AF dead on my EF 200 2.8L - thoughts?

[7enderbender]

Hello everyone,

So my aversion against anything AF - and my decade long resistance against it has finally proven not completely unreasonable, unfortunately.

Over the weekend the AF on EF 200 2.8LII went down. Admittedly: the thing a few weeks ago took a little tumble from about 3 feet height into soft dirt. Still worked perfectly fine after that and has hardly any scratch. But not when I put it on on Saturday the AF was dead. It's seemingly not the switch since that turns on and off the AF symbol on the camera. All other lenses work normally.

I am a CPS Gold member and will just have to send it in.

Cleaned the contacts, moved the focusing ring back and forth, played with the switches, etc. Anything else worth checking before sending it in? What is the most likely culprit assuming that it is connected to the fall? Is there wiring in the motor that can come lose? Does the motor itself lock up somehow (remember it still worked normally after the fall)? Any other electrical things?

Also: has anyone a rough idea what I may be looking at for repair cost (I have free shipping and 30% off from the Gold membership)?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

As I understand it, they now have flat rates for ordinary repairs. I'd expect $250-$300, it depends on the amount of damage. A drop can break or crack internal parts but let it still operate. The cracked part may fail completely if it continues to be used. That's likely why the delayed failure. it could just be the plastic guides that the inner sleeve rides on have broken and jammed the works. A lens calibration will likely be needed.

 

[CharlieB]

could also be that its something simple as a ribbon cable came out of its retainer

 

[Skulker]

So my aversion against anything AF - and my decade long resistance against it has finally proven not completely unreasonable, unfortunately.

I guess that depends on what you consider unreasonable. But as long as you are happy with you thoughts that's probable all that really matters.

 

[Digbydriver]

If you have an aversion to AF lenses, it seems now that you have one exactly the way you prefer them. Sorry. Yes, back in the day, I only had to worry about the light meter and shutter failing in my Nikon F. Or, dropping it onto soft ground.

I have a Nikon F, and the weak spot in the lens is the aperture, grease liquefies and gets into it. On the body, the linkage from the aperture ring to the body freezes up from corrosion. It allowed interchangeable finders, but was a crappy design.

 

[7enderbender]

So my aversion against anything AF - and my decade long resistance against it has finally proven not completely unreasonable, unfortunately.

I guess that depends on what you consider unreasonable. But as long as you are happy with you thoughts that's probable all that really matters.

Not sure what you mean, but it did break, just like I always thought AF lenses will eventually. Granted, I dropped it on the grass, so I'm to blame when and how it happened. I just wish that with modern SLRs there was still an option to have full manual focus systems like we used to have. I never had an FD lens fail on me. I'd much prefer some sort of digital FD system over the EOS stuff. Oh, well.

Just got the estimate. $240 after CPS Gold discount. No more dropping things!

 

[Daniel Flather]

The AF died in a 200/2.8L I owned once. I bought it new and it died a week later.