My lens has a spot on it, is there anything I can do?

[Ryan Elder]

It's a black spot. I noticed that it's not the camera sensor cause I tried different lenses, and the black spot is only on the one lens. However, I've tried cleaning the lens back and front, over and over, and I cannot get the spot off. My guess is that it's on the inside somewhere, so how should I proceed then?

[Josh Bass]

Not an expert but maybe a local camera/lens repair place? Sounds like it would need disassembly which is not something a layman should tackle. Be warned it might cost quite a bit to get that fixed.

[Ryan Elder]

Well I was planning on selling the lens and this was the last time I was going to use it most likely. So what should I do, risk fixing it? I don't want it to cost too much...

[Brian Drysdale]

Something like this is a job for a lens technician. You may have to send it a company that specializes in such work, but if it's a lower priced stills lenses it may cost nearly as much as a new lens or a good percentage of the cost. I would ask for a ball park cost before sending it for repair.

It's a bit like a lower cost modern domestic appliance if something goes wrong. Strangely, an old, quality 1980s washing machine can still be worth fixing, because it's still likely to last longer than a lower cost new one.

[Ryan Elder]

Okay thanks, it's just that since I was planning on selling the lens, I don't want to risk damaging it any further either though, even if it's a technician, still seems risky, maybe?

It's the fly-by-wire lens I talked about before on here, and I was advised to get a mechanical focus one, since I was having trouble with the fly-by-wire. I was going to use it for this last project and then sell it after for a mechanical focus instead.

[Brian Drysdale]

Lens technicians are used to repairing vastly more expensive glassware than your lens, so there isn't much risk in that regard. It could be more a matter of how repairable your lens is designed to be.

If selling it, you should inform the buyer of the fault, otherwise you may find it being returned if selling on eBay etc.

[Ryan Elder]

Yep that's true. I only noticed it now, when aiming at the blue sky, didn't notice it if there is a lot of scenery in the frame. I can ask lens repair specialists though, how much it would cost but do they know how much, just by looking at the image, without wanting to change the price later on?

[Brian Drysdale]

You can ask them for a quote, since it seems to just involve cleaning the lens. Usually, they'd ask if you wish to proceed with working on any other faults they may find when the lens is stripped down. However, since it sounds like fairly new lens, that is unlikely.

[Paul R Johnson]

You scare me sometimes! You cleaned it again and again? And probably removed most of the coating on the lenses! You hold the lens up to the light and look through it. This will reveal any internal flakes of paint or dust. You never scrub a lens, ever! You also never take one apart. You need tools that you won't have, dust free environment, and micrometers and teeny weeny little parts to remove and re-install. You need test benches to check you put it back together again, and if it's an electronic lens, there will be servos, foil and plastic membrane flexible tracks and connectors. I can disassemble most things and fix lots of faults, but only silly people take lenses apart - or Rolex watches.

Sell the lens as is. if it's an obvious fault, mention it and be truthful if that's your thing, but if it's hardly visible then caveat emptor.

If the cost of repair is pennies, do it. If dollars, sell it.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well I cleaned just the outside with lens wipes and the lens cleaning fluid from a camera store. That's not so bad, is it?

[Paul R Johnson]

No, but you actually said

lens back and front, over and over,

That's what worried me ........

[Chris Hurd]

If this is the Canon EF 75-300 that you've mentioned before, then I am afraid to say it but the cost to repair will most likely exceed its value.

That lens is worth about $200. In my experience, most lens repairs start for around that price and go up from there. Camera body repairs are about the same -- usually involving $200 to $250 just to crack it open and diagnose.

That particular Canon lens is very much at the bottom of the food chain in terms of build quality and optical quality. It simply fills a need for an "inexpensive telephoto zoom." You get what you pay for.

I rarely say this to anybody, but this is one case where I think it's time for you to take a step up in the quality of your gear. Keep your Rebel T2i as a backup camera. I had a T2i myself once, it was great, but I've since moved on. So should you. For example you could stay within the Canon ecosystem if you like, with the Canon EOS 80D which is perfect for shooting video (Dual Pixel AF, headphone jack etc.). You can get it packaged as a Video Creator's Kit with the EF-S 18-135 nano USM and power zoom adapter, plus an on-board mic, for $1500.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1485234-REG/canon_1263c103_kit_eos_80d_dslr_camera.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

A much better telephoto zoom than the one you've got would be the Canon EF 70-300 IS II USM, which is superior to your 75-300 in every respect, and it's not too expensive at $500:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1281379-REG/canon_0571c002aa_ef_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_is.html/BI/2855/KBID/3801

What you have right now though is not worth the cost of service, and I am sorry to point that out.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, thanks, but the Canon 70-300 is still fly-by-wire focus though, and I was told I should avoid that for the next one, if that's true?

That's why I wanted to sell the 75-300, to get one that is not fly-by-wire, unless fly-by-wire has any advantages?

[Paul R Johnson]

I'm always good at giving advice, but for once (ha ha) the camera upgrade is out of my comfort zone. I never use DSLR for video, despite using one for stills.

I've thought about buying one of the black magic broadcast cameras so I can use the lenses I have and it sits on my shoulder. If I wanted to go down the 'cinema' route with primes and cleverness I'd probably think about the popular bigger cameras with real viewfinder rather than a DSLR solution.

Keeping in mind Ryans needs and Chris's comments - could somebody spare a few moments to detail why these are so good? My varifocal lenses just mean I cannot use the fixed viewfinder panel on the rear of my DLSR - I can't focus properly or read the writing!

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well the reason why I got a DSLR is back in 2011, other filmmakers advised me to, cause there were more lens options compared to videocameras for the same price range around back then. Not sure about now.

The reason why I haven't upgraded the camera is because for my own lately projects, I always get someone else to shoot it with their better gear so far.

It's just that the DPs and videographers I know, do not have telephoto lenses that go up to at least 300mm which is what I want for some shots, so I thought I would get one, for them to use with their cameras while helping me with my projects. I just still have the T2i as back up, and once in a while someone wants me to do shoot something for them, and I still use that one, cause I don't know if it's worth buying a new camera, when I get someone else to shoot my projects with their better ones usually.

What do you think?