I received an announcement email today that OMDS Canadian Service will now be available through Sun Camera Service, located in the Toronto area.
When Olympus transferred its Imaging Division over to Japan Industrial Partners on January 1 2021 a large number of worldwide personnel were cut. It is my understanding that this included all of the Canadian personnel who were directly involved with the Olympus Imaging Division.
This meant that Canadian owners of Olympus gear needed to send their equipment to the USA for warranty and other repairs. Having OMDS Canadian Service through Sun Camera Service is a positive development.
I imagine that this arrangement has been in the works for some time. On a personal basis I’m pleased to see the creation of this OMDS Canadian Service arrangement. I’ve been expressing my concern to my main contact at OMDS that not having Canadian warranty and repair support in this country was be a negative for the brand that could inhibit growth.
We are lucky in New Zealand that the same company, who have always provided excellent service, was maintained during the changeover so all the decades of experience are on tap for the future. Phew!
Hi Mark,
I don’t have any factual background on why a Canadian warranty/repair outlet was re-established in Canada. I suspect that OMDS assumed that they could handle service here with a US-based service and have Canadians ship their gear across the border. OMDS may have experienced a lot of pushback from Canadian owners and perhaps a corresponding decline in sales volume as a result.
Tom
This surely is good news! My previous experience with Sun Camera for Canon repairs was exceptional.
When I switched over to Olympus, I was equally impressed by their service centre in Mississauga. I became an Olympus Pro Advantage member, and the warranty repairs and ‘free’ clean and checks were handled exceptionally well.
The OMDS takeover, and subsequent changes in service for Canadian owners, was disappointing in the least. The cost and inconvenience to ship to New Jersey with customs and insurance was a limiting factor. I felt Canada was now an afterthought for OMDS and that we had been shut-out.
The result was that I did not renew the Olympus Pro Advantage membership, was hesitant to invest further in new equipment, and seriously considered a move to another system.
So, this for me is fabulous news! I am encouraged and moderately more confident in the brand support moving forward. I have full confidence in Sun Camera, and will perhaps reconsider my OM System/Olympus PRO Advantage membership.
Hi Daniel,
Thank you for sharing your earlier experiences with Sun Camera as this will be meaningful for other Canadian owners of Olympus/OM System camera gear.
Tom