Canon is screwing us with their repair policies.

[echelonphoto]

      I have been using Canon digital cameras since the venerable D60...I have owned the 1Ds, 1Dsmk2, IDsmk3, 5d, 5d2

5d3 , 1d2...mostly full frame cameras. I have used these in the practice of my successful photography business. Quite a

while ago...I learned of a very hard working, talented independent repairman...trained in Japan...now working here. He is

a great guy and will give you quick, very personal service at a very fair price. While I occasionally sent items to the Canon

factory repair in the past...they usually took too long, didn't really listen to your problem accurately, and charged way too much. So when I found my independent guy...I was ecstatic....the very first repair...I had a body that was not focusing accurately....this is before microfocus adjustments built into cameras. It was way off. He personally tested this camera and

worked on it for two hours while I waited there....then when it was done and knocking off razor sharp images....he said..."no

charge this time". This is the kind of guy he is. For the last 4 years I have had such confidence in my equipment...knowing that if something happened (such as when I dropped my 24-70 lens) I could have it back usually in

time for my next important assignment....without too much sting to my wallet

      I have just found out that Canon...in their ultimate wisdom, has decided not to produce parts for some of the older cameras like the 1Ds mk2...1Dmk2....so now my guy can't repair them. They have also blocked his ability to get software

and calibration targets for the newer bodies like the 1ds mk3...5d3,  1dx, etc. So now pros like me will have to ship our

cameras to Canon Service and hope we get them back in a reasonable time and without taking out a mortgage.

        Not only have they obsoleted some very useable and excellent camera bodies.....but they are now punishing

hard working , honest guys like my tech. I suppose he will have to go out of business soon. Pros out there....lend your

voice to this cause.....complain to Canon about these imperialist policies.

[cicopo]

I'd suggest you do a bit more research on this because it's slightly old news when it relates to Canon. From what I've read Nikon went that way long before Canon, but I think both still supply parts for the bodies they no longer service BUT I MAY BE WRONG on that. The real question then becomes which manufacturers if ANY will sell parts / tech support / software / test & calibration equipment to the independants. I doubt any of them will when it comes to the pro level equipment. In return they will need more qualified repair technitions to handle the extra work load

You'd like to believe your independant shop can fix anything, & he probably could IF he could afford to keep up on his training & buy the latest tools & equipment necessary to do the job right in a reasonable time. Everything from cars to cameras has gotten more complicated, smaller physically, and more precise re fit & finish. When the independant shop does a repair right it looks good & so does the camera they repaired so all is well, but if the shop doesn't get it right, blames the manufacturer for a poor design, inferior parts, loose tolerances etc is it the shops fault or the camera makers & just who gets bad mouthed as a result of the now sick but repaired camera or lens?

FYI I'm in another service / repair industry where things have gone way past where many independants can repair everything, and I'm an independant who once worked for a manufacturer at a local level.  

[ebiggs1]

I think Mr. cicopo is correct on this one. This is common practice among manufacturers anymore.

Is it the manufactures' responsibility to see repair shops have the ability to fix their products? I doubt many would consider it so.

At some point you have to stop supporting old technology. It is sad really.

I see the difficulty of replacing proprietary batteries as a more challenging issue.

[echelonphoto]

Not only can my tech repair everything the factory can...but he can do it better, because he cares on a personal level...until

a few years ago...he was and official repair station for Canon where they sent their overflow...he has all the proper equipment and software up until they cut him off. He was also able to solve problems that the Canon facility couldn't or

wouldn't....your analysis doesn't speak for every case. People are smarter than you think.

The part about obsoleteing cameras that are perfectly useful even in the pro arena is deplorable...just a ploy to get more

of our money

[cicopo]

I'm not saying your guy can't do it better & cheaper but that's your guy & not every repair shop out there claiming they fix Canon cameras. From what I read many independants were doing warranty repairs & "maybe" overbilling or the repairs weren't up to spec & had to be done again at Canon's expense etc. The primary discussion that I read when it was new information can be found here & several contributors are in the business & will be affected by the policy change.

www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1122380

[echelonphoto]

Well ...as you know in the history of this great country Monopoly is never a good thing for the consumer.

[cicopo]

I agree that a monopoly is not a good thing for consumers but those same consumers are DEMANDING better cameras with more features built smaller & lighter & they must be packed with more & more pixels. Add to that they now demand built in Wifi & GPS along with a high res LCD AND sharper lenses. With all those demands manufacturers need to control just how well those cameras & lenses get serviced to prevent less than perfect servicing from damaging their reputation.

[echelonphoto]

You can reason this any way you want....the fact is,,,its just an
excuse to get more out of the consumer....the electronics in the
new bodies are certainly more powerful...but the concepts and
complexity have been there for quite a few years already....not to
mention the fact that the manufacturers are not even able to put out a perfect product on first release...but are always having to tweak them after they come out

[cicopo]

The days of releasing a perfectly engineered & fully tested product are over. Primarily because it would be obsolete or outdated by the time it was released. The evidence of that is crystal clear thanks to a number of modern things including the internet & social media. We all want it yesterday & we've told them what we want & they try to fill our needs while we still think we need it. We as a group are the test lab & we're far better at it than they are. Think of it this way.

Canon or Nikon will release their new "what s it" tomorrow & 100,000 units will be released to the public, many as pre orders through the big dealers. Within 1 week there will be way over 1,000,000 hours of field use data available to see just what weeknesses it has & they will be fed to all the interested parties including the manufacturer almost instantly through the internet. Just how many hours of testing at the manufacturers level have been saved by doing it this way? Months & maybe years worth which is why they can't hold back before going to market.

Users subject things to situations the engineers haven't ever thought of, in all kinds of weather & under abusive conditions that even the user is trying to avoid. Users find new ways to use things which again wasn't in the head of the design team but now that they know it can do that they can add that new use to the next level of re design.

[echelonphoto]

I think you have a lot of time on your hands....I'm trying to drum up some support for the independent repairmen who

need and deserve it...enought reasoning and postulating...I'm not here to lecture...just tell it like it is. Maybe I have to

try another forum