To repair or not to repair...?!?

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Tyrone
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Hi,

So a short while ago I got a dreaded error 70 code on my 5d mkii. Which wouldn't go away, even after taking card, lens and batt out over night etc. Still the same when I turned it on.

I handed the body to calumet, who sent it off to canon, a week later I get a £649 repair bill..... Arghhhhhhh!!!!!

Considering I could probably get a second hand body for that place, even though mine is/was in v good condition.
What should I do????

Suck it up and pay the money.

Tell them they're crazy, and buy another body for that money, which I can't afford btw...

Politely say no thank you, and source another quote, either by sending to canon myself, or to another repairer??

Help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
A second hand body from a reputable dealer will come with some warranty, but this will be limited and you say that you can't really afford it, so I'd think about getting another quote first. Must admit that I have no experience with UK repairers though. Do they charge a fee to examine the camera if you don't accept their quote? This is standard practice in SA, and can be enough to leave you seriously out of pocket and still without a camera.
 
Hi,

So a short while ago I got a dreaded error 70 code on my 5d mkii. Which wouldn't go away, even after taking card, lens and batt out over night etc. Still the same when I turned it on.

I handed the body to calumet, who sent it off to canon, a week later I get a £649 repair bill..... Arghhhhhhh!!!!!

Considering I could probably get a second hand body for that place, even though mine is/was in v good condition.
What should I do????

Suck it up and pay the money.

Tell them they're crazy, and buy another body for that money, which I can't afford btw...

Politely say no thank you, and source another quote, either by sending to canon myself, or to another repairer??

Help please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Ty,

Sourcing alternative quotes or going straight to Canon are likely to get you similar results.

I had a similar bill for a D700 (it was £700+) I found an immaculate replacement with a 30k shutter count on ebay for £540

If you need a camera you'll find a way!
 
When you're getting quotes for repairs always get more than one. Calumet is a household name in photography so they'll be like the Toy-R-Us of the toy world i.e. more expensive than some others. Google Canon authorized repair centres from wherever you are and see what the others would have to say. In saying that I'd just get another camera.

You could even look at a 2nd hand 6D. It's better on paper than the 5D MKII with the exception of a 1/4000 max shutter on the 6D over the 1/8000 on the 5DMKII. Personally I would use this as an excuse for an upgrade but that's just me :). Hope you get it sorted.
 
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Try talking to Don Clark who is at Wotton under edge. I took my 24-105 which also had a known error message... He did what he said, when he said at a price I thought reasonable. It's a little way for you but could save you a bunch perhaps.
 
It was one of my first L lenses so quite a while... Not sure exactly. Yes bought it here. He does the work at his shop in Wotton. Clifton Cameras send repairs to him.
 
Thank you all for the responses! I think it's best that I try to get another quote, from a lesser, canon approved server! Then take it from there. It may be that I end up buying another body, to ably second hand.
I bought the camera new from calumet, about 6 yrs ago.
At the time the 7d came out pretty soon after, and was geared more towards the videographer. I imagine that the newest 6d is somewhere I ln between! I am primerally a photographer so would be leaning towards the 5d mk ii or iii
 
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Now you've sent it in, I'm sure there'd be a fee to return to you if you don't accept the quote. I had a 7D repaired a while ago and that was the case (so I didn't bother sending it to them, I went to another repairer, not authorised). You could add the return cost to a quote from someone else (they will have told you what repair needs doing in their quote so you can pass that info on), and work out what's cheapest. However, not sure if it still the case, but Canon authorised repairers used to do a general service with all repairs, so you'd know that you were getting a camera back that was better than most you could buy second hand without any risk. Plus if you bought the camera from new or have had it a long time you know what kind of life it has had, whereas a second hand one even with a 1 year warranty wouldn't be as trustworthy IMO. :-)
 
So, what news, Steve? Always like to hear how canon deal with people.
 
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