Apples

Apples

by Garik

submit your photo


Picture of the Week Themes
Suggest and vote on themes

Please participate in Meta
and help us grow.

Tell me more ×
Photography Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for professional, enthusiast and amateur photographers. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 1 down vote favorite

This lens has been sitting on the shelf for years and I recently hauled out my DSLR to play with it. Turns out the autofocus no longer works. I'm wondering if there's any kind of remedy for this short of sending it back to Canon? I may want to sell the lens and a $300 repair + shipping is as much as the lens is worth.

I've tried gently scrubbing the contacts with a microfiber cloth.

I don't think the lens has been dropped. Holding out hope for some kind of remedy.

share|improve this question
I would try another body with the same lens. This may also be a duplicate question: photo.stackexchange.com/questions/4518/… – dpollitt Jun 12 '12 at 17:33
1  
Also try switching the AF/MF switch back and forth a few times, and make sure it's firmly on 'AF' – djangodude Jun 12 '12 at 17:45
I've tried it on a couple bodies now. – Koobz Jun 12 '12 at 18:08
Unfortunately, it seems to be as firmly on AF as I can make it. – Koobz Jun 12 '12 at 18:09
2  
Doing a little checking: a used 70-200 F4 L in decent condition can be had for around $600. While it's certainly possible that a repair would be $300, it probably won't be that much. Not sure about your options, but my local shop has some kind of deal with Canon where they ship it to Canon, get an estimate, and I can then decide whether I want to go ahead with it. If I decide not to, all I pay is the shipping (usually around $35). If I do, it's just the cost of the repair. Might be worth looking into. – djangodude Jun 12 '12 at 18:30
show 3 more comments

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote

The best thing to do is send it back to the Canon Service Center. It won't cost that much if it's only a focusing problem. I had them fix a 50mm F1.2L and change the lens barrel for around $120, service charge included. This lens cannot focus and the lens barrel rubber is loose. They changed the focusing gears and the barrel, as may be the same problem as your lens, and it didn't cost that much.

It's never a good idea to mess around with such products as it may do more damage than good.

share|improve this answer
1  
I would disagree with the "never a good idea" bit. I have successfully fixed a number of lenses, both for myself and for some friends. However, I do electrical engineering with a side of mechanical engineering professionally, so I have some familiarity with fixing things. As with most topics, it's really a matter of what you're comfortable with. – Fake Name Jun 14 '12 at 8:16

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.