Canon servicing a sorry tale

[en830]

After taking delivery of my 1D back in July 2007, I put my 10D and 28 - 135 ISM in to Canon for assessment for repair through my local Canon dealer. A week or so later I got a quote for the repairs which I agreed to and the dealer contacted Canon accordingly giving the go ahead.

Time marched on and nearly 3 months later I had not heard anything back from Canon. The dealer contacted Canon and as told that my camera and lens was still sat on a shelf at Canon waiting to be repaired, they claim to have never got the go ahead. They were told to proceed and agreed to turn it around asap.

Time went by, and with Christmas fast approaching I enquired as to the state of the repair, I was told that it was in hand and my equipment would be returned soon, Christmas came and went. I was told just before new year that my equipment had been despatched via Northampton.

2008 came and still no sign of the gear, this time I was told that the gear had been returned to Canon and would be sent as a priority in the next 24 hours, 3 weeks past.

Late in January I wrote a sarcastic letter to Canon threatening legal action, the very next day I got a response from their PR department, apologising and saying that my 10D would be replace by a 30D. Fair enough, all I want is a Camera back. They would get this to me in the next 24 hours.

Finally nearly three weeks later I collected the 30D and my lens from the dealer.

This evening I checked over the 30D to find that the LCD display light does not work, the Drive/ISO button and the metering point and exposure compensation button doesn't work either.

I've heard some horror stories about Canon's servicing service, but this takes the biscuit.

[miketoll]

That's appalling!

[en830]

I received the 30D back today and it appears to be OK, this is only 8 months after I sent in my 10D to be repaired.

The 1D Mk3 is due back later this week from its recall.

[jamieZ740]

Go Nikon

couldnt resist there sorry.

cashback plus 2 year warranty, and no recalls/failures.

[en830]

Don't crow just yet, I've been told that Nikon and Olympus are just as bad, and in some cases worse.

[robski]

Originally Posted by jamieZ740

Go Nikon
and no recalls/failures.

I do seem to recall that Nikon produced a couple of models a few years back with initial problems with corrupted images.

Swings and Round abouts really

[Joe]

I've heard of some real horror stories just like these ones.
My own view is it is an unfortunate by product of cameras being more advanced (mechanically and electronically), and the demise of many a local repair technician.
It is an unfortunate fact that most repairs now go directly to the manufacturers UK (or your countries) headquarters, then get passed either the service department, the authorised repairer (normally only the one)....or all too frequently travel halfway around the world to another repair centre. This also gives an unfortunate knock-on effect that estimating things like repair times are often more guess-work than actual accurate assessments, as communication will quite often be through several different places each passing the message on....literal 'chinese-whispers' perhaps?!

When I worked for my former employer, it was increasingly common for the people we had contact with who earned their living from their cameras to have ATLEAST one camera body surplus to their needs, and have one at a repair/service agent, because they knew how long these things can take....and they would have cameras on rotation with the service agents. I bizarre situation that was much less common pre digi days.

Your story is an appalling one of failed service. Two main areas of particular concern is you had to wait so long, but also that your were repeatedly quoted times they quite obviuosly simply couldn't meet. very poor.

It is little recompense that you have been sent an upgrade in the form of a 30D instead of your 10D....I would have been thinking of all the photographic opportunities potentially missed if you hadn't got another camera body.

I hope for your sake that the 30D they sent is now functioning correctly, and will continue to do so.......good luck with the 1D.

....and yes, Nikon, Pentax, KonicaMinolta (sony) I'm sure have exactly the same horror stories hiden away in their files.


best wishes for your picture taking and good luck with the camera kit.
cheers
Joe

[en830]

1D Mk3 received back today, to be fair in just over a week. Though I still have to get out and try them both in the real world. Hopefully on Friday afternoon

[KarlMercer]

Oh Dear,
I thought it was just me!
Six weeks ago, my 1D Mk111 started to labour whilst focusing my larger telephoto lenses.
Took it to my local canon repairer in Stoke (who are brilliant I might add).
They informed me that they could repair it as their technicians had been on the related Canon course, BUT, Canon are insisting on doing all focus related repairs to this model for the moment.
I am now thinking Digital capture may be out of date by the time it's returned??!

Karl