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fuji X-T1 rubber surface


dunky

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Although the camera is made in Japan it doesn't mean all the parts are Japan made. If the rubber deteriorates/deforms it may well be the same problem one can observe with most synthetic rubber products coming out of mainland China since several years. I have installed engine mounts, drive-axle boots and other rubber parts that fell apart just one week after being exposed to the environment. Then there are some OEM rubbers that still look great after 15-20 years. I'm sure most people are also familiar with the poisonos smell of these China rubber products. They don't smell like rubber used to smell, because they are mostly made from recycled rubber scrap that has burned particles and other industrial solvents/residues inside that make the products unreliable, if not outright poisonous to use or handle.
So I figure it is a combination of the rubber being too soft, of questionable source and quality, added by environmental factors, like propane appliances at the place of storage, user's sweat chemistry and climate conditions or an underlying adhesive vs rubber incompatibility.
I have a Panasonic lens which has a bulged/loose zoom ring and I notice that some lens makers are forgoing the rubber zoom or focus rings for solid patterned plastic to avoid these problems. I also had several camera brands where corners of the skin came loose, some because the older adhesive was not as good as todays, but also because the rubber just softened and bulged.

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Wow.  I'm 18 months in with the X-T1, over 80,000 images and counting and...... nothing.  Doors close, rubber seems intact.  I hope I don't jinx it now.  

 

In a couple of weeks I'm heading out a very humid, surrounded by salt water and jungle area to shoot stock.  I'll definitely be using lots of bug spray, and sun screen lotion.  Let's see what the body looks like when I return...

Ok.  I'm now back from the Florida Keys, and the Dry Tortugas.  I was in 92 degree + temperature, hot, blazing sun.  Rain storms, lightening, and when it wasn't raining the humidity exceeded the temperature - for 10 full days of which nine were spent in the sand and saltwater.   In addition to all that, on several occasions I had to re-arrange an item or two near the waters edge where I was laying prone;  My hands were coated in sand, then I grabbed the camera to photograph what I just setup.  My only problem?  I must have gotten some sand particles under the on/off switch as it became a two-finger crushing operation for a couple of days.  Now, it's back to normal.  I see nothing on my camera body that would indicate any peeling of rubber, nor bulging doors, etc.  I did have the stupid SD car door pop open at the most inopportune time on two occasions.  I wonder if this affliction only affects certain serial number?  Kinda like the light leak?

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this and the many other stories shows a behavior which is extremely erratic if completely stochastic, yet there has to be some reason why this happens to some and it doesn’t affect others.

Perhaps we should record serial numbers of the affected camera and see if they belong to a certain batch.

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  • 1 month later...

I had a chat with a Calumet salesperson while I was there, and he told me that they had taken in a relatively high number of Fuji cameras for warranty repairs, compared to other brands. Fortunately the Fuji service, at least in Germany, is good.

 

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

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  • 2 weeks later...

welcome to the Forum, I am impressed with you first post full of positivity  :) 

 

 

You are not the only one, as said above

 

http://www.fuji-x-fo...accessory-door/

 

http://www.fuji-x-fo...rubber-surface/

 

http://www.fuji-x-fo...skin-of-x-pro1/

 

 

 

 

 

the rubber surfaces have had a tough life and are being replaced in most cases without an itch , good luck with it, you are going to have your guaranteed satisfaction, I believe.

 

Get in touch with your local Fuji repair shop or, should they not be responsive, with the head office in Tokyo.

 

https://contact.fuji...1477.1432290617

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I need to qualify this with the fact that I do use a half case, so I am handling the rubber surface very little. The only problem I've had so far is the texture on the surface of the built-in thumb rest was looking a little thinner than the rest of the camera body. I just started putting a little piece of gaffer's tape on it before it became an issue. I find that the camera is much more comfortable and steady to hold with a half case on it anyhow, although I know that doesn't apply to everyone and obviously there is a serious problem going on for some people. 

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Wow.  I'm 18 months in with the X-T1, over 80,000 images and counting and...... nothing.  Doors close, rubber seems intact.  I hope I don't jinx it now.  

 

In a couple of weeks I'm heading out a very humid, surrounded by salt water and jungle area to shoot stock.  I'll definitely be using lots of bug spray, and sun screen lotion.  Let's see what the body looks like when I return...

I returned from a very hot, over 95 degrees, and humid, with rain showers daily, and surrounded by sand and salt water and I still have no problems.  I actually used the camera in the water - got it wet, my hands full of sand and I was feeling up the camera and lenses.  No issues whatsoever.  Could it be you have acid hands like a Superhero?   :D

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Just got my X-T1 back from its second skin repair and it is beautiful and new all over again.  Fuji repaired it under warranty this time.  I had to pay the first time, so I've asked if they would reimburse me those costs in light of this being an issue that many users have experienced (thanks to this thread and one on dpreview) and its recurrence with me despite not "abusing" the camera.  They are considering options.

 

It's got to be a materials issue related to longer term use, not a short term heat thing, I'm pretty sure.  Under both repairs I had not exposed the camera to any prolonged high heat periods.  I do shoot with a wrist strap, so the camera is in hand the whole time it's in use, which is likely the biggest contribution to it on my end.  Seeing the new skin compared to what it looked like before I sent it off, there is a pretty noticeable difference in texture.  I love the feel of the rubber on the camera, but if it's not meant for handling 5-10 hours a week over a year period (twice!) they've got to change something up for the X-T2 (and X-Pro2!).  I did not experience this level of degradation with 4-5 years of use on a couple Canon dSLRs prior to my Fuji switch (though I do use the Fuji way more often than I did with my 7D).

 

Thinking about my future options if/when this recurs, which I'm pretty sure it will.  Has anyone gotten a specific date from Aki Asahi on when/if they will be offering skin options for X-T1?  I had emailed him a couple months ago, but did not get a reply.   I've seen a few mentions on forums of "soon", but that's it.  http://www.aki-asahi.com/store/  

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No X-T1 skin by Asahi, yet, they seem to have not updated the Fuji line at all after the X-E2.

 

What’s keeping them I don’t know, maybe Mr. Fuji has talked to Mr. Asahi and told them that they were not amused ? Just a thought.

 

Anyway this thing of the skin wearing out or coming off is certainly NOT affecting all the cameras and that calls for some thinking and speculation.

 

If you were to hire a lawyer ( but the cost would be prohibitive) the fact that they replaced it the second time would guarantee you would get a refund for money that was incorrectly charged to you.

 

Get in touch with the TOKYO office and demand that they put pressure on the lab to refund you the money.

 

You cannot be right the second time and wrong the first!

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  • 1 month later...

My XT1 is developping an air pocket under the rubber surface. It just feels as if there's cushioning under my fingers.  Edges are still tight. Less than one year old, 43 series. The doors are fine though.

Taking it in for a fix, hope they are easy about it (KE) and the return time is short. (fortunately I have the XP1 around, surely paint wears off a bit quicker, but somehow the cool metal finish just feels nicer than the painted magnesium of the XT1 (which feels a bit plastic like) and the rubber covering of the XP1 feels so much more durable than those soft rubber surfaces on the XT1, of only they made the grip just like on the XE2 and XP1 on the XT1 :-(...   

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Just to close the loop on my situation for reference for anyone else...

 

I emailed back and forth with Fuji Canada for quite a while trying to get a refund of some sort for my original repair bill given that some folks had it repaired for free and they fixed mine for free the second time.  Spoke with a rep this morning and they can't do a refund, but are going to send me a free leather half-case for the camera.  I have no real use for it (prefer a wrist strap to the case's shoulder strap), but a nice $100 value.

 

... anyone want to buy a nice new leather half case for their X-T1?  Never used!  :D

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  • 1 month later...

strange how this problem seems to affect more some than others. Even taking into account that someone would put the camera through more intense or rougher use  there has to be a reason why this happens to some and not to others.

I would agree, however in my situation my usage was very minimal and at home most of the time.  It has not been used in adverse environments, not been to Alaska or the dessert or filming near water on in the jungle!  Fuji did replace it twice within the first year under warranty and the issue had nothing to do with wear of abuse.  Still contend that they had an issue with the double faced tape that is used to attach the skin, or a problem of rejection between the body and the adhesive. Once again, I have been a photographer for over 60 years and never had a problem like this with my pro Nikon or Canon gear. My gear is obsessively maintained and protected. Under normal and minimal use this should not happen to any quality camera.  There have been many posts similar to mine, so I am not unique in my experience.  I now us a Gariz half case to protect the body.  Not a big fan at all of this solution, but better this than having the problem and frustration return. Fuji has a problem but will not openly acknowledge.  As much as I love the X-T1 I will dump it in a flash if it continues.  Anxiously awaiting the arrival of the X-T2.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have Fuji solved this problem? Or are they just putting on new rubber of the same bad quality?

The rubber of my X-T1, new march 2014, is very loose on the front and back of the grip. Fujifilm in Norway told that the camera will be fixed in England if I send it to them. But will the new rubber just work for a year or two?

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Well, as you’ve seen some people have this problem of the camera shedding its skin but not everybody has it.

 

Why that is, it is not publicly known.

 

At least I am not aware of any reasons why this happens to some cameras and not to others.

 

Fuji is not admitting there is or there was anything wrong with some or all the cameras and tend to simply replace the skin if and when it comes off.

 

It could be a nice idea to have a poll and see how many of us have a camera with and a camera without this problem.

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Have Fuji solved this problem? Or are they just putting on new rubber of the same bad quality?

The rubber of my X-T1, new march 2014, is very loose on the front and back of the grip. Fujifilm in Norway told that the camera will be fixed in England if I send it to them. But will the new rubber just work for a year or two?

 

I've had mine replaced twice to date with the same purchase date as yours.  As far as I can tell, it's just a straight replacement of the same stuff.

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