Do lens die?

[cjm]

I used a (dino) Elan 7 and was taking pictures this afternoon and my camera seemed like it died. Weird thing is that it didn't because just now as I was checking it out and changing the batteries I noticed that the camera could still take pictures, it could only not take pictures with one of my lens. Glad I brought my Canon PowerShot.

Basically what it is doing is stalling after I take the picture with my Sigma Telephoto lens, it never once has given me any problems and I am not sure if it is that lens but after I take a picture it will act like the batteries are all dead and will only forward the film when I turn it off and on.

I tried it with my other lens, a Canon Wide angle macro lens and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the camera. So I betcha you can wonder why I ask if Lens die. If you have any idea as to what this might be please help me. Thanks.

[Jesper]

So, it dies when you use a Sigma telephoto lens.

The problem with third party (i.e. non-Canon) lenses is that they are not always 100% compatible with all Canon EOS bodies. The specifications of Canon's EF lens mount are Canon's secret, and they don't license or sell it to any other company. Companies such as Sigma and Tamron, who make Canon EF compatible lenses, have to find out for themselves how the EF mount works exactly - by reverse engineering. They don't always get it 100% right, so that their lenses don't work perfectly with all Canon EOS bodies.

So, most likely there is an incompatibility between your Sigma lens and the Elan 7. If the lens is not too old (if Sigma still produces it), you can ask Sigma if they will "re-chip" it - update the microprocessor in the lens to make it compatible with the Elan 7.

[Red]

I've rechipped a Sigma lens that didn't work with my digital body. It was quite inexpensive, and would have been cheaper if I could prove I'd bought it from new, but it takes a long time.
I believe that Sigma UK took the lens apart, took the chip out and sent it to Japan. Then when the chip came back the camera was re-assembled, and sent back to me. I think the whole process took about 6 weeks

[rdenney]

I've rechipped a Sigma lens that didn't work with my digital body. It was quite inexpensive, and would have been cheaper if I could prove I'd bought it from new, but it takes a long time.
I believe that Sigma UK took the lens apart, took the chip out and sent it to Japan. Then when the chip came back the camera was re-assembled, and sent back to me. I think the whole process took about 6 weeks

I rechipped a couple of Sigma lenses when I bought my 10D and had an Error99 problem. It took about two weeks, sending it to Sigma USA. I didn't have to prove anything, or pay anything. Neither lens was a current model. Perhaps that deal is no longer in effect.

I had understood that Sigma did actually get licensing from Canon in 2001, and that the lenses made after that time didn't have a problem. But that was information on this forum, so who knows?

But I'm not sure that's the problem in this case. It may be that the lens has failed mechanically, and isn't sending the correct messages back to the camera. For example, perhaps the aperture isn't opening back up properly after an exposure, and the camera is therefore not getting what it expects and is therefore locking up.

Even so, I think the answer is the same--send the lens back to Sigma and have it repaired. A very clear description of exactly what is happening will help.

Rick "who knows of people who even had cheapie Quantaray lenses--made by Sigma--rechipped for free" Denney

[cjm]

The sigma lens has worked on three different Canon bodies I have had. It wasn't the el cheapo lens either it was the best of the best Sigma makes and I have been using it off and on for 3 years. So it is sort of disappointing if it did die because even though it wasn't a canon lens it sure surved me very good over the years.

My dad thinks that maybe it just needs to have its connectors cleaned or that it is misaligned. The Canon lens I have is very old, probably one of the first EOS Canon macro lens ever made. I bought that one off eBay for $70 but it works well for Wide angle or macro its a 28-70mm and my Sigma is a 70-210mm.

Here are my lens,
http://members.shaw.ca/cmonline/Elan7/Elan7_04.jpg

Not that you can really read anything off them. Well its not really the end of the world but I was sort of hoping that this camera or lens would last me a bit longer, until I buy the Canon 40D? Whatever comes out after the 20D.

[rdenney]

The sigma lens has worked on three different Canon bodies I have had. It wasn't the el cheapo lens either it was the best of the best Sigma makes and I have been using it off and on for 3 years.

Anything can break. Look on Sigma's website and find their authorized service center in Canada, and call them on the phone. They'll give you an RMA, or tell you that it is not needed, and provide you with an address to ship the lens. They'll then call you with an estimate, and you can decide whether it's worth the cost of the repair or not.

If it's a high-end Sigma lens, surely it is worth getting repaired. It sucks, but sometimes that's the way things go.

Rick "who has had to do the same with a lot higher-end brands than Sigma" Denney