Sigma lens aperture not closing

[kiama]

Anyone with experience of your sigma lens aperture not closing, stuck at the widest? how much will it cost for such servicing at Sigma?

[midicity]

Have u checked your camera's battery?
Sometimes when low batt, the aperture will get stuck at the widest

[unseen]

$150 IIRC... or was it $180...
Must replace circuit board or something..

[bliytz]

Indeed, same here.

Sigma 18-125mm

Mine was working fine until it decided to have its aperture blades stuck at widest.
Lens is still at the workshop. I'm still waiting for a response on the cost.

I read from a different forum that this fault is not covered under warranty.
Interestingly, it's the same lens. Appears as if the 18-125mm has a rather bad batch!

Tell me how your's go/went.

[raincool2005]

faster send for repair....

[kiama]

The cost was $150 for the replacement of the "contact base unit", took them 1 week.

[bliytz]

Interesting!

I'm not into the habit of changing lens. I wonder how that could've been the fault!

[bliytz]

Hahaha... I've got my lens back after repair and it was back to normal. Or at least I thought it was.

..UNTIL....

I found out that the lens freezes up when you go from one end to the other, ie. from the 18mm end to 125mm end.

I thought - what the (*#$?

Then I realised it wasn't really from end-to-end, rather, it was whenever the lens received a slight shake.

I removed the lens, and stared at it. And then I SAW IT:

...THE TINY SCREW NEAREST TO THE ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WAS LOOSE.

I thought again - what the *(#$&?!

Also I realised there were plastic scraps on the head of the screw. Seemed like the scraps came from the camera body - right, so the loose screw has been damaging the body too. So I screwed it tight this time.

I was trying not to think - what the (*#$&?, but I couldn't help it. It was ridiculous.

Now the lens still freezes ocassionally when it gets a slight shake while pointing downwards. I use the lens eject button to start it up again. The remains of plastic scraps stopped appearing after awhile. It works, but it is annoying.

Sigma is hugely disappointing. I am compelled to warn fellow users of its potential for disaster.

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

sigma has a lot to buck up on its QC. im not sure abt their service quality though. how long did it take for them to return the lens to you?

[calebk]

I had to call to check on the status of my lens, rather than them calling to update me as promised.

[bliytz]

Same ol', fortunately.

As Kiama suggested, it took them a week. What irked me, however, was that they required my camera to test it. Shouldn't they at least have their own equipment? That's my dilemma now - should I send it in again? Sending it in would mean sending in my camera too; and I'm leaving the country for a year in a couple of weeks.

Who votes I should "buy a new lens"? Hahahaha...

[Isaiahfortythirtyone]

i think you should call them and explain your situation. my lens has been with sigma since dec 28 2006. to date, no call. ive called them THRICE and each time im told that the technician will be informed. so im not too happy with their service. but i guess that's the price one has to pay for 3rd party lenses

[bliytz]

Originally Posted by Isaiahfortythirtyone but i guess that's the price one has to pay for 3rd party lenses

INDEED.

Though I bought it at a price similar to the Olympus 18-180mm released more than half a year later. Sadly! I bought it at a time walkaround lenses were limited to the 3rd parties, and Olympus didn't seem to want to catch on yet (Canon and Nikon had already announced their's).

SHOULD'VE WAITED!

hahaha