Sigma in Successful Lens Return Shocker

My Sigma 50mm lens has been returned, repaired. I have to say that Sigma's customer service has been rather good. 

I set the lens via Royal Mail and it was delivered to their facility at 10am the following morning, according to the parcel tracking information. By 2pm, I had an email from Sigma acknowledging receipt. A couple of hours later, I had a repair estimate and I sent the authority to proceed that evening, which they acknowledged the following morning.

Then things took at bit of dip. Ten days went by before I emailed for a progress update. Fair enough, they responded the next day and I now have the lens back in my possession. And I've been charged what was estimated. 

So all in all, its a thumbs up from me for Sigma: good comms, acceptable turn-round time, charges as estimated. 

Good News, Bad News

Good news first: I now have film in my MTL3. Not Tri-X - Ilford HP5 Plus 400 - but film none the less. I was wandering past a branch of Jessops, popped in and that was all they had. I've been taking some happy snaps so watch this space for news of the result - I haven't actually established that the camera is working yet.

The bad news: my Sigma 50mm macro lens has developed a fault. The focusing ring has jammed such that I can't focus any closer than 0.6 m, which is pretty useless for a macro lens. A return to works job, I'm afraid and no more flower images in the meantime.

Oh well. The summer garden is almost over and I do have a fair few images backed up which will hopefully tide me over until my lens is fixed.