The 50mm f/1.4: Conclusion

[EOBeav]

So I had to send my 50mm f/1.4 up to the lens hospital in Spokane. It was a DIY fix that went awry. It's being discharged now and is on it's way back home to me. How much did all of this cost? Not as much as a new lens. Not quite, anyway. But it sure feels like it. But it's my own fault, and ended up costing me more because of the botched fix-it job.

If you own this lens: Store it in the middle of the focus range, like around the 3 foot mark, and NOT at the infinity point like a lot of people recommend on the internets. I got this advice from the guy who worked on it, a factory-authorized lens tech.

 

[wickidwombat]

i have a cheap neoprene lens bag from ebay and a cheap lens hood from ebay i store this lens by puting the lens into the lens bag mount side down so the front element face the top then pull the draw string up, the cheap lens hood then fit perfectly around the bag and front element section providing a hard shell around this vulnerable part.

This is the lens bag
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Matin-Neoprene-DSLR-Lens-Soft-Pouch-Case-Bag-Size-S-Canon-Nikon-Sony-/271048246995?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item3f1bbc06d3

This is the hood
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-ES-71II-Lens-Hood-Canon-EF-50mm-f-1-4-USM-/320919833684?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ab8500c54

very cheap protection the hood is really great too when used as a hood

 

[EOBeav]

i have a cheap neoprene lens bag from ebay and a cheap lens hood from ebay i store this lens by puting the lens into the lens bag mount side down so the front element face the top then pull the draw string up, the cheap lens hood then fit perfectly around the bag and front element section providing a hard shell around this vulnerable part.

Not a bad idea. Unfortunately, the kind of damage I sustained came from the inside, not the outside. There's an internal part that bangs up against the focus barrel, warping it out of shape. That prevents the lens from being focused using AF or otherwise. It's stuck within a very small range. Those who have had this problem know exactly what I'm talking about. So while I really like the protection you listed here, this lens needs a little TLC, particularly with how you store it.

 

[wickidwombat]

i have a cheap neoprene lens bag from ebay and a cheap lens hood from ebay i store this lens by puting the lens into the lens bag mount side down so the front element face the top then pull the draw string up, the cheap lens hood then fit perfectly around the bag and front element section providing a hard shell around this vulnerable part.

Not a bad idea. Unfortunately, the kind of damage I sustained came from the inside, not the outside. There's an internal part that bangs up against the focus barrel, warping it out of shape. That prevents the lens from being focused using AF or otherwise. It's stuck within a very small range. Those who have had this problem know exactly what I'm talking about. So while I really like the protection you listed here, this lens needs a little TLC, particularly with how you store it.

yeah i know, this method stops anything from pressing against the front of the lens while its in the bag and thus there is no load on those internal components anything inside the bag just presses against the lens hood which transfers that load to the outer shell of the lens barrel not to the sensitive extending section if that makes sense

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

So I had to send my 50mm f/1.4 up to the lens hospital in Spokane. It was a DIY fix that went awry. It's being discharged now and is on it's way back home to me. How much did all of this cost? Not as much as a new lens. Not quite, anyway. But it sure feels like it. But it's my own fault, and ended up costing me more because of the botched fix-it job.

If you own this lens: Store it in the middle of the focus range, like around the 3 foot mark, and NOT at the infinity point like a lot of people recommend on the internets. I got this advice from the guy who worked on it, a factory-authorized lens tech.

Who did the work? I'm not aware of a Factory Authorized repair in Spokane. Canon did away with all but a tiny few of really large ones.
Canon has a fixed price for repairing the lens, it was $90 when I had mine fixed about 2 or three years back, but it is up a few more dollars now. Certainly nowhere near the price of a new one.

 

[Otara]

Who did the work? I'm not aware of a Factory Authorized repair in Spokane. Canon did away with all but a tiny few of really large ones.
Canon has a fixed price for repairing the lens, it was $90 when I had mine fixed about 2 or three years back, but it is up a few more dollars now. Certainly nowhere near the price of a new one.

Only true in the US unfortunately, cost me about half the cost of a new one to get it done in Oz, ie $200+.

When it goes again Ill be getting something else. Three feet rule makes sense as a a bit of give when it hits, thanks for that.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Who did the work? I'm not aware of a Factory Authorized repair in Spokane. Canon did away with all but a tiny few of really large ones.
Canon has a fixed price for repairing the lens, it was $90 when I had mine fixed about 2 or three years back, but it is up a few more dollars now. Certainly nowhere near the price of a new one.

Only true in the US unfortunately, cost me about half the cost of a new one to get it done in Oz, ie $200+.

When it goes again Ill be getting something else. Three feet rule makes sense as a a bit of give when it hits, thanks for that.

Spokane is in Australia? I live on Spokane, Washington, USA so I assumed the OP was in the USA.

 

[dirtcastle]

Wow. I hear so many bad things about the build quality of this lens. I've had one for years and never had a problem with how it's stored. But I can see how it wouldn't stand up to abuse.

 

[EOBeav]

Alpine. He didn't actually do the work, but he sent it out to somebody he knew who was qualified as such. I'm taking him at his word because a) he's got a pretty decent reputation and b) I couldn't find anything negative about the service on the internets. Spokane is only about 3 hours north of me, but with these gas prices I figured I was better off just having him ship it.

Also, I'm paying for the original repair work, plus my botched repair job (stripped thread and one other electronic part that needed replacing).

 

[CharlieB]

If you look at the part that gets warped, it happens when the lens is at full extension - close up. It also happens because the moving part - that contains the glass and heavy parts - is being extended by the part that gets warped - what Canon calls the helical or helix (its really not, but they call it that). If the lens is "out" and you whack the front a bit, the parts that ride in the slots on the helix will snap out of place, or the helix itself will bend. There's not much holding things at full extension.

Moral - using the hood - which attaches to the non moving part, helps, it takes abuse off the inner moving part of the lens. Also - whenever you can - remember to put the lens back at infinity before storage.

Turning the hood around during storage... wont protect the lens.

Its not a great design... it could have been done better, beefier, but it is what it is.

 

[EOBeav]

Also - whenever you can - remember to put the lens back at infinity before storage.

Charlie, I was advised exactly against this, but to instead store it somewhere in the middle.

 

[CharlieB]

I'm basing what I said on having seen the part - its just thinner at the extended end..... have a look:

The downward arrow is where the engagement nubs would be at full extension, the upward arrow is where the nubs would be when the lens is fully in (infinity). Yah... I suppose in the middle is good too. Just AVOID full extension storage.

 

[wickidwombat]

If you look at the part that gets warped, it happens when the lens is at full extension - close up. It also happens because the moving part - that contains the glass and heavy parts - is being extended by the part that gets warped - what Canon calls the helical or helix (its really not, but they call it that). If the lens is "out" and you whack the front a bit, the parts that ride in the slots on the helix will snap out of place, or the helix itself will bend. There's not much holding things at full extension.

Moral - using the hood - which attaches to the non moving part, helps, it takes abuse off the inner moving part of the lens. Also - whenever you can - remember to put the lens back at infinity before storage.

Turning the hood around during storage... wont protect the lens.

Its not a great design... it could have been done better, beefier, but it is what it is.

Turning the good around works as I described as the good is not clicked in the lens is in a bag then the hood slides over the outside of the bag causing the back of the lens hood to be past the front of the lens the. Any pressure goes onto the hood which passes onto the the neoprene bag and then to the outer shell of the body with the lens front safely tucked Inside

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Alpine. He didn't actually do the work, but he sent it out to somebody he knew who was qualified as such. I'm taking him at his word because a) he's got a pretty decent reputation and b) I couldn't find anything negative about the service on the internets. Spokane is only about 3 hours north of me, but with these gas prices I figured I was better off just having him ship it.

Also, I'm paying for the original repair work, plus my botched repair job (stripped thread and one other electronic part that needed replacing).

Yes, I've had Alpine work on some of my older lenses, and have been happy. The owner is a very pleasant guy.
Camera Corral in Cour d' Alene does a good job as well. However, Canon's flat rate repair price for the 50 1.4 is hard to beat, and I get a discount thru CPS.

 

[RLPhoto]

So I had to send my 50mm f/1.4 up to the lens hospital in Spokane. It was a DIY fix that went awry. It's being discharged now and is on it's way back home to me. How much did all of this cost? Not as much as a new lens. Not quite, anyway. But it sure feels like it. But it's my own fault, and ended up costing me more because of the botched fix-it job.

If you own this lens: Store it in the middle of the focus range, like around the 3 foot mark, and NOT at the infinity point like a lot of people recommend on the internets. I got this advice from the guy who worked on it, a factory-authorized lens tech.

I had the 1.4, I used to store it with the focus barrel all the way in the lens. Was this correct?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

So I had to send my 50mm f/1.4 up to the lens hospital in Spokane. It was a DIY fix that went awry. It's being discharged now and is on it's way back home to me. How much did all of this cost? Not as much as a new lens. Not quite, anyway. But it sure feels like it. But it's my own fault, and ended up costing me more because of the botched fix-it job.

If you own this lens: Store it in the middle of the focus range, like around the 3 foot mark, and NOT at the infinity point like a lot of people recommend on the internets. I got this advice from the guy who worked on it, a factory-authorized lens tech.

I had the 1.4, I used to store it with the focus barrel all the way in the lens. Was this correct?

There are theories, but realistically, if its stored on end, it will eventually be all the way in. My lens was damaged when I bought it used, no more problems after repair about 3 years back.

 

[bdunbar79]

I just leave the lens hood on it and store it sitting facing downward on the hood rim. I never have it focused at infinity anyways.

 

[CharlieB]

Turning the good around works as I described as the good is not clicked in the lens is in a bag then the hood slides over the outside of the bag causing the back of the lens hood to be past the front of the lens the. Any pressure goes onto the hood which passes onto the the neoprene bag and then to the outer shell of the body with the lens front safely tucked Inside

Guess it depends if you're using a bag, or a satchel with compartments, or backpack, etc... the idea, taking any stress off the part of the lens that has the glass in it, is valid, as those nubs will either rip, bend or jump out of the slots in the "helical"

 

[EOBeav]

Just reading through the comments, it's amazing the lengths that people go to in order to protect this lens! It is sharp, sharp glass...but man is it ever finicky.