Canon 1 D MK IV weather sealing

the experience I had with apple on my itouch.

Unit stopped working under warranty and they told me it had been dropped into water. I had never had it anywhere near water but they insisted that even if I dropped it in the snow that could soak the internal components.

Asked for the manager at that point and they finally honored the warranty...

I've had my 1d4 out in downpours without problems so definitely fight them on this...

I think you got unlucky. I lived in the Maldives and the salt and humidity there is over the top. I had a 40D, a 5DII, and 7D and had no problems with either. Had them in and out of Air-conditioned rooms on a regular basis.
Fight it for sure !

shpongle said:

I would really like to see this documentation - first time I ever get to know this piece of information. And I'm really shocked if this is true.

Click to expand...

It's on the first page of the manual that comes with the lens:

http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/7/0300003557/01/ef16-35f28liiusm-en.pdf

I read this post some days ago but only now did I noticed you're a French based user. You are completely covered by EC consumer law.

1. Gather some Canon material stating that the camera and lens used are "water resistant".

2. Get the name of someone with enough Company authority to take executive decisions in what concerns Customer Support.

3. Write him/her a letter stating the facts. Include a copy of their own claims on the subject. Include a copy of their non-warranty coverage claim.

4. Point out the fact that internal oxidation can, indeed, be a sign of misuse but also a sign of product defect. State clearly that you know it was not the former and that by law the have requirement to prove the later.

5. Add a final paragraph stating that if they insist in not complying with EC consumer legislation you'll have no choice than to resort to legal counseling for judiciary action.

Inform them that, once you are forced to take those steps, direct warranty compensation will no longer be your only claim but that you'll also may be be seeking for additional compensatory and/or punitive retribution.

That should do the trick. (Sometimes we, Europeans, don't know how effectively protected we are, as consumers...)

http://www.eu-consumer-law.org/index_en.cfm

Hope this helps!

PK

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Thank you very much, I did not know this European consumer law

opalux said:

Thank you very much, I did not know this European consumer law

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If you use the camera as a professional, then you can forget the consumer laws.
That laws are for the protection of private persons....not companies..

So if you photograf for a living, then forget that option.

Oystein Soreide said:

opalux said:

Thank you very much, I did not know this European consumer law

Click to expand...

If you use the camera as a professional, then you can forget the consumer laws.
That laws are for the protection of private persons....not companies..

So if you photograf for a living, then forget that option.

Click to expand...

How wrong...The legislation relates to the transaction, themselves. The final use of the camera is irrelevant, in itself.

If a newspaper photography department bought a dozen cameras for its equipment pool the very same rules would still apply.

The only difference is that they would not have to resort evoking any legislation as, when it comes to such professional power-users, the manufacturers do not even try to pull these kind of stunts.

PK

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“Loose praise may feed my ego but constructive criticism advances my skills”
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http://www.pbase.com/photokhan
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It is also my understanding than EU consumer protection does not apply to contracts between businesses.
DIRECTIVE 1999/44/EC OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL

of 25 May 1999 on certain aspects of the sale of consumer goods and associated guarantees defines a consumer thus:

'consumer: shall mean any natural person who, in the contracts covered by this Directive, is acting for purposes which are not related to his trade, business or profession.'

The EU legislation's principal purpose is to protect the consumer from abusive practices by businesses.

I agree that a private individual has very robust protection and the onus would be on Canon to prove that any damage was due to abuse or neglect of the camera by the OP. Certainly in the UK the courts tend to strongly favour the consumer in any dispute of this kind with a large business and a threat of legal action would IMO likely get the camera repaired free of charge. For a business purchase it could become a lot messier and more expensive if Canon choose to be difficult.

Hello everybody,
Thank you for all your answers.

I sent a post mail to Canon Europe in London and to Canon Japan 10 days ago but no answer for the moment….so wait and see…

I have the old 1DS2 and 1D2 not the 1D IV, but I have been shooting with friends with 1D IV a lot. The very last wet event I shot right next to the 1D IV was the Lunar New Year Street Fair and Parade in San Francisco, it was raining on and off the whole day, mostly light rain but heavy at times, I was shooting with my 1D2+70-200 F2.8 IS2 and a D3+24-70G and my friend was shooting the 1D IV + 70-200 IS Mk2, we were shooting pretty much all day since 11AM when the stage open until 9:30PM till the end of the parade without any real rain protection, but we tried to hide the camera inside the jacket when the rain got heavy though, but for the most part, the gears gets pretty wet, luckily everything survived, actually I have shot a lot of events in the rain with both my my old 70-200 F2.8 IS and new 70-200 IS2 and my gears survived pretty good so far.

Oh, both the 1D2 and his 1D4 also went thru the 2010 Mavericks Surf Contest in Half Moon Bay, California when the big wave strikes, we ( our own bodies and all camera gears and everything we have with us) were completely soaked. actually only the camera survived I didn't, I got a really bad cold after that, it was freezing that morning and I didn't have any spare cloth with me to change. so I really have no clue what the real limit those camera gears are, may be I haven't push it to the limit yet, will see what happen when I go out there next time.

INCREDIBLE……….always no answer from Canon Europe, Canon France and canon Japan headquarters……why such a contempt about my story ?

Does my story bother Canon because there is problem with 1 D MK IV weather sealing ?

So, because they did not answered me I am wondering if it is my camera which is an isolate problem or if there is a problem on some serial numbers…..that is the question

Did you call them?

Opalux, you're proliferating, which is bad - information starts an all-around inter-departmental bumping , like a pinball machine, and the situation can develop into a scenario where your complaint is left in a limbo.

Follow my recommended procedure.

Stick to Canon France (if you've bought your camera in France). Find who's in charge of customer support and send him/her the complaint.

It is even better to precede the "directional" complaint with a verbal exchange, either by phone or personally, with the said person, telling them the document is arriving and further explaining your intentions (formal letters have a tendency to be received on the defensive and I've found that a verbal support to them can do wonders).

Alternatively, just contact your local Consumer Office, explaining your case and request legal assistance from them, if available.

PK

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“Loose praise may feed my ego but constructive criticism advances my skills”
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http://www.pbase.com/photokhan
(PBase Supporter)

There is no warranty by Canon for any kind of water damage. That should tell you to better to avoid direct exposure to water. One sees these pictures of drenched cameras but either these guys got lucky or the DSLR will go to repair sooner or later. Weather sealing helps to keep dust and moisture from getting inside the camera somewhat. But anything more than a drop of rain in the wrong place can screw you.

Many similar stories out there, where the sales hype was interpreted as water proof or resistance.

One can use the EVA marine bags for protection.

Scott Larson….for sure I called them but it is like I speak to a wall

PhotoKhan…..I called, I wrote to French repair service but they say I don’t tell the truth, they say I certainly got it in water, that is naturally not true, I wrote to French Canon headquarter but no answer, that’s why I decided to wrote to Canon Europe and Canon Japan but no answer too…..

Unfortunately there is very little hope for relief from Canon. They can't determine whether it was submerged or not, but it doesn't matter. The damage shows water influence and probably all the humidity sensors were also tripped. There is no warranty on any kind of damage by water and that is that for the service. We tried two years ago after loosing a 5D2 2 months after we got it, when it was exposed to some fog/slight rain in arctic waters. Canon explained the sealing is meant as a dirt/dust barrier and does not provide protection from water. Even if one circuit board is repaired, other circuits may follow soon so I guess it so expensive because they exchange everything. Cut your losses.

...I don't know how things go about this in the US but here, in Europe (the OP is French), a brand can not go and make statements like this and then not back them up by trying to derogate their accountability with warranty exceptions or unsupported claims.

(From Canon's UK press info, at the time of the camera's release)

" The EOS-1D Mark IV is protected by a total of 76 rubber seals fitted around the controls and cover seams, making the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV dust and water resistant when used in tandem with Canon’s range of weather-resistant EF lenses and Speedlite EX flash units. "

If the camera was just exposed to non-pressurized, minimal quantities of water that would certainly fall under the concept of "water resistant".

EU Consumer Law is quite advanced and very protective of individuals rights.

It is up to Canon to prove that the damage was inflicted by misuse by the user, not the other way around (they have the burden of proof).

If I was the OP, I would make 1 or 2 more (documented) attempts at make them step up and do the right thing and then I would just turn this over to a layer.

Please do not dismay further the OP by evoking experiences occurred under different legal scenarios.

PK

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“Loose praise may feed my ego but constructive criticism advances my skills”
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http://www.pbase.com/photokhan
(PBase Supporter)

Thank you all of you for your answers.
I will contact a consumer association; I think they will help me.
I will fight not for a question of money but for a matter of principle,

Canon says I did not do a proper use of my camera, they insinuate I submerge it but it is not true, I can’t agree they think I am a liar, so I will fight even if it is most expensive than a new camera.
Sorry for my poor English but it is not easy for me to explain my feeling