FRUSTRATED WITH CANON

I need to post a major dissapointment I have with CANON and am reaching out to anyone whot can hook me up with a "higher up the ladder" for help. I have had my 1DMIII in for repair under Mack Warranty. The camera has been out of my hands since April 18th and to the Canon repair facility now three times for the same problem and is currently sitting on the desk of the warranty company waiting to be sent back again as they say it still is not right. I can't wait another 3 weeks to get it back. I want a camera NOW as I am sure you can all understand. I'd love some feedback Thanks

I don't understand. Is your issue with Canon repair, or with whoever is providing the Mack Warranty? It seems you are saying the warranty company is rejecting a repair performed by Canon. Is the repair being done by the official Canon repair, or by somebody contracted by Mack to work on Canon? I wold think that you need to resolve this with the Mack Warranty and not Canon.

Hi Richard,
Yes my issue is with Canon as they are the ones NOT fixing the camera properly. Mack sent the camera to Canon repair in NJ then got it back as "fixed". They tested it and found the images are still soft as I have stated in my complaint. This has gone on three times now and the camera is now back at Mack AGAIN waiting to go back to Canon for the fourth time. I have not seen my MIII since April 18th

Can't help with the Canon issue, but I sure sympathize. However, you are still turning out killer images even with the "old" camera!
Take heart -

Sandy

Cheryl, are you registered with canon as a member of CPS (Canon Professional Services). If you are registered as a CPS member, you have access to loan equipment while yours is being repaired, discounted service rates, and reduced rates on rentals, depending on whether you are a Gold or Platinum member. It's well worth the cost. Go to:

www.cps.usa.canon.com

P.S. love your photography Cheryl

Garry Revesz
Toronto, Canada

I have had this problem on all my Canon's with certain lenses. Try Lens Align there is a great article on birdsasart.com about how to set it up and perform the adjustment. I had to do this with all my lenses and teleconverters. Once done you will need to do it every so often to maintain adjustment. Good luck...Ray

Here's a guy at the NJ facility who greatly helped me once years ago with a 100-400 lens that had been back twice without correcting a problem....John DiMauro, 732-521-7886. Hopefully he's still there. I got his name from my local Canon rep at the time so if you know yours, that might help too. Thankfully, that's the one and only time I had any issue with repair. Others have been handled super with no complaint. Once I was even given a replacement for a 5D when it was deemed too far gone. My M3 took a fall (my fault) onto concrete and was quickly and totally repaired.

Part of your problem might be the "problem". That is, if you've sent it for "repair" for soft images, that's not really a repair as much as an adjustment. I assume you've gone through the usual steps of providing images with the same lenses on the M3 and on another body to show both Canon and Mack that the M3 is softer. In addition, from what's stated it seems you are at the mercy of the warranty company's evaluation of what is soft vs what isn't. I've never heard of Mack Warranty so I have no input there but in general, I rather deal totally myself with any vendor rather than a third party. My M3 served me well with no soft image issues for years until I got the M4 so I also can't offer any help there. I hope John is still there and will help and will restore some lost lustre to Canon. I am die hard Canon user for a looooooong time and I sure hate to hear when folks have issues with them. Nobody's perfect but this sure doesn't sound so good and is very disappointing.

Other suggestions so far are good..lens align and/or be SURE it's not a lens issue; CPS would likely be money well spent and maybe even better spent than a warranty.

Best of luck and let me/us know what happens.
JR

Thanks so much everybody for the helpful and inspiring input. I don't belong to CPS because with having insurance I didn't feel the 500.00 more was needed but I can see now how it would help. The silver level 100.00 doesnt offer the loans. John, I will call John and hope it helps, thanks for the tip!

Had another thought too....maybe a real longshot but if John is retired or promoted or for whatever reason no longer there, you could start e-mailing every "Explorer of Light" that you can find. Some guys like Artie Morris, George Lepp, others, are very outgoing with advice as well as connected with Canon so they may be able to offer more help. Not to intercede but simply to advise on who to call or what to do. Don't give up! :-)
J

Thanks John, not givin up

Cheryl,
The CPS Gold level ($100.00 annual fee) does offer evaluation equipment loans. With a 30% discount on repairs.
IMO its well worth the expense.
http://www.cps.usa.canon.com/about_cps/about.shtml
Its not really the same as an insurance policy. I wouldn't be without either. If you qualify, CPS is great service when you need it. You can pick up the phone and talk to them when necessary and the turnaround has always fast. In ten years of being a member I've only had one redo and that was an intermittent problem that wouldn't present itself for them. Having spent three years working in a camera repair shop I fully appreciated the difficulty diagnosing the problem. It was resolved in a timely manner, under 14 days, considering travel times.
It doesn't sound like the third party warranty is an efficient choice.
Good Luck.
Neil

I'm CPS Gold, and as Neil mentioned it's only $100. It's well worth it for the two free clean-and-checks alone, IMO.

Max

Thanks so much guys. I am joining for sure. I can keep dealing with not having my gear this long.

Don't do anything. When Canon sees this they'll fix your camera. Send them a link, Cheryl!

So.... Last night I got a call from the guy that John Reed has suggested that I call. (Thanks John for the tip) He is promising me resolution. I need to send in all my gear for evaluation. I Hate being without my stuff again but I am hopeful this time around. Barry, I did as you suggested as well. I wonder if that's why I got a call?

You're welcome. Now I'm curious. To what Canon address did you send the link? I would not have a clue where to send something like this. Might be good to know for the future.
JR

Not sure John I sent a bunch out and this one got a reply so I sent a reply with the link. I was told that was not the reason I got the call. Not sure he even saw it.

Not to be a pain in the ...., but wondering how this has worked out. I like to know how Canon is doing. If still in progress, will you post the final outcome? Thx JR

Hey John,
No pain at all.....
As of last night I recieved a call which I have gotten everyday from John on my status. After sending in all my gear they also found an issue with my lens which I have been saying all along. This is why it has been so frustrating for me. That lens has been there many times as I have shared with all of you for this issue. I am trying to stay positive and fear being to hopeful but my equipment will be coming home today after all being serviced and I will shoot in the AM tomoorrow if not this evening if I can get out. Thanks so much for all of your help, suggestions and support. Bye the way I also joined CPS. Did you know they offer loaners to try new equipment? All we pay for is shipping. Pretty cool.

Fantastic. We'll stay positive and say it is all fixed properly this time and that you'll be merrily shooting away again. If I didn't have a camera available at all times I'd surely go run screaming into the woods.

Maybe the warranty third party didn't help but still some lost lustre for Canon on this experience. It should NOT be this hard. Did not know that about CPS. I'm just silver level so maybe I'll upgrade now too. Best of luck and continued success. JR

Hi Cheryl, Sorry to hear about all these issue, however - in positive side - you are a member of CPS and can try their new equipments. Hope your camera gets fixed properly this time.

Thanks Jon and Mohammad. I have been shooting non stop now since getting it all back. So far so good.