Some play on zoom ring of 70-200 f4L

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I have just received my brand new Canon 70-200 f4L lens which is obviously a great lens, and I can't wait to see the results from it.

Two things that concern me though:

1.

There is a very small amount of play on the zoom ring.

Does anyone have any play on their zoom ring?

2.

When I turn the zoom ring from 200mm to 70mm it the lens clunks slightly, and when I turn it from about 160mm to 200mm I can feel it clunk again. If I hold the zoom tightly then it doesn't seem to clunk as much. The clunking doesn't seem to affect the overall smoothness of the movement of the internal lens elements.

Can this be the internal zooming function or is there a problem with the lens?

Has anyone that has this lens found that theirs does the same?

If it is a fault with the lens do I take it to a Canon service centre?

Hope you can help me.

-- canonlover (canoneosd60@aol.com), March 14, 2002

Answers

Don't worry about it. The "clunk" is a feature of most examples of the 70-200 F4L I believe. Mine does it, and when I posted a question on photo.net about it, I got in contact with someone who's had three examples of this lens, and they've all exhibitied the same behaviour. I believe it's a slight movement of the fluorite element, due to some room being allowed for expansion at higher temperatures (Fluorite expands a great deal more than normal glass). You should find that the clunk happens towards the front of the lens, and you can feel something happen if you rapidly reverse direction of focus of the focusing ring.

Neither of these problems will affect the lens in normal use, and I don't notice them anymore. I noticed the clunk in the first couple of hours of having the new lens, but don't have a problem with it not. Regard as an idiosyncrasy.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), March 14, 2002.


Issac, I knew you would be the one that could help me! You've put my mind at rest now. I think the clunk seems to happen around the zoom ring area, but I will check this out.

I guess I now have a lens that has to have broad operating capabilities, and being in the UK means that it is going to be at it's least expanded state for most of the time.

If I was abroad in a hot country then I guess the last thing I would want is for the lens and it's metal casing to expand and lead to the lens seizing up or damaging itself!

Overall I am so happy with it. Even when looking through the view finder I can see how fantastic the glass is. I can't wait to get some film developed now! The focusing speed is really quick, and totally blows my 75-300 IS out of the water.

Quibbling about a clunk is peanuts compared to how poorly built my plastic 75-300 IS was in comparison to the 70-200 f4L.

I have a really scary feeling that a 28-70 f2.8L will be replacing my 28-105 mkII soon. I just won't tell my wife that it has been changed!

Thanks again.

Sam

-- canonlover (canoneosd60@aol.com), March 14, 2002.


It would appear that someone has maliciously used my name to post a reply to this message in this forum recently. I would like to state that I did not have anything to do with this message and do not condone the content.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), March 18, 2002.

i think isaac thats a big problem. people come to this forum for getting some useful information. if anyone uses yours or someone elses' name to posts any damn message that will just lower the reputation of this forum. there should be a way to stop it, may be by registering the users. now how should i believe which of your message is posted by you, the first one or the second one.

-- sajeev (chack74@yahoo.co.in), March 18, 2002.

No problem Isaac, I didn't think it was you for a minute!

-- canonlover (canoneosd60@aol.com), March 18, 2002.


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