Sony A7 series is well known for its high-end specs and robust form factor. However, the reputation of the lineup has recently been tarnished due to a class-action lawsuit filed against Sony for its A7 III shutter issues. Though this camera comes with a warranty, the shutter issue was still dragged to the doors of the court. So what really happened with the Sony A7 III which resulted in a lawsuit?

Sony A7 III is a full-frame camera with a price tag of about 1700 dollars. It comes with a warranty of 1 year. As of its shutter, Sony claims that you can capture as many as 200,000 images without needing to replace the shutter. However, there is a loophole as to what happens if the shutter is broken down before 200,000 clicks and after the warranty period. Moreover, the replacement of the broken shutter is also very expensive, costing about 500 bucks.

And this is what happened with a user named John Guerriero and he filed a class-action complaint against Sony Electronics Inc. in the Southern District of New York. The plaintiff
also claimed that Sony was well aware of the fact that their A7 III mirrorless camera had a mechanical issue for about three years but didn’t come with a solution.

Guerriero also added that there were many other camera owners who faced shutter issues with their Sony A7 III just after 10,000 and 50,000 clicks. However, Sony denied warranty claims made by those purchasers which resulted in spending an extra payment for the repair.

According to the lawsuit, it says:

“Numerous users report shutter failures far below 200,000 but between 10,000 and 50,000 for most of the users who experienced this,” the complaint states. “While the a7iii is generally sold with a one-year warranty, shutter failure occurs randomly, often outside of the warranty period.”

But the question is- does this problem occur to a small number of buyers? well, The lawsuit report denies its possibility by stating that-

“The shutter failure manifests in a consistent way,” Prior to shutter failure, users report hearing an atypical shutter sound, followed by the screen turning black and displaying the following message: ‘Camera Error. Turn off then on.

Apart from this, the lawsuit takes into account another problem associated with the shutter of sony A7 III. It says:

“When a user removes the lens, the shutter is closed and stuck. In most instances, the shutter has become detached, as shown through the numerous a7 III users who shared pictures of their broken shutters on the internet.”

Besides, the report also found out the reasons that cause the problem and stated:

“These include the observation that the shutter blade catches on the front edge as it moves down in taking a picture. This is because the blades are positioned farther forward, so they ‘catch’ and fail to fully clear. Moreover, the front curtain shutter material is of limited strength, causing it to break. Additionally, the shutter is unusually susceptible to disruption by small particles, even dust, which can cause the blades out of alignment.”

So this is all about the shutter problem of A7 III and the lawsuit. Looking at the situation, it seems like Sony has little ground to take a solid stance in the court. So it would be wise for Sony to take remedial actions for A7 III and fix the shutter issue in its future production. The company should also compensate those who have suffered from the issue. As for the existing users who don’t have a problem with their A7 III yet, Sony can either offer an exchange offer or expand its warranty support. So what actions should be proper for Sony according to you? Let us know in the comment section.