sigma lens problem

[longhornfan]

Just got my sigma 170-500mm lens and when i took my first pic i got an err 99 code and my canon 10d locked up. a friend of mine mounted the lens on his digital rebel and got the same results. any idea guys??? some one told me that i need to take the lens to a service center and have something adjusted. i have no idea.
thanks in advance
note: i bought this sigma lens on ebay and i knew it was a used lens
also all my other lens's work (canon)

[Scottes]

Some Sigma lenses need to be sent to Sigma to be re-chipped to get the necessary code installed for newer Canon cameras. Not all Sigma lenses can be re-chipped.

[longhornfan]

didn't know that,
thanks for the help

[robertwgross]

Just got my sigma 170-500mm lens and when i took my first pic i got an err 99 code and my canon 10d locked up. a friend of mine mounted the lens on his digital rebel and got the same results. any idea guys??? some one told me that i need to take the lens to a service center and have something adjusted. i have no idea.
thanks in advance
note: i bought this sigma lens on ebay and i knew it was a used lens
also all my other lens's work (canon)

It would be interesting to know when the lens was manufactured. I have the same lens that was manufactured in January 2003, and I bought it soon after. It worked OK on my Canon D60. Then within a month, the autofocus failed completely. I called to Sigma, and they told me to send it in along with a copy of the "new" receipt. I sent it in, they fixed something, and then I got it back about a week later. Of course, I don't know what they fixed, but it worked. Then later in the same year, autofocus failed again, so I called them up again, sent it in again, included the copy of the receipt again, and they fixed it again for free.

Since you bought yours used, I don't know what you will have to pay Sigma to get the firmware changed. Good luck.

---Bob Gross---

[RichardtheSane]

In the UK sigma quoted me £33 to have a lens rechipped including return postage...

[longhornfan]

is that about $58 us dollars richard the sane???
i am worried that there will be an issue with sigma but all i can do is ask
i am also being told that there is a local shop that will work on the sigma lens

[G3]

Early production 170-500 Sigmas definitely need to be rechipped. Sigma will probably tell you when you first call them or email them that particular lens can't be rechipped. That's not true. It can. I know because I went through the same drill with mine. If they tell you that to begin with, you will need to ask to speak to a manager and escalate the problem.

This is not a quick fix. Sigma has a big backlog of lenses to rechip. They have had mine for over 2 months now. I called them last Thursday to check on it and the lasy told me that she was going to pull mine and get it expedited. That's the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks she's told me the same thing. Oh, well...I'll just keep callling once a week until I get my lens back and working.

The only thing you should have to pay is the shipping to get the lens back to Sigma. The rechipping is free and they take care of shipping back to you.

[hickory]

I just bought a new Sigma 28-70 f2.8 DF and it locks up my D30, I had read about this problem with Sigma lenses but I hadn't seen anyone metion a D30. I thought the problem was new to the 10D and DRebel. :roll:

tom

[RichardtheSane]

The problem is present in many of the 'newer' cameras.
Quick way to tell is if your camera has ETTL and isn't an EOS 1 or 3 series then you'll likely have problems...

[Cadwell]

You could do what I did before buying a Sigma lens. Drop the nice people at Sigma technical support an email and ask them if there is a problem with a particular lens/camera combination. They were very helpfull with me.

[longhornfan]

thanks for all the help. have you ever heard of a local service center in texas????

[G3]

thanks for all the help. have you ever heard of a local service center in texas????

No, all of the lenses have to go to the service center in New York for rechipping.

[Canuck]

thanks for all the help. have you ever heard of a local service center in texas????

No, all of the lenses have to go to the service center in New York for rechipping.

I do believe the service centres are in NJ and Callie-forn-eah (CA)/out west that way.

[G3]

thanks for all the help. have you ever heard of a local service center in texas????

No, all of the lenses have to go to the service center in New York for rechipping.

I do believe the service centres are in NJ and Callie-forn-eah (CA)/out west that way.

I sent mine to the only service center listed on the website in Ronkonkoma, New York, which was where the service manager told me to send it. It obviously got to the right place, because they acknowledge that they have it and gave me a service order number.

Now, Canon does have service centers in California and New Jersey, but I don't think they would be real appreciative of sending a Sigma lens to them for repair.

[robertwgross]

I sent mine to the only service center listed on the website in Ronkonkoma, New York, which was where the service manager told me to send it. It obviously got to the right place, because they acknowledge that they have it and gave me a service order number.

Now, Canon does have service centers in California and New Jersey, but I don't think they would be real appreciative of sending a Sigma lens to them for repair.

That would sure get an interesting reaction.

Or, take a Canon D30 and send it to Sigma and complain about Err 99.

---Bob Gross---

[G3]

I sent mine to the only service center listed on the website in Ronkonkoma, New York, which was where the service manager told me to send it. It obviously got to the right place, because they acknowledge that they have it and gave me a service order number.

Now, Canon does have service centers in California and New Jersey, but I don't think they would be real appreciative of sending a Sigma lens to them for repair.

That would sure get an interesting reaction.

Or, take a Canon D30 and send it to Sigma and complain about Err 99.

---Bob Gross---


:)