Canon 50D repair nightmare

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photo-em

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Emilie
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My most favourite camera has found a way to die on me.. or so I thought.

My 50d which I bought in 2010, is still under warranty, and has been an excellent camera to work with. No past issues.. never dropped/ scratched.. nothin'.

Then as I was working on a test shoot last week, a few days after using the camera again I come to take off the lens (50mm 1.8) and the lens actually won't come off.

I take a look wondering if it may have been put on wrong, or not flushed to the camera properly causing it to get locked.. but no.. It actually won't come off. The lens turns slightly when you press the release and then turn but gives up and won't budge.

I've tried everything; removing batteries, turning the camera on and off, removing the thing on different angles, connecting to the computer... all sorts. I rang up a friend (the type you'd call when you know they have the answer) who was totally shtumped and had no clue either.

I took it to my local repair shop - who think its the lens thats causing the problem - which I thought too. They explained it might cost more than the camera is worth and they may make more damage than is already done.. I didn't like the sound of that! :crying:

I emailed DigitalRev who I bought it from in 2010. They said they can repair it too but if its not the camera having the paddy then the same fees/conditions will apply as the last place.

So.. a camera that still works but I can't change the lens on, that no one can seem to repair unless I hand them my left hand... what a rubbish day this is.

Thoughts..
 
I don't see why anyone should jump to the conclusion that the lens is the problem. If you could remove the lens from your 50D and press the lens release button you'd see that there's a small pin protruding slightly from the lens mount which retracts when you press the lens release button. When the lens is properly mounted this pin slots into a small recess in the back of the lens to lock it in place. If the lens release button isn't working (to withdraw that pin) then the lens isn't going to come off.

If that's what the problem is, and it's the most likely cause,then it's a pretty simple fix I would think to sort out the internal linkage between the lens release button and the pin, but the problem is you can't access the mechnaism till the lens is removed, so I'd imagine it means pretty well taking the camera to bits to get at it which sounds like a lot of work, but it's naughty of anyone at this stage to tell you the lens is probably at fault when the release pin is the obvious and most likely culprit, and the camera is under warranty.

Try getting gravity on your side at least - put the camera on it's back on a flat stable surface, press the release button and jiggle the lens back and forth in the hope that the pin may fall under it's own weight if it's become unsprung.

Good luck.!
 
50mm 1.8 is known to get stuck on camera bodies. Just give it a quick google search and you will see.
 
It shouldn't be too hard to take the 50mm apart to get it off, or even cut it off. It may mean the sacrifice of the lens but at least it would save the camera and they can be picked up pretty cheaply second hand.
 
Good suggestion by CT above, and if that doesn't work then Nuffles method is probably your last resort. Would rather lose a nifty than have a 50D big repair bill.
 
Could just be a lens mount screw thats worked loose. I had one do it years ago on a camera. The screw came out and jammed in a recess in the lens.

It took a little patience and much wiggling of the lens holding the camera in variuos postions before the screw fell back in it hole to let the lens go.

Any compnay that says it would cost more than the cameras worth to fix is having a laugh.

The 50mm f1.8 is only plastic, if you get realy stuck stick a pipe wrench on it and wreck the lens in favour of the body.
 
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I'v read some where that when you press the release button the lever does not move is full movement inside the camera, therefore not releasing the pin, a canon repair, if I find the info I will post a link in this thread..
 
hmm I actually don't mind if the 50mm is the culprit. I've had my eyes on the 80mm 1.8 for too long.

I'll give the lens more wiggling tonight and see what happens.. :bang:
 
How much have they quoted?

I'd be surprised if it costs more than the 50d is worth (around £500 est guess?) just to remove the 50mm??

I'd start disassembling the lens from the front inwards myself if that was the case!

And if it is the body surely thats covered under warranty?
 
I suppose to be fair, people are going to suspect the lens because of the plastic mount, and a plastic mount mating to a metal one can't be a good idea. Whether it's the body or the lens, it's Canon kit which has failed and one would think they'd pick up the tab on this.

If not- as Jim says -start from the front and strip the lens down.
 
If you don't mind losing the lens then simply Dremeling out the area around the pin would get the lens off in a matter of minutes. Disassembly would be your safest route to keep the lens in working condition though. There are quite a few guides around online as the 50 breaks quite often.
 
Nuffles said:
If you don't mind losing the lens then simply Dremeling out the area around the pin would get the lens off in a matter of minutes.
Click to expand...

Not sure I'd want to take a Dremel to it tbh - imagine how much debris could end up inside the camera!
 
ChrisH said:
The 50mm f1.8 is only plastic, if you get realy stuck stick a pipe wrench on it and wreck the lens in favour of the body.
Click to expand...

Wasn't there a post on here recently saying that the camera mount was designed to be more fragile than a normal lens part of the mount.

I'd let one of the authorised canon repair centres have a look rather than any of the other forceful suggestions.
 
photo-em said:
My most favourite camera has found a way to die on me.. or so I thought.

My 50d which I bought in 2010, is still under warranty, and has been an excellent camera to work with. No past issues.. never dropped/ scratched.. nothin'.

Then as I was working on a test shoot last week, a few days after using the camera again I come to take off the lens (50mm 1.8) and the lens actually won't come off.

I take a look wondering if it may have been put on wrong, or not flushed to the camera properly causing it to get locked.. but no.. It actually won't come off. The lens turns slightly when you press the release and then turn but gives up and won't budge.

I've tried everything; removing batteries, turning the camera on and off, removing the thing on different angles, connecting to the computer... all sorts. I rang up a friend (the type you'd call when you know they have the answer) who was totally shtumped and had no clue either.

I took it to my local repair shop - who think its the lens thats causing the problem - which I thought too. They explained it might cost more than the camera is worth and they may make more damage than is already done.. I didn't like the sound of that! :crying:

I emailed DigitalRev who I bought it from in 2010. They said they can repair it too but if its not the camera having the paddy then the same fees/conditions will apply as the last place.

So.. a camera that still works but I can't change the lens on, that no one can seem to repair unless I hand them my left hand... what a rubbish day this is.

Thoughts..
Click to expand...

Give Canon at Elstree a call, they offer fixed price repairs, it may come under that, usually very reasonably priced too and they know what they are doing.
A wiggle and a tap might release the lens in which case you could then return the body under warranty to Elstree anyway.

Best of luck, it is, as you say a very good camera and certainly worth investigating costs before wrecking anything.

Matt
 
Vertigo1 said:
Not sure I'd want to take a Dremel to it tbh - imagine how much debris could end up inside the camera!
Click to expand...

Hoover next to it as you work? Also crank the dremel speed right up. The plastic will tend to melt and stay in one clump rather than break up. I dunno, it was just an idea. Quicker than taking it apart if you don't mind about losing the lens.
 
photo-em said:
I took it to my local repair shop - who think its the lens thats causing the problem - which I thought too. They explained it might cost more than the camera is worth and they may make more damage than is already done.. I didn't like the sound of that! :crying:

I emailed DigitalRev who I bought it from in 2010. They said they can repair it too but if its not the camera having the paddy then the same fees/conditions will apply as the last place.
.
Click to expand...

when I read this again, I thought hmmm, doesn't sound to good, wonder if anyone else has had problems with gear and tried to get repairs under warranty from them.

£500 seems a lot of money, even if its a worst case scenario.
 
Send it to Canon. They will have seen it all before. Worst case scenario is the lens is a write off, but that sounds very unlikely to me.

But if there is no sign of abuse and it is clearly an unfortunate malfunction, I suspect they might do it FOC as either a warranty job or a goodwill gesture. I have found dealing with Canon at Elstree they are pretty decent folks ;)
 
Just thought I'd let you guys know..

I went to my parents yesterday, taking my camera with me.
Both parents were dumbfound that my lens was glued to my camera still. Then my dad got out his sander from the shed and said "we could try this?"

I propped my 50D on top, turning the sander on and trying to remove the lens at the same time. Obviously I didn't leave sandpaper on the machine.. that would have been silly!

It seemed to move the lens further than it had before but was still pretty stuck.
I took one gulp and really forced it, eventually it came off :clap:
my 50mm 1.8 fell apart and a tiny piece of plastic had fallen off from the back.. not sure what the problem was.

Camera is still in one piece and loving that I've fitted it with a different lens.

All you kids out there, I'd probably not try this one at home :)

Now, just need to find the right direction to get me the 50mm 1.4!! :D :D
 
Sounds like your dad is an engineer - he must be to have dreamt up the sander trick.

Well done!
 
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