JJago
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I am a professional video- and photographer and PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer, working since years in Industry-, Advertising- and Underwater-Photo- and Videography.
In December 2011 I wanted to invest in new equipment and ordered a Canon XF100 and Equinox HD8 Housing at B&H Photo&Video Pro Audio in New York.
Everything included I spent about 12 000 USD.
For that money I expected good quality and was looking forward to work with my equipment, but unfortunately I was wrong and due to the present day I was not able to do anything with my equipment except sending it back and forth and wondering what is happening with it.
During the time of ordering the customer service and advices I got from B&H seemed to be quite professional and only a few weeks later I had my new equipment.
When I arrived on Curacao to work as the in-house videographer of a dive center,
I didnt want to take any risk and tested my Equinox housing without the camera inside 5 times to a maximum of 40m to make sure everything is sealed and working properly.
The first time I went in the water with the full kit, the housing was leaking due to the resistance while pressing the controls of the camera and a misconstruction of the arms and levers. My camera was dead and it cost me 1225 USD to replace all parts and repair it. I sent as well the housing back to Equinox and they promised me to fix all issues and hydro test is before sending it back to me.
That time I was lucky the company I worked for stood behind me and invested in a smaller kit to be able to work, otherwise I would have lost not only a lot of money, but as well my job, apartment, the resources to find and travel to another job, everything
The first replies of Equinox came quite fast, but the more time passed, the longer I had to wait for an answer or any information about what happened to my housing and where it might be. After weeks of waiting and wondering I got an email that the person I was in contact with was in holidays or simply not present and they send the housing to the wrong address, but they will try to fix that as soon as possible.
After 5 month on Curacao without any chance of using my equipment, work with it and make some money for living, I finally got my Equinox Housing back.
I gave it another try, tested it again to 40m, this time with my camera inside but wrapped into plastic bags, to make sure that operating the controls wont be an issue anymore. Not as much and frequent as before but the housing was still not seal, still leaking!
So, in September 2012 my housing went back to Equinox again and that was the last time I saw it!
First Again I was promised they will replace all arms and levers, fix it, test it, send it back to me.
A few month before that I found out that a colleague of mine had the same issues with his HD8 housing and Canon XF100 and after long talks, emailing and sending everything back for a few times, he got the new edition of the Equinox HD8 Pro housing as a replacement for his leaking HD8, which now apparently works not great either but ok and at least it doesnt leak anymore.
I asked Equinox if we could find a similar deal. If not I would appreciate a refund or any other kind of compensation since I had spent already a year fighting and paying extra for working gear that I paid for but was never able to use.
In January 2013 I was told my housing is on the way back to me, all renewed, tested and ready to use but it never arrived.
The sales person I was in contact with also wanted to talk to the bosses but about a refund or compensation, but it never came up again, so obviously that is not an option for Equinox Housings.
After a dozen of emails, I received following answer on May 13th 2013:
Julia,
I believe the housing was sent back out to you last week, I apologize for lack in communication I have been away for the last two weeks, and someone was supposed to cover for me. I will find out how it was shipped and when it was supposed to arrive to you. Sorry for the delay I will get right on this.
Cheers,
Erik Gannunzio
That was the last email I got from Erik G and Equinox Housings.
Now, in August 2013, 20 month after I purchased my camera and housing, I dont know where my housing is, what they did with it, what I have to expect and since a few month my emails simply stay ignored and without reply.
Equinox Housings seems to have a better reputation on the Internet and their clients and testimonials on their website seem to be very happy, but to be honest I never saw or experienced such an unprofessional, careless and impudent behavior like that.
As a professional Photo- and Videographer in diving or what so ever business, my clients expect me to do a great and satisfying job in shortest time possible, talking only about days sometimes. I cannot afford to produce a movie, deliver a broken file and let them wait 6 20 month for the product they paid and wait for.
I might have had a lot of bad luck in that story, but I believe something went seriously wrong here and something is seriously wrong in the philosophy of Equinox Housings customer care.
I don not expect much anymore from that company, but I would really like to know now
WHERE IS MY HOUSING??
In December 2011 I wanted to invest in new equipment and ordered a Canon XF100 and Equinox HD8 Housing at B&H Photo&Video Pro Audio in New York.
Everything included I spent about 12 000 USD.
For that money I expected good quality and was looking forward to work with my equipment, but unfortunately I was wrong and due to the present day I was not able to do anything with my equipment except sending it back and forth and wondering what is happening with it.
During the time of ordering the customer service and advices I got from B&H seemed to be quite professional and only a few weeks later I had my new equipment.
When I arrived on Curacao to work as the in-house videographer of a dive center,
I didnt want to take any risk and tested my Equinox housing without the camera inside 5 times to a maximum of 40m to make sure everything is sealed and working properly.
The first time I went in the water with the full kit, the housing was leaking due to the resistance while pressing the controls of the camera and a misconstruction of the arms and levers. My camera was dead and it cost me 1225 USD to replace all parts and repair it. I sent as well the housing back to Equinox and they promised me to fix all issues and hydro test is before sending it back to me.
That time I was lucky the company I worked for stood behind me and invested in a smaller kit to be able to work, otherwise I would have lost not only a lot of money, but as well my job, apartment, the resources to find and travel to another job, everything
The first replies of Equinox came quite fast, but the more time passed, the longer I had to wait for an answer or any information about what happened to my housing and where it might be. After weeks of waiting and wondering I got an email that the person I was in contact with was in holidays or simply not present and they send the housing to the wrong address, but they will try to fix that as soon as possible.
After 5 month on Curacao without any chance of using my equipment, work with it and make some money for living, I finally got my Equinox Housing back.
I gave it another try, tested it again to 40m, this time with my camera inside but wrapped into plastic bags, to make sure that operating the controls wont be an issue anymore. Not as much and frequent as before but the housing was still not seal, still leaking!
So, in September 2012 my housing went back to Equinox again and that was the last time I saw it!
First Again I was promised they will replace all arms and levers, fix it, test it, send it back to me.
A few month before that I found out that a colleague of mine had the same issues with his HD8 housing and Canon XF100 and after long talks, emailing and sending everything back for a few times, he got the new edition of the Equinox HD8 Pro housing as a replacement for his leaking HD8, which now apparently works not great either but ok and at least it doesnt leak anymore.
I asked Equinox if we could find a similar deal. If not I would appreciate a refund or any other kind of compensation since I had spent already a year fighting and paying extra for working gear that I paid for but was never able to use.
In January 2013 I was told my housing is on the way back to me, all renewed, tested and ready to use but it never arrived.
The sales person I was in contact with also wanted to talk to the bosses but about a refund or compensation, but it never came up again, so obviously that is not an option for Equinox Housings.
After a dozen of emails, I received following answer on May 13th 2013:
Julia,
I believe the housing was sent back out to you last week, I apologize for lack in communication I have been away for the last two weeks, and someone was supposed to cover for me. I will find out how it was shipped and when it was supposed to arrive to you. Sorry for the delay I will get right on this.
Cheers,
Erik Gannunzio
That was the last email I got from Erik G and Equinox Housings.
Now, in August 2013, 20 month after I purchased my camera and housing, I dont know where my housing is, what they did with it, what I have to expect and since a few month my emails simply stay ignored and without reply.
Equinox Housings seems to have a better reputation on the Internet and their clients and testimonials on their website seem to be very happy, but to be honest I never saw or experienced such an unprofessional, careless and impudent behavior like that.
As a professional Photo- and Videographer in diving or what so ever business, my clients expect me to do a great and satisfying job in shortest time possible, talking only about days sometimes. I cannot afford to produce a movie, deliver a broken file and let them wait 6 20 month for the product they paid and wait for.
I might have had a lot of bad luck in that story, but I believe something went seriously wrong here and something is seriously wrong in the philosophy of Equinox Housings customer care.
I don not expect much anymore from that company, but I would really like to know now
WHERE IS MY HOUSING??
