24-85mm 3.5/4.5 Great DEAL and ???

Okay... So I just got an EXCELLENT deal on a 24-85mm 3.5/4.5 USM lens. I paid US $81 shipped off of eBay! The seller was selling as-is with one problem. He had knocked it on something and caused one side to become slanted which made half the image to be out of focus. I received the lens yesterday and immediately dissected it. Without having to dig in too deep, I found the cause of the problem. A plastic tab that had a screw in it had broken. Luckily it wasn't a clean break as I was able to "SuperGlue" the tab back on and then screw it back into place being sure to add a drop of glue into the threads. It worked! I haven't been able to take many pictures with it yet, but it seems the IQ is on par with everyone else's impressions. The question is, how do I clean the dust specs I see on the inside of the elements? Any easy way, or am I going to have to take it apart again?

Blower brush soudns like a good idea. Is it worth the effort? Most all lenses have some internal dust and most people do not mind, or say it does not affect the results.

I wouldn't worry too much about dust. Since you are kinda giving this lens some TLC as a project it might be worth it, but dust won't do much.

Ron Brinkmann did a cool post about how much this kind of stuff can change your pics: http://digitalcomposti​ng.wordpress.com/2009/​11/27/invisible-pencils/

A lot of dust (or cracks or scratchs) can have an effect on contrast, and the amount of light that gets in, but a few specs aren't going to but much of a problem, expect possibly at the narrowest of apertures.

BTW, I love my 24-85. It isn't the sharpest lens I have ever owned, but its tiny, light, great range and pretty fast, and has USM. Canon did a few f/3.5-4.5 USM lenses, and all are pretty darn good, especially for the prices they go for now.

I wasn't really looking to buy a lens when I did... But when I saw that "Buy it Now" price I jumped right on it... Compared to the other listing of 200 or more, I couldn't resist!

I had one for 6 months. Just as good as the (boring) 28-70L and 24-70L I had and dumped. I ended up liking the FL so much I sold it (still minty) for a CONURUS converted Contax Zeiss 24-85 3.5-4.5. No thats a lens!

mcluckie wrote in post #9551318
I had one for 6 months. Just as good as the (boring) 28-70L and 24-70L I had and dumped. I ended up liking the FL so much I sold it (still minty) for a CONURUS converted Contax Zeiss 24-85 3.5-4.5. No thats a lens!

Oooh...you're lucky

I wish those conurus lenses werent so bloody expensive

I've tried selling my own good copy of this lens locally for 250.00, 225.00, 200.00, and at 150.00. Can you believe there were no takers at all? This lens get no love.

Kramer80 wrote in post #9553560
I've tried selling my own good copy of this lens locally for 250.00, 225.00, 200.00, and at 150.00. Can you believe there were no takers at all? This lens get no love.

I liked it a lot and it's a good deal at $150!!!!

I bought it for somewhere around 150-180 and sold it a few months later for a tad more to cover the buy/sell fees. Cost me $0.70.

I found a NEW copy on ebay for 400 and paid 450(?) to CONURUS. I figured 850 wasn't too bad. Minty used ones seem to be 200-400 higher today, plus the conversion. I got it Friday afternoon but I can already tell its magical.

hi all. I apologize for engaging in off topic, but I want to buy a Contax N 24-85. If anyone could sell it, we could speak.

Thank you very much