Canon 50mm 1.4 broken :(

[Seany88]

So I took this with me on holiday and it was working fine. I was using my other lens for a while but then switched back to the 50mm to find that it wouldn't focus. I couldn't manually turn the focus ring, it felt jammed up tight.

I took it in to fixation and they've quoted £101 plus VAT, saying that there'd been some sort of shock or trauma that has physically damaged internal components causing the zoom mechanism to become jammed.

Any ideas what I can do? I can't really afford to pay that, and the lens cost me £270!

[Mr Will]

The 50mm 1.4 is notorious for it. Impacts to the front of the lens body when focused anywhere other than infinity are passed directly to the focus mechanism and cause it to jam. There are DIY guides on the net for how to fix it if you are feeling brave. Shouldn't require any parts if you are lucky, just disassembly and unjamming.

[Seany88]

That sounds promising, think I will give it a go and see what I can do. Thanks

[RobDickinson]

Aye this is because of a very poor design and affects many owners of the lens. Which is why I bought the sigma.

Put a lens hood on it and never take it off and it should be ok,once repaired

[flat-planedCrank]

Doh

Heard about this too, taken to habitually focusing mine to infinity when putting it away.

[Seany88]

flat-planedCrank said:

Doh

Heard about this too, taken to habitually focusing mine to infinity when putting it away.

Does that completely solve the issue? I've had it for 3+ years and it had been fine, or I lucky.

[Mr Will]

Seany88 said:

flat-planedCrank said:

Doh

Heard about this too, taken to habitually focusing mine to infinity when putting it away.

Does that completely solve the issue? I've had it for 3+ years and it had been fine, or I lucky.

I believe it does, at least against mysterious "broke in my bag" failures. A lens hood should do the job the rest of the time.

[Seany88]

Mr Will said:

The 50mm 1.4 is notorious for it. Impacts to the front of the lens body when focused anywhere other than infinity are passed directly to the focus mechanism and cause it to jam. There are DIY guides on the net for how to fix it if you are feeling brave. Shouldn't require any parts if you are lucky, just disassembly and unjamming.

I checked the quotation and Fixation have put down the following required parts:
BARREL, CAM
GEAR, FOCUSING
SCALE, FOCUSING

So I'm not sure if I should try and give it a go myself now or not...any ideas?

[Mr Will]

I believe they charge a flat rate for repairs, regardless of how badly you cock it up. As long as you are reasonably hand with electronics and prepared to bail out if it gets too much, what have you got to lose?

[Craikeybaby]

Mine has been back to Fixation twice for this issue

[Seany88]

Craikeybaby said:

Mine has been back to Fixation twice for this issue

How much did you pay each time?

I wish I didn't cancel my insurance this year...!

[Craikeybaby]

The first time was still under warranty, the second time it was about £100. Probably not worth troubling your insurance excess for.