On a shoot today, I dropped my 85L II from about 3 feet onto pure concrete. The glass from the ND filter cracked but no damage was taken to the cosmetics of the lens. But now the lens won't autofocus!! Can't even use manual focus since it's focus by wire.
Has anyone repaired their 85L or had a similar accident? I wonder how much it'll cost to repair such a clumsy mistake
It is impossible to say how much it will cost without knowing what part(s) were damaged.
The lens could have damage to the AF motor or circuit board, requiring complete replacement, or it could be something minor like a loose cable, requiring only disassembly, checking, cleaning, and reassembly.
Also keep in mind that the optics may appear fine but there may be misalignment, or sub-barrel or diaphragm damage not visible unless the lens is operated and images are taken.
The only way to know the repair cost is to send it in. However, assuming all glass elements are undamaged, the repair cost should not be very high, as it is the glass that costs the most to produce.
amph1bius wrote:
Damn, just called a repair shop and it's a $1200+ repair bill.
Why don't you have it sent in to a Canon Service Center? A repair shop is not exactly going to quote you the lowest possible price. They may quote you a high price because they don't know what is wrong and want to make sure you go in with the appropriate expectations.
Oh good idea, I will have Canon take a look at it. The guy quoted me over the phone for the AF board (if it was broken) would amount to $1000+ just for the part and $500 of labour.
Sorry you dropped the lens. In the future, I recommend a supplemental insurance policy to cover your gear. For personal articles policy in the US, runs about $10 or so a year for every $1K of insured gear.
amph1bius wrote:
Oh good idea, I will have Canon take a look at it. The guy quoted me over the phone for the AF board (if it was broken) would amount to $1000+ just for the part and $500 of labour.
Whoever the guy was you spoke to, that doesn't sound right at all based on the following understanding I have:
First of all, there isn't such a thing as an "AF board". All lens electronic/control circuitry is located on one main printed circuit flexboard. My guess is that flexboard retails for max $300. Either way, that price could be checked independently. (Edit: the main flexboard for 85L is less than $60 retail according to my Canadian source )
Second, it is unlikely the flexboard would suffer a damage in the fall. More likely it is one of a great number of plastic (or metal) components which make the USM AF drive. For example, copper/bronze brushes on the AF positioner might have slipped of the MF ring, etc.
Also, I think there is lottsa fat in that $500 labour "estimate". Perhaps an assumption was made that the entire lens needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.
All in all, before that lens is opened up and looked at, no one is in a good position to tell ya what the damage would be.
jrscls wrote:
Sorry you dropped the lens. In the future, I recommend a supplemental insurance policy to cover your gear. For personal articles policy in the US, runs about $10 or so a year for every $1K of insured gear.
I just talked to my State Farm guy about insuring our camera equipment. If it's not used for business purposes (just a hobby), it was $1.38/$100 insured, added to our existing personal articles policy we have for jewelry and expensive instruments the kids play.
Patty Streufer wrote:
I just talked to my State Farm guy about insuring our camera equipment. If it's not used for business purposes (just a hobby), it was $1.38/$100 insured, added to our existing personal articles policy we have for jewelry and expensive instruments the kids play.
My State Farm agent said the same thing, even the 'pro' insurance is only $2.04/$100.
PetKal wrote:
Whoever the guy was you spoke to, that doesn't sound right at all based on the following understanding I have:
First of all, there isn't such a thing as an "AF board". All lens electronic/control circuitry is located on one main printed circuit flexboard. My guess is that flexboard retails for max $300. Either way, that price could be checked independently. (Edit: the main flexboard for 85L is less than $60 retail according to my Canadian source )
Second, it is unlikely the flexboard would suffer a damage in the fall. More likely it is one of a great number of plastic (or metal) components which make the USM AF drive. For example, copper/bronze brushes on the AF positioner might have slipped of the MF ring, etc.
Also, I think there is lottsa fat in that $500 labour "estimate". Perhaps an assumption was made that the entire lens needed to be rebuilt from the ground up.
All in all, before that lens is opened up and looked at, no one is in a good position to tell ya what the damage would be. ...Show more →
Hey PetKal,
Thanks for the information. The guy I called today after the accident was a third-party camera repairer - not Canon themselves. Since I work near the headquarters here, I'll drop it off. I wouldn't figure the flexboard could break on impact so we will see what it is and I'll let you know!
i'm not sure if you can get a personal articles policy without homeowners. call your agent. i can say though that state farm has always been great for us. not that we have made alot of claims, but the ones we have made in the past when we were robbed of a boat motor and generator, when our daughter totalled her vehicle, and most recently when i lost one of my 1.5 carat earrings. we had what is called a 'pairs clause' on the jewelry policy. even though i only lost one earring they paid out the full $20,000 to replace both. of course i turned over the one 1.5 carat earring that i had left. i don't have my camera equipment insured because i never gave it a thought until now. now though, i'm a little bit leary to ask them to insure my equipment considering what they just paid out for jewelry. i would be willing to bet that they pay out more for policies like personal articles than they do for anything else if you weigh the cost of what a personal articles policy cost and what they actually pay if they have a claim made. my jewelry policy is only $300 per year. i've been paying it for about 4 years now. on the other hand, our vehicles costs us about $1200 month. we have business vehicles and personal ones all together in an umbrella policy. we have only collected on the one accident that our daughter had about 9 years ago. figure how much we've paid over 9 years compared to the $12,000 that we collected for that totalled vehicle. and definitely go with the non-pro policy if you can.
Typical repair for that I have found to be $300.00 (been their done it, attached to new 5dm2). Canon will take great care of you. Send it in and get an estimate.
Can't even use manual focus since it's focus by wire. 
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