Canon & Ac-Foto - BOO

440Hz

Just want to share my story with everyone. Maybe people have some suggestions:

At the start of February I purchased a Canon 350D with kit lens and 17-85mm USM from Ac-Foto. I had the camera for about a week before I actually had the chance to play with it, but when I did I noticed a lot of dirt/dust when I looked through the viewfinder. I posted a thread about it at the time. As it was a brand new camera I decided not to go messing with it and contacted Ac-Foto and Canon to ask for help/advice. Ac-Foto referred me to Canon whose response was they would cover a professional cleaning under warranty. I asked for an exchange seeing as the camera was not even 2 weeks old, they said no.

So Canon advised me to send it to Dublin for a mirror & sensor clean and full check. Which I did. The techie in Dublin rang me after about 10 days (annoyed at lack of camera at this stage) and basically said 'your camera is so dirty I cant get it totally clean but im sending it back to you with the best i can do'. He said that there was nothing more he could do and if I had any more issues to contact Canon. Not happy, but still thought ok well its bound to be better than when i sent it away.

Camera arrived back last week. Still FILTHY. The mirror is clean, and the sensor is clean, and after a quick inspection it appears that the dirt/fibers/moisture marks I'm seeing are on the AF-lens. And as unbelievable as this sounds, they appear to be on the INSIDE.

So, I rang Canon today. They said 'not our problem please bring it back to the shop' and in so many words said dont call us again. I rang AC Foto, no-one speaks English. Mailed them, awaiting reply,

I'm totally disgusted. I can't believe I have spent this much money on a camera that is filthy. I know dirt and dust go hand in hand with DSLR but you dont expect to take it out of the box with DIRT INSIDE THE CAMERA. The after sales service is crap. Noone will help in anyway. Starting to think drastic action is needed, advice, opinions?

I have heard a few other stories about 'dodgy' AF-lens in the 350D, any more?

DotOrg

the dirt is on the focusing screen from what you describe, very common problem, won't affect your pictures but a proper canon service should get it back to mint condition. get them to send it to the UK as the Irish Canon techs have only just finished their training. Canons Irish tech office is ISS just beside The Village on Wexford St. Bring it in there and give out hell

440Hz

DotOrg wrote:

the dirt is on the focusing screen from what you describe, very common problem, won't affect your pictures but a proper canon service should get it back to mint condition. get them to send it to the UK as the Irish Canon techs have only just finished their training. Canons Irish tech office is ISS just beside The Village on Wexford St. Bring it in there and give out hell

Yeah I agree however:
I dont live in Dublin and it was ISS that did the *professional* cleaning, only to tell me this was the best they could do. :mad:

DotOrg

the best they can do then isn't as good as canon in the uk can do. demand they do a job properly, if they can't remove and clean the focussing screen, get them to send it to the UK.

i had a lens sent there, took about 10 days to get back as good as new

King Eric

I was hoping to order a 350 or a 20d from ac-foto or techink in the next few months, after reading this, now im not so sure, might buy the camera locally instead.

im thinking an angry customer in a shop is much harder to fob off than an angry customer on the phone or sending emails

....then again id be a lot happier with a few hundred euro in my pocket or a nice lens

best of luck with it 440Hz, hope you get sorted soon, let us know how it goes for you anyway, please

EireRoadUser

I bought my 350D off the most reputable canon dealer in dublin .
After a week or so ,noticed a tiny speck just right of the center focus point.
The guy in the shop said he could clean it no problem at no charge.
He brought my camera in the back and 5 minuters later he came back out smiling and said thats the best i can do.

He managed to move the speck to another spot and dislodge tiny shavings from the structure of the camera so I had an even dirtier view finder.

I don't think it matters where you go,same for canon lenses some have dust inside them when you buy them ,But this doesn't affect the image.

elderlemon

Did you cause the dirt or did it come that way. If the latter then write to the office of consumer affairs with your complaint. Under EU law when you purchase anything from anywhere in the EU you are entitled to a refund or full replacement if the goods are not fit for use. The offce of consumer affairs here will contact their German equivelent and work with the suppier and Canon to recitfy the problem.

440Hz

elderlemon wrote:

Did you cause the dirt or did it come that way. If the latter then write to the office of consumer affairs with your complaint. Under EU law when you purchase anything from anywhere in the EU you are entitled to a refund or full replacement if the goods are not fit for use. The offce of consumer affairs here will contact their German equivelent and work with the suppier and Canon to recitfy the problem.

Thanks for that. I was not sure how these things worked in Germany. It came like this, straight from the box. Cheers for the good advice, I'll follow up on it.

DotOrg

EireRoadUser wrote:

I don't think it matters where you go,same for canon lenses some have dust inside them when you buy them ,But this doesn't affect the image.

You can't see dust in the lens through the viewfinder!

You can only see dust in the viewfinder which is on the mirror or on the focusing screen. Both are easily cleanable by somebody who knows what they're doing

Do not worry about dust inside lenses, even , €3000 lenses have dust inside them

440Hz

DotOrg wrote:

You can't see dust in the lens through the viewfinder!

You can only see dust in the viewfinder which is on the mirror or on the focusing screen. Both are easily cleanable by somebody who knows what they're doing

Do not worry about dust inside lenses, even , €3000 lenses have dust inside them

Totally agree. What i was saying about my case though was that the fibres and dust are on the inside of the focusing screen, coupled with moisture marks, and that SHOULDN'T be the case with a camera just out of the box.

leinsterman

440Hz wrote:

Just want to share my story with everyone. Maybe people have some suggestions:

At the start of February I purchased a Canon 350D with kit lens and 17-85mm USM from Ac-Foto. I had the camera for about a week before I actually had the chance to play with it, but when I did I noticed a lot of dirt/dust when I looked through the viewfinder. I posted a thread about it at the time. As it was a brand new camera I decided not to go messing with it and contacted Ac-Foto and Canon to ask for help/advice. Ac-Foto referred me to Canon whose response was they would cover a professional cleaning under warranty.

How do you rate Ac Foto ?

I have ordered some lenses from them on 8th March. One was out of stock and is still holding up my order. So I have agreed with them if it does nto arrive this Friday then ship the rest of the order and follow up with the missing item. They seem responsive but I am a bit concerned at the time it is taking to complete this order....