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Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

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Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#11

Post by ciprian_craciun »

I am an amateur photographer, and I can't understand why the major camera brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.) aren't open at least to the concept of SDK's to control their cameras (let alone opening the lens mount specifications)...

It would make their cameras much more flexible and useful, thus perhaps gaining some users that currently use smartphones where it seems there is greater control over and integration with the cameras. On the other side, if one can implement in software what the producer doesn't want to implement in firmware, they might miss some future upgrade sales...

I am currently thinking on buying a FujiFilm X-T4, and I was pleased to see there is a SDK, but now, finding out that using the SDK is practically forbidden (until the warranty ends), it makes me stop and think about my decision... What could the SDK do to the camera so that it voids the warranty? (On the other hand, given the quality of camera brand produced software, I can imagine the quality of the code that went into it...) :)

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#12

Post by e2le »

AlexandrB wrote: post #2

> 5.2 YOU AGREE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, ONCE A PRODUCT IS USED OR CONTROLLED BY OR THROUGH THE DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM, SUCH PRODUCT SHALL BE OUT OF SUCH MANUFACTURER-WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT AS SEPARATELY SPECIFIED BY FUJIFILM, FUJIFILM’S AFFILIATES, OR THEIR BUSINESS PARTNERS. Brutal. Consumer protections are lagging badly behind in the software era. It's bad enough that commercial software has broad discl…

Is that even legal? It seems similar to the "warranty void" stickers which are nothing more than an illegal scare tactic that many individuals are conned into believing.

https://www.ifixit.com/News/11748/warranty-stickers-are-ille...

https://www.ifixit.com/News/15464/warranty-voiding-stickers-...

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#13

Post by opencl »

Manuel_D wrote: post #10
AlexandrB wrote: post #2

> 5.2 YOU AGREE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, ONCE A PRODUCT IS USED OR CONTROLLED BY OR THROUGH THE DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM, SUCH PRODUCT SHALL BE OUT OF SUCH MANUFACTURER-WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT AS SEPARATELY SPECIFIED BY FUJIFILM, FUJIFILM’S AFFILIATES, OR THEIR BUSINESS PARTNERS. Brutal. Consumer protections are lagging badly behind in the software era. It's bad enough that commercial software has broad discl…

I think it's totally valid to void warranty when customers modify product software. If users do things like disable temperature limits and mess up their camera, then I see no reason why the company (and be extension, other customers) should foot the bill. Giving away the SDK, regardless of warranty revocation, is a step ahead of most camera manufacturers.

The SDK basically gives remote shutter control and file transfer. There is nothing in it that could plausibly damage anything.

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#14

Post by cosmotic »

AlexandrB wrote: post #2

> 5.2 YOU AGREE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, ONCE A PRODUCT IS USED OR CONTROLLED BY OR THROUGH THE DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM, SUCH PRODUCT SHALL BE OUT OF SUCH MANUFACTURER-WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT AS SEPARATELY SPECIFIED BY FUJIFILM, FUJIFILM’S AFFILIATES, OR THEIR BUSINESS PARTNERS. Brutal. Consumer protections are lagging badly behind in the software era. It's bad enough that commercial software has broad discl…

Regardless of their written policy or silly warranty void stickers, the law dictates the warranty still covers all components not modified or damaged by the consumer. You might have to fight in court, but thats the law.

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#15

Post by oh_sigh »

noasaservice wrote: post #3

The text (at bottom, outside of the block): "AS STARTED ABOVE, USING THIS SDK TO CONNECT TO OR CONTROL, ANY COMPATIBLE FUJIFILM CAMERA WILL VOID THE CAMERA’S LIMITED PRODUCT WARRANTY." I'm sure the FTC would like to have a word, about revoking a warranty by using intended software.

In fact, the Magnusson-Moss act makes it illegal to void a warranty even for 3rd party, aftermarket modifications to a product, unless it can be shown that the aftermarket modification is the cause of or contributed to the warranty claim.

So even if you had some random black box that you plugged into your cameras USB port, and it would send all sorts of wild commands to the camera, that would not void your warranty unless the black box was actually responsible for the damage to the camera.

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#17

Post by daveslash »

ciprian_craciun wrote: post #11

I am an amateur photographer, and I can't understand why the major camera brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.) aren't open at least to the concept of SDK's to control their cameras (let alone opening the lens mount specifications)... It would make their cameras much more flexible and useful, thus perhaps gaining some users that currently use smartphones where it seems there is greater control over and integration…

I agree with you.

This is a bit off topic, but I have a Sony a3000 and a6000. I have a non-sony USB camera timer/remote [1], and I'm pretty pleased with it. There seem to be similar products out there.

If there is no USB SDK released by Sony, how are these manufacturers creating this USB control devices? Do they partner with camera vendors behind NDAs? Do they reverse engineer the protocol? Just curious.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Control-Wireless-Shutter-Relea...

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#18

Post by hexo »

Manuel_D wrote: post #10
AlexandrB wrote: post #2

> 5.2 YOU AGREE AND ACKNOWLEDGE THAT, ONCE A PRODUCT IS USED OR CONTROLLED BY OR THROUGH THE DIGITAL IMAGING SYSTEM, SUCH PRODUCT SHALL BE OUT OF SUCH MANUFACTURER-WARRANTY WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT AS SEPARATELY SPECIFIED BY FUJIFILM, FUJIFILM’S AFFILIATES, OR THEIR BUSINESS PARTNERS. Brutal. Consumer protections are lagging badly behind in the software era. It's bad enough that commercial software has broad discl…

I think it's totally valid to void warranty when customers modify product software. If users do things like disable temperature limits and mess up their camera, then I see no reason why the company (and be extension, other customers) should foot the bill. Giving away the SDK, regardless of warranty revocation, is a step ahead of most camera manufacturers.

No, it's not valid. At all. I think it is illegal in some countries and should be illegal everywhere. It was enough of these "practices".

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#19

Post by ska »

ciprian_craciun wrote: post #11

I am an amateur photographer, and I can't understand why the major camera brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.) aren't open at least to the concept of SDK's to control their cameras (let alone opening the lens mount specifications)... It would make their cameras much more flexible and useful, thus perhaps gaining some users that currently use smartphones where it seems there is greater control over and integration…

> I am an amateur photographer, and I can't understand why the major camera brands (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.) aren't open ...

How much are you willing to pay for this? I suspect they've all looked at it, and decided the ROI wasn't worth it.

Re: Using FujiFilm SDK on a Camera Voids Its Warranty

#20

Post by judge2020 »

opencl wrote: post #13
Manuel_D wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's totally valid to void warranty when customers modify product software. If users do things like disable temperature limits and mess up their camera, then I see no reason why the company (and be extension, other customers) should foot the bill. Giving away the SDK, regardless of warranty revocation, is a step ahead of most camera manufacturers.

The SDK basically gives remote shutter control and file transfer. There is nothing in it that could plausibly damage anything.

There are a lot of changeable settings listed in those header files, chances are some combination of settings or other highly-tuned SDK usage could put the camera to work and potentially cause it to overheat (eg. forcing a specific shutter speed while also capping the movie shutter speed, perhaps) since they're not testing the use cases you could theoretically enable via the SDK.
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