Canon Service... ? (Your experiences?)

Yea. So doing a test with the 17-85 at 85mm f/8 and 70-200 at 85mm f/8 with the IS on the 17-85 turned off... the 17-85 was much sharper. I am heated right now!

bbbig wrote in post #5478745
I had sent in my back-focusing 24-70L 3 times to the NJ service center - they NEVER got it wrong. I finally sent it to the Irvine facility, and they got it right. I don't have much faith in the NJ guys. Next time I need Canon service, it's going to Irvine, even though I'm in Boston!

Do you mean they never got it right?

crazyskillz07 wrote in post #5480037
Yea. So doing a test with the 17-85 at 85mm f/8 and 70-200 at 85mm f/8 with the IS on the 17-85 turned off... the 17-85 was much sharper. I am heated right now!

Sorry to hear that. So what next, Irvine?

I'm getting a little ancy sitting here awaiting my fate. If I have to send my stuff in again, I'm not sure I'll be able to resist the urge to buy a "backup" body (you know, like a 5D or something).

bacchanal wrote in post #5480394
Sorry to hear that. So what next, Irvine?

I'm getting a little ancy sitting here awaiting my fate. If I have to send my stuff in again, I'm not sure I'll be able to resist the urge to buy a "backup" body (you know, like a 5D or something).

It is going to NJ again. If it is not fixed this time I will have it send to Ivrine. If the rebates actually start on the 18th I believe the 5D is going to be included. I could be wrong but.....

I've had one experience and it was just fine. Canon tells you very specifically by email how to send it, where, etc. so I'd review their information. I'm assuming you'd be contacting them by email with your initial inquiry--I'd recommend that.

Like one of the others here, I sent my 24-105 back because of softness. They keep in touch, the website with status does work, they do answer their phone if you call (this was New Jersey), and they got it back to me in about a week.

My only complaint would be the lack of information about what they found or did. Just came back saying it was "adjusted" to factory specs with a 5D...

Just thought that I would throw this in: I sent my 5D and Ds MkII to NJ , both were received on May 5 according to tracking info.

They acknowledged the 5D on May 9 via e-mail after having it for 4 days.

They still can't find the MkII.

Yeah, it takes them awhile sometimes.

I got my 30D back last Thursday (5/8.), and just got my 35L back today (5/12). The 30D seems to be in good shape, but I haven't done any serious shooting with it since getting it back. I did some test shots with the 35L when I was on lunch and the calibration seems to be okay. It looks like it is back focusing slightly, but the focus point is within the dof...which I can certainly live with if it proves consistent. I'm definitely looking forward to shooting the 35L with confidence.
I still don't have the 17-55 back, and tomorrow will be 14 days since I shipped it out. Of course, the pain of not having the 17-55 is a little easier to deal with now that I have my 35L to play with.

So far I've been happy with Canon service overall even though it took a couple tries with the 35L and it still isn't technically perfect (I don't understand why this is such a hard thing to get right). The fact that I didn't have to pay for the 30D service probably has a fairly large influence on my favorable impression, but tbh I can't think of any other major manufacturer that has a service department with this kind of communication and turn around time for the typical retail consumer.

I bought a used 100-400 on Ebay about 70 days ago. I'm an amateur and I didn't have much time to work with it. When I finally did, I noticed that the images very blurry. Denial set in since I had researched for months to choose this lens and had just paid $1100 for it. The seller claimed that it was in "normal working condition". A reply to a post of one of my pics finally brought me back to reality.

I bought the lens for a once in a lifetime trip to Italy with the wife for our 10th anniv. I expressed shipped it to Irvine last Thursday after registering for the repair on the website (another $100 down the toilet). I called Friday afternoon and they told told me to check back on Monday (even though I had shipped it next business morning and I knew they had it). When I called this Monday I explained my situation and they said that they would get the tech to look at it. That evening I received an email saying that it needed ~$300 in repairs. I immediately called them to pay for it. I checked in again on Tuesday morning and they said that they didn't have an update, but that it was in line for repair. I checked in again this morning and they told me that they will do what they can to have it repaired and shipped to me by next Tuesday. I leave early Wednesday morning so we'll see...That's the last lens I buy used on Ebay.

Welcome to the forums chief. I hope everything works out for you. I actually shipped out my 70-200 to the NJ facility yesterday and it got their today. It will be a while before they even put it into the system. I am not in a rush though. I just hope it comes back fixed this time. It was like all they did was clean it the last time I sent it in.

Mine was all good. I sent out my 5D to be cleaned on Tue and got it back on Fri the same week. From Vegas to the Irvine(LA) shop. Filed the claim online. Got regular e-mails with updates. Camera was cleaned and calibrated so I am happy with them.

I live and work pretty close to Irvine, so I dropped by the service center to have a look at my 40d. They needed to keep it for a few days, and I needed the camera, so I didn't drop it off.

However, I did have my XT with a very dirty sensor which I dropped off for cleaning. It was finished that same day for me to pick up on my lunch break. It was already a year and a half out of warranty, but they did the cleaning for free; I don't know if this is standard for them or just out of courtesy.

In any case, I have to say I'm pretty satisfied with their service.

I did tell the customer service rep. that I bought the first Canon Digital SLR that was offered for <$1000. Traded it in for the XTi later (which is now designated as the wife's camera). That I bought a 40D recently for me in addition to the 24-105 L lens (both new). As well as a 17-55 2.8 that I bought new (now on the XTi for the wife), a 10-22 EF-S new for either camera when we want a wider lens and a new 50mm 1.4 for either camera in low light when we can't use a flash. I wanted her to know that I've learned my lesson with the used/Ebay 100-400 and will only buy new equipment from authorized dealers in the future (and for her to know that all of my lenses are Canon).

Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking here for a few days and I have to say that you can really learn a lot from sites like this one and photo.net. Throw in the handful of books/magazines that I've picked up and I'm actually starting to figure out how clueless I really was about photography. That can be remedied.

ChiefKeefe wrote in post #5525629
I did tell the customer service rep. that I bought the first Canon Digital SLR that was offered for <$1000. Traded it in for the XTi later (which is now designated as the wife's camera). That I bought a 40D recently for me in addition to the 24-105 L lens (both new). As well as a 17-55 2.8 that I bought new (now on the XTi for the wife), a 10-22 EF-S new for either camera when we want a wider lens and a new 50mm 1.4 for either camera in low light when we can't use a flash. I wanted her to know that I've learned my lesson with the used/Ebay 100-400 and will only buy new equipment from authorized dealers in the future (and for her to know that all of my lenses are Canon).

Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking here for a few days and I have to say that you can really learn a lot from sites like this one and photo.net. Throw in the handful of books/magazines that I've picked up and I'm actually starting to figure out how clueless I really was about photography. That can be remedied.

You might be able to get decent lenses from the market place section in these forums. Unless the deal is TO sweet for a lens I prefer to buy it new with a warranty, in the event it needs service.

At least you now have a serviced 100-400L A great lens BTW!

Mike55 wrote in post #5315410
No. Tell them the lens is new, you are the orginal warranty owner and you want a prepaid label to Irvine CA. I've never had to pay to ship a lens to Canon within the warranty period. They will send you an email with a prepaid UPS label. Just print it out. Make sure you are nice, but don't ask who pays for shipping. Just say "when will I receive the prepaid UPS label for my troubles?".

I called 3 different times and spoke to 3 different reps, they won't do it

UPDATE: I called again 5 minutes later because I needed to ask them another question, after that I gave it another shot to see if they would send me a UPS mailing label... and the CSR did! They issued 2 labels for me (1 for each lens) and I should be receiving it shortly!

Whoooooooooo Canon!!

You have to select your lens or camera type before you get to the service locator page, this is where I wound up when looking to get my EF 28-135 cleaned:
http://www.usa.canon.c​om …tegoryid=216&mo​delid=7337

Also, mine is out of warrenty. They have to evaluate before quoting. IF nothing else is wrong, What has a clean and calibrate run you?