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Any expert/experienced Canon users- EF 70-200mm 1:4 IS Lens Matter/Question!?


sharon_goe

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<p>Anyone experienced enough with this lens, let alone any lens, let alone any unfortunate mishaps experienced such as damage incurred with any given lens and knowledgeable as to what types of issues can actually be repaired, vs. completely unrepairable -(i.e. has to be replaced?) Please respond to this post.<br>

I experienced an accidental lens drop and am dreading the worst given the lens is clearly not functioning now.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

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<p>You Said It G Dan Mitchell. The horror/shock of this moment, is one I'm doing my best to not utterly feel as the catastrophic and tragic event that it has been since my lens hit the floor. Against any or all possibilities, that the damage was immediately discovered and as the inability to focus- (gone) with everything still visibly 'in tact'- on/in the lens itself-I don't even know what realm I'm in right now. Except that I guess I was hoping that there might be any signs of hope that it doesn't necessarily mean what I think it means? ;/ Come one, come any or all, I do appreciate your feedback. And though only the Canon people will know or be able to authoritatively determine the diagnosis... or assess the true damage....I suppose I thought any number of 'experts/experienced' camera users, shooters, hardcore enthusiasts, let alone professionals- (or even what anyone should/would/could know about what it means when a lens hits a floor- unintended or accidental or otherwise...) could give me a direct 'heads up,' or some actual 411 or sharing of their experience/knowledge. <br>

Is my lens really broken? (Holy *) And Is it truly gone, because of a first time drop!? This is my shock and disbelief talking again. (Fighting back the tears?)</p>

 

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<p>Goodness. The first thing is to take a breath. Sometimes stuff happens. Yes. I do believe it is <em>really</em> broken. <em>Really.</em></p>

<p>Can we fix it? Yes we can. I am also utterly certain that Canon is <em>capable</em> of fixing it. Whether or not they will is based on how much you are willing to pay (ie. they will evaluate it, and quote you for the repair - as G. Dan said). Since you have no inkling <em>what</em> is <em>functionally</em> wrong, you have no idea what the cost will be. It <em>could</em> be as<em> simple</em> as the ribbon connector ripped out, and will require replacement (and calibration).</p>

<p>The<em> worst</em> case is that Canon will tell you it's not worth the cost to repair. The best case is that it'll take a couple hundred to repair. In the end though, it's just a lens, so pack it up, and send it in. Trust me, neither case is worth<em> making it worse</em> by having a conniption fit over it. </p>

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<p>Just send it in. You'll drive yourself nuts speculating. However, re 'anything can be fixed'--yes and no. My experience is that if Canon decides that it would cost more to put it back into refurb condition than the lens is worth, they won't fix it. That happened to me last year. I was switching lenses while doing macro work on the ed of a lake, and I dropped my 100L macro! It landed on a rock just low enough that it was also covered by water. Canon explained that even though the lens worked, to do all the repairs needed for them to be able to stand behind it--disassembling, drying, and cleaning everything, replacing the wet circuit boards, and the reassembling the lens and aligning everything--would cost more than a refurb. Essentially, it's like totaling a car--the car can be repaired, but replacing it is cheaper. With luck, you won't have the same experience, since yours did not get soaked. The sooner you send it in, the better.</p>
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<p>Don't know what happened to mine, but it stopped focusing close. Sent it in, somehow an internal barrel had gotten bent, I wasn't aware of any drops. They fixed it -- cheaper than buying a new one (and cheaper than buying a working used one on ebay too).<br>

<br>

Sh*t happens in life, this is pretty low on the bad life events scale. Send it in, pay the man, and move on.</p>

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<blockquote>

<p>The horror/shock of this moment, is one I'm doing my best to not utterly feel as the catastrophic and tragic event that it has been... I don't even know what realm I'm in right now. Except that I guess I was hoping that there might be any signs of hope that it doesn't necessarily mean what I think it means?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Are you being serious? The horror? Catastrophic and tragic?</p>

<p>It's just a lens. Stop whining like a verbose version of <a href="

Kurtz</a> and send it in for repair.</p>

<p>I love the sound of hyperbole in the morning.</p>

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<p>Something breaks... fix it. Life goes on and the world doesn't end.</p>

<p>You certainly must know that this is a fantastic lens that most people want to have in their arsenal. The IQ, compactness, light weight and smooth operation make this an L+ lens. You need to have it fixed.</p>

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<p>I think we are all missing the point here....</p>

<p>What I am really dying to know is, where is John Tran buying and selling 70-200 f/4L IS lenses for under $300? Please enlighten us. That lens has been at the top of my shopping list for about 2 years now but I haven't been able to swallow the $1400 price tag. Even a bargain grade used copy at Keh.com is usually in the $900-1000 range. So please John, do share.....</p>

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<p>Thanks everyone for your posts/feedback- and yes I am aware of how fantastic this lens is- and if my dramatic presentation was fodder for those few who felt compelled to respond with their own bits of cynicism or criticism, glad I gave you an outlet for that as well. For me personally, since I was awarded this equipment through an artistic grant that was hard earned, and I could never hope to purchase such quality gear (let alone maybe even cover the cost of any repairs-) with my own funds (or lack of-) this is why the matter for me was as personally 'devastating' as it was, and still dreading the potential outcome... I don't feel obliged to have anyone who can't understand this understand it... but I am grateful for all the posters, who offered supportive, hopeful feedback, and even helped to alleviate some of my worry by sharing their own experiences of being familiar with the situation/experience I'm in, let alone going through any necessary repairs themselves. Thank you, the lens is on its way in for repair, and hopefully the repair and cost will be do-able- and eventually, all will be well in my young photographic life, as well as the life of one such painfully dropped lens. ;) </p>
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<blockquote>

<p>Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. Call canon repair service. <strong>1-800-OK-CANON.</strong></p>

</blockquote>

 

 

 

 

LOL! I have a tshirt too: "I drop sh!t -- pricey lenses and new camera bodies... whatever! Call 1-800-DROP-LENS"

(personally I am amazed how much shock Canon's equipment can take)

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<p>Thankful for those who can boldly say: Been there. Done that. Got the T-Shirt. Now I can say it too and try to shake it off. :-) In this case, I was sad that apparently my Canon lens could not and did not take any shock. For what wasn't the most 'drastic' drop/fall- (chair to floor-) and the first ever, with only the lens cap popping off, I was mortified when i attached the lens and noticed immediately- no more focus and focus ring not turning smoothly. :( </p>
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<p>Hi Sharon,<br>

Reminds me of the first time I took my first car out on a drive... bumped and dented its back bumper backing out of the gate... that was nothing compared to the first scratch on the side squeezing through half a narrow gateway... looked like a jazzy sticker on the side panel :)<br>

When I got my first nikon FE2 and a zoom lens, I carried it in my wife's abandoned handbag (not the other way round, haha) and its strap came away and the thing fell on its nose on my first outing with it... the repair cost the same as a used replacement, and the front still wobbles!<br>

It's the mortification that gets to us, not the damage...they're just things! Cheers.</p>

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