Is it harmful to continue using an EF 70-300mm lens with damaged IS?

[flamer800]

Hello, hope this is the right place to post.

I have a Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (Mark I from 2005) and the IS seems to be malfunctioning when the lens is at 70mm. The image in the viewfinder will jump around and jitter, and the lens will also make loud noises. This problem disappears when the lens is zoomed in, or if the IS is turned off.

Video: https://youtu.be/XH9WljNelq8?feature=shared

I don’t mind that the lens cannot be used at 70mm anymore, but I am more worried that continued use will further damage the lens and make it unusable even when zoomed in.

Anyone have advice or solutions?

Thanks!

[deebatman316]

Are you sure the IS (Image Stabilization) is malfunctioning. What camera are you using this lens on. If adapted to the EOS R series are you using the Canon brand mount adapter. If so which model are you using. I noticed the exposure was changing a lot in the video. I can hear what sounds like the aperture motor which can be noisy in old lenses. Old lenses the aperture motor can be picked up by the camera's microphone when recording video.

[flamer800]

Hello, I thought it would be the IS since it seems to happen with movement and is not present as soon as stabilization is turned off.

The lens is being used on a EOS 6D, so no adapter.

Do you think the jumping around could be caused by something else?

[deebatman316]

I did not see it jump around in the video but I do hear the noise you’re describing. Are you recording video what is the aperture set to. Are you zooming in and out or is it at one focal length. That’s a variable aperture lens. The more you zoom in the smaller the aperture. A lot of old lenses have very noisy aperture motors. Which is fine for stills but video it’s not. Anytime the Image Stabilization is on its stabilizing. Even if you set the camera down in the table. Early EOS film bodies it was normal to see the image in the viewfinder to shake or jump. That’s why I asked what camera you’re using. That should NOT happen with an EOS Digital Camera. 

[deebatman316]

Can you post another video with the IS turned off. I noticed that every time the lens made that sound. The exposure changed. Is this lens new to you or have you owned it for a while now. I’ll get my other colleague’s opinion on this. It’s too coincidental that every time the noise happens the exposure changes.

[flamer800]

Thanks,

The jumping I am referring to is the rapid shaking of the image. It is set to only one aperture and focal length, which is 70mm at f/4. If I zoom in even a tiny bit, the problem disappears, which I thought was strange.

Because of the shaking, it is difficult to take photos at 70mm

[flamer800]

Thanks,

Here's the other video. IS is turned off, lens is at 70mm and f/4.

Second video: https://youtu.be/fjvv10HF6Qs

The problems don't seem to show up here. The lens is new to me, but I bought it used.

[deebatman316]

You do realize when you zoom in the lens changes the aperture to something smaller right. Just going from 70mm to 100mm makes the aperture smaller to F/4.5 the aperture doesn’t always stay at F/4 even if you set it to that. Try setting a small aperture such as F/11 and press the depth of preview button. If the lens continues to make that. Press the button multiple times and listen closely. 

[flamer800]

Hello,

Yes, as I specified before, the problem is not tied to aperature, but to focal length. At 70mm, the problem persists at f/4, 8, 11 or whatever you set it to. The sound and image are also not abnormal when pressing the depth preview and panning the camera

[deebatman316]

This does appear to be an IS issue. The noise and the changes in exposure made me think the aperture motor in the lens. Are you actually pressing the depth of field preview in the test. Just setting the camera to a certain aperture doesn’t make it stop down.