<p>Jim, I also have a broken EF35/2. It won't even focus manually. I just got a call from the Canon authorized repair shop with a repair estimate of 17,000 JPY, or about 200 USD. No thanks. That's about half of what I paid for it new. Will I buy another copy? No. Including myself and two reviewers on the FM forums, you are the fourth person I know of to have this lens break. I can attest that I did not abuse my lens. Its untimely death seems to be a build quality issue, among other issues. </p>
<p>Optically, I had no complaints whatsoever. I loved the compact size, but I had problems with the flimsy lens hood, which takes fine micromotor skills to attach, but then won't stay on. I had mine fall off, bounce, and then roll across the floor of an auditorium during a graduation ceremony. My solution was to switch to a Nikon screw-on hood. It may have been this metal hood which, despite its light weight, might have taxed the focusing mechanism to death. </p>
<p>A major EF35/2 issue, and perhaps the best reason for me not to repair it, is the autofocus motor noise. When it turned heads on a loud commuter train, I had to switch it to manual focus. </p>
<p>My next lens in this range to replace my 35/2 will likely be either the Voigtlaender 40/2 (manual focus only) or the Sigma 30/1.4. Like you, Jim, I've already got the range covered with good zooms, so if it's not a fast prime, I don't really need it. On the other hand, while I lust after the EF35/1.4L, the price is prohibitive, and the weight and size are a turnoff, hence the attraction to the 40/2, which is a pancake lens. For your needs, if you ever do get a 5D, note that the 40/2 covers full-frame 35mm format, but the 30/1.4 does not. You've already got great lenses, so I vote for the Italy trip.</p>
I wanna wide prime
in Canon EOS Mount
Posted
<p>Jim, I also have a broken EF35/2. It won't even focus manually. I just got a call from the Canon authorized repair shop with a repair estimate of 17,000 JPY, or about 200 USD. No thanks. That's about half of what I paid for it new. Will I buy another copy? No. Including myself and two reviewers on the FM forums, you are the fourth person I know of to have this lens break. I can attest that I did not abuse my lens. Its untimely death seems to be a build quality issue, among other issues. </p>
<p>Optically, I had no complaints whatsoever. I loved the compact size, but I had problems with the flimsy lens hood, which takes fine micromotor skills to attach, but then won't stay on. I had mine fall off, bounce, and then roll across the floor of an auditorium during a graduation ceremony. My solution was to switch to a Nikon screw-on hood. It may have been this metal hood which, despite its light weight, might have taxed the focusing mechanism to death. </p>
<p>A major EF35/2 issue, and perhaps the best reason for me not to repair it, is the autofocus motor noise. When it turned heads on a loud commuter train, I had to switch it to manual focus. </p>
<p>My next lens in this range to replace my 35/2 will likely be either the Voigtlaender 40/2 (manual focus only) or the Sigma 30/1.4. Like you, Jim, I've already got the range covered with good zooms, so if it's not a fast prime, I don't really need it. On the other hand, while I lust after the EF35/1.4L, the price is prohibitive, and the weight and size are a turnoff, hence the attraction to the 40/2, which is a pancake lens. For your needs, if you ever do get a 5D, note that the 40/2 covers full-frame 35mm format, but the 30/1.4 does not. You've already got great lenses, so I vote for the Italy trip.</p>