small speck IN lens?

confucious · Feb 11, 2008

Okay - I got the Canon 50mm. 1.8 two days ago, did a shoot with it and was really happy! Ended up noticing a speck on the lens so cleaned it and was peering at it under a brighter light. I can see minute specks or bubbles (??) in the glass INSIDE the lens...I can see them from both sides of the glass, and from both sides they are beyond the exterior lens. Is this normal? I don't notice anything glaringly wrong in my shots, so I don't think is effecting my pics, even took a pic of the white wall and it seemed alright.

Is this perhaps the nature of lenses?

nicfargo · Feb 11, 2008

Take it back and get a new one. Lenses, over time, can get dust in them. To buy a new one that has dust though, in my opinion, is unacceptable. I'd just change it out for a new one.

Garbz · Feb 12, 2008

Errr yeah good luck with that. You've just bought one of the cheapest and most poorly made lenses on the market, and you have a problem with it that develops over time eventually anyway and doesn't affect the performance of the lens. If the store actually gives you a replacement all hell must have frozen over.

Ignore it.

Sclark · Feb 12, 2008

You should be able to return it without a problem (depending on where you purchased the lens of course).

confucious · Feb 12, 2008

i got it at Henry's, so returning should not be a problem at all. I actually was trying to get the 50mm 1.4 USM but they didn't have it in stock. The salesman encouraged me to get the 1.8 as he said there really isn't that much of a difference. I decided to give the 1.8 a shot while the other one comes from another store, and despite the fact I am not required to buy when it gets in, I think I am going to bite the bullet and spend the extra dough. I'd rather have a longer term quality lens than the plastic 1.8 (not to mention what I read about colour/contrast difference).

Thanks for your replies!

Garbz · Feb 13, 2008

Not much of a difference. Lets see an almost completely plastic lens compared with a very nice proper lens which has one of the better build qualities in the non-L series of Canons lens range...

I hate salesmen.

nicfargo · Feb 13, 2008

I actually like my 1.8 (mk I...not the plastic mk II). I'm sure the 1.4 is quite a bit better, but I wouldn't pay money for the L-Series one...it's not any better, and at certain apertures it's worse.

Dubious Drewski · Feb 14, 2008

Pshaw, you think a single speck is bad? Take a look at this vintage lens a buddy of mine gave me.

Yeah, that's all on the inside, in between the glass elements. I haven't even tried to shoot with it yet. Heh.

usayit · Feb 14, 2008

Yeh.. minor specks are not too bad.

I have a really old lens with a nic in the front element that was deep enough to cause flaring issues. Someone mentioned to me to rub black shoe polish on it to fill in the nic. Surprisingly it worked.

But in your case.. return it get another lens.