Speaking of dust in the lens...

I am usually pretty careful with my gear, but it seems inevitable that I get some sort of dust particles inside of my lenses. I have a huge one in the middle of my 17-40L that I have only had for around a year. Usually it is not an issue, but there have been shots that I have taken where some spots do show up and I don't know what else they would be from.

If the warranty is up on a lens...and I do end up having to send it into Canon to get it cleaned(this can be done, right?), about how much would that cost me? How long would it take for me to get my lens back?

Most likely sensor dust unless the peice in th elens is HUGE.

So what you are telling me is that dust inside of a lens doesn't show up unless is is very, very large? Interesting take...I guess that I wouldn't agree.

I am getting dust in my lenses, but my sensor is clean, for sure.

Whatever the case, it is true that getting any sort of obvious dust inside your lens after spending $$$ is nothing short of annoying.

I agree completely with Dante King. For a speck of dirt in your lens to show in a photo you would probably be describing it as gravel rather than dust. It's a fact of life that zoom lenses collect a bit of dust inside over time. As for your sensor--it most assuredly does have dust on it. To see if it shows go take a picture of the sky at f/22.

Well, I don't want to sound boorish...but my question was never about dust on my sensor. I know how to check for dust in my sensor. I know there isn't any there. For you to insist that there is dust on my sensor when I already said that is not the problem is sort of ridiculous. The 'speck' of dust in my lens is in fact a large one, and it is positioned right smack in the middle. You don't have to be close to the lens at all to see this 'speck.' I sort of wonder how it even got in there, being an L lens.

I do appreciate the responses, thank you. However, I was looking for experiences that people have had with dust in the lens showing up in an image and what can potentially be done about it...not a "it CAN'T be that, so it must be your sensor!"

Trust me, it is not.

Specks of dust on a lens usually don't effect anything, how you managed to get something big enough on the element for you to take notice is beyond me. I have not needed to do this, but I can tell you three things. A, warranty would not cover it. B, I have heard from others it's pretty expensive, since the lens has to be disassembled, reassembled and re-calibrated. C, as with most things you send to Canon, expect something anywhere between 3-5 weeks to get it back incl. shipping, usually give or take a week, it will take month.

I meant that any and every camera that has been opened outside a clean room environment has dust on the sensor. That doesnt mean it will show up in a photo. Just trying to save you some trouble by looking at things simpler to fix, but sounds like you've already covered that.