TS-E 17mm - how tough is the front element? Example of scratching it

I know many of us with TS-E 17mm lenses have wondered how resistant the bulbous front element is to scratches. Well, I had the unfortunate experience of finding out.

So what did I do to my TS-E 17mm? Well without going into all the background of what I normally do, I took the lens without the lens cap on, stuck the front element in sandy gravel and twisted it a couple of times to 'seat' it so I could add an extender. And I did all of this before realizing the lens cap was not on it. Apart from actually dropping the lens, I really couldn't have done more to try to scratch the front element.

You can see the result in the close-up photo below. The photo, however, does make the scratches look as bad as I could - I experimented with the light and angle. If there is no light shining directly on the lens you cant even see them. The angle is a bit misleading in that the scratches you can see are on the very front of the element, not on the side, so what you see is the extent of the damage. Apart from one or two 'chips' that look like dust, none did more than take off a bit of the lens coating. It's actually pretty obvious looking at the lens that none will actually affect image quality. Even the chips that look deep are in reality not at all deep and perhaps just took off all the lens coating - you can't actually feel them with your finger.

The second photo I added so you could see the whole front element. The light is still shining on the scratches so you can see them, but you can also see that they represent a relatively small area of the element and where the light is not shining on them, they are not visible.

I will say I have always been one to exclaim that I see my camera gear as tools to get photos. I've never worried about scratches on the outside of my lenses or bodies or a bit of dust in the lens. Although a couple of my lenses have very minor scratches to the front or rear elements, I do really try hard to keep the glass clean and scratch-free. Well this experience really tested me on that.

My first inclination after carefully picking off the dirt and seeing the result of scratching up the front element of my most prized and expensive lens was to have the front element replaced. But really? No. I thought to myself would I actually use my new 16-35 instead of the TS-E because of the scratches and the answer is definitely no. So I won't be doing anything silly like getting a new front element.

So, bottom line is that the TS-E 17mm front element is pretty darn tough. I mean I literally stuck it in gravel and twisted it a couple of times while applying downward pressure and while it certainly put scratches in the front element, it did nothing that would actually affect IQ. I haven't even noticed increased flare and I did subsequently use it flare-prone situations.

Hopefully this will at least reassure some people that gently banging the lens cap or a filter/filter holder against the front element is going to do absolutely nothing to harm it. And even if you do something really stupid like I did, you're not going to end up with having to replace the front element, except possibly for purely cosmetic reasons.

I know this also won't surprise many people who often exclaim just how tough front elements are in general. I guess I finally found out first hand although perhaps with this bulbous element Canon has made it a bit tougher than most.

People like you (with all respect) scare me a lot ...

When they want to borrow from me any kind of equipment, even unbreakable equipment, like garden tools all in stainless steel, they find a way to break it ...

Anyway thanks a lot for this report

I have a hunch that the next time you try to use that lens when the sun is at JUST the right angle, you may think again about replacing the front element.
edit: Heck, thinking about it, I bet the front element is within the depth of field at MFD. Try it out.

Your pretty good at making the scratches on the photo look really nasty. But it looks like just scratched off multi-coating. The glass doesn't seemed to be scratched. My hunch too is that the photos quality should be unaffected. For peace of mind, try shooting at f22 and maximizing glare and check it out.

ejenner wrote in post #17087962
I took the lens without the lens cap on, stuck the front element in sandy gravel and twisted it a couple of times to 'seat' it so I could add an extender.

...

ejenner wrote in post #17087962
I do really try hard to keep the glass clean and scratch-free.

Reservoir Dog wrote in post #17088088
People like you (with all respect) scare me a lot ...

When they want to borrow from me any kind of equipment, even unbreakable equipment, like garden tools all in stainless steel, they find a way to break it ...

Anyway thanks a lot for this report

I think you mean 'with all due respect' (i.e. very little in this case).

Of course there is one thing with not being super-careful with stuff and another thing just being downright stupidly destructive.

ejenner wrote in post #17088296
I think you mean 'with all due respect' (i.e. very little in this case).

Hum ... now you made me confused, English is not my mother language, i will say "respectful" which sound good with google definition
adjective: respectful
feeling or showing deference and respect.

Reservoir Dog wrote in post #17088369
Hum ... now you made me confused, English is not my mother language, i will say "respectful" which sound good with google definition
adjective: respectful
feeling or showing deference and respect.

Sorry - you were very respectful indeed, more respect than I'd give someone who thrust their TS-E into the dirt.

So one thing people say is 'with all respect', or 'with respect'. Another similar phrase than can have quiet a different meaning is 'with all due respect'. The latter is open to interpretation about how much respect is actually due and thus can be a sort of like you are giving someone respect or a compliment when in fact you are not.

So basically I was saying I wouldn't give myself too much respect (I don't take myself too seriously - or else I certainly wouldn't make a post about how I stupidly scratched up my TS-E).

ejenner wrote in post #17088440
Sorry - you were very respectful indeed, more respect than I'd give someone who thrust their TS-E into the dirt.

So one thing people say is 'with all respect', or 'with respect'. Another similar phrase than can have quiet a different meaning is 'with all due respect'. The latter is open to interpretation about how much respect is actually due and thus can be a sort of like you are giving someone respect or a compliment when in fact you are not.

Thank you for the explanation, you point a difference in something which was for me the same thing.

ejenner wrote in post #17088440
So basically I was saying I wouldn't give myself too much respect (I don't take myself too seriously - or else I certainly wouldn't make a post about how I stupidly scratched up my TS-E).

Yes i understood this one and it's good to see it

Oh my,

Thanks for showing this. This is testament how durable the glass is, since it didn't scratch. Scratching glass is a basic Geology 101 type act, where something classes harder will be required to scratch it. Looks like the glass is harder than the gravel, which I can only assume at this point was limestone or something soft like that, and not straight up quartz. But who knows. Looks like the multi-coating is the only thing that etched off. The glass is likely unscratched. I bet it still takes perfectly fine photos and you can't tell at all that it's scratched up. At worst, you may see some odd tiny flares or a minor loss in contrast depending on angles to light sources.

Very best,

ejenner wrote in post #17087962
I know this also won't surprise many people who often exclaim just how tough front elements are in general. I guess I finally found out first hand although perhaps with this bulbous element Canon has made it a bit tougher than most.

That's great example of how difficult it is to damage a front element - you had to scrunch it into one of the hardest subsctances found in nature just to get a few minor scratches.

MalVeauX wrote in post #17088583
Oh my,
I can only assume at this point was limestone or something soft like that, and not straight up quartz. But who knows. Looks like the multi-coating is the only thing that etched off. The glass is likely unscratched. I bet it still takes perfectly fine photos and you can't tell at all that it's scratched up. At worst, you may see some odd tiny flares or a minor loss in contrast depending on angles to light sources.

Very best,

Well, it happened in Yellowstone NP and although I don't have a sample with me I'm pretty darn sure it was crushed up igneous rock mix.

I sure might see an unexpected flare, but I did actually take some shots afterwards that I know I had some flare in (which I expected and saw at the time) and looking at them in PP they are nothing I haven't seen before. Obviously I can't compare exactly before/after, but I'm not concerned.

I actually tried to induce flare just after this happened and couldn't get anything really obvious to show up. Sure, it doesn't show that I won't get something extra in some circumstance, but I can live with that.

Those marks are actually pretty small. Even the round 'chips' you see I cant differentiate from dust until I get the rocket blower out and try to blow them off. I know many times I probably take shots with that amount of dust on the lens since I don't blow off dust before every shot or even every time I get the lens out.

ejenner wrote in post #17089870
Well, it happened in Yellowstone NP and although I don't have a sample with me I'm pretty darn sure it was crushed up igneous rock mix.

I sure might see an unexpected flare, but I did actually take some shots afterwards that I know I had some flare in (which I expected and saw at the time) and looking at them in PP they are nothing I haven't seen before. Obviously I can't compare exactly before/after, but I'm not concerned.

I actually tried to induce flare just after this happened and couldn't get anything really obvious to show up. Sure, it doesn't show that I won't get something extra in some circumstance, but I can live with that.

Those marks are actually pretty small. Even the round 'chips' you see I cant differentiate from dust until I get the rocket blower out and try to blow them off. I know many times I probably take shots with that amount of dust on the lens since I don't blow off dust before every shot or even every time I get the lens out.

I haven't ever wondered how easy or hard it is to scratch one of my lenses.
Sorry to here you damaged your lens.
farmer

ejenner wrote in post #17087962
I took the lens without the lens cap on, stuck the front element in sandy gravel and twisted it a couple of times to 'seat' it so I could add an extender. And I did all of this before realizing the lens cap was not on it. Apart from actually dropping the lens, I really couldn't have done more to try to scratch the front element.

I had to re-read that a couple of times. Seems like that front element is one tough cookie, thanks for sharing your story!

I'm glad it only seems like the multi-coating. I hope there is no (or minimal) IQ performance.

But ---

ejenner wrote in post #17087962
....stuck the front element in sandy gravel and twisted it a couple of times to 'seat' it so I could add an extender....

--- really?

Even if I had the cap on I wouldn't do this. Pocket, pouch, bag, possibly even gently setting it on level gravel - but this?!?

Seriously though we've all done not so smart of things that we regret (after).

I agree with snake0ape, test it. Hopefully there will be no problem. If there is, decide how much and if the front element would need replacing. I'm doubting it, but a 17mm?

For the record though, you can't borrow any of my equipment.