Dented lens threads... what to do?

[Natedogg]

I'm beside myself right now... Just walked into work and my camera dropped on the pavement. Dented the hell out of my 17-40. UV shattered. Front threads toasted. Someone please tell me that my stupidity can be reversed.



Is there a way to tell if the optics inside got f'ked?

Also, a few years ago I was at a photo shop and Canon had a little corner where they were doing free inspections and cleaning. Anyone know if this is a typical practice, and how I could find out where one would be?

[Gunder]

Looks to me like just the filter ring threads got dented. Can you remove the filter? If not, bust the glass out of the filter, bend the ring inwards and rotate off. then buy a new replacement filter.

I used to do the above 3~4 times a day at the camera shop. Easy and cheap repair. If its actually the front threads on the lense that got dinged, then take it to a local camera shop, they should have a tool for straighting out the threads. Its a easy job as well and should take less than 10 min.

If you dont have a local camera shop, you can order the tool required from microtools

[Natedogg]

Good to know that it's a routine fix...

Can't tell if it really is the front threads or just the filter. Can't get the filter off, and can't bend the fucker back out. It's actually mashed downward into the lens threads. The part that says 77mm is actually raised up on one side, and doesn't sit flush with the front glass anymore.

Any ideas if the guts might be wonked, or if they are pretty hardy and can take a hit?

[Tippster]

...take it to a local camera shop, they should have a tool for straighting out the threads. Its a easy job as well and should take less than 10 min.

Just do it.

[cloudpeak]

I just had this happen to my filter. It got stuck on after I dropped the camera. I'm an idiot.

Anyway, I called every camera shop in Seattle to ask about how to fix it. I also asked if they had filter wrenches. Nobody had the wrenches or seemed to know what to do. So, I headed to the Internet and found a camera site where someone suggested using the bottom of a computer mouse pad or a rubber jar lid remover. I was skeptical, but a little desperate. So, I tried the mouse pad idea, and voila! the filter came off fairly easily. If you decide to do it, stabilize your lens (if it has a lock, use that), then use the soft part bottom part of the mouse pad like a gripper and twist the filter just like you ordinarily would to remove it. It was scary to do, but the filter came off and the lens suffered no damage.

[Gunder]

Ok, if the filter glass is still in there, then its just the filter ring thats fucked.
If Cloudpeaks method doesnt work here is the next step.

Here is exactly how to fix it.
1 Break out the filter glass. I use a small hammer with a point to do this ( its a special old school picture frame hammer)

2 use a can of air to get rid of the glass dust.

3 use a pair of pliers and bend the filter ring inwards. it will then pope out easily.

4. install new filter.

That is EXACTLY how a tech would do it if you paid them to remove it. Its easy as long as you dont use too much force with the hammer.

[Gunder]

Oh, btw they dont make the vice type tool that I prefer to use for straightening the rings any more, but this newer tool might work as well. http://www.micro-tools.com/store/ite...x?ItemCode=LRP

It wont make the threads perfect again, but it will get them close.