Camera Customer Service??

[OldGeezerJohn]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service. I realize they all have cameras that are excellent in capturing images. What I'm interested in is, when a camera breaks or malfunctions out of the box or shortly there after, and the company does everything possible to make it right. I'm hoping for actual instances and not thoughts in this matter, thank you.

 

[chuxter]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service. I realize they all have cameras that are excellent in capturing images. What I'm interested in is, when a camera breaks or malfunctions out of the box or shortly there after, and the company does everything possible to make it right. I'm hoping for actual instances and not thoughts in this matter, thank you.

Nikon and Canon have good service. Sony has poor service. Those are my thoughts and you can accept them or not.

 

[Mike_PEAT]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service.

Where, what country? One may be good in North America, but lousy in Europe. There is NO answer that represents a company in every part of the world.

As well everyone has good and bad experiences:

For instance, the worst service I've ever gotten on ANY product was from Canon...out of 10 I'd give them a 0, the product was in worse condition than when I sent it to them (they sent it back to me in a dusty bag), and I sent it back three times and it's still not fixed! I'll never buy another Canon product.

 

[Bobby49]

I've been doing business with Canon Customer Service in California since about 2002, and I have nothing bad to say about them. I have to get something repaired about once every 3-4 years.

 

[OldGeezerJohn]

I've been doing business with Canon Customer Service in California since about 2002, and I have nothing bad to say about them. I have to get something repaired about once every 3-4 years.

Bobby49, I also live in California and which gives a plus to Canon in our location. I just hate to shell out $2,000, which is my camera budget, for a camera and a couple of lenses, and have to hassle with a company to make it right, if i'm not lucky enough to get a good functioning camera. I really takes away from the enjoyment of photography, when company doesn't make good their product. Thank your for your input.

 

[Bobby49]

You might need to separate out the responsibilities of a camera manufacturer versus a camera repair center. I've never had anything wrong with a new Canon camera. After time, I have had breakages that needed repair by the repair center, and I have never had any trouble there, either.

I can't say the same thing about one other manufacturer, who shall remain nameless.

 

[HugoS316]

It would be more helpful to the rest of us if they didn't remain nameless.

 

[chuxter]

It would be more helpful to the rest of us if they didn't remain nameless.

+1

 

[Mark B.]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service. I realize they all have cameras that are excellent in capturing images. What I'm interested in is, when a camera breaks or malfunctions out of the box or shortly there after, and the company does everything possible to make it right. I'm hoping for actual instances and not thoughts in this matter, thank you.

After a few short months with my shiny new 7D several years ago, I clumsily dropped it to the ground with a very heave lens attached. It landed with the LCD toward the ground, and when I picked it up it was dead. I filed on Canon's repair website to send it in and fully explained the situation, that I had dropped it and it was dead after that.

Not only did it get back to me within a week (I'm only 1 day away via UPS Ground to the Service Center), they covered it under warranty so it only cost me shipping cost. That to me is excellent Customer Service.


Mark

 

[Mark B.]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service.

Where, what country? One may be good in North America, but lousy in Europe. There is NO answer that represents a company in every part of the world.

As well everyone has good and bad experiences:

For instance, the worst service I've ever gotten on ANY product was from Canon...out of 10 I'd give them a 0, the product was in worse condition than when I sent it to them (they sent it back to me in a dusty bag), and I sent it back three times and it's still not fixed! I'll never buy another Canon product.

Just to highlight your comment about everyone having good and bad, my experience was the polar opposite of yours.

 

[Mark B.]

I've been doing business with Canon Customer Service in California since about 2002, and I have nothing bad to say about them. I have to get something repaired about once every 3-4 years.

Bobby49, I also live in California and which gives a plus to Canon in our location. I just hate to shell out $2,000, which is my camera budget, for a camera and a couple of lenses, and have to hassle with a company to make it right, if i'm not lucky enough to get a good functioning camera. I really takes away from the enjoyment of photography, when company doesn't make good their product. Thank your for your input.

The fact is that there's always a chance you will get a defective product right out of the box. NO company has 100% perfect manufacturing, there will always be a % of products that will be defective in some way; that's why there is a warranty.

 

[ARShutterbug]

If it breaks soon after purchase, you should be able to return it to the merchant for a refund or exchange. What's really important is how well a particular camera lasts over the years, after the warranty period has expired and you're relying on it for your job, and how the particular company supports those who need on-demand support services.

 

[Bobby49]

I had a lot of hassle with one company that is located in Ronkonkoma, NY. One very large and expensive lens was purchased and acted a bit strange. I had to send it to the repair center to get the firmware changed. Shipping large and expensive items across the country runs up some costs.

But, that manufacturer shall remain nameless.

 

[tedolf]

An "out of the box" malfunction is not a manufacturer issue. Usually, the retailer will handle any "out of the box" problem. Most manufacturers will direct you to the retailer withing the first 30 days.

Thereafter, you look to the manufacturer. My experience with Olympus has been exemplary (fixed a lens long out of warranty). My experience with Nikon has been horrible.

Tedolph

 

[chuxter]

I had a lot of hassle with one company that is located in Ronkonkoma, NY. One very large and expensive lens was purchased and acted a bit strange. I had to send it to the repair center to get the firmware changed. Shipping large and expensive items across the country runs up some costs.

But, that manufacturer shall remain nameless.

We know who that is. Did you expect them to pay for shipping? I don't think ANY camera manufacturers refund the shipping costs...at least I never got them to.

It may be a way to eliminate nuisance claims? It's like an out-of-pocket expense common in medical insurance. W/O some small barrier, the idiots that buy digital cameras and don't bother to learn how to use them would be sending them back constantly, every time a little hiccup happened.

You may not be one of those idiots, but we all have to suffer a bit because of them.

Buy Sigma lenses from now on. The good ones can be attached to a "dock" to have their firmware upgraded right on your desk!

 

[chuxter]

I'm interested in finding out which of these three (Nikon, Canon, or Sony) companies has the best customer service.

Where, what country? One may be good in North America, but lousy in Europe. There is NO answer that represents a company in every part of the world.

As well everyone has good and bad experiences:

For instance, the worst service I've ever gotten on ANY product was from Canon...out of 10 I'd give them a 0, the product was in worse condition than when I sent it to them (they sent it back to me in a dusty bag), and I sent it back three times and it's still not fixed! I'll never buy another Canon product.

Just to highlight your comment about everyone having good and bad, my experience was the polar opposite of yours.

Often the customer is at fault when service doesn't turn out as they imagined it would.

 

[chuxter]

I've been doing business with Canon Customer Service in California since about 2002, and I have nothing bad to say about them. I have to get something repaired about once every 3-4 years.

Bobby49, I also live in California and which gives a plus to Canon in our location. I just hate to shell out $2,000, which is my camera budget, for a camera and a couple of lenses, and have to hassle with a company to make it right, if i'm not lucky enough to get a good functioning camera. I really takes away from the enjoyment of photography, when company doesn't make good their product. Thank your for your input.

The fact is that there's always a chance you will get a defective product right out of the box. NO company has 100% perfect manufacturing, there will always be a % of products that will be defective in some way; that's why there is a warranty.

Some of us recommend doing business w/ local brick-and-mortar stores. They are motivated to help you sort out "problems". Often you don't have a clue what you are doing and they can show you how to do something properly.

An example here on DPR several weeks ago was a guy who could not get his lenses to AF. He tried several and all of them failed, except one. We tried to help him, but nothing we suggested solved his problem. Finally he went down to his LFCS and asked them what was wrong. The clerk asked him to put a lens on and immediately saw the problem. The guy was depressing the RELEASE button when installing the lens. This caused the lens to go farther than intended and thus the electrical contacts didn't mate. When the clerk showed the guy that he could put the lens on w/o depressing the RELEASE button, all his lenses worked.

Even if you have a REAL problem, your LFCS will often just swap out the failing device and deal w/ the manufacturer directly.

 

[chuxter]

An "out of the box" malfunction is not a manufacturer issue. Usually, the retailer will handle any "out of the box" problem. Most manufacturers will direct you to the retailer withing the first 30 days.

Thereafter, you look to the manufacturer. My experience with Olympus has been exemplary (fixed a lens long out of warranty). My experience with Nikon has been horrible.

Now we understand your attitude, dude!

Tedolph

 

[DMKAlex]

I shoot Nikon and I can tell you that for the only time I needed to send my camera in because I did something really stupid to it, they were helpful, professional and expedient.

But you're asking a question that is like asking if the water in the moon is drinkable. The chance that you're camera fails right out of a box is close to nil. I've been shooting for the past 50 years and had probably 8-10 new and used cameras. Never once I had to send them in the first few years.

I had a Mamiya, after 20 years, the seal in the file closure crystalized. I called and they sent me a package of new seal that I put on myself. I also had a Minolta that had a light leak with the shutter cloth. It was fixed by an outside servicer.

 

[OpticsEngineer]

"when a camera breaks or malfunctions out of the box.."

I got a brand new Sony A77II that had a button that did not work on it. It took me a few days to realize it was camera problem and not me. Anyway, I had bought it from BandHphoto. They sent me a brand new one as soon as I called them about it and I sent the bad one back a couple of days later. So Sony service was never involved.