Beware of Canon repair!

Argh. I have a 1D Mark III. It's been to Virginia for the well-known sub-mirror auto-focus fix. It's been to Irvine CA for the "abnormal mirror operation" (aka Error 99) fix. And now, three days and 16 shutter actuations after receiving it back from the mirror fix, it's going back to Canon for a re-fix of the "abnormal mirror operation" problem. Before the trip to Irvine, the problem existing "first thing in the morning" - as I'd pull the camera out of the bag, I'd power on, get stuff ready, blah blah, take a shot, and blammo it'd have the error. If I pulled the battery out, shoved it back in, and immediately took a shot, I'd usually be fine until it went to sleep again. Now, it just won't shoot - with or without lens, with or without memory card, just doesn't matter.


So now I get to type up a big page of shipping instructions, since I leave for vacation in 8 days - if it'll be back by 6/12, send it here, 6/15-6/17 send it there, 6/18-6/19, send it this place, 6/22-6/29 send it here, and anything later you'd better have a director-level person calling to explain things. Ugh.

This is just bad luck, i got my 50 1.4 fixed at irvine and i got it back fast and in perfect working order.

When ever you have repeat problems on your gear ask for free shipping to "correct their mistake." It still sucks to have the camera out of your hands but at least you you're saved 10 bucks.

They paid for the shipping both ways the first time, since it was a service bulletin/warranty repair. They were going to pay for shipping both ways this time, but that meant a UPS label wouldn't come by email for two business days. They then offered to send a FedEx label, but it hadn't arrived by the shipping cutoff for my local FedEx drop point so I ended up eating the outbound shipping. I "need" the camera back by next Friday before I go on vacation.

They have a customer feedback survey right? Ask for one if they do. Make sure they hear your complaint.


I have never had any bad experiences with Canon Repair, at all, not have my colleagues. So to go public and warn everybody for them is, considering your personal experience, understandable, but not realistic. It's not standard practice, everyone can screw up. You just ran out of luck and you have to give them the opportunity to correct this.


That said I sympathise with your feelings and hope your problems get resolved.

I think you should be getting better treatment. The Canon Professional Services guys should be loaning you a camera body at this point.

For what it's worth, I agree with Madison and Dallas on this.


I do think its some bad luck. And everyone does screw up. But those guys are paid techies and while that doesn't make them perfect by any stretch, I think a certain degree of customer service is in order.


I second Dallas's comment. Whether he said it jokingly or not, Im not sure. But you might try talking to Canons customer support stuff and explain your situation. Say you're going on vacation in a few days and if they could send you a loaner body that'd be swell. Maybe even offer to take a downgrade as a loaner. (Some camera is better than no camera right?)


In my personalexperience, Canons been good to me. Fixed my 20D real quick. (of course I paid out the wazoo for it so that mighthave been incentive for them to get it done)..

Just sent a 5D to Jamesburg, NJ after the mirror came unglued from the carrier at Road Atlanta. Usedthe backup 30D next day. Never had a problem with the 30D. (Maybe I shouldn't say that at least till I get my 5D back) I'll let you know how they do.


JeffersonPoster

My experience with Canon service has been mostly very positive. However, they are human, and when they are, they can be annoying [:)]


Most annoying is when there is obviously substandard operation, and somebody tries to to convince me that things are okay and 'normal'.


But I've never had something unresolved once i framed the situation in a, "So, let me get this straight. You, _____, are telling me that according to Canon manufacturer specifications, ________ is entirely acceptable?"


They're not the absolute best company i've dealt with in terms of customer support, but overall, I feel compelled to say that they are pretty darn good, and far better than most of the jokers selling technology products.

Here's the rub in all of this: the repair form included in the box when the camera came back said something to the effect of "adjustments were made". After the outright failure yesterday, the telephone agent told me what had been done: they replaced a washer. A freaking "service bulletin" for a washer? A re-repair for a washer? No camera for nearly a month (sent in May 19, received back June 2, shipped back June 5, at best I'll get it June 11), for a washer? Wow.


Given the recent restructuring of Canon Professional Services, I'd be surprised (but elated!) if they sent a loaner. For now, I just hope I get the magical "confirmation" email with my repair ticket on Monday, and that they don't sit on it until later in the week.

That sucks.


I can only suggest pestering them about it regularly. Ask for a loaner if the can't guarantee you having it by Friday. Asking you to wait a reasonable amount of time for a repair is one thing, but not fixing it the first time puts them in a dubious position to be asking that.

Haven't used Canon repair since 1998 on a 1N that got flooded. I'm not even sure about CPS since the restucture, but it really sounds like just plain old bad luck. And in my experience, unless your a member of CPS, don't expect any loaners or a rush on your repairs. It's seems to be the standard practice of CPS and NPS to treat everyone else as consumers...which they are. And, I've known many colleages over the years that were not members and were treated like they bought their $30000 worth of equipment at WalMart. Member or not, if you purchase ANYTHING regardless of price, you should be totally satisfied with that product and the mfg. should make sure of it. But, as in most everything else, money talks and bs walks. I do know first hand though, that CPS is/was known for loaning out lenses at major events to CPS members. And I recall at Lake Placid, that the NPS booth would do on the spot repairs for free. In fact, a close friend "slushed" his F2 at Lake Placid and the NPS guys completely dissasembled, inspected, adjusted, and dryed out his F2 for free (he wasn't a NPS member).

CPS's recent restructure basically returned the program to a pro-photographer support service, which to be honest I agree with (they require that 51% of your income comes from photography).


Normally, for a repair like this, the customer calls in to initiate the repair, and Canon emails back a form to be filled out and included with the camera. When it's a re-repair, issuing the form triggers some internal actions that notify the technician's boss about the failed repair job, and supposedly causes an expedite of the repair. We'll see how accurate those become in the coming week.


Personally, I'm torn: I want to tell them to take all the time they need to fix it right, but I purposefully sent it in during the best possible window that I have for another two months to be without the camera and now I want it back. I've felt for months something wasn't correct inside my camera, and I've felt like I had to be ready all the time to "work my magic" if should error out (I had a magic routine that would return the camera to operation - remove battery, insert battery, lock focus on anything/nothing, and shoot just as quickly after power-on as I could). I knew it was "abnormal mirror operation" when the mirror wouldn't flip on me once for a manual sensor cleaning, but the telephone agent (on the first try) said my camera's serial number wasn't affected by the problem.

A follow-up, for those who care.


Camera shipped to Canon 6/5 priority overnight, arrived 6/8 AM.


Conflicting reports on whether it was checked in 6/8 PM or 6/9 AM. Canon never emailed me the repair ID, but once I got it I could check status online by using the repair ID and my office zip code (that's the primary shipping address on record for me).


Checked online regularly, and on 6/14 it was showing as "Completed, not yet shipped".


Got a voicemail late in the day 6/15, called the rep back, and he wanted to confirm what address to ship to. I asked him to send it to my parents' place in PA, since I would only be at a conference through noonish 6/17 and then heading to the parents' place (if they shipped standard overnight or problems ensued, I didn't want to have to go back to the hotel to get my camera). He said no problem, I'd have it there tomorrow (even though I wouldn't be there...).


Checked online 6/16 AM, and at that point I had to use my parents' zip code for access. Grabbed the FedEx tracking number, and checked FedEx. FedEx showed that the package was scheduled for Standard Overnight (not the Priority Overnight as promised) to my office in TX. I called the Canon rep directly (same one from the night before) and told him. He had FedEx reroute the package to PA, and it actually arrived 6/17 AM with a hand-written sticker over the shipping label showing the correct address.


Canon replaced the mirror box assembly, according to the form. They also included a page with information about joining CPS (thanks, but I don't qualify...). So far, so good.


In the end, it was four weeks start to finish (shipped Tuesday May 17th, returned Tuesday June 2, reshipped June 5, returned June 17) for a service bulletin repair.

You have my sympathy.


I hope your experience was extreme and rare.


I'm going to have a 24-70 going in for evaluation/service. Hopefully it will come back better in the CA department. I'm glad they didn't try to avoid even looking at it. Given a prior exchange regarding backfocusing on another lens, I was getting kind of discouraged with their motivation to correct problems.


I have good wishes for you that you don't have to send it back again, ever, and it works flawlessly here on out. Good luck!

Follow-up... Sent my 5D in for repair (mirror detacthed from carrier), to the factory service center in Jamesburg, NJ on 6/5 a Friday, and got it back 6/15, a monday. Replaced main mirror, focusing screen. Checked all, cleaned and adjusted to factory specs. No charge. So far so good. I took about 100 test shots with no problem. Going to Road Atlanta this weekend for 3 days and several thousand shots of motorcycles. We'll see how that works!


JeffersonPoster