Let’s get straight to the point… you want a great lens, right? And you don’t want to spend a lot of money, right?
Fair enough. SIGMA is traditionally known for creating more affordable optics with outstanding quality, so if you’re looking for great gear at a great price, SIGMA is an excellent place to start! Not to mention that all new SIGMA lenses purchased from an authorized US dealer – or directly from sigmaphoto.com – come with a 4-Year USA Warranty.
But everyone loves a good deal, and if you want to save a few extra bucks, then check out the SIGMA Outlet! Here, you can find lightly-used, never-abused gear that has been thoroughly refurbished as necessary for it to work just like new, and in many cases, look like it never came out of the box!
All refurbished products purchased directly from SIGMA America are:
- Carefully inspected, cleaned, repaired (if needed), updated and tested by our in-house service department in Ronkonkoma, NY
- Complete with a new product box and instruction manual (if available)
- Guaranteed to function as new (may have some minor cosmetic flaws)
- Backed by a 90-day USA Warranty
Let’s learn a little bit more about how SIGMA America refurbishes lenses and what it means to photographers and video creators who need a good lens for less!
What gets refurbished?
Returns
The most common type of item that gets refurbed is a simple return. Whether it was sold at an authorized dealer or bought directly from our website, most returns are just mistakes – the wrong mount, focal length, or format – and although they are essentially new, they have usually been removed from the box, mounted, or otherwise handled by the purchaser. When one of these comes back to our service department, no matter how perfect it seems at first glance, we thoroughly inspect, test and clean it to make sure it works like new and looks as good as possible.
Basic Repairs
Sometimes, a lens comes back to our service department with a defective part, or perhaps something was bumped out of alignment during shipping. Regardless, we have a room packed to the ceiling with brand new parts specifically for this purpose – to take care of the issue and make the product as good as new, ready for a new owner!
Demo Units
In order to show off new SIGMA products at trade shows, dealers, and educational events, we need to have some demo units on hand. But after a while, we don’t need quite as many of them. Select lenses (the ones that have seen the least action) are sent to our service department, inspected, refurbished as necessary, and brought back to like-new status.
How does SIGMA refurbish products?
Our refurbishing process starts with our expertly-trained staff at SIGMA America. Most of our technicians have been with the company for years, some for decades! Thanks to their experience as a team, our service department performs a comprehensive visual and physical inspection. Following that, the product is tested with current a compatible camera or lenses, and checked for proper operation. A general maintenance and cleaning is performed, and if necessary, parts that are not functioning properly or showing wear are replaced. After assembly, the product is again tested, updated with the most current firmware, cleaned and packaged. Finally, it will receive a new box and manual, ready for the Outlet section of sigmaphoto.com.
Below is an example of how a lens that needs a complete inspection is stripped down, inspected, cleaned, and reassembled with a couple new parts. This time-lapse offers a glimpse into the talent and dexterity of our service technicians. What looks like a monumental task is routine for them (even with a camera hovering over their shoulder).
Are refurbished SIGMA products reliable?
Yes, absolutely. For two reasons: First, we do not refurbish heavily-used items, products with impact damage, road-worn demo lenses, or other gear that we can’t stand behind. If it can’t be made to operate like new without a lot of fuss, it won’t make the cut.
Second, we are 100% confident in the skill and experience of our long-time service technicians, who spend every day diagnosing, repairing, and refurbishing SIGMA gear. They’ve literally seen it all. The same service technicians that repair lenses full of dents, sensors covered in sand, and switches drenched in soda, are the ones who will carefully bring our selection of refurbished gear to tip-top condition.
And of course, we stand behind each refurbished product with a 90-Day USA Warranty, so you too can be confident that your SIGMA lens or camera is ready to go right out of the box, and for a long time thereafter.
How much money can I save?
Typically, SIGMA refurbished lenses and cameras are listed around 25% off their original retail price! Prices will vary, but sometimes even greater discounts can be had. Always keep an eye out for emails, social media posts, and other notifications from SIGMA America!
Where can I buy refurbished SIGMA gear?
Occasionally, SIGMA Authorized Dealers carry refurbished gear, but there’s only one place to buy refurbished SIGMA lenses and cameras directly from the source… the SIGMA Outlet on sigmaphoto.com.
