canon 100-400 is lens repair again

Balb0wa

Balb0wa

Balb0wa

Soldato
Joined
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Well my lens has been in again, kept getting lockups on it.

Turns out the IS unit has failed for a second time in 2 years.

The first time the lens was just out of warranty and cost £155 , the second time it cost £123.

Canon tell me the IS unit part is guarantead for 6 months.

Ive told them im not happy that it should fail so much and it must be a known fault, there going to ring me back and update me, well they should have rung by now ;-(

Surely the lens is not fit for the purpose of using it, you spend £1300 etc and it breaks every year.

The lens is covered by a mack warranty but thats not the point.
 
Thats terrible Customer Support. I have sent mine in after 6 months with it locking up and the IS Failing (however came back on and worked since :S )

About every owner of this lens on this board will not be supprised to read this read. But you can bet everyone wont be happy either.

I find it hard to believe the IS unit isnt covered for a year ? Are you sure that isnt what they said it will be covered for after inital repair ?
 
Sounds bad :(

I had the IS unit in my 100-400L replaced last year under warranty. Hopefully it won't fail again this year.
 
I think its a known fault, reading on fred miranda etc, i did put a letter saying i wasnt happy that it was the second time, didnt do any good.

When i mentioned writing a letter to head office on the phone, he said he would try and get the bill reduced. (He said he would call back today, he hasnt)

I think they will get the hair dryer treatment tomorrow.

Yes the replacement IS unit is only covered for 6 months, i said thats very poor,lol.
 
bobbyboy uk said:
I think its a known fault, reading on fred miranda etc, i did put a letter saying i wasnt happy that it was the second time, didnt do any good.

When i mentioned writing a letter to head office on the phone, he said he would try and get the bill reduced. (He said he would call back today, he hasnt)

I think they will get the hair dryer treatment tomorrow.

Yes the replacement IS unit is only covered for 6 months, i said thats very poor,lol.
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Yeah it is but most repairs are only covered for 6 months. Like you say though. It in theory shouldnt go at all. Dont produce a product with faults! ITs just Canons way to making you buy more stuff to apply for their CPS deal.
 
Fstop11 said:
It means when you say goodbye to your beloved tools for upto 10weeks you will at least have a temporary replacement.
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hehe, i just make do with my 70-200 2.8 Non IS, least the IS wont break on it!
 
If I were you I'd consider investigating how your rights stand under the sale of goods act. (I had to use this recently to get a big high street store to contribute to the cost of repairing a laptop). Basically the law states that any goods you are sold should be fit for the purpose they were intended for for a reasonable amount of time. Obviously 'a reasonable' amount of time is open to interpretation but for a laptop it is generally considered to be 3 years of useful service, I'd have thought it might be longer for a lens. If a company is found lacking you can persue them for contribution towards the cost of having a product fixed. I contacted http://www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/ by phone and they were very helpfull: adviced me on my rights, how to proceed with regards to contacting the company I was having problems with etc etc
 
Fstop11 said:
It means when you say goodbye to your beloved tools for upto 10weeks you will at least have a temporary replacement.
Click to expand...

I didn't get a hire lens when I sent my lens for repair and I'm a CPS member :(
 
Fstop11 said:
Oh ? I could have sworn I heard you were suplimented with a temp copy of that product if yours has to be away for a number of weeks. Also thought you needed to own a professional series body ? (You hiding something from me ;) )
Click to expand...
So long as you have you 2 camera bodies from the following list, at least 3 L lenses and are a Pro Photog you are eligible - I have 2x 20D's and photograph weddings and motorsport :)

cps-cameras.jpg
 
Thanks goldenape, been on the phone to consumer direct, they agree that it shouldnt happen.

Rang canon again this morning, there not budging, there saying basically if i use it , expect it to break ! lol, i must have used it for 400 shots if that.

I said to her, right so if you go out and buy a tv for £1300 and use it for a year then it breaks,then pay for a repair and for it to break again, would you be happy that you got a yrs service out of it, she said no she wouldnt. lol numpties !

Anyhow ive wrote them a letter, not to good at letter writing:




Hello,

My canon 100-400L IS lens has just been sent to canon for repair for the second time in one yr. The IS unit has failed again, which im very very unhappy about.


Order number 2-05-300434 £158.61
Order number 2-06-300814 £123.38


For the unit to fail is unacceptable, and shouldn’t happen, obviously the lens is not fit for the purpose it was sold. Under the sale of goods act 1979 section 14 , the lens should work ok for roughly 6 yrs. I have contacted www.consumerdirect.gov.uk and trading standards and there very interested in this case. They think I have a very good case.

I have tried ringing canon , and told them of my plight, the first person I spoke to on the 6th of April 7, 2006 , he promised to ring me back the same day it was about 1pm I called but he failed to ring back.

The second person I spoke to on the 7th April 7, 2006 , was very understanding, but basically after speaking to the technical manager she said , that because I use the lens then I should expect it to wear out even after a year of a previous repair which I find a joke.

For one the lens has hardly been used , id say 200 shots in total, hardly wear and tear now is it.

Its like if I buy a tv, and watch it , I should expect it to go wrong after a year, and it would be acceptable, that’s so wrong and theres a law against it.

Please look into this , I thought canon would be a good company for sorting troubles out, after all its not a cheap lens to start with.

I look forward to your reply.


Many Thanks
 
Hi,

I'd replace "which I find a joke." with "which I find completely unacceptable".

Try not to sound angry (despite the fact you have every right to be), they will have a policy and you're trying to get them to change it.

I would also lose the tv analogy.

It may be worth adding that you will take this matter further if you do not get a satisfactory response.

Regards

Al
 
I think I'd go for something more formal - along the lines of:

Dear Sir/Madame,

On the [insert date] I purchase a Canon 100-400 IS lens from [insert place you bought it from and relevant order no.s]. Within a x months the Image Stabilisation (IS) failed. I returned the lens to Canon for repair under warranty/at a cost of xxx. The IS has now failed for a second time, requiring that I once again return the device and pay in excess of xxx for an additional repair with no guarantee that this will not happen again.

As you are no doubt aware the Sale of Goods Act (1979) requires that any item purchased by a consumer should be fit for the purpose sold for a reasonable amount of time. I have contact Consumer Direct and Trading Standard for advice on this mater, both organisations suggested that a camera lens should be expect to function correctly for at least 6 years. Given that I have used the lens lightly, having taken no more than x shots, both organisations believe that I have a good case against Canon UK.

Taking in to account the above facts I believe that it incumbent upon Canon to [insert your demands! I’d have thought that at best they should replace the lens for a fully functional one; most probably repair it for free; or worst case meet you half way on cost].

To date I have contacted Canon UK about this mater on x separate occasions [list details of when you contacted them, how, who you spoke to (names if possible) and what the conclusion was]. I am still waiting for a response.

Can I request that you please reply to this letter in writing within 7 working days to acknowledge its receipt. Additionally, that you prioritise this mater so that we can reach a mutually satisfactory conclusion as rapidly as possible.

I look forwards to your reply.
 
You really wanna go with GoldenApe's way of doing things. I was unable to control my anger with Canon UK and made my feelings known. Doesnt really get you anywhere expect exhusted and in need of a drink. I hope you can come to some better situation where they are actually assisting you with the woes of this IS unit.

Just wondering ? Is it the 100 - 400's unit or all IS units that are dodgy ?
 
just to cheer you all up, in the last 5 months I have sent to aCanon Elstree my 20D once, and my 24-70 and 70-200 IS twice. The 70-200 has had 2 IS units replaced and the 24-70 has just come back yesterday after I complained that I had a soft copy.

The 24-70 is now staggeringly sharp which I am over the moon about as it is my workhorse....they do some things right!

have a look at the proof: 5D, 24-70F2.8L @70mm ISO 100, F4.5, 1/200 (100% crop, no processing whatsoever) - notice the reflection of my mantlepiece in her eye. I was a good meter away from the subject.

eyetest.jpg


I am also a CPS member so they returned the lenses very quickly indeed. I've also notice that the 5d has a far superior autofocus feature than the 20D (or at least my 20D)
 
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