Sigma Service

Hi,

I have had to send my new Sigma 100-300 F4 EX DG APO HSM lens back to Sigma as i believed it to have front focusing issues. I have just picked up a call on my answer phone from the engineer at sigma who says "if the lens has front focusing issues as I say, then I will need to send in my camera as well, please call" etc.

Is this right as they never said anything like this when I spoke to them before I sent in the lens?

thanks

Mike

in many ways this is a get out, theoretically if you camera is calibrated to the correct standard they need only adjust the lens, I have had the same conversation with canon. They will say though that the fault could be with the body, do your other lenses focus fine? If so i would tell them that and say its far more probable only the lens is at fault.

I enclosed a note with the lens which explained that I had also tested the lens on the 5D at Jessops and had the same results, see this other thread https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=213452 .

I also stated that my other Sigma lenses all focus fine at F2.8 and F4, with tack sharp photos, see these pics https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=213443 taken with the 105 macro.

I also emailed all the photos in these threads to sigma.

well they can't insist that you send the body back, afterall its a canon body. They are obligued to calibrate the lens though. Just give em hell and say that they are talking cr@p.

best of luck with it

Just to add a bit more about my Canon story. When i was speaking to one of the bods at boreham wood, one of the receptionists, they said that the body must be returned when a lens is returned for calibration.

To which i replied, "so everytime i get a new lens i have to send in EVERYTHING?" afterall if you need the camera that means you WILL be adjusting it, and then my other lenses will not be calibrated to it, to cut a very long story short i took it up with a tech team leader there and he confirmed that its cr@p, if the body is calibrated to a set standard then one only needs to send in the offending lens.

Anyway it's off at boreham wood right now so hopefully in a week or so i shall have nothing but good news lol

They want the camera for 3 days so they can adjust the lens to my camera, but they need the lens for a further 2 weeks. They said they would not be doing anything to my camera, but I would be best sending it in the week after next as they will all be away at some event.

I had the same with my Sigma 30/1.4 when I sent it in for calibration. As I did not want to be without my camera for 2 weeks and was a bit wary of the possible risks involved, I declined their request and they adjusted it without the camera. Works very well.

Still, I think they only want to do the best possible job - and avoid possibly having to re-calibrate it again or you sending back the lens if actually your camera is a bit out of calibration.

If that lens is very important for your shooting, consider parting with your camera for a short period of time.

Best regards,
Andy

PS: Did I mention that Sigma Germany actually sent me back somebody else's lens (28-105/2.8-4) ?
But they sent me back my lens real quick after I had raised hell about the issue...