Does anyone have experience sending Vinten products in for service? Are they reasonable?

So, my Vinten tripod got dinged up during a recent flight. The midlevel spreader broke off one of it's heads where it attaches to the legs and a tab broke off the leg where it attaches.
I get an estimate of parts and it's $350 for the spreader and $395 for one set of legs to replace.
Unbelievable. Hey, i get that they don't move a lot of parts, so the cost per piece is high . . . but come on!

So, now i have to roll the dice by sending the sticks in to be repaired at a service center and risk spending $100 in shipping and insurance only to have them give me a $600 (likely) estimate to repair the tripod that really isn't that great in the first place.

I'm just glad that i have 3 backups.

It's hard to judge. What was the original price of the tripod? Is it under warranty? Given potential labor costs do they give you an option to buy the parts and repair yourself.

So, my Vinten tripod got dinged up during a recent flight. The midlevel spreader broke off one of it's heads where it attaches to the legs and a tab broke off the leg where it attaches.
I get an estimate of parts and it's $350 for the spreader and $395 for one set of legs to replace.
Unbelievable. Hey, i get that they don't move a lot of parts, so the cost per piece is high . . . but come on!



Mark. I had a similar experience. A lug on one leg broke off where the spreader latches into. In other words I now have TWO Carbon Fibre Posi-Loc legs, a 100mm bowl and a mid level spreader sitting on the shelf doing nothing.

if you you are interested mail me off forum and I can send you some photos of what I have. Why I haven't repaired them is twofold, firstly Vinten spare parts prices and like you I have other sets of sticks and so moved the Vinten head onto other legs.

I'm sure my Vinten 'spares dept' could work out a cheaper rate for a job lot inc shipping of used but good parts that may be of interest :))

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

Maybe keep an eye out on Ebay for parts? You can do saved searches. And yes, I too ordered an expansion wand from Vinten and I was like wow, that's three times as much as Bogen. It's a wand for crying out loud, not a heart defibrillator.

Hi guys................

Lets take this from the top shall we?

the tripod that really isn't that great in the first place.


Um, what sticks are we talking about here? The only dubious sticks Vinten have ever sold were not, in fact, made by Vinten, but by Manfrotto - re-badged xxxxxx's from memory, and a pretty indifferent set of supports they were too. I'm surprised Vinten ever decided to have its brand on them, but it did for their zzzz range, now well defunct.

If that is what you have, don't fix 'em, bin 'em, they're unmitigated junk; I have a set of Manfrotto xxxxx's mouldering away in a cupboard somewhere which I'm too embarrassed to sell and simply can't bear to put on the tip, though they'll never get used again.

If yours are indeed a set of xxxxxx's (I think that's what Vinten labelled them) you're better off without them quite frankly.

If, on the other hand they're another model Vinten, this gets a whole lot more interesting, as their base line 75mm set of sticks as sold with the Vision Blue systems, is the second most rigid support I've ever tested, second only to the mighty Vinten FiberTec's I started my Vinten journey with.

So, Mark, what are yours?

Moving swiftly on, yep, their prices are through the roof, as they are with both Sachtler and Oconner, the problems being that nope, they don't sell a heck of a lot of units, thus the prices are high and that most such equipment is bought and used by incorporated companies who can simply right off expenses incurred from purchase and maintenance/ repair against tax. Thus it costs them next to nothing and is simply the cost of doing business.

Just to round this out with some good advice:

A set of Vision Blue sticks with attached head arrived with me some while ago for review and much to my annoyance the attached mid level spreader had sheared off an attachment end from its arm. There was absolutely no sign of damage to the packaging and the packaging was perfectly done. No damage to the tripod or head, so the mystery over the breakage of this arm was immense.

I resolved that no matter what, never ship a Vinten tripod with the mid level spreader attached to the sticks no matter which spreader you have. Is this limited to Vinten? I think not. Never ship ANY tripod with detachable mid level spreader with it attached.

I shall await the next exciting episode with bated breath, er, not.


CS

The Tech Support from Vinten/Vitec: "I confirm that the spreaders are not economical to repair. The prices for equivalent replacements were quoted by Mara-Lynne below."
It is such a simple fix. 2 plastic tab pieces that insert at the joint. 1 screw! So annoying.
The legs are another matter. I'm thinking i'll need to use a heat gun to get the end cap off for replacing.

The system was $1200 when i got it. I'd value the head at $750 and the legs at 450. B&H has them at $877 & $958 respectively ($1400 for the set)

Chris Y, that sounds great. I'll contact your Parts Dept!!
I'll check eBay, as well but not holding my breath on that one. I waited about 3 months looking for a Miller mount plate a couple years back and had to breakdown and purchase the $90 piece of metal from B&H. No one here had a spare that i could find.

CS, the legs are 3819 series? (that's just the first 4 digits of the SN and the replacement parts- the only way i can identify them)
Yes, the Pozi Loc legs. In truth, they are good legs, just heavy and one of the poziloc levers are a bit sketchy.
But the Libec legs i have had for an eternity and cost a quarter as much are, i'd say 75% as good.
I love the head, though.

Not under warranty, i don't think that would factor in anyway in this case.
Good advice on detaching spreader before shipping; I'm taking 2nd tier equipment on flights from now on.
I was honestly, pretty cavalier and careless packing them in a soft case with 2 other tripods. I think i need to get one of those golf bag shipping things.

Thanks all.

When I first started researching professional tripods I quickly became familiar with this type of game. I.e they mark up the components to encourage you to buy the entire kit. Some manufacturer's kit price seems good until you discover it doesn't include the spreader and how much one costs. This has always gone on in professional niche equipment. Selling a screw for $10. Pro level equipment customers are business entities, willing to pay the premium to get quality equipment.

The plastic tab pieces...3D printer?

Best not to reward them for this behaviour.

Reckon you might as well buy a replacement Miller tripod and and send a copy of the receipt through to Vinten to effectively communicate your displeasure about the above scenario. Talk their language.

Andrew

Chris Y, that sounds great. I'll contact your Parts Dept!!


Hi Mark ~

Have mailed you photos and Vinten's spare parts pdf. Have a look to see if there any useful bits that may help you out.

Cheers

Chris Young
CYV Productions
Sydney

The plastic tab pieces...3D printer?

My thoughts exactly. This is one of those cases that justify having a 3D printer around.


-gb-

Hi Mark,
We at IJES.ca do authorized service and repairs to all the major brands of camera support equipment. The part you appear to need is: V4032-2005 Pivot block, leg bar USD 6.59 each Not so bad!!
Best regards,
Ian.

Hi Mark,

It looks as if you were quoted for the entire spreader & not the spare parts, which I understand is obviously frustrating. I will email you an exploded view drawing of the spreader to confirm the parts needed and provide spare parts pricing from there.

All the best,

Jon

Does anyone have experience sending Vinten products in for service? Are they reasonable?

So, my Vinten tripod got dinged up during a recent flight. The midlevel spreader broke off one of it's heads where it attaches to the legs and a tab broke off the leg where it attaches.
I get an estimate of parts and it's $350 for the spreader and $395 for one set of legs to replace.
Unbelievable. Hey, i get that they don't move a lot of parts, so the cost per piece is high . . . but come on!

So, now i have to roll the dice by sending the sticks in to be repaired at a service center and risk spending $100 in shipping and insurance only to have them give me a $600 (likely) estimate to repair the tripod that really isn't that great in the first place.

I'm just glad that i have 3 backups.

Mark ,

Regardless of the cost , if the tripod 'got dinged up during a flight' , aren't you holding the airline responsible for the damage to your property whilst in their care ?

THEY should be paying , hence why should you care what it costs . The airline should have insurance anyway .

Don't know about prices. But someone above posted about 3d printers. What about 3d milling with metal.

https://materialise-onsite.com/3d-printing-service/metal-3d-printing?gclid=CjwKEAiA4dPCBRCM4dqhlv2R1R8SJABom9pHgUHzhf-v-O7uZSm9TxBE7NjvuVBS4CbO5xyc9z8-RBoCMjrw_wcB