Lens problems!

[Tintype_18]

Last Saturday, I took several photos of two grandkids at their riding lessons. When I got home, I started to wipe the lens, 18-55mm Macro. I thought the lens had crud on it but it looks like bubbles that you get when clear tape isn't applied smoothly. How did this happen? Had the lens for about three years and it didn't show up. Photos don't show any "hiccups" on viewing them on my laptop. Thinking about contacting Canon for service.Thanks for your time and advice.

[ebiggs1]

"I have cleaned the lens numerous times and never noticed the "bubbles.""

This could be the problem. Lenses do not need to have their front element, the glass, cleaned very often. It is possible to contaminate or destroy the lens coating. If that is the case, it is permanent damage and can't be repaired. That is why, I and others recommend a protecto filter be used so you never have to clean the front element.

A front element can have pretty severe damage or dirt and not affect the photos from it. At this point I would forget it and just use the lens as is. At least until it becomes a problem.

"... lens cleaner fluid and tissues ..."

I am not a big fan of the so-called lens cleaning tissues. I prefer the lens cloths like you get form the eye doctor.

[ebiggs1]

"... 18-55mm Macro."

What lens is this?  The standard kit lens?  The EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens?

[Tintype_18]

EB, yes to your question.

I emailed the president of the photo club to get the name of the repair/cleaning guy. Asked if he will be at the next meeting this month. Haven't heard yet.

[Tintype_18]

Closest camera repair/shop is over 100 miles away! We had two in Chattanooga but they went OOB years ago. Will see about a Canon service center.

[jrhoffman75]

My recommendation is don’t send it away until you can sit with someone knowledgeable in person for a diagnosis. Google for wedding or portrait photographers near you. Maybe they would be willing to give you a few minutes. 

[Tronhard]

To follow up on your answer to Ernie's very valid question...  the 18-55 is a cheap kit lens, and there are lots of them out there.  It hardly worth sending for repair: it will be much cheaper and effective to get a replacement 18-55 IS STM model which is virtually silent, faster focusing and can be focused manually without switching off the AF button. 

Far better still, get the EF-S 18-135 IS STM or USM models - they offer a much greater range - and are thus much more versatile, and are great lenses.  These are also kit lenses and you should be able to pick up either one of these refurbished or like new second-hand, as they come with lots of DSLRs and many people dispose of them barely or unused as they have other lenses that do the job - I ended up with three of them!

Some photos taken with the EF-S 18-135 lenses, hand-held in available light.
Canon EOS 80D, EF-S 18-135 IS USM @ 135mm f/8, 1/2000sec, ISO-200Canon 80D, EF-S 18-135@135mm USM, f/8, 1/2000sec, ISO-200

Canon EOS 60D EF-S 18-135 IS STM @ 50mm f/14, 1/800sec, ISO-3200

Canon EOS 60D, EF-S 18-135 IS STM @ 100mm, f/8, 1/800sec, ISO-320

Canon EOS 80D, EF-S 18-135 IS STM @ 72mm, f/8, 1/100sec, ISO-200

I hope this range covers the kinds of images you want to take.

[Tintype_18]

Trevor, many thanks for your reply but the budget doesn't allow for additional purchases at this time. I'll be sending queries to several publications so that income might allow the purchase of the EF-S 18-135 IS STM. Only thing is waiting to get paid which can be weeks away for publication and payment.

[ebiggs1]

John said,

"My recommendation is don’t send it away until you can sit with someone knowledgeable in person for a diagnosis."

You must do this first. If you destroyed or damaged the coating on the front element it can not be repaired or fixed.

Trevor said,

"It hardly worth sending for repair: it will be much cheaper and effective to get a replacement 18-55 IS STM..."

You said,

"... the budget doesn't allow for additional purchases at this time."

I am saying,

That is why you need to do your research before you consider a repair or course of action. The bottom line is a working used undamaged kit lens may be, probably is, cheaper than repairing yours. The other bottom line is, what you are seeing may have none, to very little if any, effect on your photos. Things on the front element are generally OOF and don't necessarily have an impact on the pictures.

If you do see some small or any small aberration and you are shooting Raw like I have suggested many times and you have PSE, you may be able to correct that flaw in post. That doesn't cost anything!

[Tintype_18]

Here is a poor photo of the spots on the lens.  Not sure where the other spots are from. Shot with a cheap Nikon P&S. The photo club president has passed this along to a pro photographer.Spots at 2 a nd 11 o'clock

[ebiggs1]

I can't tell from that shot what those spots might be. However you have a lens that doesn't leave much room for repair moneywise. Even a C&C is probably out of the question moneywise. And like I have already explained if it is the lens coating that got damaged it is not repairable at all.

The latest most up-to-date kit lens the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens is around $200 bucks. If you have to ship it and insure it both ways plus the cost of any possible repair you might quickly add up to the replacement price. And you will still have an older used lens! I have seen good used working kit lenses sell for less that $100, too. You just don't have much working room there, my friend.

If I were you and the spots didn't affect my photos I would use it as is and forget about it.