Lens Maintenance?

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.

So where are you if/when you send a piece of gear in for the 'free' service, then the day after you get it back, while you're out on assignment, something bad happens. You've wasted your service money. You still didn't get the shot you wanted. Your editor is still PO'd. What did you get for your money.

The only way to guard against the scenario you describe is backup gear. And even backup gear is fallible.

I'm happy you got a 15% discount on the 100L repair. If you weren't spending $100/year and paying to service gear with nothing wrong with it, you could have bought a new one with what you saved.

I realize everyone views insurance differently. If it works for you, by all means, carry on. I'm just trying to put my point of view out there. IMHO, insurance is for stuff you can't afford to fix/replace yourself. I save about $800/year by carrying high deductibles on my home/auto insurance. In the 34 years I've been a home owner, I've had one potential ($5k deductible) claim. It came just about $5,000 for roof damage from a storm. Yep, I paid it out of pocket --- with all the money I've saved over 34 years of not buying more insurance . Let me see $800/year, lets round that down to $400/yr X 34 years, minus $5000 is... uhm, about $8,600 in my pocket. Which means I could have $8,000 in non-insured storm damage tomorrow, and still be ahead of the game.

50 years ago, photographers WOULD send in lenses, but not for a 'checkup'...if someone expected to be shooting outside in subfreezing temperatures, they would have special lightweight lubricants that better withstood the cold without getting gummy.

I don't know what changed since then, but you virtually never hear of 'winterizing' gear any more!

Wilt wrote in post #18420048
50 years ago, photographers WOULD send in lenses, but not for a 'checkup'...if someone expected to be shooting outside in subfreezing temperatures, they would have special lightweight lubricants that better withstood the cold without getting gummy.

I don't know what changed since then, but you virtually never hear of 'winterizing' gear any more!

Speaking of 50 years ago, I already had my first camera by then.

I used some of my gear from the time I bought it in the mid 70s until my last film camera broke in 2008 (2009?). Yep, more than 40 years of the using, shooting, and NOT maintaining my gear. I never once sent a lens or body in for preventive maintenance. Think of all the money I could have spent over 40+ years repairing gear that wasn't broken! As it was, none of my lenses every gave me problems beyond the sticky aperture blades (work 'em by had a few hundred times, they'll unstick). I did have one mirror come unglued from the frame by leaving it in a hot car. A hair dryer and a day in the fridge and BINGO! Good as new. It worked until the shutter died.

Any way, with all the money I didn't spend fixing stuff that wasn't broken, I was able to buy a 500D and some ef-s glass when my FX3-S2K died.

Archibald wrote in post #18419904
Just the lens? Don't you have a camera body that needs to be sent in?

Considering all the perils of a vacation in Africa, ... ...

There aren't really all that many "perils of a vacation in Africa" and common sense will do fine to manage those.

You don't have to be very intrepid to enjoy this continent. More people should try it.

DaviSto wrote in post #18420070
There aren't really all that many "perils of a vacation in Africa" and common sense will do fine to manage those.

You don't have to be very intrepid to enjoy this continent. More people should try it.

I didn't mean to single out Africa particularly, except for many on this forum, it is a very far away place. Journeying to distant places is risky for many reasons.

Archibald wrote in post #18420119
I didn't mean to single out Africa particularly, except for many on this forum, it is a very far away place. Journeying to distant places is risky for many reasons.

It's OK, I was just putting in a word for the "dark continent" ... not being defensive.

There is so much to see and hear here ... and, really, a very manageable small level of additional risk as compared with the average American or European suburban life ... I don't think anyone should be put off from visiting.

... especially not keen photographers ...

The whole point about mentioning Africa is that it's a long way to go.

How'd you like traveling for 23 hours and your gear doesn't work on a "camera safari"... Ugh.

Anyway, some good points made in this thread. My 70-300 has always worked great in fact I had it on my last trip to Africa (2013) and it was flawless. I'll probably just roll the dice because even if I have it checked out doesn't mean it couldn't fail two weeks later.

Bassat wrote in post #18419994
So where are you if/when you send a piece of gear in for the 'free' service, then the day after you get it back, while you're out on assignment, something bad happens. You've wasted your service money. You still didn't get the shot you wanted. Your editor is still PO'd. What did you get for your money.

The only way to guard against the scenario you describe is backup gear. And even backup gear is fallible.

I'm happy you got a 15% discount on the 100L repair. If you weren't spending $100/year and paying to service gear with nothing wrong with it, you could have bought a new one with what you saved.

I realize everyone views insurance differently. If it works for you, by all means, carry on. I'm just trying to put my point of view out there. IMHO, insurance is for stuff you can't afford to fix/replace yourself. I save about $800/year by carrying high deductibles on my home/auto insurance. In the 34 years I've been a home owner, I've had one potential ($5k deductible) claim. It came just about $5,000 for roof damage from a storm. Yep, I paid it out of pocket --- with all the money I've saved over 34 years of not buying more insurance . Let me see $800/year, lets round that down to $400/yr X 34 years, minus $5000 is... uhm, about $8,600 in my pocket. Which means I could have $8,000 in non-insured storm damage tomorrow, and still be ahead of the game.

Preventative maintenance. Do you not change the oil in your car?? I spend more money on oil changes every year than this program. When you had to replace your roof, did it cost you your job? I have never in my life spent money on any extended warranties, this includes the warranties offered on my camera equipment when I bought it.

I do have backup gear, everyone who does this for a living has back up gear. That "back up gear" is usually bodies. I don't know anyone who has a second 400mm f/2.8 lens sitting around. Now you're talking about swapping lenses every 10 minutes as the action moves closer/further from you, which means you are now missing shots. Also, this in NOT an insurance plan. I pay for insurance that covers everything from theft, to me dropping my gear into the ocean. This is a "membership", sort of like joining Sam's Club. People pay $100 a year for Amazon prime to save money on shipping. If you purchase 1 item a year, you've wasted your money, but if you order every week, you save a ton.

There are other benefits that even non-professionals can take advantage of. Canon allows you to borrow equipment to try it out before buying. The OP could contact Canon and take the new 6D MII on his trip to Africa, just for the cost of shipping. Canon had a trailer last year @ the US Open.. They allowed me to use the 200-400mm F/4 ($11,000 lens) all day Sunday during the final round. I have a friend that had an old version of the 300mm F/2.8 and had to wait an entire month for one screw for repair. Canon sent him a brand new lens to use while he waited. This program comes to about $8 a month. People spend more than that at Starbucks for coffee.

i-G12 wrote in post #18420124
The whole point about mentioning Africa is that it's a long way to go.

How'd you like traveling for 23 hours and your gear doesn't work on a "camera safari"... Ugh.

Anyway, some good points made in this thread. My 70-300 has always worked great in fact I had it on my last trip to Africa (2013) and it was flawless. I'll probably just roll the dice because even if I have it checked out doesn't mean it couldn't fail two weeks later.

If you're coming from the States it is a long flight (or two). But most of the risk in flying is in taking off or landing ... distance doesn't really come into it.

But flying a long way ... especially at the back of the plane ... is not a highly desirable experience. That's undeniable.

Still, the only place you are going to get to experience Africa is in Africa*.

*Footnote: of course, there is actually a lot more than 'one Africa'. It is a very diverse place.

[EDIT] I suspect I'm misreading your post. More in sympathy with what you are saying, kit failures in Africa will mostly be fatal. You are not going to be able to get kit fixed locally and will find it difficult to impossible to buy or hire replacements (S. Africa possibly being the exception).

Pigpen101 wrote in post #18420127
Canon allows you to borrow equipment to try it out before buying.

Link please.

i-G12 wrote in post #18420132
Link please.

http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/loans/loans.sht​ml

i-G12 wrote in post #18420124
The whole point about mentioning Africa is that it's a long way to go.

How'd you like traveling for 23 hours and your gear doesn't work on a "camera safari"... Ugh.

Anyway, some good points made in this thread. My 70-300 has always worked great in fact I had it on my last trip to Africa (2013) and it was flawless. I'll probably just roll the dice because even if I have it checked out doesn't mean it couldn't fail two weeks later.

it's not like sending it to canon guarantee's that it won't fail on your trip either...but if it makes you feel better, go for it...

i-G12 wrote in post #18420132
Link please.

here's the link to the evaluation loan section:
http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/loans/loans.sht​ml

and the CPS info page:
http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/about_cps/about​.shtml

i-G12 wrote in post #18420124
The whole point about mentioning Africa is that it's a long way to go.

How'd you like traveling for 23 hours and your gear doesn't work on a "camera safari"... Ugh.

Anyway, some good points made in this thread. My 70-300 has always worked great in fact I had it on my last trip to Africa (2013) and it was flawless. I'll probably just roll the dice because even if I have it checked out doesn't mean it couldn't fail two weeks later.

If you are going on an actual safari, it may be best to have the lens cleaned AFTER your trip.

Pigpen101 wrote in post #18420136
http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/loans/loans.sht​ml

DreDaze wrote in post #18420139
it's not like sending it to canon guarantee's that it won't fail on your trip either...but if it makes you feel better, go for it...

here's the link to the evaluation loan section:
http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/loans/loans.sht​ml

and the CPS info page:
http://www.cps.usa.can​on.com/about_cps/about​.shtml

Interesting. Didn't even know that the existed although I'd have to rearrange my trip to Africa to make it about 5 days so I could get the gear and return it within 10 days.

i-G12 wrote in post #18420146
Interesting. Didn't even know that the existed although I'd have to rearrange my trip to Africa to make it about 5 days so I could get the gear and return it within 10 days.

That's about right. LOL Or, if you are near civilization, you could always stick it in the mail while still in Africa.

BTW Have fun, I'm quite jealous.