Ok guys...I need some pro help here with Lens Repair

[ShutteringFocus]

I have a sigma 28-135 3.5-5.6 macro lens that I got for about $120 from Hot Buy Electronics.

Its 5 months past the one year warrantee.

Its broke.

The aperture ring doesn’t work...it is stuck in about the F/8 position and wont open or close...everything else with the lens works fine.

I know exactly what is wrong with the lens. On the inside looking at the lens from the back...if you zoom the lens all the way out you can see into the lens where the motors and wires are (because this is a cheaper-not-sealed lens) I can plainly see one of the wires that is broken. Its basically just cut right in half.

Its not a wire like you would think...its like one of those strips you see inside a computer that has about 5 or 6 wires on it...and they all lay flat side by side. It is orange. I can clearly see that this strip is supposed to run down the side of the lens from the contacts and to the Aperture motor. Its cut. In fact it looks like it was actually cut...its a nice clean slice right down the middle of the wires.

The lens works perfectly other than the fact that there is no power to the aperture motor now.

So I tried calling Sigma and saying I wanted to talk with someone who knew their stuff so I could ask questions. They of course want me to ship it to them. "I'm sorry sir, we do nothing over the phone, we need to see the lens in person first." OK, so I guess that’s understandable...it wouldn’t be good to tell someone you could fix their lens and then find out there was something else wrong.

But what I want to know is how hard is this to fix...and is there anyone out there who fixes stuff like this.

Sigma claims it will take 3 weeks just for them to get back to me with an estimate.

[robertwgross]

First of all, I have no doubt that Sigma can fix it if the problem is as simple as you describe. However, they have to tear it apart and find that flexible part.

I'll take a wild guess that the total repair bill will be similar to what you paid for the lens.

---Bob Gross---

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

Just past warrantee? Did you use a cc to buy the lens? Does this CC company extend the original manufacturers warrantee? A lot of major CC will automatically extend the warrantee, usually doubling it.

This ribbon cable will need to be replaced , if this is actually the issue and is not an intentional cut.

The manufacturer or authorized warrantee centre is the best choice. Lens assembly is important and should not be left to street corner repair shops.

If the warrantee is past and no CC backup. Look at the cost of the repair and put it into another lens of higher quality, or another focal distance that will better meet your needs. You can always come back to to this lens latter and repair it, when cost is not an issue.

Good luck

[glangston]

Canon quoted $150 to repair a 70-200 f4L. It was a new lens and it had a little play in the focus ring that I was curious about. Didn't affect anything and the tech guys said it was not a big deal but that is what they would have charged to go inside and fix it.