Canon repair procedure -- no option to get estimate before pay?

All,

I have used Canon repair services previously, and it always was the case that you sent in the gear, they looked at it and came up with a repair price, and then you provided payment (if you wanted it repaired) or just shipping if you wanted it back.

Now it appears that you have to authorize an extremely high, sight-unseen "estimate" before they ever get your stuff -- or so it seems?

I have a 90D where the power switch won't turn off. Everything else works fine. I have tried all of the fixes I have read about; leave the battery out overnight, try different lenses, update firmware, etc. Nothing works. The Canon estimate for this service is nearly $400, which is a good chunk of what the camera is worth on eBay (my intended endpoint). I would have expected a much less expensive repair.

Does anyone know a way to get an accurate estimate before getting a service done? This doesn't feel right.

Thanks,
Dan

DanInSoCal said:

Does anyone know a way to get an accurate estimate before getting a service done?

Click to expand...

Nope. My repairs have always started at $200 to take it apart, then another $200-$400 when they see what they need to fix. My last repair was $600 for a $1,200 lens.

I work for an imaging company in the Pro Camera dept (Not Canon)

Labor is a set price $xxx + parts

may parts are tied together (assemblies) so just THAT part is not the only thing replaced. pretty much all the electronics are on the mainboard so if a card slot goes bad its the mainboard being replaced, if a dial falls off or malfunctions..mainboard

camera can be broken down to several parts. top, bottom, front and rear. those are the parts that get replaced

--
"The fact is that relatively few photographers ever master their medium. Instead they allow the medium to master them and go on an endless squirrel cage chase from new lens to new paper to new developer to new gadget, never staying with one piece of equipment long enough to learn its full capacities, becoming lost in a maze of technical information that is of little or no use since they don't know what to do with it."
A Great Quote by Edward Weston...

I just sent in my 7D Mark II after only two years. Half shutter depress wasn't working.

I got the same $400 charge. The camera is due back tomorrow so the details will be printed but I called and had someone is service call it up and read it to me. There was electronic, shutter button, shutter mechanisn, etc.

I got the felling the $400 was the standard price to open the camera and fix "almost" anything unless it was damaged.

The price would have hurt more if I let it bother me. I consider it the price of having an expensive hobby.

Update: I am trying a reputable local repair shop that, among other things, will give me an estimate before committing to a repair. When I get the estimate (~1 week) I will update this thread.

Dan

I am guessing that camera shop is sending it to canon, getting a discount and marking up the repair cost

EJ Fudd said:

I am guessing that camera shop is sending it to canon, getting a discount and marking up the repair cost

Click to expand...

That is not my understanding. The repair is apparently local.

Dan

Yep. I just got my 70-200 f2.8 IS II back from Canon after the camera bag took a tumble out of the car trunk and knocked something out of alignment. No external damage. Repair quote was $429 and that was the final charge (plus shipping). Was about $460 total to get it repaired.

On the bright side, Canon only had the lens for 3 days and sent it back 2nd day mail. It took longer to get the lens to them (due to the east cost blizzards) than it did for them to fix it and have it back in my hands. And the lens is working perfectly again. So kudos there at least.