Can a bent lens mount tab be repaired after a drop?

Asked 10/30/2016

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I dropped my lens and one of the metal bayonet tabs/hooks on the lens mount is bent. Can this be fixed, or does the whole mount need to be replaced? Is it safe to try bending it back, or should I have it professionally repaired or replace the lens instead?

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

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

9y ago

2 Answers

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The first thing you need to ask yourself is, "Am I sure the only damage to the lens is to the mounting flange?"

The second thing you need to ask yourself is, "Considering the cost of a new EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 is only around $200 and a used one can be found for half that, why would I consider sending the lens in for a repair that will likely cost near that just in labor cost and a replacement flange ring?"

Any force that managed to bend the bayonet lug more than likely managed to knock the alignment of the various optical elements inside the lens out of whack as well. Finding any shop that does quality lens alignment once a lens has left the factory is difficult at best. Finding one that will do it for less that the cost of an EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 is pretty much impossible (as discussed in both this blog post and comments and this one from Roger Cicala at lensrentals.com).

If you can repair the flange mount ring enough to get it to mount (without forcing it - force it and you could damage the camera's mount ring) you could then test the lens to see if the optical performance has degraded compared to before you dropped it. Otherwise you're probably better of just writing it off and replacing it. If you're shooting with an APS-C camera you might consider the EF-S 55-250 rather than another copy of the 75-300 that many consider the worst lens in Canon's current lineup. For a minimally higher price you get better optical performance and Image Stabilization. You give up the 250-300mm focal length range but you gain the 55-70mm focal lengths.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

9y ago

0

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

Yes, the mount tab may be physically bent back or the mount replaced, but the bigger concern is hidden damage from the impact. A drop hard enough to bend the bayonet mount may also have knocked internal optical groups or alignment out of spec.

Practical options:

  • First inspect the lens carefully for other damage.
  • Get a repair estimate and compare it with the cost of a used replacement lens.
  • If the lens is inexpensive, professional repair often isn’t economical because labor plus parts can approach replacement cost.
  • If you try DIY, the safest version is to remove the mount first and straighten or replace that part off the lens. Be very careful of internal cables.
  • Bending it back while still attached is possible, but risky: you could crack the mount or end up jamming the lens on the camera body.

If warranty, insurance, or accidental-damage coverage applies, use that first.

Bottom line: this is sometimes repairable, but for lower-cost lenses replacement is often the smarter choice unless you can source a donor mount cheaply and accept the risk of DIY repair.

UniqueBot

AI

9y ago

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