Comments on: Lens Repair Data 2011 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011 Photo/video thoughts from the largest rental house Fri, 24 May 2013 15:01:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Anton http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-17695 Anton Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:35:50 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-17695 Hi Roger, you have very interesting data, but I would like to correct your statistics. A lot (if not most) of your lens failures caused by shipping. It means 1 thing: The lens is not mechanically strong relatively to its size. An ant can pick up 10 ants, while an elephant barely holds another elephant. No wonder huge lenses top your list. And also this explains why better packing reduces failures. IS system obviously damaged by throwing the package. And again, big lenses = big suspended group in IS = easier to rip it off. What is more interesting for normal user - electronical problems, inherent mechanical problems (like AF motor or diaphragm failure) and problems due to wear and tear. I can not suggest you how exactly you can separate those, but maybe you get an idea. Hi Roger, you have very interesting data, but I would like to correct your statistics.

A lot (if not most) of your lens failures caused by shipping. It means 1 thing:
The lens is not mechanically strong relatively to its size.
An ant can pick up 10 ants, while an elephant barely holds another elephant.
No wonder huge lenses top your list. And also this explains why better packing reduces failures.

IS system obviously damaged by throwing the package. And again, big lenses = big suspended group in IS = easier to rip it off.

What is more interesting for normal user – electronical problems, inherent mechanical problems (like AF motor or diaphragm failure) and problems due to wear and tear.

I can not suggest you how exactly you can separate those, but maybe you get an idea.

]]> By: Hadi Khademi http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3159 Hadi Khademi Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:18:22 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3159 To get a true picture of lens reliability; one must scale the repiar numbers with mileage (i.e. number of days in transit + number of days in the field). That way, you will have a better reliability picture; just me 2 cent. To get a true picture of lens reliability; one must scale the repiar numbers with mileage (i.e. number of days in transit + number of days in the field). That way, you will have a better reliability picture; just me 2 cent.

]]> By: iJared http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3147 iJared Sat, 21 Jan 2012 19:05:05 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3147 Based on my extermly limited experiance I would agree that prime lenses can be very reliable. I until recently used a Canon EOS 50mm F1.8 Mark I lens as one of my primary lenses. I only stopped using it as much because I bought a nice used F1.4 lens. The canon Mark I lens is still popular used and can often fetch a higher price than the newer Mark II. The Mark I was discontinued in 1990 and all those lenses are at least 20 years old. Not as old as the 40+ year old lenses mentioned, but much longer than I would expect from many newly purchased lenses. Of course I am not sure that many people expect their current system to be around in 20 years. Based on my extermly limited experiance I would agree that prime lenses can be very reliable. I until recently used a Canon EOS 50mm F1.8 Mark I lens as one of my primary lenses. I only stopped using it as much because I bought a nice used F1.4 lens.

The canon Mark I lens is still popular used and can often fetch a higher price than the newer Mark II.

The Mark I was discontinued in 1990 and all those lenses are at least 20 years old. Not as old as the 40+ year old lenses mentioned, but much longer than I would expect from many newly purchased lenses. Of course I am not sure that many people expect their current system to be around in 20 years.

]]> By: Jason http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3128 Jason Fri, 20 Jan 2012 06:41:52 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3128 Very interesting indeed. I had a pretty bad experience with Canon's Irvine service center. Sent a 50 1.4 in for focusing issues (it was front focusing by several feet at medium-far distances, but was fine close to MFD). It ended up making 4 trips and still was not fixed. I thought I was the only one with such a terrible experience but seems like it happens more often than any of us thought. Very interesting indeed. I had a pretty bad experience with Canon’s Irvine service center. Sent a 50 1.4 in for focusing issues (it was front focusing by several feet at medium-far distances, but was fine close to MFD). It ended up making 4 trips and still was not fixed. I thought I was the only one with such a terrible experience but seems like it happens more often than any of us thought.

]]> By: Steinar Knai http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3083 Steinar Knai Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:07:19 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3083 Hello Roger, thanks for sharing more valuable info with us. One of the obvious conclusions, since very few prime lenses appear on that list, should be to buy good primes and look after them and your probability of having a problem will be substantially less than 8.5%, which are good odds. As a non pro, but very frequent user of the gear, I very rarely miss a photo because I don't have a zoom and I tend to stick on a prime more and more often. I also believe that my IQ increases because of the use of primes, maybe because I tend to think about the photo in advance, which I rarely do when I use a zoom. Hello Roger, thanks for sharing more valuable info with us. One of the obvious conclusions, since very few prime lenses appear on that list, should be to buy good primes and look after them and your probability of having a problem will be substantially less than 8.5%, which are good odds. As a non pro, but very frequent user of the gear, I very rarely miss a photo because I don’t have a zoom and I tend to stick on a prime more and more often. I also believe that my IQ increases because of the use of primes, maybe because I tend to think about the photo in advance, which I rarely do when I use a zoom.

]]> By: Joachim http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3077 Joachim Tue, 17 Jan 2012 06:55:32 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3077 Just read, Nikon US is going to stop delivering parts to independent repairers: http://nikonrumors.com/2012/01/16/nikon-usa-to-stop-selling-camera-parts-to-independent-repair-shops.aspx/ In 180 days from sending that letter no repair shop will get anymore spare parts. Understandable, from one perspective, but mainly acting as monpolist will not get them more friends? Are car factories allowed doing the same thing in the US? Just read, Nikon US is going to stop delivering parts to independent repairers:
http://nikonrumors.com/2012/01/16/nikon-usa-to-stop-selling-camera-parts-to-independent-repair-shops.aspx/

In 180 days from sending that letter no repair shop will get anymore spare parts. Understandable, from one perspective, but mainly acting as monpolist will not get them more friends? Are car factories allowed doing the same thing in the US?

]]> By: » Interesting Links for January 16th, 2012 – Occasional Drivel http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3074 » Interesting Links for January 16th, 2012 – Occasional Drivel Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:05:13 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3074 [...] Lensrentals.com Lens Repair Data 2011The information in this annual blog post is always informative and might be useful if used in the right way. Keep in mind that rental companies represent a true torture test for photography equipment, so you have to take the information with a grain of salt and use it as relative information rather than absolutes. [...] [...] Lensrentals.com Lens Repair Data 2011The information in this annual blog post is always informative and might be useful if used in the right way. Keep in mind that rental companies represent a true torture test for photography equipment, so you have to take the information with a grain of salt and use it as relative information rather than absolutes. [...]

]]> By: Roger Cicala http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3062 Roger Cicala Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:43:19 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3062 Richard, We have some influence with smaller shops for whom we can be a very large account. But with factory service we have less than no influence: they know they are the only ones who can do certain repairs (independent shops can't). Roger Richard,

We have some influence with smaller shops for whom we can be a very large account. But with factory service we have less than no influence: they know they are the only ones who can do certain repairs (independent shops can’t).

Roger

]]> By: Richard http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3061 Richard Sun, 15 Jan 2012 21:24:05 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3061 Thanks for sharing this data with us Roger. One thing that worries me is the never- and poorly-completed repairs you report: "...repair not done the first time ...common when the problem was low resolution (a soft lens). ...comes back with low resolution that it didn’t have before the repair ...lenses returned with fingerprints, grease smears, or foreign object on the internal lens elements." Now I'm guessing that you, as a large buyer, have a little clout with the manufacturers and, as you deal with them a lot, maybe get the chance to build up a relationship with the repair centres? Or at least more than the average consumer who buys a camera every 7 years and lens every 3 or 4 years. My point here is whether consumers are being fobbed off (whereas you have the measuring capability, and the experience, to stand your ground). It's not so bad with a clear failure but with a soft lens, say, not being able to measure it we would be very unsure of our ground in sending back repeatedly even if we weren't happy - when the repair shop just sends it back and tell us it's fine. Ah well, I have a 7 month old Nikon D5100 with a stuck mirror that I need to go and box up for return - here's hoping that comes back properly fixed! Thanks for sharing this data with us Roger. One thing that worries me is the never- and poorly-completed repairs you report: “…repair not done the first time …common when the problem was low resolution (a soft lens). …comes back with low resolution that it didn’t have before the repair …lenses returned with fingerprints, grease smears, or foreign object on the internal lens elements.” Now I’m guessing that you, as a large buyer, have a little clout with the manufacturers and, as you deal with them a lot, maybe get the chance to build up a relationship with the repair centres? Or at least more than the average consumer who buys a camera every 7 years and lens every 3 or 4 years. My point here is whether consumers are being fobbed off (whereas you have the measuring capability, and the experience, to stand your ground). It’s not so bad with a clear failure but with a soft lens, say, not being able to measure it we would be very unsure of our ground in sending back repeatedly even if we weren’t happy – when the repair shop just sends it back and tell us it’s fine. Ah well, I have a 7 month old Nikon D5100 with a stuck mirror that I need to go and box up for return – here’s hoping that comes back properly fixed!

]]> By: focus http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2012/01/lens-repair-data-2011/comment-page-1#comment-3047 focus Sat, 14 Jan 2012 21:38:47 +0000 http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/?p=5152#comment-3047 Isn't the metric (days unavailable/days owned) with the failing rental unavailable? Isn’t the metric (days unavailable/days owned) with the failing rental unavailable?

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