EOS50 lens (17-85 ) focus ring stuck !.

I am not sure if it has taken a knock but the focussing ring is truly stuck at the macro end.Taking the lens off reveals no clues , looks normal. Autofocus doesn't move it , neither does manual.
Anyone know anything about this ?. Canon told my daughter it was a known fault ?.
Many thanks
Nick

A stuck focusing ring does occur on occasional although a web search indicates it is more prevelant on the 50mm f/1.4 than the 17-85mm. The bad side is almost always it necessitates a return to Canon or a lens specialist for repair. Before doing that however I would take the AF>MF switch and move it rapidly back and forth. That engages and disengages part of the gear train and that action may free up something. Long shot but worth a try.

I'm going to give a BUMP to this thread, even though the thread is old. I'm having the same issue: focus ring stuck on my EF-S 17-85 is stuck at macro.

However, after sliding the ring a LOT, I got it unstuck. However, whenever autofocus sends it back to macro, it gets stuck again, which takes me 30 seconds to get unstuck---so I can't really use the lens in a real-life situation.

I had the same lens repaired by Canon ($150) 9 months ago for another issue, so I'm really not looking forward to sending it in again, and paying again.

anyone have any tips? Besides taking it apart myself

John from PA wrote in post #16059587
A stuck focusing ring does occur on occasional although a web search indicates it is more prevelant on the 50mm f/1.4 than the 17-85mm. The bad side is almost always it necessitates a return to Canon or a lens specialist for repair. Before doing that however I would take the AF>MF switch and move it rapidly back and forth. That engages and disengages part of the gear train and that action may free up something. Long shot but worth a try.

Send it in for repair again, then sell it as soon as you get it back.

Thanks 1Tanker!

The first (and now 2nd) repair has been my biggest Canon disappointment. Besides the repairs, I do like the lens. But I'm thinking a LOT more about using primes.

Brodog2525 wrote in post #16651086
Thanks 1Tanker!

The first (and now 2nd) repair has been my biggest Canon disappointment. Besides the repairs, I do like the lens. But I'm thinking a LOT more about using primes.

Primes still have focus rings.:p

Yep, time to send it in(again). Sorry you're having problems.

Happened to mine too. I sold it and bought another for @$50 difference...less than the repair cost. but it may happen to this lens as well. Hindsight? Sell it and get a 15-85...

Even broken they're worth @$250

Something similar happened to my EF 16-35 mm f/2.8L USM. When I peeled off the rubber ring that's wrapped outside the focusing ring, it turned out that the screws keeping the front of the lens to the rest of it had come loose. When they came out, they blocked the rotation of the focusing ring.
Tightened them with a small screwdriver. Has been fine since then. Took like five minutes or so to do.

It's a similar problem with the 17-85 but the crews are deep inside the lens, necessitating almost total disassembly.

rrblint wrote in post #16651113
Primes still have focus rings.:p

Yep, time to send it in(again). Sorry you're having problems.

yes you are very right!

update on the focus ring
Yesterday I kept rotating the focus ring for about 5 minutes, and did get the focus ring unstuck! However, it does get stuck frequently, but then I can get it unstuck in about 10 seconds. I'm going to keep playing with it and see if I can get it permanently unstuck----but I think I will need to send it to canon sooner or later