Adnan Siddiqui
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Posts posted by Adnan Siddiqui
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This has been the worst experience I've had with any company. No comparison by any means. I have sent lenses to Russia, Ukraine and Japan for servicing but never experience so much stressed as with Van Diemen.
They refuse to remove $2k USD for shoddy workmanship. They lied about the time frame and refused to every acknowledge they did anything wrong.
If you don't live local or don't have the ability to walk into their shop, then my advice is to avoid Van Diemen at all costs.
If you ship from overseas, Van Diemen will be super strict about the amount you put on the Customs document to avoid paying local duties, but when they send the lens back, they will put the full amount, so the customer has to pay the duties! WTF!
Unbelievable! AVOID VAN DIEMEN if you cherish your health!
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On 6/7/2021 at 5:20 AM, Attila Somos said:
Guys stay away from this Company it is a real nightmare absolutely unreliable unprofessional service
I have the same experiences with them go to TLS UK much better service
NIGHTMARE.....NIGHTMARE....NIGHTMARE....
My experience with Van Diemen is the worst customer service experience of my life....GUARANTEED!!!!
I finally found an associate who will be traveling to Surrey and I requested to have them retrieve the lens and pay via Banker's cheque or cashier's cheque, Van Diemen has declined that as a viable option, stating I have to wait 2 weeks before they can release the lens. A Bank's cheque is a guarantee of the funds availability and that the cheque will not bounce!!
But leave it to Van Diemen to complicate it!
FURTHERMORE, they are complicating my attempt to pay cash stating they have to meet bank regulations, "to prevent Money Laundering attempts." (email, June 14, 2021)
WTF!!!!
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On 5/13/2021 at 9:18 PM, Thanavorakit K said:
This is going to be a long, long journey for you Adnan. Like I mentioned somewhere here last year, my case took 4 years and ended up with VD claimed that he has sent my already lens but without any tracking number and no way to track it.
I hope you can get this solved before 2023.
It is now June 2021 and we are 3 years into this. The latest update from Van Diemen is "We reserve the right to start charging storage and interest if this is not resolved promptly and has to be taken further."
Van Diemen accepted Paypal to reel me in and now want cash and are threatening me with storage and interest charges.
When I showed concern about sending a wire transfer and about retrieval of my lens, Van Diemen says "The guarantee that you will receive the lens is my word"
LOL
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On 5/9/2021 at 3:13 PM, Phil Rhodes said:
With due trepidation about getting involved in this sorry tale:
I asked a few questions about this whole saga at the end of last year - not because I want to query anyone's account of what's going on, but simply to confirm my understanding. I didn't get an answer and when I chased up those questions, the chase was voted down. Adnan, if that was you, I would point out that all I'm doing is trying to figure out what's going on here, and little red down arrows aren't going to help anyone. I'll repeat the questions here.
I have no relationship with Van Diemen and all I know is based on the discussion in this thread. I hesitate to get involved, but since this seems to be an ongoing problem I'll try to pour a little oil on troubled waters.
Please confirm my understanding:
- lenses were submitted to the company who predicted a 90-day turnaround
- The company presumably encountered problems with the conversion and things took at least nine and a half months [now considerably more than that] longer than expected.
- The customer decided to cancel, but the company had already started work, and wants to charge a fee to return the lenses to their original state.
Without making any comment on who's right or wrong, is this summary correct?
P
(1) One lens was submitted for conversion with a predicted 90-day turnaround. It completed in about 2 years.
(2) Two lenses were submitted for servicing (repairs). One lens was serviced, and the other lens was sent back in the same condition as before (but Van Diemen demands payment for it regardless)
(3) Van Diemen accepted Paypal for 50% upfront deposit.
(4) Van Diemen refuses to remove charges for the lens that (in my opinion) is not serviced and I have provided them before and after photos (immediately upon receiving and inspecting lens)
(4) Van Diemen demands wire transfer only (no Paypal, no credit card). I refuse it because I have reason to doubt their service, as it is evident in (4) (unacceptable servicing while demanding payment).
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On 5/9/2021 at 1:17 PM, Philip Forrest said:
Have you secured an attorney to handle this? Or are you just going to try to put a dent in this business the grassroots way, while possibly committing libel? Again, another case for hiring an attorney just to ensure you are making your website above bar.
Phil Forrest
I have contacted multiple law firms to handle this matter, but I have been advised this case has better chance in personal court.
Committing libel: I have provided direct communications with Van Diemen since June 2018. If everything stated here is a fact, then it is not libel...especially since I can prove it with a paper trail.
This whole issue is a matter of what is considered 'reasonable service time'. Van Diemen email states 'within 90 days' to complete service. If the service is completed in 2 years, that is not reasonable. Furthermore, I have emails from forum members who are in the same situation as I am. In my opinion, this is a pattern and should not be considered a coincidence.
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Update: It took a while but I have made the webpage and intro youtube video about my awful experience with Van Diemen.
It will be followed by more videos.
https://vandiemenlenseshorribleservice.com/
While I am at a major loss, I hope this webpage and videos will help others make an informed decision before they ship off their lenses to Van Diemen lenses.
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On 1/25/2021 at 11:04 AM, Jaron Berman said:
I feel your pain and then some. With caveats.
In 2014 I sent a set of Leica Summilux-R's. In 2015 I sent an FD to complete the set. About 1 month ago, the final lens in my set was delivered. The rehousing work is stunning, beautiful and the set is without peer. However, it took almost 6 years. In the process of rehousing this set, I learned the harsh reality of rehousing - no matter who you choose to do the work, it's CUSTOM and slow and about the fastest jobs are 2+ years. TLS/P&S/Van Diemen - nobody will tell you but it's all 2+ years, and there will be delays and lack of information and you will be bumped down the list when a friend/bigger dp/bigger name needs work before you. That's how this works. I hate it, but it's the reality. We can be upset about our investments, nickle-and-dime, yell on the phone - but when someone with a bottomless wallet and household name comes in and says, "hey can you do me a favor and work on my set of lenses - I need them ASAP" - what do you think happens? Our place in line stays the same and they get added to the top. Happens at all the custom shops.
Rehousing is a hobby. Vintage lenses are a hobby. That's the ONLY mentality you can have because it's how things are. I learned that in year 2. I was planning on using my leicas for a project and the deadline came and went and I used other lenses. We can complain about all the business and money lost but until the glass was finished and in hand, I'd be foolish to pretend to count on them for professional use.
Christopher was always kind and understanding on the phone even when I was boiling mad. He's a man in his 70's who seems to want to walk away from the business when it's in good hands. And along the way he lost his engineer and other techs. And a pandemic hit. And it's increasingly difficult to find people who can actually do this work - which is why we have such few and expensive choices for this type of lens work. If I found a local shop that could do the work they do I would have used that shop.
I understand that my "place of zen" is only possible because I now have all my lenses in my hands, completed. And I was ANGRY at times for the lack of information, the lies about progress, the endless timeframe, the same story over and over for YEARS. But honestly, screaming and suing isn't going to get the end result we want - excellent work on our lenses at reasonable prices. I had to keep reminding myself of that - escalating wouldn't help anything. Was I willing to torpedo my project to feel like a boss and scream and make them rush to finish? Everyone in the world is into vintage lenses, rehousings, update work - and there are really only 3 places to go. All of them take years. Van Diemen may be the smallest and slowest. Until more people work their way up the engineering chain and start getting into esoteric lens work, this is how things are.
Thank you for the response. I can understand that a process can take long, but I do NOT agree with being lied to. Had Christopher been upfront (honest), I would have the option to accept or decline. But that was not the case. I'm now 2 months shy of a 3 years wait and devastating loss of revenues.
Just like your experience, Christopher was indeed "always kind and understanding on the phone even when I was boiling mad." But that does feel to me like the characteristics of a CONMAN.
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15 minutes ago, Thanavorakit K said:
Let me know when your website is ready. I can vouch for this.
Thanks! It should be ready within a week, and I will include screenshots of other people's messages who are suffering in the same manner
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31 months later....
We have now entered 2021 (3rd year) and Van Diemen is still sticking to the lies
Christopher from Van Diemen in a December 2020 email to me states that "There have been no unreasonable delays in completing the work you requested".
WHAT!! A wait of 2 years may be reasonable if they promised 18 months, but not when Van Diemen declared "90 days" as turnaround time.
I have people on multiple forums contact me about the same scenario with Van Diemen. However, they seemed to be afraid to speak up in fear of retaliation by Van Diemen, as is so obvious in my case.
Van Diemen has caused irreversible damage to my business. I'm unable to travel to UK due to the pandemic, but I have now developed a website to make the public aware of my horrible experience with Van Diemen. I will be launching the website soon.
Anyone who thinks I'm avoiding payment is simply missing the point of all this.
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On 12/9/2020 at 9:29 PM, Jasper Enujuba said:
I bought a set of filters and some basic equipment from Van Damien in mid-May this year. It was meant to arrive in 3-5 days. from purchase. A week later, I hadn't received the item. I called them and they re-assured me they got my order and would send it. This went on for a few more weeks. I called em saying I no longer wanted the items as it was now August. They promised a refund - this went on, no replies. Avoid this company.
Van Diemen reels you with their BS so you can shell out the 50% upfront. Then if you want to cancel because you find out the truth, they scare you with a cancellation service fee....so now you are in it and at their mercy
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On 12/8/2020 at 1:45 PM, Sergio Arguello said:
Exactly right, a lien is not by law the same as possession. If you decide to keep ones possession that
by definition is theft! So if VD indeed does shotty work they still feel the need to get paid?when In fact they
don't even let the customer inspect the lenses to at least have the conversation? Smells of something
gone rotten. It doesn't seem as if this person doesn't want to pay although he has shown pictures of
work that in our industry would agree that is quite substandard. That is just as it seems from afar.
As Sergio said it, I am disputing the shotty work that Van Diemen did and I will not pay them for it. For the lens they completed conversion after 2 years (instead of ~90 days), they demand wire transfer only! Thats crazy!!! I do NOT TRUST THEM after all I have went through with them!
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On 12/8/2020 at 12:37 PM, Mark Dunn said:
This isn't the case under English law. A trader often has a lien on goods for monies owed; it would surprise me to find out, for example, that I could demand my vehicle back from a US mechanic without paying him for the work.
The UK is a perfectly safe place to do business. This appears to be a dispute in which we don't have all the information- certainly not enough to conclude that VD is in breach of contract.
I NEVER demanded my lenses without payment.
I am disputing the charges for lens that was not serviced and Van Diemen is forcing the charges on me!
I am disputing their demand for CASH or wire transfer only, while they accepted 50% of the payment via Paypal and are now refusing to accept credit card or Paypal!
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Van Diemen claimed they aim to deliver in "90 days". I waited ~300 days before I felt it was an unreasonable delay.
If Van Diemen could NOT competently complete an order on time, they should have been upfront. Instead they MISLEAD me, so they can take my 50% deposit and hold me hostage, as they have been doing for last 3 years.
Van Diemen has an apparent advantage of the distance, and they are acting like gangsters.
Today, when I informed Van Diemen my intention to fly to UK to collect my lens and settle payment, Christopher stated, "We do not allow personal visits during the period of the Pandemic."
WHAT?!!!!
I cannot collect my own property during the "Pandemic" while people can carry on daily activities!
Why is my attempt to settle a business transaction considered "personal visits"?!!!
Wow!!!
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I don't know you Mark from "London" but in my opinion, you didn't care to read the thread. Your assumption that I changed my mind has NO basis. In fact, I urge you to show me how I changed my mind.
Here are facts:
June 2018 Van Diemen accepted 50% of my deposit via Paypal.
Feb 2020 Van Diemen refuses to accept final payment via Paypal. WHY?
May 2018 Van Diemen sends one lens back and it has no sign of servicing. Now they want to charge for it!!! See my photos I provided as evidence of BEFORE and AFTER.
June 2018 Van Diemen stated they ...we aim to deliver conversions in 90 days from agreement of terms and receipt of deposit.
CONVERSION TOOK THEM 2 YEARS!!! They forgot to mention that, because it will prevent clients from sending the lenses for servicing. But once the lens is in their possession, they can do whatever the hell they want......like what they did to me.....UNETHICAL!
VAN DIEMEN IS A JOKE!
Mark, in my opinion you have a good relationship with Van Diemen and are trying to show I did something wrong. But you do not know the facts. I welcome your feedback if it is unbiased.
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Bump. It's almost 3 years and Van Diemen will not send my lens back! It seems I have to travel to UK to retrieve the lens. This is unbelievable!!!
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Update: 2 more months and no response from Van Diemen. They are refusing to return lens and trying to charge for service they did not perform. Another person has PM me about the same HELL Van Diemen is putting them through.
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That the company!!
I have attached images of a lens (before and after servicing) they are trying to charge me ~$2k.
They kept this lens for 11 months and when it was sent back after "servicing/polishing" it looks identical to before it was sent to them!!!
They still want to charge for it!!!!
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Update: It seems Van Diemen has been promptly responding to perspective clients but refusing to answer my request to return my lens.
Someone sent us a email proof that Christopher from Van Diemen replied to their inquiry within 24 hours.
I paid Van Diemen and they have possession of my property but they don't care to respond in months.
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Van Diemen has been misleading me for 2 years. Now, they have stopped responding to my emails. I have been contacted by someone (who contacted Van Diemen for lens servicing) that Christopher promptly responds to his/her email! Of course, when Van Diemen wants your money, they will treat you like royalty. But once they get your money, they act like you don't exist.
I have taken heavy monetary losses due to their misleading promise. Now, they are intentionally make it difficult to retrieve my property.
This, in no way, is characteristic of a professional company. Van Diemen is a disgrace.
I will make another post highlighting their so-called service on my 50mm lens. After 11 months in their possession, they sent my lens back claiming to be 'fully serviced' but the lens arrived in the same condition it was sent to them.
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My name is Adnan and I sent some Lomo anamorphic lenses to Van Diemen in UK for servicing and upgrading. It has been an absolute nightmare dealing with them. Please read below:
In June 2018, I decided to service and rehouse my Lomo anamorphic square and round front lenses, so I personally contacted Van Diemen. Christopher at Van Diemen stated the average turn around time is 90 days for Square front rehousing (V2 version). He also stated that Round front servicing will take longer. Based on this information, I shipped the square and round front lenses to Van Diemen.
Round Front lenses were returned 11 months later in May 2019 and according to Van Diemen they were fully serviced. However, one lens was never serviced as it looks identical to before shipment to Van Diemen and after receiving from them. (I'll discuss that topic in a different thread with photos for proof)
35mm Square Front
20 months later, my 35mm square front is still in Van Diemen's possession.
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Please read below: The excerpts are from actual email communication between myself (Adnan Siddiqui) and Christopher (owner of Van Diemen)
2018
June 7 (Month 1): Adnan - What is the conversion time from receipt of my lens to completion? I have a Lomo 35mm Lomo Square Front 35BAC10-2-1
June 18 (Month 1): Van Diemen - ....we aim to deliver conversions in 90 days from agreement of terms and receipt of deposit.
July 4, 2018: Lenses received by Van Diemen.
July 6 (Month 2): Van Diemen - The time to do this work is estimated at 90 days from receipt of PO and deposit payment.
September 10 (Month 4): Van Diemen - ....we have parts in stock or arriving this week for the Lomo Square front conversions
October 31 (Month 5): Van Diemen - We about to start on the assembly of the first batch...We would hope to be delivering these in purchase order sequence during November.
2019
January 10, 2019 (Month 10) Van Diemen - The 35mm lenses...will all be assembled in sequence yours is no 9 on the list.
February 5, 2019 (Month 9) Van Diemen - The position with the Square front lenses....We should have them all done by the middle of March. Your order was 17th in the order book
March 8, 2019 (Month 10): Van Diemen - The Square front Total Conversion is on the bench ready for re assembly, but will not be ready for a while longer. We have had to make some on assembly modifications....These problems have now been resolved but we have been delayed whilst new parts were awaited I will let you know when your lens is nearing completion. We do still have 7 lenses ahead of yours to build.
March 26, 2019 (Month 10): Van Diemen - Your 35 is now 5th in lens for assembly.
April 2, 2019 (Month 11): Van Diemen - With regards to your 35mm we have all components picked and ready for assembly.
April 4, 2019 (Month 11): Adnan - I've decided to cancel the order because this is unreasonably a long wait.
May 17, 2019 (Month 12): Van Diemen - Your lens has been prepared for conversion and parts allocated it currently is no 18 on the assembly list.
May 17, 2019 (Month 12): Adnan - Back in Feb I was #9, then I was #5. Why I'm #18 now?.....this is too confusing. I wanted to cancel my order......there is no consistency.
May 20, 2019 (Month 12): Van Diemen - We have had some technical problems to resolve in developing the total conversion of the Lomo SF lenses.
May 28, 2019 (Month 12): Adnan - At this point, I do not wish to get a converted lens due to the design problems. You can do a simple PL conversion and send the lens back
July 1, 2019 (Month 14): Adnan - Christopher what is the status of my lens and I did not wish to proceed with the conversion just a PL mount. I inform you that a month ago
August 15, 2019 (Month 15): Van Diemen - None of these simple conversions of which work well reliably.
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Do we rebuild your lens as it was- this is costly in time . Who is going to pay?
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Do we ask you to reconsider your decision and have the work, we contracted to do for you, completed.
August 19, 2019 (Month 15): Adnan - I want to have 35 mm converted but this is beyond reasonable.
August 20, 2019 (Month 15): Van Diemen - ....we have now resolved the teething problems with the product and expect to catch up on the deliveries.
September 16, 2019 (Month 16): Adnan - There is still no timeline provided for the service completion
October 21, 2019 (Month 17): Adnan - I've been waiting for the V2 for almost 1.5 year. What is the delivery time for V2?
October 22, 2019 (Month 17): Van Diemen - Your Lens remains in exactly the same place in the assembly line as it did in the beginning…..assembly time is now about 2 weeks
November 2, 2019 (Month 18):Van Diemen - As soon as you confirm the order for a V2 conversion of your 35mm lens we will load the job...
November 6, 2019 (Month 18): Adnan - For the 35mm, I had agreed since last year. What do you want me to confirm? Has anything changed?
December 1, 2019 (Month 19) Adnan - I have not heard back from you in a month. I want to get my lens back.
December 2, 2019 (Month 19): Van Diemen - The price quoted for this V2 conversion is £ 5950.00 This quotation will expire at the end of 2019 the prices for 2020 will increase.
December 5, 2019 (Month 19) Adnan - I've sent you multiple messages between October and November but did not receive a reply from you. V2 for square front. This was agreed upon in July 2018!!
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20 MONTHS LATER (JANUARY 2020): No response from Van Diemen. Lens is still in their possession.
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Fully serviced and modernized by Olex Camera. Real PL mount
Text 718.662.1997
$3599 Or best offer
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Freshly serviced and updated by Focus Optics. Lense is still with Focus Optics if anybody wants to inspect.
$19k
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Lens set is sold.
Lomo ANAMORPHIC Round Front 300mm available.
Lomo ANAMORPHIC Round Front 50, 75 available
Lomo ANAMORPHIC Square Front 50, 80 available.
Lomo Standard Speeds, 10, 18, 22, 35, 200 available.
VAN DIEMEN will NOT return my Lomo anamorphic lens
in Business Practices & Producing
Posted
Phil,
I have been providing details about this horrible situation for almost 3 years. One of the lenses was sent in with a scratch on it for servicing and re-polishing. It was return 11 months later with the same scratch and was brought to Van Diemen attention immediately upon inspection. Attached are before and after photos.
'what was promised and what was expected' has already been documented on this forum IN DETAIL. Please read through the email excerpts from Van Diemen.