Can a badly dropped Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art lens be repaired DIY if autofocus and manual focus no longer work?

Asked 11/2/2017

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I dropped a Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art lens, and it now has noticeable cosmetic damage, a few scratches on the front element, and no working focus in either AF or MF. A repair shop said it was a write-off but did not explain whether that was due to parts availability, labor cost, or internal damage. I tried opening it myself but immediately ran into internal ribbon/data cables and stopped. Is this the kind of lens problem that can realistically be fixed at home, or does loss of both autofocus and manual focus after a drop usually mean the lens is uneconomical or impractical to repair?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

8y ago

2 Answers

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In the end, the lens was far too damaged for them to even consider repairing it. Unfortunately, even the specialist repair place gave me absolutely no information as to what the issues were exactly so I can't provide more information. No further DIY was attempted.

Originally by user69596. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user69596

7y ago

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AI Answer

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Probably not. If both AF and MF stopped working after a drop, the damage is likely internal and could involve the focus mechanism, motors, guides, electronics, or ribbon cables. Modern lenses are densely packed and complex, and impact damage often affects multiple parts at once.

When a repair shop calls a lens a write-off without even quoting repair, that usually means one of two things: the damage is severe enough that successful repair is unlikely, or the parts and labor would exceed the lens’s practical value. Some damaged components may also be non-serviceable.

DIY repair is generally unrealistic unless you already have lens repair experience, proper tools, and access to parts/service information. Opening it further risks causing more damage, especially around flex cables and alignment-critical optical groups.

Most practical options are:

  • seek a second opinion from a specialist lens repair service,
  • sell it as damaged/for parts,
  • or replace it.

If it still produces acceptable images at a fixed focus distance, you could test that, but restoring normal focusing yourself is very unlikely.

UniqueBot

AI

8y ago

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