CPS Eligibility Requirements

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UgashikBob
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p.1 #1 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

Are there any provisions for CPS membership for a hobbyist/non professional who meets the platinum level equipment requirements?

Feb 09, 2013 at 12:48 AM

jerrykur
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p.1 #2 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

Just send the money and you are in.

Feb 09, 2013 at 02:21 AM

KibblesNbitz
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p.1 #3 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

^Exactly, they'll let anyone in that'll cough up the money, despite what they say about needing to be a full time professional photographer. They don't do any kind of verification whatsoever, which is a shame in my opinion. I really wish they only let verified pros in like Nikon NPS does it, but alas, thats a thread for a different day and an opinion thats bound to be unpopular.

Feb 09, 2013 at 02:29 AM

gpchase
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p.1 #4 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

Not so in Canada..proof of professional status (website,invoice etc) a must for Platinum...for Gold just meeting the equipment level suffices

Feb 09, 2013 at 02:41 AM

Shutterbug2006
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p.1 #5 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

KibblesNbitz wrote:
^Exactly, they'll let anyone in that'll cough up the money, despite what they say about needing to be a full time professional photographer. They don't do any kind of verification whatsoever, which is a shame in my opinion. I really wish they only let verified pros in like Nikon NPS does it, but alas, thats a thread for a different day and an opinion thats bound to be unpopular.

Gosh, that post brought tears to my eyes.... from laughing so hard.

Feb 09, 2013 at 03:44 AM

mikeinctown
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p.1 #6 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

I'm happy to be CPS as I've spent quite a bit of $$ on Canon equipment. Not nearly as much as a lot of you guys, but it's good to be able to get professional repairs done at a discount and that they will actually do it all in a timely manner.

Feb 09, 2013 at 05:14 PM

Paul Mo
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p.1 #7 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

KibblesNbitz wrote:
^Exactly, they'll let anyone in that'll cough up the money, despite what they say about needing to be a full time professional photographer. They don't do any kind of verification whatsoever, which is a shame in my opinion. I really wish they only let verified pros in like Nikon NPS does it, but alas, thats a thread for a different day and an opinion thats bound to be unpopular.

I know what you're saying, but as an ex-working photog who has taken another path, I'd probably smash you in the teeth for suggesting an elitist membership level.

Feb 10, 2013 at 12:42 PM

jcolwell
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p.1 #8 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

KibblesNbitz wrote:
^Exactly, they'll let anyone in that'll cough up the money, despite what they say about needing to be a full time professional photographer. They don't do any kind of verification whatsoever, which is a shame in my opinion. I really wish they only let verified pros in like Nikon NPS does it, but alas, thats a thread for a different day and an opinion thats bound to be unpopular.

Shutterbug2006 wrote:
Gosh, that post brought tears to my eyes.... from laughing so hard.

Yeah! The lineup at Purolator for sending gear in to CPS Canada is usually twenty or thirty people deep; all of them are stinking CPS Gold members.

Feb 10, 2013 at 12:46 PM

coranda
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p.1 #9 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

gpchase wrote:
Not so in Canada..proof of professional status (website,invoice etc) a must for Platinum...for Gold just meeting the equipment level suffices

Same here in Australia. They set a minimum annual income from photography of $35,000 and require that you have at least 2 bodies from the 5D series and 2 L lenses for silver membership. For gold membership you need 3 L lenses and at least one 1D body and one 5D body.

Feb 10, 2013 at 12:51 PM

veroman
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p.1 #10 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

jerrykur wrote:
Just send the money and you are in.

Uh ... I don't think so. Unless I'm mistaken ... and among other things ... there are a minimum number & type of lens and body requirements, i.e. shooting with a Rebel doesn't qualify for registering the camera with CPS.

When I registered several years ago, I also had to send in 3 or 4 samples of pro work and indicate my income from photography, though I don't have to do that when I renew my membership each year. But I DO have to keep my gear list current if I expect to get CPS service.

Are you saying all this has changed? Anybody can be a CPS Member? I'm going to call them tomorrow to find out.

- Steve

Feb 10, 2013 at 01:00 PM

ggreene
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p.1 #11 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

At least in the US you are no longer required to prove you are a working pro. Just need the gear and the fee. They should rename the program to Canon Extended Services or something like that as it has nothing to do with whether your a pro or not anymore.

Feb 10, 2013 at 01:40 PM

mcbane
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p.1 #12 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

I agree. Presumably if Canon can sell expensive pro gear to non-pros and collect the extra CPS fees from non-pros, they can afford to scale the service resources to provide the same quality and speed of service to everyone.

Feb 10, 2013 at 03:22 PM

Wahoowa
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p.1 #13 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

veroman wrote:
jerrykur wrote:
Just send the money and you are in.

Uh ... I don't think so. Unless I'm mistaken ... and among other things ... there are a minimum number & type of lens and body requirements, i.e. shooting with a Rebel doesn't qualify for registering the camera with CPS.

When I registered several years ago, I also had to send in 3 or 4 samples of pro work and indicate my income from photography, though I don't have to do that when I renew my membership each year. But I DO have to keep my gear list current if I expect to get CPS service.

Are you saying all this has changed? Anybody can be a CPS Member? I'm going to call them tomorrow to find out.

- Steve

I believe that reply by jerrykur should be taken with the post by the OP:

"Are there any provisions for CPS membership for a hobbyist/non professional who meets the platinum level equipment requirements?"

Feb 10, 2013 at 03:23 PM

RobertLynn
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p.1 #14 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

It's bullshit that people can just "own" enough gear and pay a fee to get in. It hasn't happened yet, but I'msure the time that I need my gear back tomorrow that some shmuck will have his gear sent in because his picture of his cat's face was out of focus...only for my gear to sit and be delayed because of an influx of "hobbyists" that want the pro benefits.

on the flip-side, if Canon doesn't police it and doesn't care, then just sign up.

Feb 10, 2013 at 07:08 PM

mcbane
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p.1 #15 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

Why should Canon be unlike other vendors you rely on in your profession? When you need to ship a lens to CPS, does UPS let you cut line to get in front of some shmuck who may just be expressing some cat pics to his mother?

Feb 10, 2013 at 07:31 PM

RobertLynn
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p.1 #16 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

mcbane wrote:
Why should Canon be unlike other vendors you rely on in your profession? When you need to ship a lens to CPS, does UPS let you cut line to get in front of some shmuck who may just be expressing some cat pics to his mother?
Your reply is ridiculous.

I do not have a pay for contract with CPS where CPS grants me expedited service...because I'm a professional using their equipment to do...ahem, my profession.

UPS is a shipping vendor that is open to the public. Anyone off of the street with a few bucks can get in line and ship an item. No, being a member of CPS doesn't allow you to circumvent the line at the UPS store...even asking this is asenine. Same as the gas pump or any other service/product that is available to anyone.

The CPS program stands for "Canon Professional Services". Their own nomenclature says that it's open to PROFESSIONALS. As a benefit of being a member of CPS, you get expedited turn around when they don't have a backlog of work. IE, if there's too much work to be done from other pros who got there before you, you get put in the que and when they get to you...they get to you. If some shmuck who doesn't depend on his camera for an income becomes a member of CPS in ill manner (IE lying or just applying since this don't check) they get the same treatment that I do. While it hasn't been a problem yet, I imagine with the increase of individuals just signing up and sending in everything they own...it's only a matter of time before they do something different to the program.

on the same ticket, if they aren't checking...whyw ouldn't someone sign up? The honor system? No, that wouldn't do it. As a society in general, my fellow Americans are a bunch of entitlement searching individuals who want to garner whatever handout they can. Me even suggesting that a professional program maintain its integrity is probably likened to me "victimizing the poor people who bought all of the equipment they need but just aren't in business".

Some countries, it's not a requirement. In America, it is. Until they drop it, it's a sticking point for me.

Feb 10, 2013 at 09:48 PM

mcbane
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p.1 #17 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

The word "professional" is just a marketing term and we see it applied to lots of products and services. Fortunately, it looks like Canon is trying to be like most other vendors and is providing an equitable level of service to people who have paid similar amounts for the same products and services.

Professionals need to try to shake off their sense of entitlement. There is no reason why, when why you pay the same $ for gear and service as everyone else, that you should be entitled to a higher level of service. The shmucks of the world are tired of subsidizing the elite.

Feb 10, 2013 at 10:30 PM

RobertLynn
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p.1 #18 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

mcbane wrote:
The word "professional" is just a marketing term and we see it applied to lots of products and services. Fortunately, it looks like Canon is trying to be like most other vendors and is providing an equitable level of service to people who have paid similar amounts for the same products and services.

Professionals need to try to shake off their sense of entitlement. There is no reason why, when why you pay the same $ for gear and service as everyone else, that you should be entitled to a higher level of service. The shmucks of the world are tired of subsidizing the elite.

I don't feel any sense of "entitlement". That's a woefully ignorant statement to make.
I feel that I entered a good faith agreement with a company that marketed a service to me based upon my standing in the profession. Sorry sir, but I need my cameras/ lenses to earn money. The guy taking photos of his neighbor's dogs doesn't need his back in the same turn around that I do.

It's not the price I paid for my gear that dictates that as a member of CPS I should receive better treatment...it's the fact that I'm a professional that earns an income from photography that qualifies me (according to the terms and service) for these services. The shmuck down the road erroneously entered into an agreement (it says you have to be a pro). He said he's something he's not. The person who is trying to get "entitlements" is her/he that enters into the program under false pretenses. That person is trying to justify it stating that "since they paid the money for the gear, they should get the same level of service".

How in the hell is it "subsidizing the elite?" It's not. It's people who shouldn't be in a program, taking advantage of that program. It's fraudulent behavior on their parts, not mine.

Canon isn't being like "most other vendors" and providing an equitable level of anything. It's Canon being happy to take your $100 or $500 and not really researching whether or not you're a legit pro.

By all means, sign up if they will let you. Like I said, a wait hasn't affected me yet but it's not beyond the realm of possibility that it will.

Feb 10, 2013 at 11:52 PM

StillFingerz
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p.1 #19 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

It's sad that Canon doesn't enforce their CPS policies...ethics have been thin for many moons and both sides of the coin use.

It's just as sad that Canon doesn't provide paid multi-year repair/support for it's products. I can buy a 2k laptop from Dell that includes 4yrs of on-site next business day response; all parts are replaced free and the service call/labor are free. But I can get 1yr for my 7k body, then pay out the arse from then on...

It's just business, but then again Canon's service is pretty good, one screw-up and their service is crap tho.

We all just need replicators, but then we'd just complain our tea was a nano second late and a few 10th of a degree to warm

Feb 11, 2013 at 12:10 AM

Paul Mo
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p.1 #20 · CPS Eligibility Requirements

RobertLynn wrote:
It's bullshit that people can just "own" enough gear and pay a fee to get in...

Yes and no. There are many photogs who are not 'legit pros' but who are documenting the societies, cultures and natural world around them and producing an immensely valuable historical record - and then there's the likes of Joel Grimes.

... and not really researching whether or not you're a legit pro.

Legit; now there's a can of worms.

Feb 11, 2013 at 12:22 AM

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