Cleaning/servicing lenses

Sorry for the noob question, but what's the cost involved in servicing a dirty/malfunctioning lens, assuming no warranty? For example, fungus/dirt inside the lens, autofocus not working, etc.

Is this something a local shop can do, or must it be sent off to Canon? What about for 3rd party lenses?

Is the cost just an hourly rate, or does it differ depending on the lens? Of the people that have had it done, is it worthwhile?

I buy a lot of stuff on the secondary market, and just wondering what to expect if this ever comes up.

Thanks!

There's another thread about a lens that got wet and was fogged up inside. The owner sent it to Canon and it was returned unrepaired and declared unrepairable. I'm assuming that meant that it was not economically repairable.

I would be very careful in buying used equipment. Make sure that you have the ability to return defective equipment for a full refund.

If I needed to have any of my "L" lenses (the only series of Canon lenses I own) worked on, I would make sure they went directly to a Canon factory repair center rather than to a local shop. I doubt that any local shop would have the proper tools and, especially, parts required for the great variety of lenses being produced today. Of course, one could ask the folks at a local shop whether or not they can handle a particular problem with a particular lens before making a final decision as to where to send it.

A critical addition to your primary question, though, should be how to determine whether or not repairs of the types of problems you describe are even economically repairable in the first place. Just making that determination will probably cost something - either someone's time at a local shop or shipping costs.