Hi Bros and sis,
Allow me to share with you this story in hope that you will learn from it and take precaution in case the same may happen to you.
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I had purchased a 28-70 f2.8 Aspherical Sigma lens from T.K Foto some one year back. I hadn't really noticed anything wrong with the lens as at that point in time i wasn't sure of how to do a thorough check of the lens for back focus issues. Thus brushed off the issue that the lens had the usual softness at F2.8. However some 3 months back, due to under utilizing of the lens, i decided to sell it away. I met up with the buyer who did proper checks and pointed out to me that the lens was backfocused and that it wasnt an issue of it being soft.
I decided to send the lens in to SIGMA Service Centre at e-centre@redhill. I made a call to enquire if the lens could be calibrated. The staff on the other line asked me for the model of the lens and the problem with it. I gave her the necessary info and she told me she will get back to me as the technician wasn't around that Friday. I can understand that the weekend was here and that i would probably have to wait till monday to find out. On monday i did not recieve a phone call from Sigma, Thus i called them up on Tuesday. I was told the technician was on urgent leave due to personal reasons and will be back on thursday. OK. So i called up again on friday after a no return call on thurs. Was told the technician still not around. FINE. Waited till the next week.
The next week came, i called up on monday, by this time the lady on the line already could recognise my voice (Yes that is how many times i had called)
She requested for the model of my lens again stating that "OH! i thought you were talking about the newer model 28-70. Ok ah, i check for you and call you back later."
One day passed, No call.
The next day, i made a call to them again and was told that she is not sure if the lens can be calibrated, and that i had to bring the lens down to their office at redhill to have the technician take a look. So, i brought the lens down. Was told the technician is busy and if i would like to leave the lens there. OK! since i dun use it, just leave it there loh.
Got a call a few days later, and was told i need to bring my camera down to let them test. So i asked if i could come over now. NO. I had to make an appointment. which is about a week later on 10 sept. Was told that it would be quite fast to have the test done. So when i arrived there i was told a different story. That it would take awhile to do the testing. They suggested i leave the camera there. And i was thinking to myself.. "NO.. i came all the way here 3 times, there is no way im walking away with at least a diagnosis of the problem after 1 and a half months" So i had them finish the testing in 45 mins while i sat there patiently.
Final diagnosis was, "Yes Mr Lim, your lens is back focus, however, we do not have the means to recalibrate this lens as it is an old model, we will e-mail the images to Sigma Japan and enquire if they have the board to do the necessary repairs or calibration. NOT TO WORRY, AS YOUR LENS IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY." I casually asked, if the lens could not be calibrated and since it is still under warranty, how would they handle the situation. The technician replied "We can try to offer you a trade in and buy another lens at a special price"
Back to the waiting game again.
They claimed they called me 3 days after the testing was done, That was not the case. I waited for a week before i called them again. the lady on the phone said the relevant person was not around that day and had to call back again the next day. Fine. Called the next day and enquired if japan replied. Her first sentence to me was. " EH? I THOUGHT I CALLED YOU ALREADY? NO AH? Orh.... sorry sorry, they say cannot be repaired cos they dun have the parts anymore, cos your lens is the old model then cannot repair"
FINE!
So i asked about the option of a trade in, And she told me she will check with her retail manager. AGAIN, another few days passed, no call. I called to enquire yet again. Was told that "Oh ya, the retail manager say need to check on that"
I got fed up and decided to send a letter of complaint through the Sigma website.
The letter was CCed to Japan as the website was US based.
Japan CCed back to Singapore and told them to look into the matter.
2 days later the email returned to me was that facts had been distorted. I waited a much longer period then their "USUAL WAITING TIME", Cover up of bad service, a "miscommunication by the service staff", NO TRADE IN.
So in simple words, "GOT WARRANTY ALSO NO USE".
Offered me the 18-200/3.5-6.3 OS S$786.60 including GST
I declined the offer and told them i would make this incident known.
_____________________________________________________________________________
To all the people reading this, I hope you would now think 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,..... as many times as you can with regards to buying a SIGMA PRODUCT. With such bad service, quality and worst of all voided warranty which is still valid. I have now been convinced that it is one company to avoid totally.
Allow me to share with you this story in hope that you will learn from it and take precaution in case the same may happen to you.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I had purchased a 28-70 f2.8 Aspherical Sigma lens from T.K Foto some one year back. I hadn't really noticed anything wrong with the lens as at that point in time i wasn't sure of how to do a thorough check of the lens for back focus issues. Thus brushed off the issue that the lens had the usual softness at F2.8. However some 3 months back, due to under utilizing of the lens, i decided to sell it away. I met up with the buyer who did proper checks and pointed out to me that the lens was backfocused and that it wasnt an issue of it being soft.
I decided to send the lens in to SIGMA Service Centre at e-centre@redhill. I made a call to enquire if the lens could be calibrated. The staff on the other line asked me for the model of the lens and the problem with it. I gave her the necessary info and she told me she will get back to me as the technician wasn't around that Friday. I can understand that the weekend was here and that i would probably have to wait till monday to find out. On monday i did not recieve a phone call from Sigma, Thus i called them up on Tuesday. I was told the technician was on urgent leave due to personal reasons and will be back on thursday. OK. So i called up again on friday after a no return call on thurs. Was told the technician still not around. FINE. Waited till the next week.
The next week came, i called up on monday, by this time the lady on the line already could recognise my voice (Yes that is how many times i had called)
She requested for the model of my lens again stating that "OH! i thought you were talking about the newer model 28-70. Ok ah, i check for you and call you back later."
One day passed, No call.
The next day, i made a call to them again and was told that she is not sure if the lens can be calibrated, and that i had to bring the lens down to their office at redhill to have the technician take a look. So, i brought the lens down. Was told the technician is busy and if i would like to leave the lens there. OK! since i dun use it, just leave it there loh.
Got a call a few days later, and was told i need to bring my camera down to let them test. So i asked if i could come over now. NO. I had to make an appointment. which is about a week later on 10 sept. Was told that it would be quite fast to have the test done. So when i arrived there i was told a different story. That it would take awhile to do the testing. They suggested i leave the camera there. And i was thinking to myself.. "NO.. i came all the way here 3 times, there is no way im walking away with at least a diagnosis of the problem after 1 and a half months" So i had them finish the testing in 45 mins while i sat there patiently.
Final diagnosis was, "Yes Mr Lim, your lens is back focus, however, we do not have the means to recalibrate this lens as it is an old model, we will e-mail the images to Sigma Japan and enquire if they have the board to do the necessary repairs or calibration. NOT TO WORRY, AS YOUR LENS IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY." I casually asked, if the lens could not be calibrated and since it is still under warranty, how would they handle the situation. The technician replied "We can try to offer you a trade in and buy another lens at a special price"
Back to the waiting game again.
They claimed they called me 3 days after the testing was done, That was not the case. I waited for a week before i called them again. the lady on the phone said the relevant person was not around that day and had to call back again the next day. Fine. Called the next day and enquired if japan replied. Her first sentence to me was. " EH? I THOUGHT I CALLED YOU ALREADY? NO AH? Orh.... sorry sorry, they say cannot be repaired cos they dun have the parts anymore, cos your lens is the old model then cannot repair"
FINE!
So i asked about the option of a trade in, And she told me she will check with her retail manager. AGAIN, another few days passed, no call. I called to enquire yet again. Was told that "Oh ya, the retail manager say need to check on that"
I got fed up and decided to send a letter of complaint through the Sigma website.
The letter was CCed to Japan as the website was US based.
Japan CCed back to Singapore and told them to look into the matter.
2 days later the email returned to me was that facts had been distorted. I waited a much longer period then their "USUAL WAITING TIME", Cover up of bad service, a "miscommunication by the service staff", NO TRADE IN.
So in simple words, "GOT WARRANTY ALSO NO USE".
Offered me the 18-200/3.5-6.3 OS S$786.60 including GST
I declined the offer and told them i would make this incident known.
_____________________________________________________________________________
To all the people reading this, I hope you would now think 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,..... as many times as you can with regards to buying a SIGMA PRODUCT. With such bad service, quality and worst of all voided warranty which is still valid. I have now been convinced that it is one company to avoid totally.