How difficult is the lens error fix on the S100?

So, my S100 got bitten by that damn lens error thing (where the camera's dead w/ the lens extended). As I'm sure most of you know, this is a common issue with the camera, so common that in the US/Canada, it's a free fix by Canon.

However, I'm in South Korea. Aaaaaaand they wont' fix it for free. But...getting work done here is dirt cheap, even at the official Canon service centre.

So, I have a choice...mail the thing home, get my parents to mail it to Canon Canada, have them fix it for free and mail it back...OR pay to get the work done here. They would not give me a quote over the phone, only that the worst I can expect is $180 (which would be ridiculous, but that would be for changing the entire lens system).

So...how hard is this to repair? As far as I know, it's just a stupid connector coming loose, right? So, hopefully they should be able to get in, re-connect it, screw it back together and be done with it, right? I'm hoping for a cheap/easy fix, so I can sell it and buy myself an OM-D

Hello LowriderS10, I suggest you write to Canon explaining the problem, with serial number of your unit, they are a very good company, I think they will suggest a good solution for you even when you are in South Korea.
Have a good day !!!

I wish! I wrote them about this when it happened and they brushed me off and pawned me off to Canon Korea. I guess I could try sending them another email, but to be honest, I don't have much faith in them after they sent me this email:

Thank you for contacting Canon product support. We are very sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues with the lens on your PowerShot S100.

Sadly, I do not have nay information on what your service options are in South Korea. I would recommend contacting our counterparts in the area for more information on what service centers they have, and if they can service the camera for free for the lens issue. Here is a link:

http://www.canon-ci.co.kr …gorySiteMainVie​w?cmd=view

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your PowerShot S100. Thank you for choosing Canon.

Sincerely,

Dirk
Representative

If you can afford "dirt cheap" I would send it to Canon Korea. How expensive is the round trip shipping to your parents and their shipping to Canon, I guess Canon would pay the shipping back to your parents. If this is a lot better than what it might cost to get it fixed in Korea I would probably ship it to Canada.

Here in the US if you ship a broken camera to Canon they will send you a cost to fix the camera before they start work. If you say NO I think you owe them a fee for checking out the broken camera and returning it. It might be worth finding out what you would owe Canon Korea if you ship to them and then say "It's too much to repair, just ship it back."

Jim K wrote in post #15955930
If you can afford "dirt cheap" I would send it to Canon Korea. How expensive is the round trip shipping to your parents and their shipping to Canon, I guess Canon would pay the shipping back to your parents. If this is a lot better than what it might cost to get it fixed in Korea I would probably ship it to Canada.

Here in the US if you ship a broken camera to Canon they will send you a cost to fix the camera before they start work. If you say NO I think you owe them a fee for checking out the broken camera and returning it. It might be worth finding out what you would owe Canon Korea if you ship to them and then say "It's too much to repair, just ship it back."

Yeah, that's exactly what I'm doing. I'm going to drop by next week (I sent Canon a last-ditch effort email today explaining that since I bought the camera in the US and it's a known problem due and Canon's fault, it shouldn't matter where I am, and asking them to cover the repairs)...if Canon screws me, then I'm going to just drop it off here and get them to give me an estimate before giving them the green light to do any work on it.

All the shipping back and forth would cost probably around $80 insured, and then I'd have to worry about duties when it re-enters Korea...so, if Canon Korea gives me too high a quote, I might just send it home broken and let it sit 'till I'm back next year, but I'm reluctant to do that, as I want to sell it right now to 1: help cover the cost of an OM-D, and 2: unload it before it depreciates any more!

Awesome...thanks, Canon. Despite telling them in my initial email the serial number of the camera, the exact issue, the fact that it's a free out-of-warranty repair *AND* that my camera's out of warranty...I get this generic crap telling me I'm SOL:

Thank you for your reply. You have contacted Canon USA product support. As the cameras work much the same across the world, we can offer troubleshooting suggestions; however, there are different divisions of Canon worldwide.

Unfortunately, to have the camera serviced under the original Canon one year warranty it would require sending the camera to the service center in the country it was purchased. Canon does not offer an international warranty for its digital cameras. The camera is covered under warranty in the US if it is purchased in the US. If anything happens to the camera while it is in another country, we recommend mailing the camera to a contact in the area it was purchased that can mail the camera for you to the local Factory Service Center. If you wish to get the camera repaired outside the area it was purchased, the service facility may charge for the repairs. We apologize greatly for any inconvenience this may cause.

Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your Canon Products. Thank you for choosing Canon.

Sincerely,

Nancy
Technical Support Representative

I sent them this in response...I'll let you guys know how it goes:

Hello Nancy,

Thank you for your reply, however, as I stated in my original email, the camera is out of warranty. Also, this is a known issue for Canon, for which Canon says "Affected products that exhibit this phenomenon will be repaired free of charge, regardless of the warranty status." Here is Canon's own advisory on the matter:

http://www.usa.canon.c​om …il&docId=0901e0​24805ab992

I have been a loyal Canon customer since 2005, having owned everything from EOS cameras (8 so far, including a 1D Mark III and my current 5D Mark II with L lenses), to SD-series, G-series and now my S100. I have been recommending Canon products to my friends and family for years, and I would like to be able to continue doing so.

However, I have to say I'd be very disappointed in the company if they didn't take care of their loyal customers when it comes to issues that are not only clearly Canon's fault, but Canon has admitted to it and is claiming to do everything to repair it. According to that page, Canon "strives to provide our customers with high quality, reliable products that can be used with confidence." To me, high quality service means standing behind your product and rectifying mistakes, even if it's inconvenient. I'm not sure how I can maintain confidence in Canon when I'm left high and dry and I'm forced to pay out of my own pocket for Canon's mistakes.

So please, do the right thing and repair my camera - which broke through no fault of my own - with no charge to me. I'm sure it would take little more than a quick email from Canon USA to Canon Korea (I will be going to the Busan repair center). It would make a loyal customer very happy, instead of alienating him!

Thank you,
Tamas