Craig...

The service center here does everything from consumer to professional equipment. On this particular job the outer shell will be replaced to deal with the problem of markings rubbing off, the battery drain problem will be attended to, and the firmware updated.

It'll take a while but that's one of the reasons why I invested in a second camera. My company depends on being able to respond to story opportunities that may come just once a year or less. Having just one camera and no options for a backup -- either on-hand or a rental -- is like being out on the ocean without a life jacket handy.

My mic holder is also broken. I hope it wont be a problem with the firmware update.

Well after unanswered emails I phoned my dealer today and arranged the firmware upgrade. Had to take a day off work to take it across to Brentford and will have to do the same when it's ready (they said "a few days").

Alas, they claimed ignorance on the "battery drainage issue" and basically said I'd have to use Premium Support to get that fixed.

Their reaction to Sony Premium Support refusing to take the camera because the external mic holder had snapped off? "That's ridiculous. Half the camera's we've sold the mic holder's snapped off. It's an obvious design flaw". Amen to that.

Was told that fixing the external mic holder was an "owner operation" and involved ordering the spare part which was "ridiculously expensive - over £40 and you get the holder and a couple of screws" but salesman wasn't keen on placing an order for me (a common problem I've had when it comes to anything which doesn't cost over £1000 - which is why I ordered the 60GB hard drive today from another dealer)

I'm so angry about the wasted time, the cost, the loss of camera at a crucial time etc that I'm wondering who best to write to to publicise the farce of a situation with Sony support, the weeks without a camera if Sony Premium Support DO deign to take your camera etc etc. Friends outside the industry are incredulous when I tell the story and I think it needs wider publicity.

Sony haven't contacted me about the upgrades, despite having my details, and yet this upgrade is only available "free of charge" here in the UK until October. Imagine the poor sod who decides to buy himself an expensive 32GB card or the 60GB hard drive for Christmas only to find he's then got to pay to use it. Owners should not have to scan forums like this endlessly to find out what fixes for their "beta" cameras are available and for how long.

Any suggestions as to best mags/people to contact to publicly expose Sony's shameful approach to the whole thing?

At this point, we are not updating our cameras here and refuse to buy 32GB cards until Sony offers the software upgrade available as a download.

It's not rocket science to upgrade the camera. If something happens to a camera during the upgrade process, we'll then send it if to service. No big deal...

But it is a big deal to be without our cameras just for a 5 minute software upgrade, not to mention the current horror stories we're hearing sending them to Sony.

Also, we now have heard conflicting info from multiple users here in the US.
Some pay for the upgrade, and some do not.

The dealer is going more than the extra mile to get me sorted out, apparently after Sony contacted them first thing this morning. I've not officially heard anything back from Sony, at whom my ire was directed, and who I still see as the real villains in the piece, but it looks like I MAY have my camera with all outstanding issues rectified back in my hands tomorrow.

Contrary to my post yesterday apparently the order for the mic holder spare part had been placed when I called even though nobody took my credit card details for payment.

Very impressed with the dealer's attempts to rectify the problems of the past and think they're genuinely upset about what's happened. Fingers crossed!

Good to get the news Ian and let's hope it all goes smoothly from now on.