Lens repair question: am I being hoodwinked?

Hey folks,

I have a question about a lens repair situation I'm facing. I think they're trying to sucker me, but there's plenty about lenses I don't know, so I wanted to double check with a community.


The situation is this:

My Canon 85mm f/1.2 took a bit of a spill. A clip failed, and it nose dived. The drop bent the manual focus ring, so it became extemely rough and uneven to tuen-- it had about 1cm of its range which was VERY hard to turn past, but the rst of the range was fine enough, if a little gravelly feeling. Exactly how I would expect it to feel if the ring was both indented and thrown a little out of true.

But everyverything else works. The autofucs works flawlessly, the images are sharp. Even the manual focus works accurately, if unpleasantly. For those unaquainted, the MF on this lens is fly-by-wire: the MF ring has no physical connection to the focus system and controls the fofus by actuating the USM; for this reason, the ring can spin forever around the lens body-- so I know the "rough spot" is JUST a refect with the focus ring, not something 'deeper' in the lens.

So anyway, I count myself lucky that nothing is cracked and send it in to have the ring replaced. Initial estimate is $350, which is about what I expected. A week later I get a call back saying that, no, sorry, it's going to cost $1500 because they need to replace the USM. Of course I said 'heck no'.

My question is this: is it really possible that they need to replace the freakin' USM when its been focusing FLAWLESSLY on auto for a month? And accuratelyon manual, for that matter-- again, it was unpleasant and difficult to use, but the shots were sharp if I slogged through*.

...Or are they trying to take me for a bit of a ride, here?

Like I said, I don't proport to know everything about lenses, so I wanna know if I'm missing something. But it seems to me like they're trying to fix somethin' that ain't broken, and charge me a solid grand for the opportunity.

All thoughts welcome and appreciated.


*{This makes sense, of course, since with this lens AF and MF are just different ways of actuating the same system.}

You kept using it after you dropped it. Perhaps the autofocus wasn't working as flawlessly as you thought. Perhaps using it was hitting something in the lens and you damaged the USM.

I droped my 16-35 a few months back. Canon fixed it for about $300 no problem. I doubt they are trying to pull one over on you.

But, for that price I think I would get it back and use it till it died. A new one is not much more.

One other thought; It might be time to call the homeowners insurance provided you have it covered.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

You kept using it after you dropped it. Perhaps the autofocus wasn't working as flawlessly as you thought. Perhaps using it was hitting something in the lens and you damaged the USM.

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I mean, I guess it's remotely possible. But the AF was smooth and fast and images were sharp until the day I brought it in.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

One other thought; It might be time to call the homeowners insurance provided you have it covered.

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Heh, I wish. I covered my gear that way a while ago. After three repairs they dropped my contract.
Can't say that I blame them, really.

CPS gold or platinum would help.
A CPS platinum member would only be paying $600. It would be worth buying the membership.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

But, for that price I think I would get it back and use it till it died. A new one is not much more.

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ditto, you can get them for $1800, probably even as low as $1500 second-hand, I wouldn't be paying that much to fix one.
(maybe even try getting another second-hand broken one, maybe with smashed elements but otherwise decent housing, for a few bucks and doing a lens-transplant?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

CPS gold or platinum would help.
A CPS platinum member would only be paying $600. It would be worth buying the membership.

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Ya know, in searching around for info on repairs and such, I've read a lot about how great CPS is. But I'm not an imaging professional, just a passionate hobbyist who takes the odd gigs when people ask real nice. {I know this is an imminently googlable question, but since your brought it up, I'll ask you =P} Isn't there a pretty strict requirement of proving yourself to be a pro to join CPS?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dr Croubie

ditto, you can get them for $1800, probably even as low as $1500 second-hand, I wouldn't be paying that much to fix one.
(maybe even try getting another second-hand broken one, maybe with smashed elements but otherwise decent housing, for a few bucks and doing a lens-transplant?)

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Yeah, I'm not dropping the $1,500, no question. I just want to know whether I'm being lied to about what needs replacing. I think they're tryin'a take me for a fool in replacing something that works fine, and which I am almost sure needn't be replaced.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by asmodai

Ya know, in searching around for info on repairs and such, I've read a lot about how great CPS is. But I'm not an imaging professional, just a passionate hobbyist who takes the odd gigs when people ask real nice. {I know this is an imminently googlable question, but since your brought it up, I'll ask you =P} Isn't there a pretty strict requirement of proving yourself to be a pro to join CPS?

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To qualify for gold or plantinum you have to enter your equipment in the data base. With a certain amount of points you will qualify for one or the other.
This is the Canon's criteria for a pro;

"A full-time self-employed individual or an employee of a professional imaging business who plays a direct role in the creation of moving or still images."

This is probably why broken lenses have a good resale value. A platinum member could pick this lens up for cents on the dollar and have Canon fix it for $600, turn around and sell it for $1500-$1700 and make a nice profit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

To qualify for gold or plantinum you have to enter your equipment in the data base. With a certain amount of points you will qualify for one or the other.
This is the Canon's criteria for a pro;

"A full-time self-employed individual or an employee of a professional imaging business who plays a direct role in the creation of moving or still images."

This is probably why broken lenses have a good resale value. A platinum member could pick this lens up for cents on the dollar and have Canon fix it for $600, turn around and sell it for $1500-$1700 and make a nice profit.

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Yeah, that's what I suspected. That excludes me pretty unambiguously: I don't do this as a job. Thanks for the suggestion, though.


Clever trick with the lens-flipping. Maybe I can befriend a CPS member and get'em to send it of on my behalf.