24-70 II slight clicking sound when zooming

[dsc888]

yay! great news. my replacement that I got back in June is also an October 2012 copy and is an absolute beauty  very sharp at both ends of the range, 0 AF microadjustment needed etc..

Terrific! Glad the earlier batches seem to be working out for a few of us here. I still wonder what Canon did with the March 032 batch that caused all this.

[zaku178]

Darn, i just got my 24-70mm ii replacement from B&H today (first one had 2 tiny bubbles within the lens) from the March 2013 batch.  Can definitely hear the ticking sounds in a quiet room when rotating the lens slowly.  Sucks to have to exchange for another copy again!

[lastcoyote]

yay! great news. my replacement that I got back in June is also an October 2012 copy and is an absolute beauty  very sharp at both ends of the range, 0 AF microadjustment needed etc..

Terrific! Glad the earlier batches seem to be working out for a few of us here. I still wonder what Canon did with the March 032 batch that caused all this.

i don't think the one that i replaced back in may with the clicking sound was a march copy. i seem to remember it had a february 2013 date code. so don't think the problem is confined to that march batch.

i feel for those who have this problem. yes, as someone pointed out they are still fine optically but being the fastidious type of person that i am it would annoy me every time i used it.
surprised that a few here are still able to get 2012 replacements. great news but that can't go on forever...obviously. just hope canon will be looking in to changing this for future production.

[Viggo]

Anyone have any later version than March? Does it still
Click?

[pensive tomato]

I previously reported that my March 2013 copy of the 24-70mm (serial number beginning 032) does not make a clicking noise when zooming. I've been using my lens as usual for about 6 months, but all these additional reports got me checking my lens again.

After many tests in a completely quiet room with my ears right next to the lens, I report that I can hear a very faint single click sound as the lens barrel expands past the 50mm mark (like a tiny spring or the inner cams moving into place). This sound is really faint -even the zoom ring moving is louder-, and it takes moving the zoom ring very slowly to even catch it. This is not what you guys are talking about, right?

[lastcoyote]

I previously reported that my March 2013 copy of the 24-70mm (serial number beginning 032) does not make a clicking noise when zooming. I've been using my lens as usual for about 6 months, but all these additional reports got me checking my lens again.

After many tests in a completely quiet room with my ears right next to the lens, I report that I can hear a very faint single click sound as the lens barrel expands past the 50mm mark (like a tiny spring or the inner cams moving into place). This sound is really faint -even the zoom ring moving is louder-, and it takes moving the zoom ring very slowly to even catch it. This is not what you guys are talking about, right?

no that doesn't sound like it at all.

[pensive tomato]

no that doesn't sound like it at all.

Great, thanks for the clarification! Then I think I'm the only one who's reported a 032 copy working fine. I'm glad that you got a good replacement, as the 24-70mm is one fine lens (when up to spec).

[digitalpuppy]

I previously reported that my March 2013 copy of the 24-70mm (serial number beginning 032) does not make a clicking noise when zooming. I've been using my lens as usual for about 6 months, but all these additional reports got me checking my lens again.

After many tests in a completely quiet room with my ears right next to the lens, I report that I can hear a very faint single click sound as the lens barrel expands past the 50mm mark (like a tiny spring or the inner cams moving into place). This sound is really faint -even the zoom ring moving is louder-, and it takes moving the zoom ring very slowly to even catch it. This is not what you guys are talking about, right?

This is exactly my experience, PT! 

After purchasing the lens from B&H and discovering this thread, I was hyper-sensitive when I opened the box and tested the lens.  I can only hear a faint sound when moving the zoom ring really slowly.

My build is 031 (March 2013) with the center-pinch cap.

[Northstar]

I previously reported that my March 2013 copy of the 24-70mm (serial number beginning 032) does not make a clicking noise when zooming. I've been using my lens as usual for about 6 months, but all these additional reports got me checking my lens again.

After many tests in a completely quiet room with my ears right next to the lens, I report that I can hear a very faint single click sound as the lens barrel expands past the 50mm mark (like a tiny spring or the inner cams moving into place). This sound is really faint -even the zoom ring moving is louder-, and it takes moving the zoom ring very slowly to even catch it. This is not what you guys are talking about, right?

This is exactly my experience, PT! 

After purchasing the lens from B&H and discovering this thread, I was hyper-sensitive when I opened the box and tested the lens.  I can only hear a faint sound when moving the zoom ring really slowly.

My build is 031 (March 2013) with the center-pinch cap.

I'm with you guys....as PT described, that is similar to my experience.   march 2013 build

extremely sharp lens though...so I'm good, I'm just going to forget about it. 

[ChrisM]

... (first one had 2 tiny bubbles within the lens)...

...and B&H turned right around and sent it to me. I was, at first, pleased to get a copy with a November 2012 date code, but your post got me thinking. I hadn't specifically checked for this issue (bubbles within the lens) but sure enough, a close examination (using a magnifying glass and looking through the lens with both front and rear lens caps off) revealed two very tiny bubbles, somewhere in one of the inner elements it would seem. Nuts! Back to B&H it'll go and, like so many others here, I'll sadly wait for the replacement...that'll probably have the clicking issue and will have to be returned. Over and over. If not for the $1699 price, I'd probably just bag it and ask for a refund.

[D.]

The 24-70 II I purchased recently from Amazon had a build date of Oct. 2012. It did not make any clicking sounds when zooming; however, it appears that it may have a centering issue. When I compared shots of the 24-70 II vs. my 24-105, the corners of the 24-105 were sharper than the 24-70 II at equivalent focal lengths and apertures (save for at 24mm). Since this should definitely not be the case, back in the box it went. One more thing to keep in mind when evaluating your new lens as it seems many people are having issues with their recent purchase.

[zaku178]

strange... after zooming in and out several more times the faint ticking sound seems to have gone away.  Wonder if I should keep this now or wait a few more days of use?

[lastcoyote]

strange... after zooming in and out several more times the faint ticking sound seems to have gone away.  Wonder if I should keep this now or wait a few more days of use?

well all i'd i say is that when I had a clicking copy there was a couple of times i thought or tried to convince myself it had improved or almost gone away but then it came back louder again. can't remember now but i think it seemed like it wasn't so bad when not using it for a day or so and then after using it for a bit it was there again. temperature maybe affects it ?? who knows.

[zaku178]

I wonder how some of you guys were able to exchange more than once?  I just did a live chat with a rep today and they said they would only do a refund (no exchanges because I already did an exchange).  Anyone have the same experience with B&H?

[jstricker]

I bought the 24-70 2.8 II during the recent price drop from Amazon, and both copies of the lens have had a clicking noise.  It's not horrendously loud, but it's certainly noticeable enough to make me worry something is wrong inside the lens.

I recorded a short video and the on-board mic picked up the clicking fairly well.  Is this the same clicking noise you guys are talking about?

Canon 24-70 f/2.8 II Zoom Ring Clicking Noise