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At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

ryleung
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

It has become increasingly evident that the focus mechanism of my 19 yrs old 70-200 F4 IS (purchased since new) is on its last legs. The manual focus mechanism has the somewhat common (?) focus slip issue, and I feel like the AF is starting to go as well since the pics are becoming increasingly hit and miss.

The old workhorse owes me nothing, and I am contemplating what my next move should be, and I feel like it would be beneficial to tap into the FM hive mind to double check my thought process.

I no longer take on paid gigs as a side hustle, although I continue to enjoy using my old gear to shoot on a voluntary basis for the local motorsports community. Because of that, AF speed and accuracy is kind of important. I still have a well-kept and perfectly functional 5d3 that probably has less than 70k shutter count, as well as a beater T7i Rebel and an old SL1. The 5d3 has a 24-105 F4 IS to go with it, while the 2 crop bodies share a 17-85 IS and a plastic 18-55 IS kit lens. These lenses all appear to be in good working condition since I like to take care of my stuff. The 70-200 was the workhorse that gets shared between all 3 cameras, although I rarely use the SL1 with the long lens.

To continue the hobby, I am going to need to have a functional telephoto lens. However, since I am located in Western Canada, and the Canon service depot is in Eastern Canada (Ontario), between the shipping costs and the bench charge, I don't think it would be money well spent to have the old 70-200 lens shipped to Ontario in attempt to get it repaired.

Locally, it seems like a used 70-200 F4 IS is going for anywhere between Cdn $650 to $900, depending on the apparent condition of the lens. But I'm a little concerned that a used copy will develop the same focus slip issue again. I've tried a handful of older third party lenses in the distant past, but I was not impressed by their much slower AF speed and noise.

My collection of existing equipment makes me feel like there is still a lot of useful life left in them, and thus I shouldn't move on to a newer platform just yet. (It also doesn't help that moving to a whole new platform would probably be quite expensive, and that's something I'd want to avoid for now.) But if I am just spending money to purchase worn out equipment from the used market, that would also not make sense.

Would appreciate any insights FM members have on my situation.

thanks,

Aug 13, 2024 at 03:01 PM

jedibrain
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Not sure what the used market looks like up there, but if you could land a vII of that lens or even vII of the 2.8 model those would be worthy upgrades. The B&S here has good prices on them from time to time.

Brian

Aug 13, 2024 at 03:42 PM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Valid question, should you just go buy another, or have yours fixed? I used to think more just go buy another, but as you mentioned you might develop an issue , although there's never a guarantee something is going to work

Lately I'm in the same boat more seriously. One issue, I'm not sure if Canon touches the older lenses. Might need to see if it is repairable but it shouldn't take too long to call repair places getting estimates etc

Aug 13, 2024 at 04:49 PM

Pixelpuffin
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

I’m assuming that’s the 1st generation of the EF 70-200 F4IS ?
Honestly in your shoes I’d be looking at a mint used 2nd generation of the same lens. It is supposed to be even better than your existing lens with even better IS.

Aug 14, 2024 at 01:27 AM

_Refraction
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

ryleung wrote:
To continue the hobby, I am going to need to have a functional telephoto lens. However, since I am located in Western Canada, and the Canon service depot is in Eastern Canada (Ontario), between the shipping costs and the bench charge, I don't think it would be money well spent to have the old 70-200 lens shipped to Ontario in attempt to get it repaired.

Locally, it seems like a used 70-200 F4 IS is going for anywhere between Cdn $650 to $900, depending on the apparent condition of the lens. But I'm a little concerned that a used copy will...Show more →

I have a ~17 year old 70-200 f/4L IS that's been in semi-retirement for the last few years. I agree it wouldn't be money well spent to try to get it repaired, as even if Canon have the parts once you add up all the costs it is uneconomic for an older lens. I gave my old EF 85 f/1.8 away to a student camera club after its AF motor died and the quote for repair (all in) just wasn't worth it.

If you are going to buy a replacement, then I reckon getting a newer version II or a newer f/2.8 model with hopefully less wear and tear on it would be best. Or even a 100-400 II as that came out towards the back end of the DSLR era and there should be a reasonable number of decent copies around.

Aug 14, 2024 at 02:38 AM

_Refraction
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

AmbientMike wrote:
Lately I'm in the same boat more seriously. One issue, I'm not sure if Canon touches the older lenses. Might need to see if it is repairable but it shouldn't take too long to call repair places getting estimates etc

I've tried both Canon Australia and Canon Singapore at different times and they've been very quick to let me know if a particular old lens (or the suspected bad part) can be repaired. The issue for me was the estimate, for my 85mm f/1.8 for example, was uneconomic for a lens that old. I didn't try the third party repairers though so if people are comfortable with those then prhaps that's worth a shot too.

Aug 14, 2024 at 02:41 AM

Z250SA
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

A 2nd gen would be my first choice if I needed a no-brainer. Repairing old lenses, no. Next gen used are usually worth every penny. Even next gen new. Because the 5D3 is still a formidable camera in many ways. I looked through my catch from my time with it, and the few issues there were were not because of the camera.

Purchasing new gear do of course open the possibility to experience something different, perhaps exciting even. I was about to get the 70-300L when Canon finally got around to go into mirrorless. That L is nice and small and very competent.

Size is one of the factors I have come to appreciate with added age/laziness. A switch to f/2.8 would bring some bulk to the party.

Aug 14, 2024 at 04:11 AM

rscheffler
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Canon Japan lists the 70-200/4L IS v1 as supported for service until March 2025. I'd suggest checking with Canon Canada to confirm they're still able to service it and/or have parts available.

A while ago there was a discussion here about the EF 135/2 and whether Canon Canada could still service it. They could but certain parts were no longer available from Canon Japan and therefore if those parts were required, service was no longer possible. Given that the 70-200 is nearing end of support, there could be similar parts shortages.

My most recent EF lens servicing that involved replacement of the USM focusing motor was the 135/2 and based on the invoice, the retail cost of the repair was around CA$315. Not sure if the 70-200 would be similar, but would guess in the ballpark. Sometimes with IS lenses Canon requires replacement of both the USM and IS mechanisms, which would increase the repair cost. If this is the case it'll probably be a wash between servicing it or buying a used one. One argument in favour of servicing it is that it will be serviced to factory specifications whereas a used copy will be an unknown quantity in respect to its performance.

Aug 14, 2024 at 04:36 AM

melcat
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

If it makes you feel better about buying a used one, mine is nearly 17 years old, also bought new, and showing no signs of this fault even though it looks a bit tired.

However, given your use of it for motorsport I think a better replacement would be the Mk II, because that supports “maximum high-speed continuous shooting speed” on the R3/R6 etc. Although you have no plans to go mirrorless, I imagine someone who keeps using a lens for 19 years would be planning ahead!

Several other EF lenses might be worth considering: 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6 IS Mk II (heavy and expensive), 300mm f/4 IS (a very old design, also slow on R3/R7), 70–300mm f/4.5–5.6 IS L (I haven’t used this one but it has a good reputation).

Aug 14, 2024 at 05:32 AM

Pixelpuffin
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Z250SA wrote:
A 2nd gen would be my first choice if I needed a no-brainer. Repairing old lenses, no. Next gen used are usually worth every penny. Even next gen new. Because the 5D3 is still a formidable camera in many ways. I looked through my catch from my time with it, and the few issues there were were not because of the camera.

Purchasing new gear do of course open the possibility to experience something different, perhaps exciting even. I was about to get the 70-300L when Canon finally got around to go into mirrorless. That L is nice and small and...Show more →
I’ll echo every word you’ve said there
I still have three 5diii’s they are not going anywhere. Have both the 70-300L and the 100-400Lii but as you rightly said getting older has made me not lazy, but question my reasoning for carrying heavy set ups.
I also have the older non IS 70-200F4L and the1st generation 70-2002.8Lis.
Out of all I seem to pick the 100-400Lii every time. Just too nice.

I must confess, I’d completely forgotten about the ef70-200F4Lis ii, every topic here now seems to revolve around the R system.
I will take a closer look at that lens now - it might be exactly what I need. 👍🏻

Aug 14, 2024 at 06:08 AM

moondigger
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

I think the obvious choice if you aren’t going to transition to mirrorless anytime soon is to pick up the EF 70-200 f/4L IS mark II. It’s so good I kept it for a few years even after I switched to mirrorless, using it with the EF-RF adapter.

I did finally replace it with the RF 70-200 f/4L IS, but only because I got a great deal on one. I would have been happy to continue using the EF mark II for years more.

Aug 14, 2024 at 07:03 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

_Refraction wrote:
I've tried both Canon Australia and Canon Singapore at different times and they've been very quick to let me know if a particular old lens (or the suspected bad part) can be repaired. The issue for me was the estimate, for my 85mm f/1.8 for example, was uneconomic for a lens that old. I didn't try the third party repairers though so if people are comfortable with those then prhaps that's worth a shot too.

I've thought about it a lot, if the repair is the same as used are you better off having yours brought up to spec, or getting another? Good arguments could be made for either way, I'm kind of leaning towards getting it fixed and presumably up to spec lately, often bought other used gear if uneconomical to repair though. 70-200/4 IS is expensive enough here you might be able to justify the repair and hopefully your lens is up to spec afterwards and a used one might not be

rscheffler wrote:
Canon Japan lists the 70-200/4L IS v1 as supported for service until March 2025. I'd suggest checking with Canon Canada to confirm they're still able to service it and/or have parts available.

A while ago there was a discussion here about the EF 135/2 and whether Canon Canada could still service it. They could but certain parts were no longer available from Canon Japan and therefore if those parts were required, service was no longer possible. Given that the 70-200 is nearing end of support, there could be similar parts shortages.

My most recent EF lens servicing that involved replacement of...Show more →

No kidding? I wouldn't have expected it to be in servant this point, good to know, should be easy enough to call getting a price etc.

Many mentioned the v2 , it's probably better more expensive though. And is the center much better op hasn't mentioned landscape I don't think.

Aug 14, 2024 at 10:20 AM

Ming-Tzu
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Pixelpuffin wrote:
I’ll echo every word you’ve said there
I still have three 5diii’s they are not going anywhere. Have both the 70-300L and the 100-400Lii but as you rightly said getting older has made me not lazy, but question my reasoning for carrying heavy set ups.
I also have the older non IS 70-200F4L and the1st generation 70-2002.8Lis.
Out of all I seem to pick the 100-400Lii every time. Just too nice.

I must confess, I’d completely forgotten about the ef70-200F4Lis ii, every topic here now seems to revolve around the R system.
I will take a closer look at that lens now - it...Show more →

I just got a used 70-200 f4 IS II for a decent price. And you're right. Not many people talk about this lens. It's either the older 70-200 f4 variants, the f2.8 version or the RF version. When I was doing my research recently and searching for used prices, nothing really pops up about this lens (relatively speaking).

Aug 14, 2024 at 11:29 AM

Z250SA
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Ming-Tzu wrote:
...
I just got a used 70-200 f4 IS II for a decent price. And you're right. Not many people talk about this lens. It's either the older 70-200 f4 variants, the f2.8 version or the RF version. When I was doing my research recently and searching for used prices, nothing really pops up about this lens (relatively speaking).

The old variants are usually used by old farts or newcomers, both making noice in their characteristic ways. As is the f/2.8 gang, the bokeh ooh´s and aah´s as well as professionals who know their trade.

The optically excellent newer f/4´s are used by those who know the why´s and when´s, who are photographers not gear users. They even leave the EXIF out of the picture! After all, who cares?

Yes, I know everything about the 70-200´s as I´ve not even held one in my hands!

Aug 14, 2024 at 12:31 PM

Gochugogi
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

This old fart really liked the EF 70-200 4L IS USM. My first really good zoom. I shot with it for 15 or 16 years. Replaced it with the RF 70-200 4L IS USM and it's slightly better optically, another stop of IS but, most importantly, smooth nano USM for movie servo. As much as I liked the EF 70-200 4L IS USM, the old ring style USM was too abrupt and jerky for video. I really like the more compact size of the newer design—about the size of an 24-105 4L, so easy on the shoulder.

Aug 14, 2024 at 02:12 PM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

ryleung wrote:
It has become increasingly evident that the focus mechanism of my 19 yrs old 70-200 F4 IS (purchased since new) is on its last legs. The manual focus mechanism has the somewhat common (?) focus slip issue, and I feel like the AF is starting to go as well since the pics are becoming increasingly hit and miss.

The old workhorse owes me nothing, and I am contemplating what my next move should be, and I feel like it would be beneficial to tap into the FM hive mind to double check my thought process.

I no longer take on paid gigs...Show more →

I'm actually at a similar point with my 180 Tamron, did the math and I've had mine 19 years! Time flies
.
Mine is pretty beat up including optical issues, so considering replacing it, I'd have to go used since they are no longer manufactured. Have considered a repair on my favorite macro lens though, just depends on your opinion on what you want to do.

Aug 14, 2024 at 03:47 PM

rscheffler
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · At the Crossroads with My 70-200 F4 IS Failure

Ming-Tzu wrote:
I just got a used 70-200 f4 IS II for a decent price. And you're right. Not many people talk about this lens. It's either the older 70-200 f4 variants, the f2.8 version or the RF version. When I was doing my research recently and searching for used prices, nothing really pops up about this lens (relatively speaking).

It was released in 2018, the same year as the R system launch. First of all, the f/2.8 versions get more interest because of the 'faster is better' mindset, and indeed the RF f/2.8 version was released pretty quickly. Since 2018 more attention has been on the RF system and currently the RF 70-200/4 is only $100 more while being smaller and lighter. This is not to say the EF is a bad lens, which clearly is not the case. Rather, the timing was such that it didn't have the chance to gain much of a following. Had it been released in the mid 2010s, I probably would have upgraded. But instead I kept using my v1, in part because I didn't like that the v2 became larger and I wanted to see what Canon would do with mirrorless. I had the v1 since its launch and jumped directly to the RF version on my mirrorless transition, though the v2 should perform very well on mirrorless because it's the latest EF version, meaning top EFCS fps. The big advantage it has over the RF version, IMO, is TC compatibility.

Aug 15, 2024 at 09:43 AM


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