My cameras have all taken a beating this year. Physically they've had their toughest year though they don't look like it. My 1D the rear focus sticks some time. My 2N has started to give wild fluxing speeds some times, or just decides not to focus correctly. My Ds2 seams fine but should probably get cleaned and checked also.
I'm think my money lenses the 300, 70-200 & 24-70 should get a cleaning also. Does anyone know what kind of dollars this is going to cost me? I've got a lull right now in my shooting, soccer ended last night and football last week.
Would it be cheaper to join CPS and get a Platinum membership? What's the consensus or is ther one? Let me know what you kind folks think
Jarvis
EDIT: change title after call to service center from Canon cleaning service how much?
Being, that I am a CPS member, I would recommend joining. The benefits are quite beneficial, and the Support for CPS Members' is outstanding. I have had multiple positive experiences', with CPS, and I expect that to continue being the case, in the future. Gold or Platinum Levels', should be sufficient for your needs. If you would like names & contact information, for CPS Irvine, shoot me an email, and I will give you my contacts' there. The turn-around time, is quicker for CPS, than regular Canon Service.
If your not needing your bodies/ lenses for 10 Days or so, I would send em all in together, in several boxes (not your original Canon Boxes), via FedEx 2 Day. CPS, will return ship via FedEx Standard Overnight. I have pretty much sent all my gear in at once, and it all came back, over the course of 2 Days, after being in Svc, for bout 2 Days. Plus, you get 6 months warranty on all work, including Cleaning & Adjustments (CLA).
Yes, join CPS--but not for the Clean and Check vouchers, which are useless for anything other than sensor cleanings. Join because the discount on repair work will pay for a CPS Gold membership after one repair. I would not necessarily do Platinum because--again--those vouchers don't apply to Canon's doing anything useful.
Canon cleaned and adjusted everything about my 300 2.8 L IS for $209 after CPS discount. Would have been $300.
I qualify for the gear part of the Silver and Gold levels (when I get a new DSLR body, which I will soon), but I'm not a full-time prof photographer. I too wanted to send my lenses and camera for cleaning and focus calibration, etc soon.
Thanks for the replies all.
Here is what the repair center gave me for price ranges.
1 series bodies, clean and calibrate $180-$290 each.
300/2.8is, clean and calibrate $170-$299
24-70 & 70-200/2.8is, clean and calibrate $95-$158 each.
So for all said equipment were talking $900 min - $1485 max per the standard estimate.
Platinum CPS $500, would save me 60% from these totals = $360-$594.
Gold CPS $100, would save me 30% from these totals = $630-$1039.50.
High end estimate the Platinum saves me $45.50 for everything.
Low end estimate the Platinum costs me $170 for everything.
Do you gamble on the low or do you play to the high end
If I had to take that much gear into Canon to get work done, I'd go with the Platinum. You may need the service again for a repair and you could get loaner equipment in the meantime.
I'm a gold member. Canon has my IIN and 24-70mm as we speak. The IIN had no issues, so the free cleaning certificate covered that. The cleaning and check up on the 24-70mm cost me $73. Canon paid shipping both ways.
Next week, my other body and 70-200mm goes in with the other certificate. Seems like the $100 is worth it.
Another financial advantage to Platinum membership is that Canon pays for shipping your equipment both ways. Calculating the cost of FedExing a 400 or 600mm lens, it was clear that for me it made sense to go with Platinum membership. The two day turnaround is also crucial if you are a busy shooter. When my Mark III bodies went in for the last fix, they were done and shipped out the same day they arrived.
platinum. free overnight shipping to and from. 8 cleaning vouchers, which can be used for lenses as well. the extra goodies! 2 cps straps, think tank products, etc.
Just for clarification: The coupons you get from CPS are good for the clean-and-calibrate you were quoted at $180-290. You get 2 of those with Gold membership, and it sounds like 8 (wow!) for platinum. That alone is worth the cost of membership, and obviously there are many more advantages.
sivrajbm wrote:
Thanks for the replies all.
Here is what the repair center gave me for price ranges.
1 series bodies, clean and calibrate $180-$290 each.
300/2.8is, clean and calibrate $170-$299
24-70 & 70-200/2.8is, clean and calibrate $95-$158 each.
So for all said equipment were talking $900 min - $1485 max per the standard estimate.
Platinum CPS $500, would save me 60% from these totals = $360-$594.
Gold CPS $100, would save me 30% from these totals = $630-$1039.50.
High end estimate the Platinum saves me $45.50 for everything.
Low end estimate the Platinum costs me $170 for everything.
Do you gamble on the low or do you play to the high end...Show more →
Shouldn't you compare it to the Silver level with 20% off?
(180-290) + 170-299 + 2x (95-158) = 540-905.
Average savings after cost of membership: 144.5, 116.75, -76
This doesn't include the savings from free shipping, which should make Gold a better option than silver. If you need more service in the future or sell the Platinum gift then maybe that would work out better.
Russ Isabella wrote:
Just for clarification: The coupons you get from CPS are good for the clean-and-calibrate you were quoted at $180-290. You get 2 of those with Gold membership, and it sounds like 8 (wow!) for platinum. That alone is worth the cost of membership, and obviously there are many more advantages.
They are Clean and Check vouchers, not Clean and Calibrate. In my experience (multiple times), Canon really means only "clean and check."
Greg: You may be right. All I know is that the year before Canon charged for CPS and provided vouchers, it cost me $169 per camera body for the 'clean and check.' This year, the vouchers covered it. So whatever they do, it's expensive enough that having it done gratis is a definite benefit of membership.
They're definitely worth it for the camera bodies alone. The vouchers do cover sensor cleaning, and I think VF cleaning as well. However, for a lens, they don't cover even internal cleaning, never mind making any real adjustments. I've had the same voucher come back to me twice because the same simple (so I thought) work that I expected to be covered was not.
Average savings after cost of membership: 144.5, 116.75, -76
This doesn't include the savings from free shipping, which should make Gold a better option than silver. If you need more service in the future or sell the Platinum gift then maybe that would work out better.
I have 3 - 1D series bodies, my priing also includes the membership cost in the savings.
Greg Feldman wrote:
They are Clean and Check vouchers, not Clean and Calibrate. In my experience (multiple times), Canon really means only "clean and check."
Hey Russ, Gary is right, maybe I didn't make that clear. The clean and check is just that no calibration. The $180-290 includes the clean, check and calibration to factory specification. You only get six coupons unless they changed it from this morning...
I'm a Platinum CPS member and my Clean and Check vouchers have been good for clean and calibrate. In fact about two weeks ago I sent in a 70-200 (with a voucher) for a clean and calibration and they not only did that but also replaced the barrel assembly (the whole outside of the lens - even changed the serial number). Not bad for a two day turn around and for free.
I've also used the loaner program too. CPS is great.
I too wanted to send my lenses and camera for cleaning and focus calibration, etc soon.
