Canon Named in Class Action Suit
Company Ignored Defect in Digital Cameras, Suit Charges
Sep 2005
A class action suit charges that Canon Inc. has sold digital cameras
with a serious defect that renders the camera inoperable. The so-called
“e18” error occurs when the lens sticks and will not move in or out.
• Class Action Suit Charges Canon Ignored e18 Error
“We have reviewed numerous complaints from consumers who gotten the
brush-off from Canon,” said attorney Richard Doherty of Horwitz,
Horwitz & Associates, a Chicago law firm.
“Canon has refused to stand behind the cameras, and offers consumers
who paid approximately $400 for what they thought was a high-quality
digital camera the option of a repair costing at least $150 or the
opportunity to purchase a refurbished, used camera for $175,” Doherty
said.
One disgruntled consumer, Bruce of Farmingville NY, was taking photos
in Australia when his the lens locked up on one of his Canon Powershot
cameras. “I called up Canon at $2 per minute and they said there was
nothing they could do while I was away and I should but disposables
instead (1440 pictures?). I told the man he was crazy,” he said in a
complaint to ConsumerAffairs.com.
“I received back an email and letter stating that they opened the
camera up, found some sticky substance inside and they were voiding the
warranty. They said it waould cost me $195.75 to fix the camera,” Bruce
said.
The class action suit was filed in the United States District Court for
the Southern District of New York. It was assigned to Judge Miriam
Goldman Cedarbaum, who presided over Martha Stewart’s trial and
sentenced her to five months in prison and five months of home
detention on charges of lying to federal investigators.