Think my lens is fubar - anyone seen this before?

Soldato
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My Sigma 24-70 f2.8 EX DG Macro (rah!) is 13 months old, and yesterday I noticed that for some reason it refuses to focus shorter than about 0.9m. I can't say how long it has been like that for, as for the past few days I've been doing mainly landscapes. However, I'm 100% confident it's only been like that for a week, tops.

I tried to take a picture of something close up, and noticed that the AF would stop if it tried to focus on the object. I put the camera into manual mode and tried to move the focus ring. It was fine up to infinity and came to the natural stop, but when I tried to move it past 0.9m, it just came up against a very firm barrier that prevented it from going futher. It's as if something has broken off in the lens and is physically preventing it from moving. It also feels like if I were to force it further, I'd break something quite badly.

Optically, the lens is fine, and performing as it should. The AF works, and the images look fine. It's just the focus issue.

So, I have three options:

a) Live with it, and not use it as a macro (I do some macro, not a lot though). It'll just be annoying having it broken and knowing it's broken.

b) Send it back to sigma, who'll charge me more than the lens is worth to have it fixed.

c) Move my upgrade path closer to the present and buy me a Canon 24-70L :)

Personally, I'm thinking that I live with it for a few months, save up and get the canon. That said, if it's a common problem that people have seen before with an easy fix, I'll just fix it. So, any ideas?
 
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d) Sell it to me for 50 quid ;)

Where did you buy it from? Isn't there something somewhere that states goods should remain functional for a reasonable period of time, something like 5 years from purchase? Perhaps someone else can be more specific. The guys over at GD seem to know about these things.

If you purchased it online you may find it difficult to get anywhere, but if from a shop, take it to them, and if necessary have a scream up. They might do something for you out of good will, if nothing else.
 
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danza said:
d) Sell it to me for 50 quid ;)

Where did you buy it from? Isn't there something somewhere that states goods should remain functional for a reasonable period of time, something like 5 years from purchase? Perhaps someone else can be more specific. The guys over at GD seem to know about these things.

If you purchased it online you may find it difficult to get anywhere, but if from a shop, take it to them, and if necessary have a scream up. They might do something for you out of good will, if nothing else.

I got it from our favourite high street retailer, 13 months ago. Statutory rights in the UK only grant you free repair/replacement for 12 months, I believe.

:9
 
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growse said:
I got it from our favourite high street retailer, 13 months ago. Statutory rights in the UK only grant you free repair/replacement for 12 months, I believe.

:9

http://www.dti.gov.uk/consumers/fact-sheets/page24700.html

It's very wishy-washy (you'd expect nothing less from a government department!), but there is some info there.

I mean, 13 months use for a lens isn't acceptable really. Sounds like you need to prove it was faulty at the time of purchase though. Hmmmm...
 
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Soldato
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Thanks for the comments. I'm not sure I know where my oringal receipt is. Will contact sigma anyway to see what they say. Might buy a nifty if they want to take it away from me to look at for more than 2 weeks...
 
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danza said:
d)
if from a shop, take it to them, and if necessary have a scream up. They might do something for you out of good will, if nothing else.

i work in a shop and even if the problem is completely reasonable and the customer hs a genuine complaint that attitude would get you nowhere.

go to the shop and be calm and good mannered, they may se what they can do. they arent obliged to do anything though as the lens is out of warranty.
 
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Strax said:
Sigma offer a 3 year warranty on UK purchased lenses, so best bet would be to get in touch with them :)

I'll give them a call - I suppose they just have a phone number on their website?

Will I need to dig out the receipt?
 
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My 105mm sigma macro lens has a switch labelled "Limit" and "Full". Flicking this to Limit stops you being able to focus closer than 0.4m, the extending part of the lens just wont move further, you cant turn the ring. Look for this switch on yours (I don't know if it has one or not. But its the only thing I can think of)
 
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TRiP said:
i work in a shop and even if the problem is completely reasonable and the customer hs a genuine complaint that attitude would get you nowhere.

:o Sorry. :)


Helium_Junkie said:
My 105mm sigma macro lens has a switch labelled "Limit" and "Full". Flicking this to Limit stops you being able to focus closer than 0.4m, the extending part of the lens just wont move further, you cant turn the ring. Look for this switch on yours (I don't know if it has one or not. But its the only thing I can think of)

I played around with a non-APO version of the 70-300 the other week on a D50. The focus range limiter switch on it kept jamming and I thought I broke it! Perhaps the 28-70 has a similar problem?
 
Soldato
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There is no switch, it's billed as a macro lens and I've never had any problem doing macro shots before.

That said, it is like some sort of switch has been pressed that prevents it from focussing shorter.
 
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