Sigma 17-70mm

[The_Moaner]

Well, I get a phone call from Sigma telling me that my 17-70 f2.8/4 has nothing wrong with it. First thing I said to him was Cr*p. Check it again and again because the darn things will not stop hunting on a 7D/50D/etc. It worked GREAT for 18 months but is now faulty.
10 minutes later I get another phone call telling me it just been checked on a 400D and they can't find anything wrong. Twits!
I get my lens back yesterday evening and tests it straight away. WOULD NOT FOCUS AT ALL. I phones up a friend and drives to his house. My 70-200 f4 is on me camera along with the rest of my gear in it's bag. I get his wife to try it on his 400D, NOT focusing she says, Thanks say I. My friend tests it on my camera and again on the 400D and on his 5DMkII Not Focusing he says, it keeps hunting and when it does beep and focus light comes on it takes photo but is out of focus. Great says I, it means I'm not Moaning for nothing and my eyesight is Ok.
I take it to my lockal Jessops and the guy there tests it for me--Not focusing he says, hunting all the time. I say, is it broke then definatly he says, Thanks say I. I go to another camera shop and they test it, lens hunting all the time send it back. Best bet he says is go back to shop you bought it from and get them to state it on paper and signed. Unfortunately that shop is 50 mi8les away, so no go.

I phone Sigma, head Tech talks to me and says, nothing wrong with lens. I will not say what I said or you'll ban me..eek:
Then asked him which camera it was tested on, he says 400D, I ask, you got any others there, Yes, a few more. Good says I because Jessops and Swansea Camera Centre just tested it and it's Hunting so test it on all ya cameras or send back to Japan because it broke.
Plus I want my postage back..

So what is it with Sigma when they can not see that a lens is hunting badly.

Who said a lens is for life, which life, the after life.

I'm not techy minded but I do know when a lens is working superbly (like this un did for 18 months) and when a lens is not working, and this un is not working as proved by others. Twit tried to say it was my 7D at fault. Oh yes say I , and my 50D and a 400D and a 5DMkII..NO WAY! Can you send your 7D in with the 17-70. NO WAY say I as there be nowt wrong with camera. If a Sigma 150 Macro and a 400 f5.6 and a 70-200 can focus PDQ then it must be said lens that CAPUT!
2012 has not started out correct for me so far. To many bad things happening. Put that darn Doll down you lot and stop sticking knitting needles into it. Or rename it Ed.
I need to win the lottery...
Have a Good Weekend folks.

[shenk1]

Does that feel better now ?

[glsammy]

Hard luck. Not that that's much consolation to you!
It's very frustrating when they say it's not faulty and you can't get your hands round the neck of the twit that's saying it!
I had exactly the same problem with that Sigma 120-300. They said no fault, I said utter rubbish! Of course them saying no fault meant I had to pay the return postage cost.
I hope it all ends up well in the end. Sigma themselves are usually pretty good, if a bit slow at times.
It may well be worth considering sending the camera back with the lens. They can then make sure it's calibrated perfectly and you may well find the results even better than before. Just a thought.

[The_Moaner]

Does that feel better! lol YEP!

Not posting my 7D to Sigma as that lens has failed on 5 cameras, so they can't say it's ok and nowt wrong with it. This be the last ever lens I buy from Sigma.
They told me to put receipt in with lens for postage then they'll reimburse me.
So how do I put receipt in box when it's sealed up..LOL
I know, I know, stick an envelope on the outside of box..
I bet you they send it to Japan as they gone useless in England.
Roll on NEC Birmingham in March, lets see if I can find some cheep Canon lens there. Or is that wishful thinking.
Until then I must do more practise with my 400 f5.6 to see if I can get anything as good as Pauline has.
Enjoy the weekend.
Chow.

[waxcap]

Hi Moaner

it was this lens, and the resulting terrible customer service, that has put me off Sigma for ever. Having said that (and I won't buy another Sigma lens) I already had their 70-200 f2.8 APO and I would say it's very good value for money.

Dave

[The_Moaner]

Hi Dave
Happy Ending for me after some hassle...

I phoned Sigma last Monday and asked them what is happening to my lens as they have had it for over a month.
NOTHING WRONG with the lens they kept saying. We have tested it on 5 cameras and Bench and it is working.. Funny, says I, you have now perplexed me and astounded me because Jessops and another camera shop says it's faulty, and 10 members of camera club who tested it say same thing.

We will send back to you, take it to shop you bought it off and get them to replace it. They will not do so because it's now near two years old. But if you do send it back, I'll get them to test it and right you a letter.
I tells shop on phone and they said same thing as me. So I re-phone Sigma and tell them.
Anyway, on Wednesday at Focus On Imaging at NEC I called to see Sigma and their Top Rep. Put 3 of their top lenses on me camera and all three worked a treat. put my Canon 70-200 on 7D and gave to him to try. Nothing wrong with camera he says. EXACTLY says i, so please repair my lens.
We are sending you a NEW lens instead he said. Many Thanks says I.
I got home at 6.30pm and darn lens was waiting for me in my Greenhouse.
That was a Quick service. Well Done Sigma.
Tried it out in dim room in house and it focused instantly with no probs.
Lets hope this one lasts a lot longer.

[The_Moaner]

UPDATE--Had a chat with top Tech at NEC and he said they were sending me a New Lens. He also said they could not find any fault with my lens. I am PERPLEXED! with that.
I now have my New lens and it works Perfectly..

[squishy]

Perhaps it was the kind of fault that lab testing just doesn't show up? AF could be a hard thing to test in lab conditions, I'm sure there are instances where a lens/body can focus perfectly on a static contrasty test target, but will be obviously faulty to anyone who tries it on subjects that move and/or potentially have less obvious contrast (i.e. nearly any real world shooting situation).

Glad to hear you've got it sorted finally though Dennis, I think you're quite justified in your moaning if you've been putting up with customer service like that !

[The_Moaner]

Hi Adam--Funny thing is, they tried it out on about 5 different Canon cameras and still said there was nowt wrong with it. It baffled me I can tell you.
At least they gave me a New lens in the end. Though what has puzelled me is they put my front & rear caps on the new lens. Took some shots with it other day and they nice n sharp. Wonder what will be next thing for me to Moan about lol. Have a Good week.