24-70 2.8L owners... question

[johnellisphotography]

I have a fairly new 24-70 and want to know about others experience with this lens.
My main concern is that the zoom ring and zoom action seem a bit loose. When the lens is at 70mm you can kind of jiggle the ring back and forth and teh main lens element just seem not too solid at 70mm(just in-out motion... no side to side looseness or anything). Is this normal? My other L zoom is tight as heck but then again its a lot smaller and lighter.(17-40)

Thanks

[Mills]

Mine is solid as a rock after a year an 1/2 of use. I guess I would call it my primary lens. So versatile.

[Jon]

I haven't had it all that long, but mine seems solid. Might yours have taken a hit somewhere (even while in the camera bag)? How is it doing optically? Front/back focus? Sharpness or contrast problems? If something's loose inside and this is a problem, try to nail it down while you're under warranty so you can get Canon to fix it on their dime. If you can show some imaging problem, it'll be easier.

[davidwegs]

No. that seems a litte odd. Maybe a return to vendor or Canons repair center.

[jbradc]

This is the second post about the same problem this week, maybe Canon had a QC problem. Anyway I have had my 24-70 L for about 6 months and it is very solid, no play in the zoom ring at all. The zoom ring was a little stiff at first but now it is fine. I would have it checked out.

[ShutteringFocus]

seems like we've had this problem with this lens before...maybe there was a bad batch made recently?

[Nic]

Mine is also as solid as a rock. Maybe you have a defective copy.

[steven]

Sound like your lens needs service, as mine is sold.

[johnellisphotography]

Perhaps i will take it back to the vendor. One distinctive thing I've noticed is that when on or off th camera, with the zoom tucked in at 70mm, you get a slight "thud" sound when you turn the lens end on end. So you are rotating it back and forth vertically and hearing and feeling a faint "thud" "thud" "thud". Does that ring a bell with any of you guys?

[johnellisphotography]

Ok guys, Just got off the phone with canon. Heres their take on the subject:

According to them, a little bit of zoom ring play is normal, like 1mm back and forth or so. However, my problem of the moving parts inside that make a soft thud is NOT normal. He recommended that any L zoom that shows any internal settling when tilting it down then up should be either returned or looked at by canon service. I guess that clears it up. Back to the store i go.

BTW, I am impressed with their service. I called and asked if it was normal so they guy went to a shelf, picked up a couple of the lenses to see if they did the same thing. Pretty cool.

[wibbly]

Basically, mine is the same. BUT,

- The movement is perhaps 0.5mm on the zoom ring ("not a problem", according to Canon)
- The lens is not so loose there's any sign the zoom creeps
- I'm convinced the slight 'thud' on mine is a tiny on-axis movement on the front element ("not moving parts inside", so to speak, and probably associated with the slack felt on the zoom ring)
- Key point -> optically the lens is very good

Based on the last point, I decided NOT to do an exchange I was offered from the vendor I purchased it from, on the basis if I get a copy where, say, the boke is bad this will be VERY difficult to prove is 'out of spec' & get fixed, and I also run the risk on front/back focus issue or whatever. So I've decided to keep it (basically "if it 'aint really broke, don't fix it" principle) and consider my options direct with Canon as a warranty issue further into the warranty period (a year in the UK).

In fact was it not for the fact that the lens' character has changed over the 7 weeks I've had it, and people generaly describe this lens as "tight and built like a tank" I would probably had considered these 'issues' all acceptable.

johnellisphotography, please let us know how you get on:

- How the lens is when you get it back/replaced
- If anything has changed optically
- How it is a couple of months later

John

[johnellisphotography]

Your descriptions are identical to how mine is performing. I wonder if we are just too picky:rolleyes: . Ill do some tests to see if it is optically a good performer and if it is i'll weigh that in on my decision. Like you said, why get a solid one that has bad image quality.

[wibbly]

I'm no pro, so part of the reason for buying such expensive toys is the joy of using them. The issue such as it is, dampens the joy of using what is supposed to be a 'well engineered and built' product - if indeed it's 'just not right'.

But at the end of the day, optical quality, and speed of focus, etc., have to remain the primary benefits.

I don't know what country you're in (and thus what warranty you have with Canon), but just don't fall fowl of the warranty period.

Assuming we trust that Canon service can restore any easily demonstrable fault to as good as new (or even better in some cases through recalibration), then all we're really discussing is the convenience of an exchange in a store (together with some risk of getting a poorer copy), and dealing with Canon service...

.. and consider I've seen some complain that their lens' stiffness negatively affects it's use. Maybe we've actually got goodun's for all practical purposes ;)

J