Scratch on 100mm macro lens's coating

[Natalie]

I got a couple small scratches on the coating of my macro lens, and I'm wondering how much (approximately) it should cost to get something like that fixed. I don't have too much money right now and the scratches don't really effect photo quality (that I can tell), so if it's going to cost hundreds of dollars I'll just skip it for now. Or is it something I can fix myself at home? The scratches themselves are really small, but there is a larger area where the coating separated from the glass and that creates the shiny areas on the lens you can see in the photo.

(the scratches are at about 8 o'clock)

 

[Josh66]

No idea what it would cost, but I think the only thing you can do at home is make it worse.

 

[Natalie]

That's probably true and it's the reason why I haven't touched it so far!

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Try this number -

[TABLE="width: 450"]
[TR]
[TD="colspan: 2"]Canon Customer Support Center [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 71"] Phone: [/TD]
[TD="width: 362"] 1-800-OK-CANON
1-800-652-2666[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[Derrel]

Do NOT worry about them--they are having basically ZERO effect on the pictures!! Seriously. Try this. Take a postage stamp, and cut it into three pieces. Stick one piece on the front of the lens. Take some pictures. You will see that the front element does not affect the image very much. I'm not kidding you. There is absolutely ZERO NEED to get the lens "fixed".

 

[Natalie]

Haha, I'll skip that experiment (knowing me I'll probably scratch the lens even more), but I believe you. So far I haven't been able to see any negative effects on my photos, I think it's just the fact that the scratches are there that bothers me. I've had the lens for two years and managed to keep it absolutely immaculate, and then one day I got these two blemishes.

 

[Derrel]

Natalie, I used to have an old, beat-up 80-200/2.8 one-ring Nikkor..it had a DIME-sized CRATER in the front from a rock thrown by a motorcycle's back tire at motocross...it shot FINE!!! But man, did that crater look uuuuugly!!

 

[Dao]

Do not worry at all. No need to get it fixed. I bought a lens that had a scratch on the coating, but it never show on any of the photos. Photos that I took with dust on the front elements never shows as well. I believe if the issue is closer to the recording medium such as the sensor or the rear lens element, it may show on smaller aperture.

 

[Natalie]

Thanks for calming my nerves, I'll let it be. :thumbup: