My 24 TS-E is back with Dr. Canon for the 3rd time after suffering yet another "frozen knob" (yes it's not something that any man should endure... not even once)
I treat my equipment very kindly and have been careful never to over-tighten the locking knobs... in fact they have only ever been just "nipped up" enough to stop the slide or tilt.
The first time the shift lock knob froze in the locked position and the lens could not be shifted. This was a AUD1000 repair and just a week or two after getting it back, the shift lock knob then froze in the unlocked position. This allowed the lens to be shifted freely, but no lock could be applied.
This was again repaired by Dr. Canon (thankfully under warranty from the first repair), but after just one week of getting the lens back and on it's very first outing, the lens came out of the bag with the tilt lock knob frozen.
Canon has told me "the only way for this to happen is for the knobs to be over-tightened". This I totally disagree with, as I know just how gently I use this lens.... especially after the first two freeze-ups, as I am absolutely paranoid about it happening again.... plus, with the exception of a couple of test shots at my desk, the lens was unused after the second repair.
Evidence to me that "over-tightening" is not the cause, is the fact that in the second instance the lens was in the unlocked position and could be easily shifted. If I had over-tightened the locking knob, surely the shift itself would have been locked.
Canon's response to this was that it is possible if you "over-loosen the knobs" ....hmm? So I guess that leaves us gingerly twiddling the knobs, being careful stay within an undefined grey area of loose & locked.... rather impracticable I would think.
A few Googles has shown me that others have experienced the same problem and the common thought is that this locking mechanism seems to have a mind of it's own and simply locks up at will and for no apparent reason.
So my questions are.... Have any FM'ers experienced the same issue with the 24 or 17 TS-E lenses? Has anyone had the issue resolved once and for all? Does anyone have access to a schematic of the lock mechanism?
I ask Qu.3 as I am wondering if it is possible for the lens to shift or tilt on it's own (eg mounted on cam in camera bag & traveling in car) and drag a perhaps "semi-engaged" lock mechanism into an over-tightened or frozen state?
As someone who regularly travels thousands of k's to photo locations, the random locking of this lens is of major concern! ...I am use to carrying backup for camera bodys, but to have to carry duplicate lenses seems a little over the top.
I was just going to say after getting 1/2 way through your post. Try tightening them instead of loosening them. When mine lock up, and they do, I apply pressure in both directions, it's often the tighten direction (CW) that unlocks it. They do self tighten IMO but it's easy to get them free too. It's not a big deal IMO, just one of the ideosyncrasies of the lenses that you have to learn to deal with.
I have tried both directions with no luck. I am scared to apply too much pressure however, as I fear braking something or making matters worse. These knobs are "stuck-stuck" and it seems like the pressure required would be something akin to opening a tough jam jar.... to me that seems a little over the top for such a "quality" piece of photographic equipment.
Try applying tightening pressure, nothing will break. I go through this all the time. When mine are locked, that's the first thing I do because you know in the first place that you didn''t overtighten them. They do self tighten but in the wrong direction. Not a big issue really.
I had this happen on a 24mm TSE about a week after I got it. No way was that going to come unstuck; not by hand anyway, and not even with a little more leverage...
The lens made the trip back whence it came, and i bought another.
Sadly this particular lens is far past it's return date for me... and as good as it is optically, with every new lockup report uncovered I become more reluctant to trust another.
I think a fixed lens as backup will become a priority for me... which is a shame because I use some degree of tilt and/or shift with every landscape shot.
It hasn't happened to mine. Maybe that should be "yet". It has done at least one long car trip.
I notice you store/transport the lens with the shift/tilt unlocked. And I notice from Google that someone else who had such a failure also does that. I don't, and it seems odd and wrong to. The lens could tilt and shift in transit, and more to the point here, the locking knob get bumped backwards and forwards until the thread was forced at either end of its travel. The Canon tech is quite right: you could break it by *either* overtightening it *or* overloosening it. This is nothing special to lenses; you can wreck car engines and suspensions by overtightening bolts.
Please take this in the helpful spirit in which it was offered. I'm not saying it is the problem, but it's something to consider.
WTF. $2000 lens and you have to put up with this. Light changes in the field quickly at times and the last thing you want to do s tackle a stuck knob. This is not right.
Is this a lens specific problem or just a bad design and all 24 TSE's experience it?
I have both the 24 TSE II and 17. I have noticed that when I use the shift or tilt lens movements without loosening the lock knobs, but simply leaving them loosely tightened, that this tilt/shift motion may cause the lock knobs to over tighten. The lens movement may cause the lock knob to tighten even more by jamming the lock mechanism in a direction that tightens the friction mechanism. If the lock knobs are loosened and retightened with each tilt/shift adjustment, they do not over tighten.
You have to use two hands to adjust the lens movements. This is another good argument why NOT to shoot TSE handheld.
Mike K
I haven't experienced the OP's problem, but will say that the tightening knobs do seem a bit sticky/wonky. Sometimes I gently tighten them, only to find that when I attempt to release them, they seem very tight. I am a pianist, so my fingers are quite sensitive. I try to be very gentle with the knobs. If they aren't tight and slip, it's not a disaster - I can re-shoot.
I am a professional and was ready to order this lens next week. Now, I'm not so sure, being a little leery after reading this thread. Other than this, the lens (version 2) seems to have a good reputation.
wib3 wrote:
I am a professional and was ready to order this lens next week. Now, I'm not so sure, being a little leery after reading this thread. Other than this, the lens (version 2) seems to have a good reputation.
Yes... other than this problem, I cannot praise this lens enough! It is brilliantly sharp and resolves detail like there is no tomorrow.
But it's habit of random knob freeze (and it really is random, it can do it in the middle of normal use even when you have done nothing out of the ordinary in terms of use) is a real killjoy.
Aside from the knob freezes it has on a couple of occasions become very stiff but not stuck too.... personally I think there is a design floor in the mechanism, there are too many online reports of the same issue (but sadly none with a definite resolution to the problem)
I agree with Canon in theory.... the only way this could/should happen is from "abusive over-tightening". We should not have to tippy-toe around such a simple thing as a lock mechanism.... regardless of storing it with loose knobs or tight knobs, regardless of a bit of vibration or movement during transport, these knobs should still not freeze, as none of this is akin to abusive over-tightening.
