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Archive 2016 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!

  
 
billsamuels
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!


This is a follow-up to a previous post in regards to a lens that I bought in early 2015 that's about 10 years old. When I bought it, I sent it to Canon after not being satisfied w/ a local lens repair facility out here in Central California. Here is the link for the last post:

https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1402498/0#13327574

The reason I'm not adding to that post is because it's very long and I wanted to concentrate this post on the result, which is NOT what the last post was about. This post is about my experience w/ Canon's repair department. I'm not sure if you would take it as positive or negative - you decide.

The lens is a Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L and after purchasing it, I took it out to shoot photos and found it very sharp! However, I also saw a lot of medium-sized specs of dirt on both optics and the barrel leading to the inner-optic had a lot of fuzz from the material that had deteriorated and I was concerned about it showing in the photos. So I sent it to Canon for a general cleaning. When I got it back, they had cleaned the interior, trimmed the fuzz off the material, and replaced the circuit board in the lens. I put the lens away until the fall when the bird migration starts here, thinking that the warranty for the repair was one year, and why would there be a problem anyway - it's Canon

October comes along and I take the lens out, handhold some photos with my new 5DSR, and the photos are blurry! I try again and use a faster shutter speed, blurry. The next time, I use my 6D, a tripod, and a 1/1000 shutter, and photograph a portable restroom - can't read the letters on the restroom from 200 yards away!

I contact Canon and they tell me the warranty expired on the repair because the warranty was 6 months, not a year like the local facility where i live. It's now 8 months post-repair. I explained what happened and the woman told me she'll one-time let it go and she sent me the mailer so I don't have to pay for sending the lens back.

A couple of days later, I get an estimate for $289 to clean the lens and check the focus, exactly what I paid for last time!!! I called Canon and they said that whoever I spoke to had no ability to WAIVE the charges and they didn't believe me, I must be making it up! After a 20 minute phone call, I asked to speak to a manger, who was ready to take me on (I should have called back!) and after more discussion, he finally agreed to waive the repair charges ONLY if I AGREE TO WAIVE MY WARRANTY ON THE REPAIRS. Being that I didn't technically have anything as it was, I agreed so they fixed the lens and I just received it today.

Now remember, my argument (and I told them this) - I sent them a lens that took photos that were tack-sharp! What they sent back was a lens that had pretty bad front & back focus problems, but clearly the photos were NOT sharp whatsoever!!! In the post I had on Fred Miranda, I didn't include other photos that were just plain blurred, because I wasn't sure if it was me or the lens.

Here is what the repair order form said:

"Your product has been examined and it was found that the adjustment of the part was incorrect causing the focus to operate improperly. Electrical adjustments were carried out on the part (what part I don't know). Product functions were confirmed. **If same problem occur, pls send us with the body,**

The problem necessitating this repair is not covered by the limited warranty for your product. Accordingly, this repair is being provided to you as a courtesy only. "As is" and without warranties of any kind, express or implied. Furthermore, Canon U.S.A. will not be responsible for any damage (including, without limitation, consequential damage and lost profits), cost, expense, loss or inconvenience as a result of these repairs. This courtesy repair does not and is not intended to constitute a waiver of Canon U.S.A., Inc.'s right to charge you for any future repairs not covered under the limited warranty for your product."

Don't get me wrong - I'm very glad that Canon took care of this at no charge!!! I hope that the lens works correctly and I'm going out during lunch in the rain to take some photos and hopefully they will be SHARP, especially because there is no warranty for this repair. However, obviously there WAS a problem and as I said, I did NOT have a problem when I mailed the lens the first time because the photos were awesome. I just sent it to them to clean up the lens from 10 years of dirt. If I did have to pay another $289 that would have put my total outgoing on THIS lens far above the cost of a NEW lens. This is the second used lens I've purchased and the second problem I've had with a used lens, so it makes me wonder if I should stick w/ new, unless a lens is just downright not available anymore (such as some Leica lenses).

I've mostly had A+++ experiences w/ Canon, and they came through I hope with this one. But I'm surprised also that they returned a lens that didn't focus correctly nine months ago. As I told the woman I spoke to the first time, I sent them an "L" and they sent me an "F"!

Cheers.





Jan 04, 2016 at 01:59 PM
scalesusa
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!


Always test a product after a repair.

Its not uncommon for handling by shipping companies to cause issues. Lens rentals knows about this, a certain percentage of lenses are fine when shipped, and are received with problems. The shipping companies can damage a lens without damaging the box at all.

Don't assume that the issue was Canon's fault. Just a few test shots would confirm that AF, and IQ were fine.



Jan 04, 2016 at 05:15 PM
billsamuels
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!


scalesusa wrote:
Always test a product after a repair.


And that is the one thing I walked away from this more than anything else!!! I won't make that mistake again.

I took some shots a little while ago and while I can't look at them on my computer until I get home, I could read license plates on cars that were really far from my location.



Jan 04, 2016 at 08:09 PM
Gochugogi
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!


scalesusa wrote:
Always test a product after a repair.

Its not uncommon for handling by shipping companies to cause issues. Lens rentals knows about this, a certain percentage of lenses are fine when shipped, and are received with problems. The shipping companies can damage a lens without damaging the box at all.

Don't assume that the issue was Canon's fault. Just a few test shots would confirm that AF, and IQ were fine.


I threw my 70-200 4L out of whack by running a couple blocks with it on a strap (left side became very blurry). Canon aligned it for free but I can imagine a long toss by a USPS driver could be a lot worse.




Jan 05, 2016 at 04:52 PM
dgdg
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon EF 400mm F/5.6L Canon Repair - Odd Situation!


I think you got a good result. They had no way of knowing if you were legit or not after that length of time yet, they gave a courtesy repair.

Even though the initial repair sounds faulty, which was not your fault, you should always test your gear after you receive it. Not that you are required to do so, it's just one of those things that makes life easier.



Jan 06, 2016 at 09:16 AM





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