I've got a 200 1.8L which I sent to KEH for repair. I was told it needs a new focusing motor and it would run around $70 to get it fixed. A small price to pay for this killer lens. Well, they called me 3 weeks later saying they can't find the part for the lens anywhere and they shipped it back to me. I know Canon doesn't work on this lens anymore but I'm hoping someone out there has some insight or a recommendation.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Jason

$70 to get it fixed
A new AF motor and labour? For $70 only?

Just cleaning and lubing is usually in the north region on $100, let alone putting an AF motor in it.
These, as I understand, cost several undreds of dollars per unit.
I might be wrong, though...

But getting back to the point, you could try ebay.
There have been 200 1.8 AF motors for sale there in the past.

I feel your pain.
Good luck on your quest.

There was a post here a while ago linking to a eBay dealer that had a large amount of parts for this lens. I think the motor was about $300. Going from memory here as I can't find the thread so I may be well out.
I'm sure I have the dealer bookmarked at home so I may be able to link you to him in a few hours.

Jason, I have heard a lot of good things about Midwest Camera Repair, both about parts availablity for and service of the 200 1.8L.

You may want to give them a call.


http://www.midwestcamera.com/

There were parts on ebay not long ago but they were egregiously overpriced.

the 200/1.8 shares parts (including the motor) with other canon lenses, incl. 50/1.0, 85/1.2, 300/2.8 and others. Likely it's not the actual motor (the rings) that are bad, but probably something related to it. There's not much to fail with the actual rings themselves.

2nd the recommendation for Midwest, have heard good things about them too.

-Ed

Thanks everyone! Yeah when I was quoted $70 I thought they were missing a zero. I'll give Midwest a call and see what they say then eBay for last resort. Really appreciate the input.

Let us know how this turns out, I would like hear about it myself.

Jeff

Is the 200 F/1.8 focusing motor the same as the 200 F/2 or other super tele prime?

New complete focus assembly could be had for $750 US. Once you add labour to it, you are looking at about $1,000 repair.

However, if you are lucky, Midwest Camera might isolate the fault to a part which could be readily repaired or replaced.....that would obviously be much cheaper than the whole assembly replacement.

I'm thinking KEH did in fact isolate the issue to some smaller part based on the $70 repair estimate. They did ship the lens back to me on their dime which was nice.

I'm almost certain the focusing motor for the 1.8 is not the same as the f/2 version or other prime.

Once I get it figured out I'll post back my findings. Thanks again. This place rules.

You might also try Southern Photo Technical Service and ask to speak directly to Isaac (he's the owner/operator). I've know him through my camera club and they do top-notch factory authorized service.

HTH,
Omar

I am in the market for a second 200/2 or 200/1.8 and I decided to call around and get a grasp on what can and can't be repaired on the 200/1.8. From what I was told about 50 percent of the 200/1.8's that come in to Midwest Repair are sent back unrepairable do to lack of parts. Motors are apparently the hardest part to find with these lenses.

Good Luck,
Luke

Could anyone work out a mod so that a motor from another lens be used? How hard could it be? I see a business opportunity here.

jpbuse wrote:

I'm almost certain the focusing motor for the 1.8 is not the same as the f/2 version or other prime.


So am I.

The 200 f/1.8 underwent three different engineering revisions of the focusing assembly. Therefore, there are three different part numbers for those assemblies.

Probably not by coincidence, a similar vintage lens 500 f/4.5L also has three different part numbers for its focus assembly.

All of those six part numbers are different.

We need to remember that high skilled labour (i.e., instrumentation-electronics technician) is very expensive in N. America.
The last thing places like MidWest Camera can afford to do is spending days reingeneering old/salvaged Canon assemblies so that they can custom repair each of six or so lenses per year.

Well hopefully the OP will find a way around otherwise he is going to have a great MF 200mm f1.8.

this is exacly why I'll never but this lens.
I recommend you keep looking on eBay until you find a working motor.
or just sell the lens AS IS describing the problem and save up for the 200mm f/2.0

dimitris77 wrote:
Well hopefully the OP will find a way around otherwise he is going to have a great MF 200mm f1.8.
actually i think this lens is like the 85mm 1.2
if the AF motor gives up, no more manual focus either

dimitris77 wrote:
Well hopefully the OP will find a way around otherwise he is going to have a great MF 200mm f1.8.

That is very unlikely, although not impossible. AF and MF share the same USM drive control circuit....there are no mechanical links between the MF ring and USM drive.

Yeah no manual focus on this bad boy. Shame, it's a total mint lens otherwise. I'll dig around on eBay and make a few calls this next week and see what I can do.

the primes I mentioned all use the 77mm L1 motor. But, I doubt it's the motor rings itself - those are uber-simple. It's usually a capacitor or something on one of the boards that drives the motor. If it was just the L1 motor, you could get that from an 85/1.2, or the other lenses mentioned.

you should really grab a copy of the parts manual for this so you can isolate what you really need. (check the web for the parts diagram, it's out there for free....)

-Ed

jpbuse wrote:
Yeah no manual focus on this bad boy. Shame, it's a total mint lens otherwise. I'll dig around on eBay and make a few calls this next week and see what I can do.


http://cgi.ebay.com/OEM-NEW-CANON-EF-200MM-1-8L-FOCUSING-UNIT-REPLACEMENT_W0QQitemZ390081691141QQcmdZViewItemQQptZDigital_Camera_Accessories?hash=item5ad2ae3e05&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Give Mid State Camera Repaair a call. They are in RI .They did a complete cleaning and adjustment for 150.00 shipped back to me in 3 days, and the lens is working better than when I sent it out.

CONTACT INFORMATION :
Midstate Camera Repair
389 Warwick Ave.
Warwick, RI 02888
Tel: (401) 467-7390
Fax: (401) 785-9955
Email: Mark Fortin


Walt

If it is the electronics, those can be measured. I work on SMD chips, resistors and capacitors all the time and it really is simple and cheap to fix many devices. It is too bad that more people just don't get into the electronic part of it and get the job done. Maybe one of the companies mentioned does do that.

Canon Irvine sent my 200 f/1.8 to H&K....check with them....

It may not actually be the motor...the tracks that the elements move in and out on might be bent out of spec causing the bushings to get caught up. I fixed my EF 50mm 1.4 USM recently by taking it apart and bending the tracks back into spec gently. Dunno about the internals of your particular lens but you may want to google it to see if anyone has tried.

http://leightonmiller.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/i-fixed-my-50mm-1-4-usm-lens/