Dropped my 70-200L F4 onto the carpet from my bag. Advice.

[aprotosimaki]

While under the ravages of the flu, I dropped my 70-200L F4 onto the carpet from my bag. I guess it dropped about 4 feet. What tests do you recommend to make sure it is still functional? If the lens is broken (hopefully not), what are my options? The lens is just over a year old. 

I love it very much and feeling bummed out (the flu does not help matters; I am freezing cold and feel completely out of it which is why I dropped it).

Thanks for any advice.

Simon

[neuroanatomist]

Same recommendations as for testing a new lens.  Test for decentering (easiest seen as asymmetrical vignetting), sharpness (corners should be equally sharp), also, shoot something you've already got a (pre-drop) shot of to compare.

[aprotosimaki]

Thanks guys for the sage advice. I am going to do exactly what you have recommended, after I get better. 

[aprotosimaki]

My initial tests indicate that the lens is ok. I have to do some more tests but I have to wait for the flu to clear. Thanks again for the advice.

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Same recommendations as for testing a new lens.  Test for decentering (easiest seen as asymmetrical vignetting), sharpness (corners should be equally sharp), also, shoot something you've already got a (pre-drop) shot of to compare.

this

my bet is that it will be 100% fine, but doesn't hurt to give it a test

check with IS on and off
if it was the IS version

[bycostello]

i'd try taking some photos with it....

[cortezopperman]

i'd try taking some photos with it....

+1

[risc32]

 you should pick it up. 

[curtisnull]

If I drop something I send it to Canon Repair. I can't take chances on something being wrong with it.

[DrChemE]

I know how you feel; I dropped my 24-105 onto the sidewalk, from about 2 ft a month ago . Cap got a little scratch and then I took some pics with it and everything seems fine. Will try the shots with the printed pages, nice advice. My personal experience, some of these L lenses are built like tanks. Hope everything is OK.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Roger Cicala of Lens rentals tests every lens after it is returned from a rental, or if a renter gets a damaged one.  Unless you have a good test method for checking proper operation, have a local camera shop or canon do it for you.
The lens almost certainly sustained some internal damage, its just a matter of how much it affected the IQ and sharpness.  Home grown tests for finding decentering will detect gross damage, but may not detect slight damage.
And, a cracked internal part that still works for now, will certainly fail just when you need it the most.  One of the most common failures are the nylon guide bushings that guide a lens as it zooms or focuses.  They can crack and keep right on working until they suddenly fall out of place and into the inner lens where it may rattle around, or jam and damage something else.
 

[gjones5252]

I also dropped my 70-200 2.8 ISii. I ran it through focal today and it used to have a adjustment of -2 and now it is at -1.
To me that could be a testing issue or a slight bump in the focal alignment. To me the pictures are still looking awesome and there is no weird noises coming from inside the lens under any circumstances. Is there anything else i should do?? I could send it off but it will have to wait as i have a job this weekend. Just not sure i want to get it sent out as it seems to be doing everything great.

[Badger]

I just got this link as a result of a question I had asked.
Hope it helps.
http://www.canonrumors.com/tech-articles/how-to-test-a-lens/

[emag]

Don't worry too much. Test for lens element alignment issues, tape five printed pages on a wall and square your camera to it, space the pages so they are in the center and each corner of your frame and then make teat shots at all focal lengths wide open, either move the camera or the pages to keep them in he corners. If you have alignment issues the pages will have very different sharpnesses.


If you have an alignment issue Canon can fix it for a reasonable amount, but you have to send it in to them for a quote.

Yup.......teat shots....

[tron]

I also dropped my 70-200 2.8 ISii. I ran it through focal today and it used to have a adjustment of -2 and now it is at -1.

There is a CR0 that if you drop it one more time the adjustment will go to from -1 to zero!   
But I wouldn't try it