Can you have lint inside the lens?

This may sound like entry level question but can a lint/hair get inside the lens?
I just noticed my 100mm macro lens show a hair-like object on the photo.

Upon close inspection, I can see it on the lower left corner. I tried to swipe and clean the outside but looking at the lens through my loupes I can see it is coming from the inside of the lens.
What should I do? Can this be clean out via a local shop or should I send it back to Canon for clean out. Btw, this lens been with me over 6-7years. I don't expect their is any warranty.

Much appreciate for your advise.

Lint inside the lens can't think I have ever come across that. Are you sure it's not mold ? that will grow inside.

JMO, send the lens to canon for cleaning. They will charge about $200 which isn't too bad IMO for a lens you've been using for 7 years.

FWIW, I noticed my 100mm L has quite a bit of dust in it, including some larger specks. Not enough to get worried, but I've only had it a year. So I suspect it is not as sealed as one might hope.

Personally I think almost anything can get into a lens, although I have no idea how it happens on lenses like the 100L, 135L or 70-200's that are basically sealed at both ends.

If you are seeing it in the photo it is most likely on your sensor, not in the lens.

chtgrubbs wrote in post #16302453
If you are seeing it in the photo it is most likely on your sensor, not in the lens.

That's what I was thinking at first, but with a macro at close distances and stopped down, you can see larger chunks of stuff on the lens where you wouldn't on a non-macro.

OTOH checking the sensor with another lens would seem prudent.

i'm sure you can get some lint in a lens...but it's doubtful that it will affect your photos...so the best solution is to not look inside your lenses

I'm reasonably sure that lint could somehow get in the lens, if that is actually what is happening... my basis for this belief is that I had a small bug crawling around inside my old 50 1.8 until it (the bug) died. Its husk is theoretically rattling around inside the damn thing to this day (that was maybe 3 or 4 years ago that I noticed it). It's no longer within the field of vision of the lens though. I am not making this up.

I left the camera and the lens at the office. I'm concern of it because I can see it on the photo, I will also verify the sensor with my recent purchase of 35mm. Thanks for all the tips so far

WC4Glam wrote in post #16302660
I left the camera and the lens at the office. I'm concern of it because I can see it on the photo, I will also verify the sensor with my recent purchase of 35mm. Thanks for all the tips so far

Mate i to have a same like issue, a thin hairy line appears on the pictures when i use the cam full zoom

if you can see it on pics, i think it's most likely something on your sensor...