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I was away this past week on the Pacific coast for a few days to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Did quite a lot of shooting but 3 days in my Sigma 50-500mm quit on me, the autofocus just stopped.
Cleaned contacts, tried it on 3 different bodies and nothing.
Anyone have any experience with Sigma for repairs? Lens is long out of warranty.
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(Feb 21, 2015, 21:51)EnglishBob Wrote: I was away this past week on the Pacific coast for a few days to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Did quite a lot of shooting but 3 days in my Sigma 50-500mm quit on me, the autofocus just stopped.
Cleaned contacts, tried it on 3 different bodies and nothing.
Anyone have any experience with Sigma for repairs? Lens is long out of warranty.
Early days of Sigma I had an autofocus issue... seems I had somehow knocked the lens and the mechanism for focusing had jammed... I take it other lenses work ok? I sometimes get auto focus stopping on my Canon 300mm... the AF/M slider on the body is in just the right position that when handling the lens for shooting... your hands cover that button and easily slide it to "M" Worth a check...
Hope it's a simple fix... 
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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All other lenses work just fine, and it is definitely set to AF, worked the switch back and forth many times.
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Could be anything then from mechanical issues with the focusing mechanism, dirt in the MF/AF button, that switch failure, (seems there is a little screw that gets loose on the switch)contacts to the camera... Sounds like a trip to the menders! Is yours the newer one with the HSM motor? Seems they are prone to fail... it's a motor and gearing assembly replacement from Sigma in that case... Is it not under warranty still? You could contact Sigma and say that the issue is known and can they not take a look at yours and give you a favourable estimate? The annoying thing is the time it's away... 
Good luck and let us know how it goes? I don't use Sigma but there may be others here that would benefit from knowing...
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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Reading some blogs... Sigma seem to take the stance that no matter what you say, they will say you dropped or hit/banged it and broke it... seems too that the cost for the whole focusing stuff is $190 plus P&P... Sorry I can't be of any more help.
http://photo.net/casual-conversations-fo...t?start=10
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
(This post was last modified: Feb 22, 2015, 17:12 by Rolf.)
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That's a great help, it is the HSM version and you found out more information than I had! Thanks.
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(Feb 21, 2015, 21:51)EnglishBob Wrote: I was away this past week on the Pacific coast for a few days to celebrate my wedding anniversary. Did quite a lot of shooting but 3 days in my Sigma 50-500mm quit on me, the autofocus just stopped.
Cleaned contacts, tried it on 3 different bodies and nothing.
Anyone have any experience with Sigma for repairs? Lens is long out of warranty.
My 70-200 f/2.8 did the same thing. Happened all at once. It was sent for repair and needed a new AF motor. Repair was made at a cost of $216.00. That was 3 years ago and I haven't had a problem since.
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That's good to hear, thanks Jimbo.
I can't complain really, the Lens is 9 years old and has shot over 9500+ images.
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Might be worth having the whole lens cleaned inside as a service at the same time ... there is bound to be dust on the glass? If there is a Mk ll version... get the lens back and consign it and buy the upgrade? There's always the Canon 200-400L 
Good luck with it anyway.
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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The new version has IS, and the Canon would be nice.... but I've blown my Photography budget for 2015 already this year! ($2750 so far, hope the wife doesn't read this!)
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!! I covet that 200-400.... and have an unhealthy envy of one of my fav photographers for having been GIVEN one by Canon!! ( I hope Any Rouse reads this and chucks it my way when Nikon entice him back!)
I had my Mk l 70-200L IS serviced... it was two years old and was my go to... that was a little over 200 bucks... sold it for 1600 and bought the Mk ll for 2100... I will do the same with my Mk l 100-400L IS... and buy the Mk ll. It's a good way of upgrading relatively painlessly (and within (possibly massaged/creative) budgets... if you don't tell of the initial costs and depreciation.... "look honey, a new lens for 600 bucks... it's well within the budget? ) I too hope she doesn't read this and have contacts in Calgary with Italian or Russian accents! 
But, it's all good... When I look at the cost of my stuff... I take comfort from the fact that others I know over the same period have blown (literally) a similar amount away in cigarette smoke with consequentially reduced lifespans... I still have my health and my stuff and possibly a little fitter from lugging it around...
Have a great day and I hope all works out the way you want it to.
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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I chose to use an authorized Sigma Service center in arizona, CRIS Camera Services.
Shipped it to them Saturday, they got it Tuesday, provided an estimate yesterday and I should have it back by the end of next week.
$190 for the repair, full service cleaning inside and out, any adjustments to get it back to factory specification and return shipping included.
Pretty pleased, was expecting it to cost a little more, and I'll have in back in time for a Camera Club Field trip.
(This post was last modified: Mar 6, 2015, 11:30 by EnglishBob.)
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Good news! Glad it will all work out for you. Why did you think it was going to be more? Most the blogs on the subject are, as I said in an earlier post, $190 ish... Offset it with creativity into the 2016 budget
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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I just figured the posts I saw were in the 190 range and they were a couple of years old, figured with inflation I'd be looking at mid to high 2's.
Will post a review of CRIS's services once I get it back. Nothing but good things to say about the people I've dealt with so far.
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Got my lens back last Friday, so from mailing to return was a 12 day turn around. It had been cleaned, serviced and repaired. Repaired Autofocus mechanism and replaced HSM motor.
Charged just what they had quoted and it is working like new. Was shipped back very well protected in a much larger box than I used and surrounded by bubble wrap and a whole bunch of styrafoam peanuts.
Would highly recommend CRIS and am probably going to send them my 50D for a cleaning and servicing.
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Glad it's all worked out for you.
Kind regards
Rolf
In photography, the smallest thing can be a great subject. The little human detail can become a leitmotiv.
—Henri Cartier-Bresson
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(Aug 2, 2018, 02:42)Estona Wrote: And I have another question - what should I look for when choosing lenses for my camera?
WOW! that's a wide open question. What lenses and features you choose is dependent upon what you intend to photograph and under what conditions. For example: If you intend to shoot mostly in good lighting conditions and your shutter speeds are 1/250 or better, you don't need VR (vibration reduction) and wide open aperture can be as high as f/3.5. On the other hand, if you intend to shoot low light than open apertures are necessary, low end between 1.4 and 2.8. plus VR (or IS in a Canon).
If your camera is full frame you must chose an FX lens. If a Crop sensor a DX lens will suffice.
In either instance look for the designation ED in the lens description if a Nikon or L if it is a Canon. This designates high quality glass elements and will improve the images.
Exactly which lens to choose is totally dependent upon it's intended use. Landscape, Portrait, Sports, Macro, Wildlife, Birds or just a plain "walk-around" lens.
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A lens i had dropped out of my bag and chipped the front element and they cleaned it
But if you are just then you need to start with this http://fixthephoto.com/blog/tech-tips/qu...-lens.html And good luck!
(This post was last modified: Oct 8, 2018, 12:26 by maisie.)
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