Help - Broken Lens

[daaaveman]

I work nights and get off at 6am so try to catch some shots of the sunrise when the weather permits. I was running a little late this morning and was rushing to get set up. I was heading for the top of a parking garage due west of downtown St. Louis that gives a nice view of the sun coming up through the arch. I was extending my tripod legs while I walked and stepped right off a curb. Down I went. My knee is skinned up but worse than that, I landed on my camera bag. Cameras were OK but I broke my 50mm f/1.8 (nifty fifty). The front lens element with the attached plastic housing separated from the lens. It is held on by 4 small, notched locks. One of them is broken.

So the question is, where do I go from here? Can I send this in under warranty? I bought it just a few weeks ago from B&H. Any chance this is going to be covered under the warranty? What would you tell them? Also, it's a $75 lens. Is it worth pursuing? If I snap it back together with the three locks that are not broken, do you think it will work. Should I snap it back together and then send it in (I know, not very honorable)? How much is it going to cost out of warranty? Any ideas?

Thanks for any advice you can give me guys. I appreciate it.

[tim]

I wouldn't think it'd be covered under warranty, they usually only cover manufacturing defects. I think you should try repairing it yourself, and count you luck you didn't fall on a 70-200 F2.8 IS lens :)

[Maureen Souza]

Dave....sorry about your lens, and oh yeah, your knee. I'd buy a new lens, just to be on the safe side....heck, it's only $75 and that's a cheap one not to cry over.
Tim...your comments always crack me up!!! I bet anything you can't tell you have shaky hands in your photographs.

[pierrot]

I second and "third" Tim and Maureen.
Try to put the front lens in place again, avoid dust, fasten the remaining screws, put a drop of super-glue if needed, and try the lens.
After all, it's just a 70 dollars lens. If it doesn't work any more (you don't talk of the diaphragm blades and the AF motor), you will end with a couple of excellent loupes, anyway! ;)

[Andy_T]

I remember reading a thread where the same thing happened to another user (do not know whether one of the locks broke or not) and he put it back together and it worked.

Sorry, couldn't find the thread. Most likely on another forum.
Why not give it a try?

Also, take a look here (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BDph)

Best regards,
Andy

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

You might want to look at some of the insurance threads that have been running recently;-)

Try fixing it and using it, nothing to lose at this point.

Never been in favour of fooling with warrantee on physical damage.

[ron chappel]

You'll be caught out for sure if you try to claim warrantee on it:oops: :oops:

Unfortunately you've found the main weak point of the 50/1.8 II,they allways break there.
It is abit doubtfull that you'll get it completely straight if you fix it yourself but,as the others said,you got nothing to lose;) :)

[Andy_T]

Unfortunately you've found the main weak point of the 50/1.8 II,they allways break there.


Ron, is that also a problem with the 50/1.8 I ?

The lens mount may be metal, but what about the front of it?

Best regards,
Andy

[karusel]

Buy a new 50mm lens, possibly 1.4 this time, repair the old 50mm and use it as a 'reverse lens' on a telephoto for macro shots.

[booggerg]

SOL

[EoSD30fReAk]

I remember reading a thread where the same thing happened to another user (do not know whether one of the locks broke or not) and he put it back together and it worked.

Sorry, couldn't find the thread. Most likely on another forum.
Why not give it a try?

Also, take a look here (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00BDph)

Best regards,
Andy

i think you mean this thread andy
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=57866&highlight=50mm+dropped

[wibbly]

... and count you luck you didn't fall on a 70-200 F2.8 IS lens :)

But that would have broken Dave, not the lens? They're built like tanks, right?

:-)

John

[tim]

Tim...your comments always crack me up!!! I bet anything you can't tell you have shaky hands in your photographs.

My sig you mean? I'm getting better at that shaky hands thing ;)

[cactusclay]

Sorry to hear about the lens and knee. I just traded my MK11 at a pawn shop for a MK1 plus ten bucks. Someone was wondering if the MK1 would break in the same place. I don't know if it would, but to me it looks as if the build quality is exactly the same, only difference being the metal mount, focus ring and distance scale. Mine seems to have gathered some dust over the years and the manual focus ring isn't very smooth. Anyone know if it would hurt to DW40 it?

[ron chappel]

Ron, is that also a problem with the 50/1.8 I ?

The lens mount may be metal, but what about the front of it?

Best regards,
Andy

Hi Andy
The mark I version uses a fair bit of plastic in it's construction but is a completely different design,it's much stronger inside.

Personally my complaint with the mkII isn't so much it's construction but the fact that it's not meant to be taken apart.
It has gaps between the main front and rear element groups that let dust in but it can't be worked on to clean it out!

[TammieO]

Sorry you hurt your knee. Hope it heals soon. The lens on the other hand...

[daaaveman]

Thanks for the help everybody. I guess the SOL post sums it up the best...... I've tried to snap it back together but have been unsuccessful so far. There are a lot of things to line up without being able to see them. I'm going to keep trying but since it's only a $75 lens, I'm going to pick a new one up tomorrow from a local dealer. I'm always keeping an eye out for a MK1 but for $75 I'm just going to get a new one. I let my 4 year old use it on an old film rebel sometimes. It's interesting to see the shots from his perspective. BTW, a little antibiotic creme and the knee is much better. Thanks again.

[daaaveman]

Well, I have to revise my last post. I just tried again and it snapped together just fine.....click! Shots look sharp as ever.....yeah!!!

[daaaveman]

OK, so the AF is a little noisier than before and the MF ring is sticky when in AF. It is smooth in MF. But, hey, it will work until I find a deal on the MK1 or a 1.4.

[cc10d]

:cry: Sorry to hear about the lens and knee. I just traded my MK11 at a pawn shop for a MK1 plus ten bucks. Someone was wondering if the MK1 would break in the same place. I don't know if it would, but to me it looks as if the build quality is exactly the same, only difference being the metal mount, focus ring and distance scale. Mine seems to have gathered some dust over the years and the manual focus ring isn't very smooth. Anyone know if it would hurt to DW40 it?

DO NOT WD40 IT! That stuff, over time turns to guey,(very stiff and sticky) then completely hardens.