mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

This sounds like a one off issue. Generally Canon's repair facilities do a first rate job and Canon refurbs are highly respected.

anotherview Loc: California

Okay, then you may trace part of your difficulty to the management of this Virginia facility.

Let me please suggest a method that used to work and may still for this case. Write a letter direct to Canon customer relations describing your experience. Word the letter in business-like terms. State facts and information that will help Canon identify the problem and offer a fix. Ask for satisfaction of your concern.

CC the repair facility management in Virginia with your letter so that the management there knows you have had to go over its head for customer satisfaction.

Let us know how it goes.

Gifted One Loc: S. E. Idaho

Could not agree more! Just going up the tree. Can I speak to your supervisor, what is your name or company ID, ect. J. R.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I just fell off my chair laughing. I am guessing/hoping you are joking.

Nikon service/repair has a terrible reputation! It's far slower, more expensive and less responsive than Canon's.

In fact, about a year ago Nikon implemented policies that stopped them selling repair parts to independent repair shops and even severely limited access to "authorized" repairers, leaving your only choice their factory repair facility. That's called a "monopoly"... and is one way to respond to all the reported issues with getting work done by them.

Meanwhile, Canon will sell parts to anyone with a credit card and at the same price as repair shops pay for them. Canon will even help you identify a part number online. And for the large part their repair facilities mostly do an excellent job. In nearly 14 years shooting with Canon, I've only needed to have repairs done a couple times, but they turn around time was great (less than a week), work was done right (and warranted), and cost was actually pretty reasonable.

OP, sorry for the serious problem you had with that particular lens. Your repair experience is unusual, it shouldn't have taken three or more tries to get resolved, and I'm sure Canon will correct it if you push them to do so. Escalate your complaint to a higher level and you likely will get a different lens. That particular one might be beyond hope.

I've bought and use a number of Canon refurbs and know many other people who have also done so... Problems are rare and most people are very happy with their experience and the quality of the item they got. The few times there were issues, they were usually quickly resolved.

Some refurbs are dealer returns, usually just overstock or demo models/open box/damaged box...They also might have been demo units at trade shows. In either of those cases, they will likely have seen virtually no use. Not sure why that would be of concern to you, or what you were expecting. Periodically they sell off loaners from the Canon Professional Services loaner program, too. For example, after the last Olympics there were a number of pro-quality lenses and cameras that suddenly showed up selling as refurbs. Those are likely to have more/harder use, I'm sure. There are probably also items returned for problems, which should have been fully and correctly repaired before selling as refurbs. But I'm sure things sneak through with problems. Or, maybe it got drop kicked by the delivery service (seen the video of a delivery service driver throwing a big screen TV over a fence?)

The way I look at it, any refurb is going to at least get close, hands-on inspection by a trained tech... Which is far more attention than a brand new item ever sees coming off the assembly line, passing through quality control, before being packed and shipping out for sale.

I also don't know why you think you only had 2 weeks... Canon refurbs have the same one year warranty as new items, last time I looked. (It used to only be 90 days or 6 months.... and refurbs used to only be marketed through a couple of the bigger retailers, before Canon established their own online store.)

Regarding the 50/1.4... It's an older lens design (early 1990s) that still uses a hybrid form of USM focus drive.... not true USM. And the focus drive is known to be a little fragile. I highly recommend getting the matching lens hood and using it. When shooting, it nicely protects the front barrel of the lens from bumps, and when stored with the hood reversed it covers and protects the focus ring from accidental knocks... both of these are though to be reason some of these lenses AF gets damaged.

I also don't recommend treating it like other USM lenses... Don't override AF manually a lot, without first turning it off at the switch. USM lenses are supposed to offer Full Time Manual (FTM) focusing... but many 50/1.4 users think doing so with this particular lens and it's hybrid USM drive makes for early wear and tear on the mechanisms.

I've got an EF 50/1.4 that I've been using for more than 10 years... and it was used when I bought it. I have no idea how old it actually is or how it was used/cared for by the previous owner(s). But it came with the lens hood and I've always used that... And I just don't have any reason to override AF a lot when using it.... It continues to work perfectly.

The EF 50/1.4 is usable wide open, but not at it's very sharpest. Stop down to f2.0 or a little smaller and it gets a lot crisper, typically. Focus at the largest apertures gets tricky. It needs to be dead on, or shallow depth of field can be a problem. Takes a little practice (larger aperture lenses such as the 50/1.2L take even more!).

It's a nice lens and great for portraiture on crop cameras. Hope you get the problem resolved and are able to start shooting with and enjoying it.

anotherview Loc: California

Well put. Much of what you say reflects my experience and thinking. Happy Holidays.

dragonfist Loc: Stafford, N.Y.

I bought a refubished SX50 from Canon on Sunday. It was delivered yesterday and is going back as soon as they send me a return prepaid address label. I talked with customer service this morning and they were very nice. I wonder how refurbished it was as the SD card lock was broken and wouldn't hold the card in the camera and the flash would not work even after I read the manual concerning the flash five or six times. Thought it was something I was doing wrong. I will stick with new stuff from now on.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

As usual, I completely agree with you. Canon service and Canon refurbs are both first rate. Issues with either are very uncommon. But this is not a perfect world and issues can occur. I don't own a EF 50mm f/1.4 myself, but I've often read that it's a somewhat fragile lens and many people have reported issues with it. It appears to require greater care in handling and use than other lenses. The hybrid USM focus motor and the full time manual focus issue you refer to is, I suspect, a big reason people have difficulty with this lens.

murphy Loc: Georgia

Good Idea! I will see what happens this time and hope for some satisfactory outcome and if necessary that is exactly what I will do. Thanks!

Arno

I purchased a 2X extender EF III directly from Canon. I didn't get to use it until more than 2 weeks after I received it. At that time I noticed a finger print inside the lens. I called Canon Service and sent it back. I expected a replacement lens. NO You guessed it! They accused me of taking the lens apart and putting the finger print there myself. They wanted full repair rate to remove it. 4 phone calls and 2 supervisors later they agreed to service the lens for free. At this point I wanted a replacement lens. No luck. I have never in my life had such a bad experience with a service dept. They were totally unhelpful, rude and accusatory. I have totally had it with Canon.

murphy Loc: Georgia

Hope you didn't hurt yourself when you fell off your chair! Okay, It is still under warranty. I only had 2 weeks to return it. Which is my fault as I didn't take the time to check it out before the 2 weeks expired. (thought I had more time, my mistake) They have attempted to fix it twice and it is now there for a third time. I have told them that I have no confidence left in this lens and would like to get a reimbursement. I really wanted a 50 1.4 but no longer want Canon after this experience. Was informed that reimbursement was out of the question. So if they decide it's time to replace it and let me apply that money to something else, then I will have to be satisfied with that. Not real happy about that but will be left with no other choice. But so far they have not even agreed to that. Just a real mess. Why when they sell you something that does not work do they think that it shouldn't be at least exchanged. No, three times later this is still going on.

murphy Loc: Georgia

What does "Refurbished" really mean? I really don't like it that they are "Returns" advertised as refurbished. I will never buy from Canon direct again. I have bought refurbished Sigma's with no problem. Like you, I'm scared to buy one again. I sincerely hope that you don't have to go through what I have. It's horrible to go through all this. What's bad is most people believe that Canon Techs are the best and they have checked it out and fixed any problems and you can trust that. Not so. Sorry this happened to you too.

murphy Loc: Georgia

Your right, and I will never deal with Canon again. So sorry you went through all this too. People need to know so they don't make the same mistake. So I'm thankful you posted this.

mwsilvers Loc: Central New Jersey

Agree. They need fix this to your satisfaction. There is virtually no additional cost to them to exchange it.

psalom

That's why I prefer to deal w/camera shops... may cost a bit more but u have a person to talk to face to face

murphy Loc: Georgia

Good Point!