[cyberjunkie]

Hi!

Some time ago i purchased a Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX, with the front glass damaged by a firecracker explosion.
The previous owner had it damaged during a trip to Spain, and instead of trying to have the lens fixed, he auctioned it on Ebay.
I happened to be the winner, so i wrote a few email to a few importers and official repair laboratories.
The only satisfying answer came from the USA. They have the part, is quite cheap, but they won't ship to the EU (for commercial agreements with Sigma).
The only choice is to have a gentle USA-based pentaxian do the order in my place, and then ship the part to me, in Italy.
I'd get the chance to order a new original hood, cause the original was not included.

Of course i would be happy to pay in advance all the expenses, via Paypal.
I'm also willing to send some more money for the disturb, or to ship a small Pentax-related present... but the shipment between the EU and the USA isn't cheap, so maybe the former solution is better.

cheers

Paolo

[antipattern]

How did you try to contact Sigma EU? A wee while ago I contacted Sigma UK about a replacement for my Sigma Zoom lens' K-mount, which broke after my camera fell off my bike. I called them up, and it took a while until it was shipped, but they did get the part to me eventually.

[cyberjunkie]

How did you try to contact Sigma EU? A wee while ago I contacted Sigma UK about a replacement for my Sigma Zoom lens' K-mount, which broke after my camera fell off my bike. I called them up, and it took a while until it was shipped, but they did get the part to me eventually.

The italian importer and the european headquarter didn't even reply to my email.
I'll try to contact the UK branch... but i have already found a very helpful US pentaxian who offered his help.
If i succeed with Sigma UK i will not need any help, other ay i will have to resort to one of the two USA companies which take care of repair/spares for Sigma.

Thanks

Paolo

[robert52]

Why not get a myus account can be had for $10US & they only have to send it to them In Florida US & then they forward it on

[cyberjunkie]

First, thanks to all those who answered, and to the nice guy who offered his help in private.
This forum is a community, and i'm happy to be part of it. Sometimes i have doubts (i posted a message about that, in particular about some inflated prices i see on the Marketplace sub-forum), but i must recognize that the great majority of the forum members are nice, helpful fellows.
That's quite something, considering the times...

I'm still undecided. When i got back home, and had the opportunity to evaluate the damage, i found two things i didn't expect.
1) The front of the lens shows no easy way to dismantle the front glass. No holes/indents for spanners, no ring that comes out with the use of a friction rubber tool.
There must be a way to remove the front element without going through the rear of the lens, but i didn't find it. I didn't try to remove the rubber focusing ring, though.
2) What the seller described as impact damages to the front glass, which look at first sight as small deep holes, turned out to be in relief. Scratching the dots with a nail, i felt that there was no "hole" (i.e. missing material). Quite the opposite, it's like some material from the firecracker got stuck to the glass, perhaps because of extreme heath. When the particles hit the glass, the melted material (looks glass-like) was glued to the coating cause the glass was cooler.

Hence my need to verify if the glass can be cleaned, OR at least if the lens can be dismantled without taking everything apart.
The former comes first. I will try with isopropilic alcohol. If i don't succeed, i guess it would be better to start a new thread, asking for the strongest cleaning fluid which can be used on a modern MC optical glass, without damaging the coating.
The information is quite useful, and a new thread would make it easier to search for future reference... but i think that the answer could be already available. Better search first!

cheers

Paolo