DigitalElect.com (Corporate name - Crazy Camera Deals).

I received a call the afternoon of 7 June to say that the red ones are not available (even though the website STILL says they are in stock!) - - so I must settle for the black ones.

Next I am told I must pay $66.50 EXTRA for the firmware for each camera in order to make them useable. That is like selling a car and then charging extra for the steering wheel in order to drive it!! No one else in the industry does that - Firmware is factory-installed and is included in the price of the item (I am an electronics technician, specializing in camcorders, digital cameras, and high-end audio). Firmware is usually pre-loaded into the microprocessor before it is mounted on the circuit board (in the L110, the firmware version is 1.3). As a factory authorized warranty technician, I have replaced many microprocessors due to corrupt data in the firmware, and I have also loaded upgrade firmware into many units (all covered by the manufacturer's warranty!!).

At the very least, if they are going to charge extra for the firmware, they should say so on the camera's website page (just as they inform buyers that the memory card is not supplied by the manufacturer). They do not mention it until a week later with a phone call. They say if I do not purchase the firmware, the cameras will not work.

Their standard shipping policy states 1 or 2 business days for processing - they took 12 days over two weekends (I placed the order on June1 - they shipped on June 16). Total processing time turned out to be half a month! The package finally arrived on 20 June. The cameras contained standard FACTORY INSTALLED firmware - - the extra charge was a scam.

This review was modified by Trumpet-1 on June 23 2011 08:21:07 AM

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1/5

posted Jun-23-2011

On 1 June 2011, I ordered two Nikon Coolpix L110's in Red @ $155 each from DigitalElect.com (Corporate name - Crazy Camera Deals).

I received a call the afternoon of 7 June to say that the red ones are not available (even though the website STILL says they are in stock!) - - so I must settle for the black ones.

Next I am told I must pay $66.50 EXTRA for the firmware for each camera in order to make them useable. That is like selling a car and then charging extra for the steering wheel in order to drive it!! No one else in the industry does that - Firmware is factory-installed and is included in the price of the item (I am an electronics technician, specializing in camcorders, digital cameras, and high-end audio). Firmware is usually pre-loaded into the microprocessor before it is mounted on the circuit board (in the L110, the firmware version is 1.3). As a factory authorized warranty technician, I have replaced many microprocessors due to corrupt data in the firmware, and I have also loaded upgrade firmware into many units (all covered by the manufacturer's warranty!!).

At the very least, if they are going to charge extra for the firmware, they should say so on the camera's website page (just as they inform buyers that the memory card is not supplied by the manufacturer). They do not mention it until a week later with a phone call. They say if I do not purchase the firmware, the cameras will not work.

Their standard shipping policy states 1 or 2 business days for processing - they took 12 days over two weekends (I placed the order on June1 - they shipped on June 16). Total processing time turned out to be half a month! The package finally arrived on 20 June. The cameras contained standard FACTORY INSTALLED firmware - - the extra charge was a scam.

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