Warning: Nightmarish Experience with Canon Professional Service Center - Sweden

Dear Canon Forums Members,

I hope this message finds you well. I feel compelled to share a cautionary experience I recently had with Canon Professional Service Center - Sweden. It is crucial to bring attention to the issues I encountered to prevent fellow photographers from facing similar challenges.

I sent my camera to this service center from Finland to address a fungus issue in the lens, expecting a standard lens cleaning service. However, the outcome was disastrous. The service center not only replaced my lens but also the sensor and battery system without my consent. Subsequently, my camera experienced multiple malfunctions.

After the repairs, my pictures exhibited prominent vignetting, and the battery life plummeted to less than two minutes before the camera shut down. Additionally, the removal of plastic plugs for ports and audio on the camera's side left it vulnerable to damage from humidity or liquid exposure during use.

Despite expressing my concerns to Canon Professional Service Center Sweden, they insisted on opening a new repair case with additional costs. This unexpected and unsatisfactory response compelled me to share my experience with the camera community.

I have attached images taken before and after the repair, clearly illustrating the degradation in picture quality. The vignetting issue, absent before the repair, became pronounced, indicating a fault in the service center's procedures.

My camera, which has been in my possession for over ten years without prior issues, encountered problems only after I brought it from Thailand to Finland last year. While I understand my camera is beyond the warranty period, the decision to send my camera to Canon was based on trust, which unfortunately was misplaced in this instance.

I appreciate any support or insights from the community to navigate this challenging situation.

Thank you for your attention, and I hope we can collectively ensure a positive and transparent experience for all members.

Best,

 

If this is an authorised Canon Repair Centre then you should escalate your complaint to the highest level starting with Canon Europe, try this:
https://www.canon-europe.com/

 

Thank you for your suggestion! I sent an email to ipr.info@canon-europe.com. Hope they reply soon.

 

Hello Johnsey,

I appreciate your prompt response. The information seems to be circulating faster than I anticipated. Canon Sweden reached out to me this afternoon, echoing the same details they had communicated via email.

Prior to the repair, my camera was in good condition. While the battery life naturally shortened over its ten-year lifespan, it still allowed me to capture photos comfortably for a full day. However, post-repair, the camera unexpectedly shuts down after only a few minutes of use.

Regarding the LCD issue, it's not a complete blackout but rather a refusal to flip when attempting a selfie. I suspect the problem is at the connecting part between the main body and the screen itself. Interestingly, before it stopped flipping totally, I resorted to a makeshift solution by gently tapping that connecting point – the same thing you would do with an old analog TV – and it temporarily resolved the issue. Therefore, this problem has nothing to do with the main board or the sensor.

Concerning the lens cost, I began researching this aspect after my camera journeyed to Sweden. I even got a new pancake 24mm lens not knowing that my camera would return after the repair in this condition. I also used this lens to test the vignetting issue, and the vignetting still appears after changing the lens. The photos taken against the wall were captured without flash with the room light evenly distributed. Now, my camera is not in a usable condition at all.

I'm far from being an expert, using my camera only a few times each year during trips. This marks my initial experience with camera repair, and regrettably, it has been a wholly unpleasant one.

Thank you once again for your understanding.

Best regards,

 

Having re-read your original post I spotted this line which I originally missed:
"I sent my camera to this service center from Finland to address a fungus issue in the lens, expecting a standard lens cleaning service."
This begs the question "Why did you send the camera body if you only wanted a lens service?"
The document from the company also intimates that you attached an error description stating stating that the LCD does't turn when you rotate the camera. "
I'm sorry but the more I read your comments in this thread the more confused I am becoming, especially as scrutiny of the company documents you posted would also indicate that you requested more than just a 'standard lens clean'. Do you have copies of your original approach to the company that would prove the contents of your original request?

 

Hello Keith,

I trust you're doing well. I just wanted to provide some additional details to clarify the confusion around my recent requests for maintenance and repair.

Initially, I made two distinct requests: one for maintenance, specifically to clean the lens, and the other for repair, focusing on fixing the screen. The maintenance request for lens cleaning could be initiated on the website, resulting in a case number and instructions to ship my camera to Sweden.

On the other hand, the repair request for the screen involved filling out a form describing the issues, with the expectation that staff would contact me. Unfortunately, after submitting the repair request form, I did not receive any response. To draw attention to the screen repair details, I added them to the case log of my maintenance request in my account. It was only after this step that a Canon staff member reached out to me.

Upon receiving the price quote, I decided to proceed with fixing the lens alone, considering the high cost associated with the LCD repair. However, during a call with a staff member this afternoon, I was informed that the screen issue is linked to the main board and the sensor, prompting an inspection of these parts. This explanation struck me as peculiar and raised questions about the nature of the issue.

Your insights are always valuable. Thanks for your understanding.

Best,