Sigma Service Rocks!

**dadipentak** · 11-22-2011, 08:07 AM

I need to give Sigma some serious props: I was worried that the rear barrel segment on my 2nd hand 100-300/4 APO DG was loose so I sent it in for repair, figuring I'd have to pay. They received it on 11/16, fixed it, and shipped it on 11/17: I got it back yesterday.with an invoice for USD $0. :How cool is that?!

Last edited by dadipentak; 06-04-2013 at 08:54 AM.

mccarvindh · 11-22-2011, 09:16 AM

Wow! That is really good to know. How old is the lens that was sent in? Is it still under warranty by any chance?

**dadipentak** · 11-22-2011, 09:30 AM

I'm unsure of the original purchase date but I guess it still is under warranty in terms of calendar. Since I bought it used, I wasn't sure they'd honor the warranty and certainly wasn't expecting that kind of speed. I guess I should add that the lens is as good as its rep.

**mattb123** · 11-22-2011, 10:23 AM

I also had a recent good experience with their service. My Sigma DG EF-530 flash was on the fritz and I had an event to shoot coming soon. I explained this to them and they said they would see what they could do. I was prepared to use my old AF200 manual flash figuring there as no way I'd get my new one back in time. But I had my flash repaired and back to me in just a few days at no charge (warranty).

bdery · 11-22-2011, 10:33 AM

Sigma service is abysmal...

At least in my experience.

I had to send my brand new flash twice because the first time they had done nothing to it, so it still wasn't working. I had to spend a few hours documenting the problem before they believed me. I had to work for a week to find my package because they had mislabeled it. I had to fight with customs becuase they had declared a value of 700$ and claimed it was new material, when they sent the flash back.

I'mglad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best.

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-22-2011, 10:48 AM

Originally posted by bdery

Sigma service is abysmal...

I'm glad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best.

How long ago was your service? I ask, because I also just had an EXCELLENT experience with the Sigma USA service department.

I recently bought an almost-new Sigma 30mm 1.4 on eBay, and found that it was back focusing on my Pentax K-x. I had a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 that I had also been meaning to send in to have the firmware updated so that it would focus in live-view on my K-x.

I sent the two lenses with my camera body on Tuesday the 15th.
Sigma in NY received the package on Thursday the 17th at 10:00AM.
At 4:00PM on that same day, I received a call from Sigma advising me the work was done, and my package would ship out the next day.
The package was shipped via Fed Ex Express Saver on Friday the 18th.
I received the camera and lenses back on Monday the 21st at 1:00PM

The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is now focusing perfectly, and the 50-150mm (which was already focusing accurately) is now autofocusing in liveview. Both lenses were serviced under warranty at no cost.

So you can add me to the list of people who have recently been impressed by Sigma's service department.

VisualDarkness · 11-22-2011, 11:37 AM

Originally posted by bdery

Sigma service is abysmal...

At least in my experience.

I had to send my brand new flash twice because the first time they had done nothing to it, so it still wasn't working. I had to spend a few hours documenting the problem before they believed me. I had to work for a week to find my package because they had mislabeled it. I had to fight with customs becuase they had declared a value of 700$ and claimed it was new material, when they sent the flash back.

I'mglad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best.

Maybe it's worse in Canada than USA? Here in Sweden I only hear catastrophic things about the service like 2-4 month of waiting time.

darrenleow · 11-22-2011, 12:54 PM

Who did you send your Sigma lenses to? I have to send my 70-200 for servicing and I saw that they have their NY location and several authorized third-party service centers.

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-22-2011, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by darrenleow

Who did you send your Sigma lenses to? I have to send my 70-200 for servicing and I saw that they have their NY location and several authorized third-party service centers.

I sent mine to their corporate US headquarters in NY. I'm in Indiana, so when I called in, they suggested that I use the new location in Chicago since it was closest. I figured it might be better to send it to the headquarters though. I shipped it USPS Priority, and it only took 2 days to get to NY anyway, which is probably the same as it would have taken to Chicago.

darrenleow · 11-22-2011, 01:33 PM

Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy

I sent mine to their corporate US headquarters in NY. I'm in Indiana, so when I called in, they suggested that I use the new location in Chicago since it was closest. I figured it might be better to send it to the headquarters though. I shipped it USPS Priority, and it only took 2 days to get to NY anyway, which is probably the same as it would have taken to Chicago.

Thanks, since you guys have said good things about the NY Headquarters, I will probably send mine there instead of the Chicago location even though it's close by. Shipping price can't be very different.

**mattb123** · 11-22-2011, 02:51 PM

My positive experience was also with the NY location FWIW.

lytrytyr · 11-22-2011, 05:04 PM

Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy

I recently bought an almost-new Sigma 30mm 1.4 on eBay, and found that it was back focusing on my Pentax K-x. I had a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 that I had also been meaning to send in to have the firmware updated so that it would focus in live-view on my K-x.

The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is now focusing perfectly, and the 50-150mm (which was already focusing accurately) is now autofocusing in liveview. Both lenses were serviced under warranty at no cost.

Edgar, I'm curious about what they did for you in regard to the 30mm lens. I wouldn't expect them to hack in to the K-x (which AFAIK doesn't have an official adjustment option, and only a global adjustment for all lenses in the debug mode), so did they just correct the back-focus issue on the 30/1.4 EX internally in that lens? If so, do you or anyone else know how that works?

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-22-2011, 06:20 PM

Originally posted by lytrytyr

Edgar, I'm curious about what they did for you in regard to the 30mm lens. I wouldn't expect them to hack in to the K-x (which AFAIK doesn't have an official adjustment option, and only a global adjustment for all lenses in the debug mode), so did they just correct the back-focus issue on the 30/1.4 EX internally in that lens? If so, do you or anyone else know how that works?

They said the updated the AF data. I've heard that Sigma can adjust the AF electronically by modifying the firmware in the lens, so I assume that is what they did. All I know is that it worked. They don't adjust anything in the camera. They just need the camera to make sure the lens is calibrated perfectly for that particular body.

I've also heard other accounts of factories adjusting AF by adding or removing shims from within the base of the lens, but maybe that's only for older lenses that can't be calibrated in firmware.

Edgar_in_Indy · 11-22-2011, 06:21 PM

Originally posted by darrenleow

Thanks, since you guys have said good things about the NY Headquarters, I will probably send mine there instead of the Chicago location even though it's close by. Shipping price can't be very different.

It was $27 to ship my K-x, 50-150mm f2.8, and 30mm 1.4 to NY from Indiana, but a lot of that (I think $11 or $12) was the $1500 worth of insurance.

**dadipentak** · 11-22-2011, 07:19 PM

Originally posted by mattb123

My positive experience was also with the NY location FWIW.

Me, too--the hardest part of the whole experience was spelling "Ronkonkoma".

11-22-2011, 08:07 AM	#1
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590	Sigma Service (in the US) Rocks! I need to give Sigma some serious props: I was worried that the rear barrel segment on my 2nd hand 100-300/4 APO DG was loose so I sent it in for repair, figuring I'd have to pay. They received it on 11/16, fixed it, and shipped it on 11/17: I got it back yesterday.with an invoice for USD $0. :How cool is that?! Last edited by dadipentak; 06-04-2013 at 08:54 AM.

11-22-2011, 10:48 AM	#6
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Originally posted by bdery Sigma service is abysmal... I'm glad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best. How long ago was your service? I ask, because I also just had an EXCELLENT experience with the Sigma USA service department. I recently bought an almost-new Sigma 30mm 1.4 on eBay, and found that it was back focusing on my Pentax K-x. I had a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 that I had also been meaning to send in to have the firmware updated so that it would focus in live-view on my K-x. I sent the two lenses with my camera body on Tuesday the 15th. Sigma in NY received the package on Thursday the 17th at 10:00AM. At 4:00PM on that same day, I received a call from Sigma advising me the work was done, and my package would ship out the next day. The package was shipped via Fed Ex Express Saver on Friday the 18th. I received the camera and lenses back on Monday the 21st at 1:00PM The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is now focusing perfectly, and the 50-150mm (which was already focusing accurately) is now autofocusing in liveview. Both lenses were serviced under warranty at no cost. So you can add me to the list of people who have recently been impressed by Sigma's service department. Last edited by Edgar_in_Indy; 11-22-2011 at 12:01 PM.

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11-22-2011, 09:16 AM	#2
mccarvindh Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ohio, USA/ India Photos: Gallery Posts: 478	Wow! That is really good to know. How old is the lens that was sent in? Is it still under warranty by any chance?

11-22-2011, 09:30 AM	#3
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590 Original Poster	I'm unsure of the original purchase date but I guess it still is under warranty in terms of calendar. Since I bought it used, I wasn't sure they'd honor the warranty and certainly wasn't expecting that kind of speed. I guess I should add that the lens is as good as its rep.

11-22-2011, 10:23 AM	#4
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	I also had a recent good experience with their service. My Sigma DG EF-530 flash was on the fritz and I had an event to shoot coming soon. I explained this to them and they said they would see what they could do. I was prepared to use my old AF200 manual flash figuring there as no way I'd get my new one back in time. But I had my flash repaired and back to me in just a few days at no charge (warranty).

11-22-2011, 10:33 AM	#5
bdery Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Quebec city, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,357	Sigma service is abysmal... At least in my experience. I had to send my brand new flash twice because the first time they had done nothing to it, so it still wasn't working. I had to spend a few hours documenting the problem before they believed me. I had to work for a week to find my package because they had mislabeled it. I had to fight with customs becuase they had declared a value of 700$ and claimed it was new material, when they sent the flash back. I'mglad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best.

11-22-2011, 11:37 AM	#7
VisualDarkness Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Uppsala, Sweden Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,439	Originally posted by bdery Sigma service is abysmal... At least in my experience. I had to send my brand new flash twice because the first time they had done nothing to it, so it still wasn't working. I had to spend a few hours documenting the problem before they believed me. I had to work for a week to find my package because they had mislabeled it. I had to fight with customs becuase they had declared a value of 700$ and claimed it was new material, when they sent the flash back. I'mglad your experience was positive, but they are far from the best. Maybe it's worse in Canada than USA? Here in Sweden I only hear catastrophic things about the service like 2-4 month of waiting time.

11-22-2011, 12:54 PM	#8
darrenleow Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 541	Who did you send your Sigma lenses to? I have to send my 70-200 for servicing and I saw that they have their NY location and several authorized third-party service centers.

11-22-2011, 01:00 PM	#9
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Originally posted by darrenleow Who did you send your Sigma lenses to? I have to send my 70-200 for servicing and I saw that they have their NY location and several authorized third-party service centers. I sent mine to their corporate US headquarters in NY. I'm in Indiana, so when I called in, they suggested that I use the new location in Chicago since it was closest. I figured it might be better to send it to the headquarters though. I shipped it USPS Priority, and it only took 2 days to get to NY anyway, which is probably the same as it would have taken to Chicago.

11-22-2011, 01:33 PM	#10
darrenleow Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chicago Photos: Gallery Posts: 541	Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy I sent mine to their corporate US headquarters in NY. I'm in Indiana, so when I called in, they suggested that I use the new location in Chicago since it was closest. I figured it might be better to send it to the headquarters though. I shipped it USPS Priority, and it only took 2 days to get to NY anyway, which is probably the same as it would have taken to Chicago. Thanks, since you guys have said good things about the NY Headquarters, I will probably send mine there instead of the Chicago location even though it's close by. Shipping price can't be very different.

11-22-2011, 02:51 PM	#11
mattb123 Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Colorado High Country Photos: Gallery Posts: 10,872	My positive experience was also with the NY location FWIW.

11-22-2011, 05:04 PM	#12
lytrytyr Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,310	Originally posted by Edgar_in_Indy I recently bought an almost-new Sigma 30mm 1.4 on eBay, and found that it was back focusing on my Pentax K-x. I had a Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 that I had also been meaning to send in to have the firmware updated so that it would focus in live-view on my K-x. The Sigma 30mm 1.4 is now focusing perfectly, and the 50-150mm (which was already focusing accurately) is now autofocusing in liveview. Both lenses were serviced under warranty at no cost. Edgar, I'm curious about what they did for you in regard to the 30mm lens. I wouldn't expect them to hack in to the K-x (which AFAIK doesn't have an official adjustment option, and only a global adjustment for all lenses in the debug mode), so did they just correct the back-focus issue on the 30/1.4 EX internally in that lens? If so, do you or anyone else know how that works?

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11-22-2011, 06:20 PM	#13
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Originally posted by lytrytyr Edgar, I'm curious about what they did for you in regard to the 30mm lens. I wouldn't expect them to hack in to the K-x (which AFAIK doesn't have an official adjustment option, and only a global adjustment for all lenses in the debug mode), so did they just correct the back-focus issue on the 30/1.4 EX internally in that lens? If so, do you or anyone else know how that works? They said the updated the AF data. I've heard that Sigma can adjust the AF electronically by modifying the firmware in the lens, so I assume that is what they did. All I know is that it worked. They don't adjust anything in the camera. They just need the camera to make sure the lens is calibrated perfectly for that particular body. I've also heard other accounts of factories adjusting AF by adding or removing shims from within the base of the lens, but maybe that's only for older lenses that can't be calibrated in firmware.

11-22-2011, 06:21 PM	#14
Edgar_in_Indy Veteran Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Indiana, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,685	Originally posted by darrenleow Thanks, since you guys have said good things about the NY Headquarters, I will probably send mine there instead of the Chicago location even though it's close by. Shipping price can't be very different. It was $27 to ship my K-x, 50-150mm f2.8, and 30mm 1.4 to NY from Indiana, but a lot of that (I think $11 or $12) was the $1500 worth of insurance.

11-22-2011, 07:19 PM	#15
dadipentak Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Photos: Gallery Posts: 11,590 Original Poster	Originally posted by mattb123 My positive experience was also with the NY location FWIW. Me, too--the hardest part of the whole experience was spelling "Ronkonkoma".