35-350 Canon Lens

[kcm photos]

<p>I have been using a Canon 35-350 lens on an EOS-3 body for about 7 years to photograph horse racing. Last fall the lens started to fail to focus. I had it and the camera cleaned at a local repair shop, and the shop owner said the focusing problem was "fixed." However, it still fails from time to time. Has anyone else had this problem with this lens, and is it fixable? I love this lens. Or is there an economical replacement lens? I need the 350 to get to the starting gate. And I need the 35 or close to it to get those outside horses when they win! I have a 70-300, and the 70 is too long and the 300 doesn't quite cut it.</p>

[scott_ferris]

<p>Kathy,</p>

<p>The replacement for the 35-350 was the 28-300, it doesn't give you the reach you are after, but if you went digital and used the 1D series cameras you get a 1.3 crop so the focal length/angle of view is an effective 36-390. Obviously that is a big change from your current work though.</p>

[andrewg_ny]

<p>That's a high-quality lens, I don't know about 'economical' replacements, as most used copies would likely have some miles by now. I'd think sending it to Canon for repair would make the most sense. The newer 28-300 adds IS (stabilization) but is pretty expensive.</p>

<p>If you were shooting APS-C digital you could go for a lighter and less expensive Tamron 18-270 but I imagine the Canon 'L' is probably better optically and built to a higher standard.</p>

[jcvpictures]

<p>Hi Kathy.<br>

I had that lens and I am glad I don't have it anymore. Don't get me wrong, it was a good lens but I also had the same issue with focusing. Sometimes cleaning the contacts on lens and camera fixed the problem, but sometimes it didn't do the trick. I upgrade it to a 300mm f/4 and when I need extra reach I use a 1.4TC. Yes, I know is not a zoom but for me is fine. I also would take it to Canon.</p>

[fmueller]

<p>If you want to stay with film, you could take advantage of the fact that the price of film camera bodies has been in free fall since you bought your gear. It's much faster to switch cameras than lenses, and I bet you could pick up a second film body and two lenses that would cover your required range for less money and with vastly improved quality over any one lens replacement of the 35-350.</p>

[kcm photos]

<p>Thanks to all of you for responding. I'm going to try to answer to all of you. First, trying to use two cameras during a 17-second race isn't practical. I have four cameras and a multitude of lenses, but it's just not practical.<br>

I shoot the race from the starting gate to the wire, firing about 20 frames, and need the 350 to get to the gate and the 35 to get that outside horse at the wire when he's right in front of me. Granted, if I had loads of money I could buy my dream camera - the 1d mark 4 and get the 350 length. But that is out of the question financially. So is purchasing a new lens that won't do the job. And, the work I do actually requires that I be able to produce un-retouched negs!<br>

I talked to Canon early on in this problem, and they were of no help other than to direct me to a local fix-it place. He cleaned the lens and called it working. It did - for a few rolls of film.<br>

What I'm really looking for, I guess, is someone with the same experience who got their lens <em>fixed</em>. Where and how much.</p>