View Full Version : problem with my new 70-200 f/4 IS any advice?
I had it only 2 weeks, last night noticed that it makes a buzzing sound. What the hell is it? When I switched IS off it stopped doing it. IS back on, buzzing back on. This is an expensive lens, is it broken, lemon...? It was not like this when I purchased it and I only took it out once to the park for test shooting. What do I do now? Do I need to take it back to the store I purchased it from and do they send it for repair? I am in Northern California, where do they send it, how long does it take and will it function as new afterwards? I am pretty upset. Please help!!!!
Nothing to worry about. When you first got your IS lens, you probably never noticed it because you were having so much fun with it. ALL my L-series IS lens makes that kind of buzzing noise when you engage the IS. That's one way to know that the IS is working too.
Benjamin
05-25-2009, 11:53 AM
Relax my friend. It is normal for any IS DSLR lens to make the buzzing sound. That's just how the IS unit work. It also comes with two clicks when the IS turns on and off. You can also check out at a local camera store with different IS lenses, they're all the same, no matter Canon or Nikon or whatever. That way you'll be convinced.
I had the 70-200/4L IS for almost two years now. However, if you find that the image in your viewfinder shakes at the moment when the IS is turning on, that might be a problem. But the sound is just normal.
Ben
Ed, the problem is, when I put my old 17-85 IS, it does not sound the same. The new 70-200 has a buzzing motor kind of sound for a while even when I let my finger off the shutter button before or after shot is taken. I know I am completely new to this and a moron non-techie girl, but this worries me...
Benjamin
05-25-2009, 12:13 PM
If you look at your user manual, it will say that the IS will keep operating for some time even after you remove your finger from the shutter release button. Mine does exactly the same. It should also be noted that before the IS turns off, it's not OK to turn off your camera or remove the lens. The 17-85's IS does sound different than the 70-200.
Relax my friend. It is normal for any IS DSLR lens to make the buzzing sound. That's just how the IS unit work. It also comes with two clicks when the IS turns on and off. You can also check out at a local camera store with different IS lenses, they're all the same, no matter Canon or Nikon or whatever. That way you'll be convinced.
I had the 70-200/4L IS for almost two years now. However, if you find that the image in your viewfinder shakes at the moment when the IS is turning on, that might be a problem. But the sound is just normal.
Ben
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
Hi Benjamin
Thanks for your response but...now I am really concerned. This silly lens has a buzz not like my 17-85 and keeps on buzzing after I take a shot, plus if i take my finger off shutter button, it will keep buzzing for a while as well. It is a motor buzzing, it is weird. Not like my 17-85. I am afraid shops may be closed today for checking out if I am neurotic ( I suspect I am not in this case).. The question is...can they fix it? How will it work, I am so upset, I just purchased it two weeks ago and never even filled out warranty card...
If you look at your user manual, it will say that the IS will keep operating for some time even after you remove your finger from the shutter release button. Mine does exactly the same. It should also be noted that before the IS turns off, it's not OK to turn off your camera or remove the lens. The 17-85's IS does sound different than the 70-200.
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
Well, maybe I am neurotic after all? I am going to check in the manual, duh! I have never heard that motor noise before and it does sound weird to me, I am so stunned why I did not pick up on this first if that was supposed to be doing it since the beginning? I will keep taking some pictures today and see how it behaves and if I am still unhappy, perhaps check out lens in a store. Thanks so much, you're that best!
Benjamin
05-25-2009, 12:34 PM
I have never heard that motor noise before and it does sound weird to me,
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
You're welcome.
I'm not sure what you mean by a motor noise. Is it the "shhhhh" sound from the USM when you're focusing? Well, the IS does in some way sound close to a USM motor, but it should still be distinguishable. In case if you're still worried, do check out a camera store and find a person who knows enough to answer your concerns. But so far from what you discribed, it seems just like how the IS unit works.
I have never heard that motor noise before and it does sound weird to me,
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
You're welcome.
I'm not sure what you mean by a motor noise. Is it the "shhhhh" sound from the USM when you're focusing? Well, the IS does in some way sound close to a USM motor, but it should still be distinguishable. In case if you're still worried, do check out a camera store and find a person who knows enough to answer your concerns. But so far from what you discribed, it seems just like how the IS unit works.
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
No, the noise is more of a gargling shhhh, not a smooth shhhh and it goes for more than two seconds after I take my finger off shutter button, more like 4 seconds. This is what worries me, it just does not sound right to me.
Benjamin
05-25-2009, 01:06 PM
No, the noise is more of a gargling shhhh, not a smooth shhhh and it goes for more than two seconds after I take my finger off shutter button, more like 4 seconds.
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
It's not a smooth shhh that's correct. More like what you have described, a gargling shhhh. The time for the IS to turn off varys from immediately to as long as 2~3 seconds, I just checked out mine and it does 2 seconds most of the time. So do find a camera store and check out their 70-200s see how they sound like.
PS: a Canon L lens has IS problems right out of the box does not happen too often at all (i.g. much, much less than having focusing issues). I know you may expect absolute perfection once you spend more than a grand on something, hopefully this is going to give you some peace of mind.
Good luck!
The noise the IS makes is slightlydifferent with each IS lens. I have the 300 F4 IS and there's a faint clunk and buzz; the 24-105 F4 IS has a buzz; and the 70-200 F4 IS has a slightly louder buzz. The IS activates when ever you touch the shutter button and it stays on for several seconds. You can notice the IS work by looking through the view finder, touching the shutter button, and it does take the shake away from the image in the viewfinder. You should take some pictures with the IS activated and check the results. I'm sure everything will be fine. Once you get use to how it works, how it sounds, you won't ever notice it again.
Thanks guys, you are so great and responsive. This is my first L lens and I am so new to this, I want it to be a good lens and use it for a while. As you recommend, I will take it to the store and compare with one on their display, maybe it will make me more comfortable. In the mean time, I did not notice any focusing issues, so it started to make me feel better.
That buzz is weird though. Maybe I just will need to get used to it.
Cushty
05-31-2009, 06:31 AM
I nearly asked the same question but researched it on the net first.
The 70-200 f4 IS is noisier than other canon IS lenses. I never
realised that any of my other IS lenses made any noise until I got them
all out in a quiet room and checked. You can hear the giros on all of
them but the 70-200 is the only one that actually attracts your
attention. Dont worry - Its OK, Just enjoy the 4 stop advantage that this IS lens delivers. I have had mine at the
Rallycross track for the past 2 weeks and got some awsome sharp images
panning in mode 2
edit:: Look like the forum has cropped these images. I didnt frame them like this!![:D]
/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.29.93/IMG_5F00_6585_5F00_DxO_5F00_lab_5F00_resized.jpg
/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.29.93/IMG_5F00_6457_5F00_DxO_5F00_resized.jpg
Great images!
Thanks for assurance. I did the same, went on every forum, even called Canon directly and now I know it it perfect. I know what happened, and someone pointed that out....i was so fascinated by the lens i was not paying attention to the noise, plus I was outside in the park and the noises were killing the humming of the lens. In addition, like a dork, I had a beeping noise for AF turned on. So I was hearing that and not anything else. Once I turned it off, I was hearing ALL kinds of things I have never heard before. As you can tell, i am a newbie [:$]
Thanks for your response, you guys rock!