Buying a Sigma lens from www.onestop-digital.com - madness?

B

bozwellox

Messages
171
Edit My Images
Yes
Hello one and all,

This lot are selling the Sigma 30mm F/1.4 for £299, much cheaper than everywhere else. However, I am a bit wary due to the reputation Sigma have for poor quality control, specifically with focussing issues.

Has anyone had any experience of them, specifically with Sigma lenses with focussing issues? I assume the lens would need to go back to Sigma Hong Kong?

Any comments/horror stories welcomed!

Thanks,

Paul
 
I had one of these lens and it is stunningly sharp. I bought mine second hand from here and it really was good. If there is any focusing issues with the lens Sigma UK will take it back and recalibrate it, but there is a fee involve (£40-50 from memory). So this would still be cheaper than buying in the UK.

Edit: I just found the link - it is Tariff No. 1. (£37.99)
http://www.sigma-imaging-uk.com/support/tarrifs.pdf

You need to allow for postage and VAT
 
Last edited:
To be fair to Sigma I think that their quality control is much improved of late. Considering the high volume of lenses they make the %age of problems is pretty low and I have used and owned quite a few Sigma's with no problems.

Cheers

Andy
 
Lens have a international warranty, so you can send to sigma UK if you have any issues. - But you wont get the extended 3yr warranty
 
Thanks for the replies! Just spoke to Sigma UK and was told that whilst the lens would be covered by a 1 year warranty, they wouldn't honour it if they found that UK import duty had not been paid, which I'm assuming OneStop-Digital don't pay?

The chap I spoke to also confirmed it would be £37.99 for a calibration (thanks DaveKing for the link).

Hmmmm...decisions!
 
Dogfish_magnet said:
Lens have a international warranty, so you can send to sigma UK if you have any issues. - But you wont get the extended 3yr warranty
Click to expand...

Yes, but they will only honour it if it has a fully tax paid invoice.


ON the otherhand, I have used OSD for several sigma lenses in the past and always had no problems. Their customer service is quite good. If you do a forum search for them, you can find loads of old threads covering this company. :thumbs:
 
I have a Sigma 30mm, bought secondhand from Ebay. It's been my favourite lens since purchase and it's rarely off the camera (also a 40D). It's a lens that I can highly recommend - Flickr set here and this thread on the Flickr group for this lens is worth a read.

There are more people being worrying about potential problems with this lens who haven't bought it than there are people who have bought it reporting problems. There are a lot of people who have bought it and are worrying about focus charts who haven't yet taken the lens out of the box.

I have used OneStopDigital for other purchases (Sekonic lightmeter) and they avoid import duty and VAT by being creative with the value declared on the package. At that price I would be very tempted by OSD. If they had a better price on the 85mm I would be extremely tempted by that.
 
Yv said:
Yes, but they will only honour it if it has a fully tax paid invoice.


ON the otherhand, I have used OSD for several sigma lenses in the past and always had no problems. Their customer service is quite good. If you do a forum search for them, you can find loads of old threads covering this company. :thumbs:
Click to expand...

I have had one repaired , which i have also registered on the sigma website, which they have identified as an import without having to produce any type of invoice. may of just been lucky
 
Last edited:
I had this same problem, bought my 24-70 from Onestop digital. As stated though, I had to send it in for recalibration and they charged me for it due to no proof of duty paid.....:whistling:
 
bozwellox said:
Thanks for the replies! Just spoke to Sigma UK and was told that whilst the lens would be covered by a 1 year warranty, they wouldn't honour it if they found that UK import duty had not been paid, which I'm assuming OneStop-Digital don't pay?

The chap I spoke to also confirmed it would be £37.99 for a calibration (thanks DaveKing for the link).

Hmmmm...decisions!
Click to expand...


MJ Stebbings said:
I had this same problem, bought my 24-70 from Onestop digital. As stated though, I had to send it in for recalibration and they charged me for it due to no proof of duty paid.....:whistling:
Click to expand...


Dogfish_magnet said:
I have had one repaired , which i have also registered on the sigma website, which they have identified as an import without having to produce any type of invoice. may of just been lucky
Click to expand...


I would say very lucky ;)
 
I think you take your chances, if you get caught, be prepared for the 20% VAT.
Some of the lenses arent worth the risk at the price they sell them at (less than £100 saving) however, they have the Canon 24-105 F4L for £699.99. WEX sell it at £918.99. Thats a nice saving of £219. If you get caught and have to pay the 20% VAT, then it brings the lens total to £839.99... so still saving £79.

If I was to buy from OSD, I'd make sure I have the cash to cover a nice lump of sum of 20%, and remember if you need to send it for recalibration then you either send it back to HK or pay for it to be sorted out here
 
MJ Stebbings said:
I think you take your chances, if you get caught, be prepared for the 20% VAT.
Some of the lenses arent worth the risk at the price they sell them at (less than £100 saving) however, they have the Canon 24-105 F4L for £699.99. WEX sell it at £918.99. Thats a nice saving of £219. If you get caught and have to pay the 20% VAT, then it brings the lens total to £839.99... so still saving £79.

If I was to buy from OSD, I'd make sure I have the cash to cover a nice lump of sum of 20%, and remember if you need to send it for recalibration then you either send it back to HK or pay for it to be sorted out here
Click to expand...

OSD will refund VAT
 
VAT Reclaim

So they do
However, you will have to pay up front, so dont spend £700 on a lens without a back-up plan

The only risk then is if you get a "soft" copy. Either way, you have to ship it back to HK or you have to pay to have it sorted. No big deal, but something I would always factor in to the cost when buying. If it saves you money after one repair, great! If you dont have to send it in to repair, even better! :lol:
 
Alastair said:
I have a Sigma 30mm, bought secondhand from Ebay. It's been my favourite lens since purchase and it's rarely off the camera (also a 40D). It's a lens that I can highly recommend - Flickr set here and this thread on the Flickr group for this lens is worth a read.

There are more people being worrying about potential problems with this lens who haven't bought it than there are people who have bought it reporting problems. There are a lot of people who have bought it and are worrying about focus charts who haven't yet taken the lens out of the box.

I have used OneStopDigital for other purchases (Sekonic lightmeter) and they avoid import duty and VAT by being creative with the value declared on the package. At that price I would be very tempted by OSD. If they had a better price on the 85mm I would be extremely tempted by that.
Click to expand...

Some lovely shots in there, I want one!
 
bozwellox said:
Some lovely shots in there, I want one!
Click to expand...

Thanks Paul.. it really is a cracking lens, perfect walkabout prime on a crop sensor.
 
OP. Try the link below. They are the only UK based company allowed to sell refurbished Sigma lenses. Earlier this year I bought a Sigma 150-500 from them and you wouldn't tell the difference from new. You also get a Sigma 3 year warranty, if purchased from GWC. Their prices are very good too.


http://www.greatwesterncameras.co.uk/
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top