Help: Dropped 10D & crushed filter

[oosik]

Evening,

My wife took my 10D to her work today, and to my surprise, dropped it face down :cry: Apparently the filter shattered into many, many little parts. She thought she'd broken the camera and was pretty distraught when I came home.

Here's my question:

The lens appears fine, and the camera takes pictures. It's a IS USM lens, so thankfully that's the case. However, the 72mm filter is dented on a couple sides, preventing me from removing it.

Any ideas? Hopefully I was clear enough.

1. Dropped camera
2. Lens is fine, but filter broke
3. Can't get filter out because it's dented and "stuck" in the lens

Any ideas or help would be appeciated!

Nick

[Eric DeCastro]

all else fails cut the filter off. just thank goodness for the filter. good luck getting it off.

[rg-tom]

have you tried bendin it carefully back into shape with a pair of pliers or something?

[watermarkphotography]

I agree bend it back the best you can so the filter comes off rather easy so you can put a new one on.

[mwinog2777]

Replace wife. Do it very slowly, otherwise she might break.

When free, plenty of replacements available.

[blackviolet]

lol replace wife ...using pliers....


seriously, though, if you can't bend it straight enough, it's not that difficult to carefully cut them off with a dremel. i'm glad to hear that the camera is all in one piece (then again, if she broke the camera, would guilt allow you to get a 20d? ;) )

[DaveG]

Evening,

My wife took my 10D to her work today, and to my surprise, dropped it face down :cry: Apparently the filter shattered into many, many little parts. She thought she'd broken the camera and was pretty distraught when I came home.

Here's my question:

The lens appears fine, and the camera takes pictures. It's a IS USM lens, so thankfully that's the case. However, the 72mm filter is dented on a couple sides, preventing me from removing it.

Any ideas? Hopefully I was clear enough.

1. Dropped camera
2. Lens is fine, but filter broke
3. Can't get filter out because it's dented and "stuck" in the lens

Any ideas or help would be appeciated!

Nick


Take it in to a camera repair shop, if there's one in town. They will have a tool that looks like the same thing mechanics use for removing oil filters on car engines, although (ha ha) it's a lot smaller. It wraps around the whole filter so that there's even pressure on the ring. Even if the filter has been damaged as you say, this tool usually removes a stuck or damaged filter, without hurting the lens.

By the way, to all the "I don't use filters" guys out there: Nick should be buying a replacement filter with a big smile on his face. The lens took a very hard smack and the energy it absorbed had to go somewhere. That place looks like it was the filter which shattered under the impact. With no filter the energy goes directly to the lens and - almost certainly - would have seriously damaged it. As it is he's dodged a bullet and has a stuck filter/sad wife problem rather than a destroyed IS lens/REALLY sad wife issues to contend with!

[Belmondo]

I don't know if this will work in your case (can't see how badly deformed the filter ring is).

One method of loosening a stuck filter is to push it into the side of an automoible tire (or other staionary rubber object). The rubber creates grip around the entire circumference of the filter ring. Turn the lens counter clockwise while pushing on the lens. Often, this will be sufficient to break the filter loose.

[dr.bear]

I agree with everyone here. Try using fine needle nose pliers to straighten or re-curve the bent parts of the filter frame. Then slowly twist loose. You might have to trial and error this procedure over and over again until it starts to budge. If this method doesn't work then you might be able to section or separate the filter with a dremel or other rotary tool. If you don't feel competent with your hand skills then you might have someone else do it. If I were you, I'd use dremel's thin carbide separating disk attached to a mandrel (the rod with screw end). Turn the motor on to full power so you don't have hiccups when you start cutting the metal. You might also want to place a piece of cloth between the front element and filter so if you slip you wont injure the glass. I hope this helps and good luck.

Accidents do happen. My wife had my old elan2 /28-105USM around her neck walking towards my recently purchased Acura. She tripped against the sidewalk and the filter thread smashed across the side of our car with all her weight against the camera. I was a bit upset but the way I see it, it's only material that can be replaced or fixed.

[Belmondo]

Accidents do happen. ------- the way I see it, it's only material that can be replaced or fixed.

This may not be very consoling right now, but is probably the best advice so far. Once it's fixed, whatever it takes, get on with your life and try to benefit from whatever you've learned as a result of it. Believe me. I know about these things. :oops:

[Huckaback Photo]

Hi Nick
if Belmondo's advice does not work as this is a well recognised way .
try this,
cut yourself a square piece plywood or similar material say 1" larger than filter
now stand the lens upright, damaged filter in tight contact with the wood. get some rapid set epoxy adhesive (like araldite ), put a bead of glue right round the outside of filter making sure to keep it off the actual lens barrel by use of masking tape. most important let it fully set or it wont work. the extra grip and leverage should sort it, may also be advised cut small disc of paper or thin card and cover front element before you try anything.
if my method fails chances are the lens filter thread is also badly damaged and would need to be cut off , 2 small cuts about the width of any small pliers / grips you have. the idea is fold small section of metal to and frow until this (say 3/4" wide) piece breaks off now catch hold with a pliers either side of remaining filter and pull inward, actual threaded part of filter is so weak it will come away easily just peel out remaning metal . if this was something other than a lens we would actually do the cuts and tap inward with small punch !!! no hammer and punch this time though.
if it works tell us all.
Best of luck Martin (Huckaback Photo)
P.S
Welcome to the Forum

[JonK]

Hi Nick
if Belmondo's advice does not work as this is a well recognised way .
try this,
cut yourself a square piece plywood or similar material say 1" larger than filter
now stand the lens upright, damaged filter in tight contact with the wood. get some rapid set epoxy adhesive (like araldite ), put a bead of glue right round the outside of filter making sure to keep it off the actual lens barrel by use of masking tape. most important let it fully set or it wont work. the extra grip and leverage should sort it, may also be advised cut small disc of paper or thin card and cover front element before you try anything.
if my method fails chances are the lens filter thread is also badly damaged and would need to be cut off , 2 small cuts about the width of any small pliers / grips you have. the idea is fold small section of metal to and frow until this (say 3/4" wide) piece breaks off now catch hold with a pliers either side of remaining filter and pull inward, actual threaded part of filter is so weak it will come away easily just peel out remaning metal . if this was something other than a lens we would actually do the cuts and tap inward with small punch !!! no hammer and punch this time though.
if it works tell us all.
Best of luck Martin (Huckaback Photo)
P.S
Welcome to the Forum

On my friends Nikon (hehehehehe) I ended up using an arc welder and welding a couple tack welds onto a piece of steel stock we had, then we twisted carefully. its tricky because of the clearance between the filter and the lens, but it worked.

[Huckaback Photo]

Nice one Jonk
and a good reason not to buy plastic lenses, i just got this vision of a lump of molten plastic pooring from the lens.
at least a glass front element would only have spatter marks from the arc welder ????
Nick
Did not even consider this one earlier do you have your kit insured ?? drop it again get a new one!!
Cheers
Martin.