P*ssed at Inon and Reef Photo

[lmorin]

I have a Canon A570IS camera that I quite enjoy. My wife gave me an Inon mount base for the UW case, plus a close-up lens as a birthday present purchased from Reef Photo. During recent travel to a dive destination, the flash diffuser on the mount base fractured into many pieces. I have tried to obtain another, but have had no success. I have been told by Reef Photo that this part, a 50 cent piece of molded translucent plastic, is not available from Inon. I have further been told by Reef Photo that because Inon won't make the diffuser available to them, Reef Photo will not make any effort to help me out. So, I am p*ssed. Reef Photo would rather have me buy a whole new mount base for $65 than provide me with a diffuser (which they could surely get if they really wanted to be helpful). Well, I won't do that and the store can go stuff itself, having lost my business over a 50 cent item. A pox on both Inon and Reef Photo.

For what it is worth, I am fairly handy and have tried making my own diffusers, but they do not work well. Probably because they do not have the distinctly molded shape of the original that serves to funnel light in the necessary directions. If anyone has a solution to the 50 cent piece problem, I'd appreciate seeing it.

 

[ScubaSteve]

Since you are in NY, you could see if B&H has any possible solutions for you. I have always thought they went above and beyond when required. I've also never had a bad experience with Reef Photo either though.

 

[Ryan]

Thanks to Dave Haas for bringing this to our attention.

The statement that we didn't try to find a solution for you is completely false. I've sent an email to Inon asking for a part number for that part so we may order it, but it has not been replied to. If we can get the part, we certainly will. I don't think it is fair to bash us on internet forums for something that is beyond our control...

 

[Ryan]

A more productive avenue for your time on scubaboard might be to inquire if any other members have that item you could purchase. Anybody who purchased that mount base, and added an optical cable set for an Inon strobe, probably has that part in their spares bin.

lmorin is looking for the white semi-translucent plastic piece in this photo:

 

[danvolker]

Thanks to Dave Haas for bringing this to our attention.

The statement that we didn't try to find a solution for you is completely false. I've sent an email to Inon asking for a part number for that part so we may order it, but it has not been replied to. If we can get the part, we certainly will. I don't think it is fair to bash us on internet forums for something that is beyond our control...

This is true. Every experience we have ever had with Sandra's Sea & Sea housing for Canon 5D and Inon strobes, Ryan or tony were always on top of making sure things went as desired.....the OP 'SHOULD" HAVE CALLED THEM a couple of more times and given them a chance....A shop that gets as many top reviews from some of the best u/w photographers in America, needs to be given a chance to show "why"....

 

[ScubaSteve]

.....the OP 'SHOULD" HAVE CALLED THEM a couple of more times and given them a chance....A shop that gets as many top reviews from some of the best u/w photographers in America, needs to be given a chance to show "why"....

I disagree here. A shop that gets that many good reviews should not need many calls to make things right. A company should only need one opportunity to make things right IMO.

Having said that, if Inon won't sell this part to Reef, then they (Reef Photo) have done absolutely nothing wrong. They can't sell what they can't buy. I think the OP is out of line with this thread but hey......happens all the time.

 

[danvolker]

I think I would go on a "crusade" in calling and emailing Inon....first, while they make great strobes, they have the WORST manuals I have ever seen, in any industry....this leads me to believe they are not very aware about what their customers need or want..someone needs to give them a "wake up call".

Second, the manufacturer has a responsibility to handle tech support issues like this, and to supply solutions other than buying a whole new strobe. The OP should take this as far up the "food chain" as they need to, in order to get the answer they want. Maybe someone here, or maybe ryan, could offer some prominent/effective "get things done" type contacts/people, at Inon....If they for some reason can not create this part any more, and can't find an old one, they should replace the unit entirely, or they should pay some 3rd party contractor to make a limited run of the broken part....it is a m,anufacturing responsibility, unless this was something you bought a long time ago, and it had been "Discontinued" when it was purchased.

 

[flareside]

I think I would go on a "crusade" in calling and emailing Inon....
.... The OP should take this as far up the "food chain" as they need to,...

Food chain now starts in Japan and ends in Japan. Inon put their U.S. based warranty and parts provider out of business several years ago.


To the original poster: I really doubt the shape of the diffuser is the ultimate defining factor but more likely the consistency of the plastic (i.e. milk jugs just won’t do it). Search for flash diffusers on Ebay and you should find a multitude of options you can sculpt into the right configuration fairly inexpensively.

 

[Prostardiver]

Have you read this?
Inon America
I know it is from 2009 but it doesn't look good.

Good luck.

 

[muzikbiz22]

I can't help but to "hop in" on this one. Reef Photo has ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS been there for me. Ryan, Tony, Richard, and Brandee are the absolute best !!! If they say they can't get it, (if that's what you were actually told) or it isn't available, then so be it. If Ryan told me I couldn't get the 50 cent part of a bigger $65 dollar part/assembly, then so be it. I guess I'm buying the whole $65 dollar part. I don't have a problem with that, because if I gotta have, I gotta have it ! HOWEVER, it sounds like Ryan is already on top of this and is simply awaiting a response form the manufacturer.

With that said, Inon is in Japan, and oh yeah, that's right, that country just got completely turned upside down by an earthquake. Wouldn't surprise me if a $2 part for a car was "hard or impossible" to get. There are numerous stories and instances of "supply issues" with Japan right now.

With that said, I do hope you get your diffuser, and/or your situation resolved.