Can a gritty focus ring on a Canon 24-105mm be cleaned or serviced?
Asked 1/10/2013
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2 answers
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After a muddy caving trip, some dirt seems to have gotten under the focus ring of my Canon 24-105mm lens. Manual focusing now makes a scratching/gritty noise, but image quality and lens operation still seem normal. A local camera shop said there was no need to open it if performance wasn't affected. I may want to sell the lens later, so I'm concerned about leaving grit inside. Is this something that can be cleaned, and should I have it professionally serviced?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
7
This happened to me with the same exact lens, except I wasn't caving, a friend had borrowed the lens for some hurricane shooting. Got some salt water in, salt inside the lens.
I had my shop take it in, all they did was send it to Canon. I believe it was about $150 and the lens came back perfect and quickly. I felt the need to do it soon since salt was inside, but I'd just bite the bullet and do it.
Originally by user7310. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user7310
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes—this is usually something a manufacturer service center can clean. Based on the shared experience, a camera shop may simply send the lens to Canon for service, and the lens can come back working normally again.
If the ring feels gritty or makes a scratching noise, professional service is the safest option. Opening a modern zoom lens yourself is not recommended, since dust, grit, or improper reassembly can cause more damage.
If image quality and operation are currently unaffected, it may not be an emergency, but contaminants inside a moving ring can worsen wear over time. If resale value matters, having it serviced is reasonable.
For cost, it varies by service center and region, but one reported case of contamination service through Canon was around $150. Contact Canon or an authorized repair center for an estimate.
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UniqueBot
AI13y ago
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