how much to clean oly lens?

[K3N]

Welcome to the Oly Service Hell Support Group. :devil:

I am seriously considering down sizing my Oly gear (maybe just keep the wide angles and a cheap body) and migrate back to Canon. Back in 2003 If I had known Oly SG's support would be so mediocre I would rather put up with cleaning CCDs regularly and I wouldn't have touched their E-system with a 10 foot pole

It just does not occur to Olympus SG that the quality of after-sale support is a very important consideration in the DSLR market. I don't know how they're going to sell their expensive "PRO" line of lenses or the upcoming "PRO" E-1 replacement body when they evidently are unable to back the buyers with good after-sale support. Imagine buying a $12k ZD 300/2.8 that experienced optical softness or aberrations and the Oly SG tech takes a test shot, tells you the lense is pretty sharp by looking at that crummy little 1.8" LCD and proceed to brush you off as some picky nut case. After some persistence they decide to accept your lense for repair (not knowing what symptoms to look for) only to take it apart on their workshop bench (introducing asteroids and fingerprints) and eventually you end up with a $12k lemon thats worse off than before, and your lense loses its resale value.

Nikon SG support isn't too great (read the Nikon thread about the "Ah bengs and Ah Sengs") but nothing as appalling as Olympus SG. At least Nikon SG's service tech don't try to be half too clever stripping apart a $1.7k 16-element/15-group lense to try their hand at fixing a softness/ghosting problem, all the absence of a dust-free clean room facility.

Canon's support service is still tops in SG for cameras IMHO (I am not affiliated with Canon in ANY way).

Thats what I feel as well, should have just gone with the crowd and stayed with Canon or gone Nikon. Luckily for me, I've not spent much on the system. Aftersales support is very important to customers especially for expensive system cameras, and they should consider that aftersales support for Point&Shoots is different from professional systems. It really undermines confidence in their brand (will not be spending more on their system).

 

[Mikefellh]

Thats what I feel as well, should have just gone with the crowd and stayed with Canon or gone Nikon. Luckily for me, I've not spent much on the system. Aftersales support is very important to customers especially for expensive system cameras, and they should consider that aftersales support for Point&Shoots is different from professional systems. It really undermines confidence in their brand (will not be spending more on their system).

Each company gives good and bad experiences in terms of service, and that includes Nikon and Canon. Even in North America I know people who have had bad experiences with those companies you've mentioned (like shelves full of Nikons waiting for the same part due to the fact people used their old flashes than a higher trigger voltage, and the part is back ordered for months). Different countries can make a difference (although it shouldn't).

As for pros many times they will have a service contract with a company that will include expedited service and loaners, but remember they pay extra$$$ for that. It would be nice if they could fix cameras as quick as cars, but a few times already I've had to wait longer for a car repair to be done because the part had to be ordered because cars are more complicated than they used to be, like the chip that controls the power door locks by remote...took a very long time to get that since it's not usually a part that dies and they didn't have it in stock.

 

[K3N]

Each company gives good and bad experiences in terms of service, and that includes Nikon and Canon. Even in North America I know people who have had bad experiences with those companies you've mentioned (like shelves full of Nikons waiting for the same part due to the fact people used their old flashes than a higher trigger voltage, and the part is back ordered for months). Different countries can make a difference (although it shouldn't).

As for pros many times they will have a service contract with a company that will include expedited service and loaners, but remember they pay extra$$$ for that. It would be nice if they could fix cameras as quick as cars, but a few times already I've had to wait longer for a car repair to be done because the part had to be ordered because cars are more complicated than they used to be, like the chip that controls the power door locks by remote...took a very long time to get that since it's not usually a part that dies and they didn't have it in stock.

I understand what you mean about poor service in terms of long turn around times and differences in service standards, but personally I wouldn't mind a long turn around time in comparison to what I experienced here, which was similar to btfiend, basically, just to just brush away a customer's concerns first and putting the onus on the customer to prove a problem rather than just taking in a lens for checking.

I think you should check up Canon professional services, they do not require a service contract for expedited service and loaners.

 

[Mikefellh]

basically, just to just brush away a customer's concerns first and putting the onus on the customer to prove a problem rather than just taking in a lens for checking.

Having been a service tech myself, it's difficult weeding out the user errors from the actual broken equipment. Yes, you could check every item, but it would take a lot of time...and if you charged the customer for diagnosing a lens that didn't have a problem there would even be more complaints.

I had a problem with a GM (General Motors) dealer here in Canada...every time I reached highway speeds the "Check Engine" light would come on, but it would shut off again until I slowed down. I went to the dealer with this problem, but they said they couldn't do anything since the light wasn't currently on. I had to force them to check it with their diagnostic computer because for me it was a safety issue (I couldn't be distracted by that light each time I go fast). I told them that if they didn't find anything they can charge me for the time, BUT if there was a problem they wouldn't charge me. Needless to say the diagnostic computer found a defective component and I didn't pay.

 

[drewdam]

Any satisfied customers? To be fair to oly SG, if any of you here had good experience with them, speak up lah.

no. nothing from tech support yet.

 

[wind30]

anyone going to the mytikas outing on the feb 8th? Heard the oly manager is coming. Maybe can ask him to read this thread.

Seriously, like nobody here has actually gotten good technical service for oly lens which is quite worrying especially for someone like me coming back to the oly camp.

 

[drewdam]

anyone going to the mytikas outing on the feb 8th? Heard the oly manager is coming. Maybe can ask him to read this thread.

Seriously, like nobody here has actually gotten good technical service for oly lens which is quite worrying especially for someone like me coming back to the oly camp.

am not waiting anymore...i just shoot an email to Jpn Oly service to complaint the respond if there's any for my hot pixel issue that i had sent in to oly spore almost 2 mths back...damn.;(

 

[ParkertR]

hmm... very interesting discussion right here. my bro experienced good service at oly (i was with nikon back then) and i was actually kinda impressed... he uses an e300 and oly took the body in to fix a back-focus issue. They actually loaned him a body (e300) for the duration his camera was with them... and my bro isnt some pro dude... just a regular oly user.

 

[Raptor1]

You guys are getting me worried. I just sent my oly glass for general servicing.. :S

*edit, the customer service girls are great.. lets hope the service techs are at least as good.

 

[btfiend]

You guys are getting me worried. I just sent my oly glass for general servicing.. :S

*edit, the customer service girls are great.. lets hope the service techs are at least as good.

If the 50-200mm loaner was any indication...pray hard your lense doesn't come back with these extras...

1. Olympus Employee DNA signature ("Serviced by xxx")

2. Asteroids (this is only where the light shines on the specks...rotate it and you'll see MORE)

3. Free 1mm rear extension modification (this might help with macro photography)

 

[cjtune]

Gawd! The asteroids look worse than the dust in my 2nd-hand 1970's Vivitar lens.
Fingerprints and any sort of dirt on the lens surfaces is a very big no-no. It'll be a fungus nursery later.

 

[btfiend]

am not waiting anymore...i just shoot an email to Jpn Oly service to complaint the respond if there's any for my hot pixel issue that i had sent in to oly spore almost 2 mths back...damn.;(

Care to elaborate on your nightmares with Oly service centre in sg?

 

[EjSMC]

If the 50-200mm loaner was any indication...pray hard your lense doesn't come back with these extras...

1. Olympus Employee DNA signature ("Serviced by xxx")

2. Asteroids (this is only where the light shines on the specks...rotate it and you'll see MORE)

3. Free 1mm rear extension modification (this might help with macro photography)

I guess you need to give them more time.My experience with them was great.I dropped my 14-54mm, the front lens has cracked.They had fixed it & the lens is working as new

 

[wind30]

uncle,

you registered just to post this ah?

 

[kktan]

uncle,

you registered just to post this ah?

WAH!!! :bigeyes: wind30, your eyes very sharp leh...

Didn't notice it until i read your post... :sweatsm:

 

[chii]

WAH!!! :bigeyes: wind30, your eyes very sharp leh...

Didn't notice it until i read your post... :sweatsm:

:bsmilie:getting very common leh ...

 

[cjtune]

I guess you need to give them more time.My experience with them was great.I dropped my 14-54mm, the front lens has cracked.They had fixed it & the lens is working as new

So how many months would be a reasonable figure for "more time" to you?

 

[VSonic06]

:bsmilie:getting very common leh ...

haha..just surprised it didn't happen sooner. Somebody must have 'woken up'. Guess can expect to see more 'good oly service' posts by more new nicks soon :think:

 

[btfiend]

I guess you need to give them more time.My experience with them was great.I dropped my 14-54mm, the front lens has cracked.They had fixed it & the lens is working as new

Will "more time" remove the fingerprints and dirt from the lense? We're talking about appalling support service here -- shoddy workmanship and service techs who seem to have absolutely no pride in their work.

What Olympus SG service centre need isn't "more time" but a complete OVERHAUL of the *department* to actually fix camera problems and not the customers.

 

[Blu-By-U]

...... Somebody must have 'woken up'. Guess can expect to see more 'good oly service' posts by more new nicks soon :think:

Am I missing something here?