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cosby

May 6, 2009 1:24 AM

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I wonder if that was one of the cameras in the recall from years ago. A bunch of cameras had their displays fail from a issue with the manufacturing of them by sony. Most vendors extended the warranties because of this. Cannon might have just still been taking them. Either way it is still a nice gesture on their part.

6 replies

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mzs

May 6, 2009 8:30 PM

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@cosby: Sony gave me such a hard time with the recall over my camera that I vowed Sony would never get another penny from me. I got a used PS2, all Sony PS2 games I get are used, I got an xbox360 instead of a PS3, my blu-ray player is not a Sony, etc. Just now I wonder if Sony gets some licensing money for bluray, they probably do, drat.

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gStein_*|bringing starpipe back|*

May 6, 2009 4:31 AM

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@cosby: ech, i wish car companies would do this too :/
i bought a used '00 Honda Accord from the Honda dealership, had the transmission fail after i put an additional 6,000 miles on it - cae was already at 160k when i bought it.
took it in to honda, they said \"yep, there was a warranty extension on the transition for the (either '99-'00 or '00-'01) Accords and Civics, but that only lasts you through 150k miles. sorry, but if you give us $4k, we'll give you a new transmission\"
don't want to rant (just deleted a huge rant about my bad experience with honda) but more companies should follow through with the warranties on an extended basis.

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May 6, 2009 4:43 AM

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@gStein: Well shame on you for purchasing a used vehicle and not having it checked by a mechanic of your choice.

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Stephen Schenck

May 6, 2009 3:28 AM

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NICE! I had no idea about this. My A300 failed a few years ago with the bad CCD streaky image, finally not capturing one at all. Called tonight for a shipping label. I can't believe Canon's still supporting these faulty models!

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FDCPAGuy

May 6, 2009 2:18 AM

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EXACTLY the SD110 was included in the 'no image or distorted image on LCD' recall from 10/31/2006. So this wasn't so much above and beyond as it was repairing under recall. Still a nice outcome for the customer.

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Will Ross

May 6, 2009 2:41 AM

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@FDCPAGuy:
That recall was for a poorly manufactured CCD. The LCD is fine, and you can still navigate menus, just no image. I had to send in my camera a couple years ago for that same issue. Canon make nice cameras and nice printers, and I prefer to get them when I'm purchasing new ones.

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jdmba

May 6, 2009 1:25 AM

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I have always found canon to go above and beyond. On a repair of a camera I asked if they wanted a CD to show the bad pictures. 99.999% of the companies out there would respond \"Don't be stupid - did we ask you for a CD? Just send us the camera, minus the battery, memory card and strap.\"

NOT CANON! They said \"Sure - anything that I thought would help.\" They then turned it around 1 business day and included a complete report of what they tested, what they found, and what they did.

FANTASTIC CUSTOMER SUPPORT.

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Tian (www.tian.cc)

May 6, 2009 1:27 AM

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Canon Powershot SD110 was recalled by Canon. I wrote about it on my blog May 2008.

Here is a list of other models recalled by Canon:

Affected products:
- Camcorders: ZR60, ZR65 MC, ZR70 MC, ZR80, ZR85, ZR90, ELURA 40 MC, ELURA 50
- Digital Cameras A60, A70, A75, A300, A310, S230, SD100, SD110, A40(*), A80(*), A85(*), A95(*), S1 IS(*), S60(*), S200(*), S330(*), S400(*), S410(*), S500(*)

7 replies

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May 27, 2009 11:34 PM

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@Tian: Update: Just got my borked Canon S60 back from their repair department, and they fixed it up like new for free thanks to the recall! I was kinda hoping they'd give me a newer replacement model, but this'll do. My sister has an old A70 thats on the same fritz, so I'm going to send it in too before Canon cancels the recall due to the sudden influx of free repairs they are giving away!

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Raekwon

May 6, 2009 4:24 PM

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@Tian: Wow I never saw this recall either and my old canon I think is exhibiting exactly what the recall was for. I need to check on this. Too bad I already bought a new camera.

Oh and off topic but is this the same Tian from hanzismatter? I've been following your blog there for years. Small world seeing you here as well heh.

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Tian (www.tian.cc)

May 6, 2009 7:59 PM

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@Raekwon: Yes, it is indeed me.

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May 6, 2009 4:43 AM

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@Tian: Friggin' sweet! Thanks for the list, I own an S60 and recently the display has gone all Matrix-y and blurring vertically and purple. If they're able to replace it due to the recall then I'll definitely put the Canon T1i at the top of my list when I get a dSLR this summer!

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May 6, 2009 2:49 AM

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@Tian:
Yup, my camera is the PowerShot A75, and Canon repairs it for free, even out of warranty, because it was recalled. I also did know about the recall. In my case, I got the camera back, and I had to pay shipping, luckily Canon repair center is from car reach so that was not needed.

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May 6, 2009 2:11 AM

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@Tian: Oh balls. I could have gotten mine fixed/replaced. Oh well.

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May 6, 2009 1:29 AM

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Interesting. I never heard about the recall.

I own an A300 that's out of commission with the same problem and headed in to Canon for repair this week.

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legotech

May 6, 2009 1:43 AM

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I carried my canon with me EVERYWHERE for a couple of years and, totally my fault, killed it a couple of times (once I dropped it and then stepped on it cracking the screen!)...sent it to 'em and they fixed it even after the warranty period with no questions and no hassle.

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Christy Casper

May 6, 2009 1:46 AM

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That's pretty awesome. I emailed Remington about a hair straightener that had broken. They didn't even ask for a receipt, nor did they ask me to send the old one in. They just shipped me a newer one free of charge.

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Kevin Donnelly

May 6, 2009 1:58 AM

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I emailed Canon about buying a replacement battery charger (that I LOST on a trip, and I didn't hide that fact). They just asked for my address and I got a new one in the mail, no charge, in a couple of days.

This kind of service will buy you more brand loyalty then any amount of marketing dollars. Now when anyone ever asks me what kind of camera is good, I always recommend Canon.

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May 6, 2009 2:10 AM

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Blah. I had one of these. I wish I knew, something went wrong and I couldn't get a picture (the icons would show up, but nothing from the lens). I sold it on ebay though and got an PS 1100 IS. Worth every penny.

2 replies

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Dooley

May 6, 2009 8:10 AM

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You sold a broken camera on ebay?

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May 27, 2009 11:36 PM

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@Dooley: At least the sucker who bought it on eBay can now send it in to Canon and get a free replacement upgrade. Karma.

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May 6, 2009 2:16 AM

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I never thought I'd be writing anything nice about HP's customer service: I had a lemon DV9000 laptop, with a three-year HP CarePack warranty that set me back an extra $200. It had every problem common to that series: the left hinge split open, the DVD-RW drive popped open for no reason, and the motherboards (the factory board and two replacements) were prone to overheating and death.
The first four times it died, they repaired it.
Last month, when the third motherboard died, I started the process by asking them to replace the 2½ year old laptop. I didn't really expect one... but I'm posting this from the brand new DV7t-2000 notebook HP gave me.

I guess it never hurts to ask (and to document the repairs, and to be polite to the Case Managers, and to buy the factory extended warranty on expensive laptops, and to feed your kitties twice a day...)

2 replies

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ajlei

May 6, 2009 7:51 AM

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@oldgraygeek: I also have a dv9000 and my DVD drive pops open all the time! I don't have any of those other problems (my dad's identical laptop did, though, but they repaired it) but evidently there's not enough wrong with mine to warrant a repair out of warranty. Oh well, I bought it refurbed for a good price, I don't mind it wanting to open up a little.

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May 6, 2009 1:37 PM

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@ajlei: Mine drove me NUTS. The slightest flex on the case, even resting my palm on it to type, would close the contacts that popped the drive open.
There's a fix here:
[forum.notebookreview.com]

I haven't tried the fix: I convinced HP to replace mine on one of its trips back for other problems... they put in a different model drive that had no issues.

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May 7, 2009 5:10 PM

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@oldgraygeek: Thanks for that link. I have a 5-year old Compaq with a drive that is showing the start of these problems. That will be a great help if the problem continues to get worse.

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May 6, 2009 2:18 AM

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I have been looking for a digital camera for about two months now and after hearing these reviews about cannon, I would definitely buy one from them no matter the cost difference.

3 replies

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West Coast Secessionist

May 6, 2009 9:27 PM

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@Mknzybsofh: Almost everybody I know who has a camera chose a Canon, and it's because of how awesome that company is. My best friend told me about how awesome the cameras themselves were after he got his first camera, so I got my first Canon, then after a few years they replaced my friend's first Canon just like the OP. He subsequently bought 2 more Canons. At that point I started telling my other friends and they bought Canons too. Last month I just got my second Canon.

Those guys are a class act. They are proof, which needs to be thrown in the faces of the likes of HP, that if you treat your customers like royalty, they will be loyal for LIFE and make you $$$$$$.

I know I'd never consider another brand of camera now, and neither would my friends.

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May 6, 2009 12:40 PM

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@Mknzybsofh: Every single camera my company owns is a Canon exactly because of the story above and I find the image quality to be superlative. Spend the extra cash with confidence.

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May 6, 2009 2:51 AM

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@Mknzybsofh: The best thing is that the cost difference isn't that much.

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chris_d

May 6, 2009 2:22 AM

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Seems like a lot of companies could learn a lesson from Canon. They make great stuff, but I had no idea they stood behind it like this. Wow. Way to go Canon!

1 replies

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May 6, 2009 9:55 PM

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@chris_d: I had no idea either - and I actually have a broken Canon that I've been meaning to deal with. It was a gift in 2006, and it might be one of the recalled models. I'll have to check.

I don't know much about digital cameras, but if this was a regular camera I'd say the shutter is staying open too long. I was planning on taking it to a camera shop to see what they could do, or waiting for a bit to save up for something swanky. Now I just might send it in to Canon to see if they can repair it. I'd be happy to pay for parts / shipping - I'd rather not throw out a fix-able camera.

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tbax929

May 6, 2009 2:29 AM

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I just bought my mom a Canon digital camera for Mother's Day. I knew nothing about their customer service, but not I'm even happier with my decision.

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dave_coder

May 6, 2009 2:30 AM

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Definitely buy Canon. Great reliable products and awesome support.

/God I sound like a shill. :)

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May 6, 2009 2:32 AM

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My old bucket AE-1 has been my one and only love for more than 10 years.

sigh.. love Canon. So hard.

1 replies

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etru

May 6, 2009 3:05 AM

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I'm a Canon man here. Nikons have a slight edge on lenses but I find Canons better put together. I might even take a top-of-the-line Canon over a Lieca, but don't hold me to that. And yes, the AE-1 and A-1. Man those were and are good cameras and they were far ahead of their time (automatic shutter speed and lens settings!!). I miss film. I am no luddite but I am lucky enough to have a darkroom and it is a lot more fun than Photoshop.

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Skaperen

May 6, 2009 2:32 AM

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I recently switched to digital from film and switched to Canon from Nikon at the same time (obsoleting my Nikkor lens collection). I wasn't all that sure I made the right move, until today (and my 450D/XSi is still working fine).

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1stMarDiv

May 6, 2009 2:37 AM

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Canon is a terrific brand with outstanding customer service, but in my experiences I've found that Nikon is just as good. Even better, their cameras tend to be much cheaper than any similar model produced by Canon, yet the results are just as good (provided you know what you're doing).

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razremytuxbuddy

May 6, 2009 3:00 AM

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I've had a similar good experience with Canon. I sent them a camera that I had dropped. It was still within the warranty period, but I made it clear to them that I had dropped it on the sidewalk. They fixed it, cleaned, and tested it, and then returned it to me all for no charge. They were fast about it and communicated well, too. Totally awesome.

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H3ion

May 6, 2009 3:14 AM

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Canon optics were always as good as, if not better than, Nikon. I still have and use a Canon A-1, two F-1's and a Rebel EOS digital and a bunch of Canon lenses. I've been lucky in that they've never needed repair, just an occasional cleaning and lube. Great equipment.

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Mike Toole

May 6, 2009 3:16 AM

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Interesting. I've got an old Canon elph that broke last year-- I figured I'd ebay it for pocket change, but I'll inquire with Canon. My next camera is going to be one of theirs anyway, but it'd be super-handy to have an extra!

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Chris Knight

May 6, 2009 3:18 AM

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I just want to chime in and say that Canon has been absolutely fabulous to me in regards to repairs as well. I have a SD500 camera, for which I have two underwater housings which are not cheap. I put my SD500 into a cheap belt-case that I bought at Best Buy, and the snap on the belt loop pressed on the screen and cracked it. Completely, unquestionably, absolutely my fault. My camera was out of warranty, and I got an estimate for repair from the Canon website. It was under $200, and worth the investment as buying a new camera would mean replacing my underwater housings. I signed up for the repair and gave my credit card number in advance. When I got the email notice that the repair was finished it was with a note that the repair was done free of charge. Canon makes good cameras, but their repair department is absolutely the best. Canon stands by their products, and far too few companies do that these days.

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May 6, 2009 3:37 AM

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Canon is great unless you're trying to get one of their mail in rebates out of them.

Then they (or whoever they contract it out to) is a nightmare.

But they're great on product repair.

1 replies

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redkamel

May 6, 2009 5:06 AM

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@m4ximusprim3: I got all my rebates back for my dSLR equipment

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May 6, 2009 4:45 AM

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LG did this for a monitor for my boyfriend.

Paid for the shipping and everything... I told him to call them on the off chance it was still under warranty, or to have them fix it and just pay for it, since the problem was semi-simple and the repair would've been cheaper than a whole new monitor.

To our surprise, the Rep (not even a supervisor or anything) just said \"we'll send a box and take care of it, on us\". They called later and said they didn't have the parts, and would we like a refund or a larger size, nicer monitor.

I was very impressed, and he upgraded a few inches and to better quality.

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redkamel

May 6, 2009 5:15 AM

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heres another canon story: My parents live near the repair depot. The repair depot provides services through a front office kind of thing, cleaning and realigning lenses, sensor cleaning etc etc, without you having to mail it in. My dad took a digital video camera in because the screen was displaying weird snow.

The guy took a look at it and said \"come back in 2 hours\". My dad came back and the guy said the camera had a bent chassis which should have never left the factory, and gave my dad a new camera. No paperwork or anything. My dad was so surprised, he asked how the guy knew he didnt do it. The rep replied that if it underwent enough damage at my dads hands to bend the chassis, there'd be a lot more broken then the chassis, so it had to have happened in the factory. My dad became a canon customer for life (and me, too).

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May 6, 2009 6:55 AM

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Yeah, not so much. I bought TWO Canon SD1000's last year (one for me, one for the girlfriend). BOTH have failed TWICE now, same thing both times (lens will not retract), BOTH have been sent in for warranty service...

Latest escapade, and they're wanting to charge me $100 to fix a camera that's continually broken in the same fashion. Smells to me like manufacturer defect? I mean these things live in protective cases, only come out when it's picture time...

Wish canon would take care of me with two cameras that share the same malfunction TWICE in a one-year time period.

Fsck Canon; their DSLRs are not tops anymore, and I'll be getting Nikons to replace my POS Canon paper weights.

1 replies

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kane08

May 7, 2009 1:59 PM

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I have the same issue with my SD850 (my third Canon camera, shortest lifespan) that was never abused during my time in the Middle East. In fact, I used it a lot more once I returned and it very recently started displaying the \"Lens error, restart camera\" message and just like yours, the lens won't retract. I contacted Canon and explained the issue but they replied and gave me the following instructions:

Please follow these steps to attempt to resolve the problem:

1. Remove the batteries from the camera.

2. Let the camera sit with the batteries removed for approximately 20
minutes.

3. Reinstall the batteries and power on the camera. If you receive the
same message, your camera will require service to correct the issue.

If these instructions didn't resolve the problem, they stated that the camera is out of warranty and I have the option of paying for it to be fixed or trading it in. I am fully aware that it is out of warranty but considering the camera was never abused, the resolution to spend more money on something I spent a decent amount of money on really bothers me.

I truly believe that Canon cameras take the best pictures, but unreliable hardware with this problem doesn't have me convinced that I should continue purchasing Canon products in the future.

I'm not ready to give up yet.

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 9:51 AM

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All is not golden with Canon. I bougt a brand new, then-expensive Ixus and was able to take about a dozen photos before it failed. I took it to Canon (in Bangkok, Thailand, even though I bought the camera in South Korea) and they told me the camera had gotten wet, that there was no warranty coverage, and I'd have to buy a new one. Wet? Not to my knowledge. I have since bought two new cameras and five printers, NONE of them Canons.

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Ken Leebow

May 6, 2009 10:54 AM

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It's too bad Apple doesn't have a similar policy. My iPhone's WiFi stopped working - Apple's solution: Purchase a new phone.

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 12:33 PM

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For every good experience, there is a bad one. I attempted to get a warranty repair for less then year old camera. The camera was taking blurry pictures. Canon refused a warranty repair due to no proof of purchase(I know, my bad, but the model was only introduced to market two years ago). Paid for repair, only to again have the lens go completly kaput during a vacation to Europe. Dealing with them has been pleasant, but I just wish they would fix the problem.

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 12:38 PM

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I have had horrible customer service experiences with Canon and will never buy there product again based on repairs to one camera. It had the screen failure but it wasn't a recalled model, so I had to spend $100+ to replace it. Exactly one year and a few days later it failed. Guess what, that will be $100+ for us to look at it again says Canon. It may cost more to fix it. So when I bought a DSLR I purchased Nikon.

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May 6, 2009 12:38 PM

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Canon has very good overall service, but they don't always fix everything for free.

Last year I sent in my SD950 IS for an in warranty repair that was handled quickly and painlessly only to have the camera fail in the same way this past weekend. When I called up Canon, I discovered that their warranty on their own work is only good for 90 days.

If I want the camera fixed I'll have to send it in and pay about $130 for the repair. It's still cheaper than buying a new camera, but it is a little annoying given that their repair didn't last the full year.

I'm still a fan of their cameras, but I thought I'd chime in so that folks don't get an unreasonable expectation of what they can or will do. They will occasionally give you a freebie, but you might also need to pay for repairs even in situations that aren't your fault.

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albokay

May 6, 2009 1:01 PM

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awesome! i have a sd400 that the display is flickering and I get a purple hue on my pics. Im gonna call them up.

Thanks!

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 1:02 PM

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Wish I knew this a few months ago - my 2003 Optura 20 camcorder died for no apparent reason (no power-on), a quick search of the intarweb showed that yes, it was a problem, but most people just got a new camera. So I sighed heavily and gave up on it, sending it to the e-waste bin and getting another, crappier Mini-DV camcorder for $150. If I knew that Canon MAY have fixed it for free, I would have totally tried that, I was just worried that they would charge me a $100 \"diagnostic fee\" just to look at it (as is common practice in most repair shops).

I wonder how many cameras went into landfills due to fear of the $100 hit to open it up. Sigh.

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Michael Monaco

May 6, 2009 1:16 PM

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I love Canon's customer service. I bought a Canon for my first camera, which they fixed when the lens was jammed. I ended up buying an SLR from them a few months later. I plan on buying from them again in the future.

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May 6, 2009 1:19 PM

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Canon treated me very well last year. I had a point-and-shoot that stopped working (turns out the leads to the battery connections were improperly soldered and failed).

The camera was out of warranty by 5 months, but Canon had no problem fixing it for free. Also, I was going on vacation in a week and wanted my camera for the trip.

I dropped it off at a local canon building and I had it back in 3 days.

Service with a smile, I will buy canon again.

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Kos

May 6, 2009 1:48 PM

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I put Canon, North Face, and Shure in the category of companies with extraordinary customer service.

1 replies

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knyghtryda

May 6, 2009 4:05 PM

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@Kos:
+1 on shure. Expensive, but if ANYTHING (mine was beginning to fray near the buds) happens to your headphones, just send them back and they'll send you a BRAND NEW pair. Hey, if you're gonna charge $100+ for something most people wouldn't spend more than $30 on, its gotta be worth something in the end.

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 2:01 PM

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In my experience, Canon does NOT go above and beyond. I had a printer a single day out of warranty and they told me I was SOL and refused to repair/replace it.

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May 6, 2009 2:20 PM

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Canon simply makes the best cameras, just don't get the really low end ones like SD1200 unless its for your kids. Solid models like SD880 and SD960 for point and shoot are amazing. The picture quality on others like Sony just don't compare.

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Costner

May 6, 2009 2:21 PM

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This post just earned me a camera. I had the same issue identified in the recall on my Powershot S500 that was sitting on a shelf due to the defect. I had already replaced it with a newer model but just couldn't bring myself to toss the old non-functioning camera knowing how expensive it was originally.

One quick call to Canon and they are sending me a prepaid UPS label to ship the camera to them. They will then repair or replace it free of charge!

Thanks Canon...and thanks Consumerist!

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Amanda Possoby

May 6, 2009 2:36 PM

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I knew I was a Canon girl for a reason. I've owned at least 4 canon cameras in the last 10 years, and wouldn't trade them for anything.

Husband is a Nikkon fan... not sure if they'd do the same thing though!

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May 6, 2009 2:54 PM

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WOW. I have a two year old Canon camera with a lens that no longer fully extends, otherwise perfect condition. I think I'm going to try to send it in!

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Gweedle

May 6, 2009 3:53 PM

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Hmm.. I have a canon sx100 and it completely stopped working and I was a few days over my warranty and they weren't very helpful at all.. I wonder if it was the person I spoke with? I never got it fixed because I don't have the money to get it fixed but maybe I should try again since so many people have had good experiences!

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May 6, 2009 4:13 PM

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Guess I'm in the minority but I'd never buy a Canon camera product again. I had an Optura 20 camcorder which developed a stuck iris after about a year. Turns out that was an apparent design flaw. Google \"Optura 20 stuck iris\" and you'll get lots of hits. But Canon would offer nothing except to charge $150+ for a \"repair\" that, according to Web postings, lasted for only a short time. So I'm leery of taking a chance with another Canon product.

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BrazDane

May 6, 2009 4:40 PM

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Thank you Consumerist!

My present to my wife on our first anniversary was a PowerShot A95 which got exactly this problem described in the recall about 9 months ago, which really upset her, understandably.

I just emailed Canon to see if they could fix it. I always knew Canon was a good brand, but never really knew that their customer service was this good - maybe because I never needed them - which speaks well for their products. Had I known this earlier I would have bought a Canon DSLR instead of the Olympus I bought half a year ago.

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May 6, 2009 5:37 PM

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Well, I tried emailing them about my broken camera (the lens will not fully extend when I turn it on).

They emailed me back pretty promptly, after an hour or two, but the only options they gave me were to purchase a refurbished camera for $100, or send it in for repair at a cost of $79 plus parts.

Oh well.

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skelly

May 6, 2009 6:41 PM

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great story. i just sent my powershot A75 (from 2004) in for repair after contacting canon about that same service notice. my A75's sensor got damaged from heat exposure, so just as in the article's story, canon sent me a UPS label and i shipped it on monday.

hopefully they'll be able to actually repair mine instead of sending me a different model. for some reason the A75 takes gorgeous macro shots (for a point & shoot).

i'll comment here when i hear back from canon or when i get my camera back :)

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Anonymous

May 6, 2009 8:46 PM

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Thanks Consumerist! My husband's Canon S60 just started giving off similar symptoms yesterday and turns out to be covered by the same recall. We thought the camera was a goner for sure being out of warranty so long, but this post pointed us in the right direction. We called Canon who took down some info and promised to send out a shipping label pronto. Nice!

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May 6, 2009 9:03 PM

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Just called them up, my Canon S230 did the samething and was about to throw it away when I read this. They are sending the labels to return the camera to them for free repair.

Thanks

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May 6, 2009 10:06 PM

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I had a problem with the display on my Canon S2IS - it suddenly stopped working (after 6 months of use). There was a similar problem with the S1IS, which was eligible for replacement for that issue but not the S2IS.

I sent the Canon S2IS (paid for its shipping) for diagnosis. At first an employee said it could not be repaired but after talking to his manager and informing him of our plight, they were kind enough to replace it with a refurbished S3IS.

I liked Canon's line of digicams and recommended them to my friends before I had a problem with my S2IS. After the problem I wasn't so sure. However, looking at the way they dealt with this situation, I am more than happy to recommend it to my friends all over again.

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mrbofus

May 6, 2009 11:01 PM

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I love Canon cameras, but my experience with their customer service has not been so fortuitous. I had a Canon PowerShot a few years ago that decided to stop extending the lens when it turned on. Needless to say, that made taking pictures difficult. When I contacted Canon, I was told that the camera was out of warranty and that there was nothing they could do. They said I could send it in for repair but that I had to pay a hefty fee [I don't remember the exact number, but it was over $100] to do so.

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Mike Mancuso

May 7, 2009 12:15 AM

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I'll tell you what. Canon basically broke my 1 year old camera and scanner by not supporting Vista64. When I contacted them they basically told me beans. So I poo poo Canon!

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cccdude

May 7, 2009 12:25 AM

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Glad she had good luck. I had a Canon S400 go dead on me about a month after the warranty was up. My options? Repair it for more then the cost of the camera OR \"upgrade\" it to a refurbed S410 for about half the cost. Not a big fan of Canon CS after that...

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Anonymous

May 7, 2009 2:38 AM

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I had the same experience with Canon–my SD110 died, I sent it in, and they replaced it with a refurbished, superior model. This was four months ago, and I have sung their praises to the heavens since then. Are any other companies listening? This is customer service.

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albokay

May 7, 2009 2:58 AM

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I fired off an email to canon about my powershot and they are sending me my prepaid mailer to replace my busted camera. Ive already replaced the broken one but my girlfriends fugi broke the same time my canon did. So now she'll have a camera too.

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May 7, 2009 8:20 PM

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In other news, Canon saw a sharp uptick in RMAs today.

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Anonymous

May 8, 2009 4:10 AM

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I had a similar experience with my Canon SD100 - an even older model. I was going to trash the camera after almost two years of non use and (as expected) a non working CCD as a result. I decided to check the good 'ole Internets as I pitched it and was pleasantly surprised to find that Canon recalled it. Although I'm nearly possitive that the broken camera was the result of years without use, I was even more pleasantly surprised after digging it out of the trash that they fixed it for free in a little over a week. Even covered shipping! Go, Canon!

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Anonymous

May 11, 2009 12:55 AM

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FWIW I had a similar issue with a Sony DSC-T1 I purchased back in 2004. The display stopped working and the photos looked like they were taken on a bad acid trip. A friend pointed out there was a recall on my model (just before throwing it out). I called sony and they sent me a return label and I had my camera to them and it came back repaired in 10 days. I think they charged me $15 for shipping.

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Anonymous

May 16, 2009 4:26 PM

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Canon's customer service is superb. I live near St. Louis. After some email correspondence with the repair HQ, I sent my damaged camera to Chicago via Priority Mail (insured) on a Monday morning. Four days later, my repaired camera was delivered to my home via FedEX (at Canon's expense). I see several comments from reviewers about dropped digital cameras, The best advice I received when I bought mine was \"handle it like a piece of fine china.\" The old manual cameras were bulkier, sturdier, and tolerated much more physical abuse than these wonderful, but delicate, digital cameras.

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