I need advice on a problem lens

[D. King]

A little less than two years ago I bought a Canon EF 24-105 lens.  After using it for awhile I noticed that when the lens would refocus it would hesitate for a split second -- a kind of stop and jerk as if something was binding and then letting go.  I sent it in to Canon repair and they made some kind of electronic adjustment.  After a couple of months the jerking returned.  I sent it in a second time and they took it apart and said that some dirt had gotten into the mechanism during assembly.  The lens worked okay for a bit, then began to act up again.

I've just returned from a trip to Toronto and see that the lens is intermittently soft.  It appears that whatever defect has been causing the jerking movement is now compromising focus.  

Since it's almost two years and the lens is out of warranty, I'm not sure the best approach re Canon.  (I was told at one of the camera stores that here in California we have a lemon rule.  If they can't make it work properly after three tries they have to replace it.)  

Any thoughts or suggestions?


Thanks

[The View]

They couldn't repair the lens.

That's quite simply it. After all those repairs, which always tried to fix the same fault (which was covered under warranty).

In one case they, as you wrote, admitted they made a mistake.

So, as the warrantied fault was never really repaired, you could argue you got a lemon that never really worked and ask them to replace the lens.

[Richowens]

One little problem, the California Lemon Law (Beverly-Song Act) only applies to vehicles, not consumer goods.

You can try the Magnusson Moss Act, which is a Federal consumer goods warranty law.

[David Anderson]

Before you call your lawyers I would try having a conversation about them about the lens - present them with the facts and samples in a polite and measured way and see what their response is, in my experience Canon are very good at dealing with problems (here in Oz anyway) and work hard to keep everyone happy.

[D. King]

I did call Canon yesterday and they are going to try again to fix the lens.   This will be the third time.  Of course I won't know how successful this fix is until I use the lens for a few months.  It's beginning to feel like a secondary career.  Hopefully one I can retire from after this fix.  

Thanks all.

[The View]

One little problem, the California Lemon Law (Beverly-Song Act) only applies to vehicles, not consumer goods.

You can try the Magnusson Moss Act, which is a Federal consumer goods warranty law.

I wasn't referring to law.

More to a good will action from Canon. I have heard they have an open ear for problems, and are willing to fix problem equipment.

So I meant to get a good connection, not wave with the law book.

[The View]

I did call Canon yesterday and they are going to try again to fix the lens.   This will be the third time.  Of course I won't know how successful this fix is until I use the lens for a few months.  It's beginning to feel like a secondary career.  Hopefully one I can retire from after this fix.  

Thanks all.

Good luck.

Try to get minute information about what was wrong with your lens.

[D. King]

An update on the problem lens.  

After talking to a sympathetic and understanding rep I sent the lens in for repair.  A few days later I got an email saying they were going to charge me $150 (estimate) to fix it.  Since it had been in twice before the same problem I didn't think that was right so I called them.  After explaining the situation to three different people I was escalated to someone with real authority.  It took him about a week to get back to me but I got a call today that they had examined the lens and replaced the IS.  Since the problem involved the elements binding and then let go when auto refocusing that seemed peculiar but the rep said that a defective IS could cause that to happen.  Who am I to argue?  

They are not going to charge me for the fix since the IS was defective from the beginning.  If this does not fix the jerky refocus problem then I will expect them to replace the lens.  

Hopefully this fix will take.