Lens Maintenance?

Questions about the need to have your lens sent to Canon for a full lens Maintenance?

I have a 70-300 L that is abut 4+ years old. Planning another trip to Africa and wonder if it's appropriate or maybe even wise to send the lens to Cannon for their 11 point Maintenance (https://www.usa.canon.​com …4v-5E!/#eflensmainservice

Seems like $59 might be well worth it for peace of mind.

Any discussion about this or recommendations?Have others used this service and on what time interval?

Sounds expensive to me, most of the things on that list are a visual check.
I can't see anything there that the average person couldn't do for themselves.

The only time I send a lens in is if it's physically damaged or to get fungus off the inner elements. I now store my lenses in plastic bags with dessicant to keep the latter at bay. Fungus is a problem because I live near a body of salt water. It gets in the air.

Ramon-uk wrote in post #18419729
Sounds expensive to me, most of the things on that list are a visual check.
I can't see anything there that the average person couldn't do for themselves.

So you don't think they use any sort of equipment to check things out? I would think they would and the average person wouldn't have that kind of thing at their disposal. Not saying you're wrong but still wondering.

BTW, $59 seems cheap to me to have the mfg check the lens. I just don't have any experience with this sort of thing. Trying to be proactive.

When was the last time you sent your toaster in for maintenance? Your TV? Your cell phone? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Bassat wrote in post #18419794
When was the last time you sent your toaster in for maintenance? Your TV? Your cell phone? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Fair point.

Paranoid I suppose is the answer.

My toaster has never broken.

This may be admitting my years, but...

When we left for vacations (or even a day at the beach), my parents would always ask each other, "Did you unplug the coffee pot?" (mid '60s, we previously used a stove-top percolator ). I would always wonder why nobody worries about unplugging the refrigerator. Or the washing machine.

When was the last time you took your toaster to Africa? If you only shoot in a studio environment, that might be different. My gear takes a beating. Whether it's trekking through the woods or quickly "dropping" my long lens to grab my wide angle when a football play is coming right at me. Most lenses (especially "L"s) will last many, many years if they are taken care of.

Join Canon Professional Services. My membership cost $100 a year. It consists of repair discounts, faster turn-around times, and I can send 5 items per year (bodies or lenses) for free cleaning and the 11 point maintenance check.

I used my toaster the other day and it ejected the toast onto the floor. that's what I get for buying a $11 toaster . OP, send it in if it makes you feel better. i sure don't see any harm in it and that's a fair price.

Like Tom said, if it isn't giving you issues, don't waste the time sending it in. Are your photos coming out nice and sharp, is the AF working properly, any of the focus/zoom rings sticking? No reason to send it in, IMO. You can relax, this gear is pretty robust, you don't have to worry

Now, like Pigpen101 mentioned, if you're someone who's hard on gear and it's used as a tool (i.e. not mollycoddled like us hobbyists do), regular maintenance on the tools is warranted. Or, if you are unfortunate and have had any hard drops, scratched glass, salt watered, fungus growth, stuff like that, I'd definitely send it in to get fixed.

Last weekend at an event, I saw a photog using one of the dual Black Rapid straps w/ a 1DxII + 24-70 on one, and a 1DxII + 70-200 on the other... guy is shooting, gets his shots, and then basically lets go/drops the rig, and it swings around and collides with the other rig behind his back. It was a sickening sound to hear But hey, his focus was on getting shots, not babying a tool; he probably wouldn't send the gear in unless it flat out stopped working at a gig.

Just the lens? Don't you have a camera body that needs to be sent in?

I don't see how sending gear in for "pro-active" service gives "peace of mind". Considering all the perils of a vacation in Africa, premature lens failure seems to be very low on the list of things that could go wrong.

If you are being paid for the photography, then you should take backups for the photo gear.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #18419886
When was the last time you took your toaster to Africa? If you only shoot in a studio environment, that might be different. My gear takes a beating. Whether it's trekking through the woods or quickly "dropping" my long lens to grab my wide angle when a football play is coming right at me. Most lenses (especially "L"s) will last many, many years if they are taken care of.

Join Canon Professional Services. My membership cost $100 a year. It consists of repair discounts, faster turn-around times, and I can send 5 items per year (bodies or lenses) for free cleaning and the 11 point maintenance check.

ed rader wrote in post #18419896
I used my toaster the other day and it ejected the toast onto the floor. that's what I get for buying a $11 toaster . OP, send it in if it makes you feel better. i sure don't see any harm in it and that's a fair price.

Free cleanings? Fat chance. Canon is giving you nothing. They are selling you insurance.

How much did your free cleaning cost? $10k? 15k worth of equipment to start with. Then you get to PAY $100 for Canon to service equipment you've already paid them for. Then you get to pay to ship it to them. Free my big white ^$$!. You have purchased 'feel-good' insurance, a Service Plan.

I can buy the same thing from where ever I buy my appliances, probably even for my toaster. I bought a new A/C system for my house about 10 years ago. The installer offered to sell me a 'discounted' maintenance plan because I spent $10,000 for the system. For the low, low, today-only sum of $79, they would come to my house every Spring and clean/adjust/maintain my new A/C system. Regular price $99/year. So far, I have NOT paid them $790 to maintain an air-condition that is working fine.

I don't pay Canon, or anyone else, to fix stuff that isn't broken. It costs enough to fix stuff that is really broken; I'll save my money for that.

Bassat wrote in post #18419909
Free cleanings? Fat chance. Canon is giving you nothing. They are selling you insurance.

How much did your free cleaning cost? $10k? 15k worth of equipment to start with. Then you get to PAY $100 for Canon to service equipment you've already paid them for. Then you get to pay to ship it to them. Free my big white ^$$!. You have purchased 'feel-good' insurance, a Service Plan.

I can buy the same thing from where ever I buy my appliances, probably even for my toaster. I bought a new A/C system for my house about 10 years ago. The installer offered to sell me a 'discounted' maintenance plan because I spent $10,000 for the system. For the low, low, today-only sum of $79, they would come to my house every Spring and clean/adjust/maintain my new A/C system. Regular price $99/year. So far, I have NOT paid them $790 to maintain an air-condition that is working fine.

I don't pay Canon, or anyone else, to fix stuff that isn't broken. It costs enough to fix stuff that is really broken; I'll save my money for that.

Insurance?? Peace of mind??? Call it what you'd like. If you are sitting on your deck photographing your grandkids running in the back yard, then don't bother. Try explaining to your editor that every shot is out of focus because something was on your mirror messing with your AF. See how long you are in the business..

I had a 100mm macro that needed repaired. Free one way shipping + 15% discount on repair was about $45.

Bassat wrote in post #18419909
Free cleanings? Fat chance. Canon is giving you nothing. They are selling you insurance.

How much did your free cleaning cost? $10k? 15k worth of equipment to start with. Then you get to PAY $100 for Canon to service equipment you've already paid them for. Then you get to pay to ship it to them. Free my big white ^$$!. You have purchased 'feel-good' insurance, a Service Plan.

I can buy the same thing from where ever I buy my appliances, probably even for my toaster. I bought a new A/C system for my house about 10 years ago. The installer offered to sell me a 'discounted' maintenance plan because I spent $10,000 for the system. For the low, low, today-only sum of $79, they would come to my house every Spring and clean/adjust/maintain my new A/C system. Regular price $99/year. So far, I have NOT paid them $790 to maintain an air-condition that is working fine.

I don't pay Canon, or anyone else, to fix stuff that isn't broken. It costs enough to fix stuff that is really broken; I'll save my money for that.

I concur with this reasoning. I'd rather pay a repair bill if something happens, versus paying a chunk up front and not have anything happen and subsequently getting nothing for your money. Smart thing is to save incidental money ahead of time to cover an emergency repair (aka your rainy day fund).

Pigpen101 wrote in post #18419929
Insurance?? Peace of mind??? Call it what you'd like. If you are sitting on your deck photographing your grandkids running in the back yard, then don't bother. Try explaining to your editor that every shot is out of focus because something was on your mirror messing with your AF. See how long you are in the business..

I had a 100mm macro that needed repaired. Free one way shipping + 15% discount on repair was about $45.

When working for a newspaper or other type of org. that employs photogs, do they proactively send gear in for maintenance, or is it reactive in nature, where they only fix it if it goes bad? I'm genuinely curious. I can see a news org. sending in stuff a lot because generally people don't treat stuff as well as they treat something they personally own.

MatthewK wrote in post #18419955
I concur with this reasoning. I'd rather pay a repair bill if something happens, versus paying a chunk up front and not have anything happen and subsequently getting nothing for your money. Smart thing is to save incidental money ahead of time to cover an emergency repair (aka your rainy day fund).

When working for a newspaper or other type of org. that employs photogs, do they proactively send gear in for maintenance, or is it reactive in nature, where they only fix it if it goes bad? I'm genuinely curious. I can see a news org. sending in stuff a lot because generally people don't treat stuff as well as they treat something they personally own.

Depends, every org. is different. Larger newspapers supply the gear and have a contract with Canon/Nikon that covers cleaning and repairs. When working for a smaller market (like myself), you must supply your own gear and take care of repairing/cleaning on your own. Others have $$$$ "included" in their yearly pay that is suppose to cover such things.

You are correct about people treating things differently when it's not their own. I can tell some stories. Also, many carry extra lenses on their straps without back rear lens caps on so they can swap lenses quicker. They get filthy. They do send in gear for cleaning when they have a chance. Sometimes assignments come so quickly there might not be time. The contract that outlets have with Canon/Nikon ensures rapid turn around (including overnight shipping) as well as "loaners" so they don't have to go without equipment.

It also helps w/resale value if you should ever want to sell. Spending $7,000 on a 5 year old 400mm F/2.8, for example. People, myself included, might feel a little better about it if you can provide paperwork showing it was sent to the manufacturer every year for cleaning/maintenance.