sony 70-200 FE G f2.8 inner parts stronger than its f4 version?

[yukiku]

My sony fe 70-200 g lens which I've been using with great pleasure for the last year, has separated into two parts right behind the focus ring as I was taking it out of my bag, without any external physical force. Made a quick research and found similar cases like mine. They used plastic parts inside and the lens probably cannot carry its own weight. Probably doesn't happen too often but did happen to me. It was my favorite lens and I was just abought to buy the new Sony FE 70-200 G f.2.8. My question is: Does anybody know if the f.2.8 version uses the same plastic components inside or did they use stronger materials for this one? I know optical quality is higher, but how about these fragile parts of F4? Are they replaced with stronger ones as well? Thanks.

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[apinajus]

Phew! You should take the lens to sony and fill a full complaint!

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

As strange as it sounds, this is normal for long lenses today. They have a weak point that will snap under force. The idea is that it will protect the rest of the lens by dissipating the force. The broken part can be fairly easily and cheaply replaced.

[VTC]

Someone a few months back had the same thing happen to his lens after rattling around in his trunk.

Almost as gruesome as looking at a compound fracture of your own femur. Nasty break.

[phillipssk]

My sony fe 70-200 g lens which I've been using with great pleasure for the last year, has separated into two parts right behind the focus ring as I was taking it out of my bag, without any external physical force. Made a quick research and found similar cases like mine. They used plastic parts inside and the lens probably cannot carry its own weight. Probably doesn't happen too often but did happen to me. It was my favorite lens and I was just abought to buy the new Sony FE 70-200 G f.2.8. My question is: Does anybody know if the f.2.8 version uses the same plastic components inside or did they use stronger materials for this one? I know optical quality is higher, but how about these fragile parts of F4? Are they replaced with stronger ones as well? Thanks.

My lens broke in the exact same spot! Sony Canada gave me a quote of $900.00 to fix it. I wonder how many of these lenses have broken? With the right information I would contact Sony about its repair quote. Mine was brand new.

[Guest all8]

My lens broke in the exact same spot! Sony Canada gave me a quote of $900.00 to fix it. I wonder how many of these lenses have broken? With the right information I would contact Sony about its repair quote. Mine was brand new.

 

 

Quite a lot.

 

But here is the thing ... they are not "just breaking" for no reason. At some point a reasonable physical force must have been applied to the lens. The idea that "has separated into two parts right behind the focus ring as I was taking it out of my bag, without any external physical force" is probably indicating that the lens was subjected to the physical force at some earlier point in time, at which point damage was inflicted on the joint, but it held together until eventually the joint failed.

 

I don't think this is an engineered failure point because the repair cost is so high.

 

 

Recently I took my camera out of its padded bag, rested it gently and carefully on the bag, stood up, my dog got tangled in a strap of the bag, the camera slid of the bag and fell around 20cm onto a rock. On the first impact, the lens cap, which was on, got knocked off , on the second impact the UV filter got shattered and the lens scratched (by glass from the filter). The lens still works, and its fine, the scratch does not matter ... but sometimes things happen, its nobodies fault, or perhaps it is ... either way, these things don't break on their own!

[phillipsr]

You know, I own a fair bit of Sony equipment and I have never had a lens break before with a slight drop or a little bump. I have both the 70-200 GII F2.8 and the 70-400GII and they appear to be great lenses. Finding out that others have the 70-200 F4 has potential issues is of concern to me. I will be taking this up with my western Canada Sony representative. Thanks for the information.

Thanks,

Rob

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

Like I said, lens manufacturers do this deliberately. If you drop a long lens and it doesn't snap, it will become distorted. That is very expensive to repair, often uneconomic. But if the lens snaps, there's a good chance you can repair it cheaply.

 

The basic presumption is that you're not supposed to drop or knock precision optics, but if you do, there's a good chance you can afford the repairs.

 

I'm sure your Sony rep will be able to tell you this.

[padam]

Well, one thing is for sure, a Canon 70-200 2.8 IS II is a proven workhouse and is built way better than this one (I guess the F4 IS is quite robust, too)

 

Seems overpriced with this kind of build.

[Guest all8]

Like I said, lens manufacturers do this deliberately. If you drop a long lens and it doesn't snap, it will become distorted. That is very expensive to repair, often uneconomic. But if the lens snaps, there's a good chance you can repair it cheaply.

 

The basic presumption is that you're not supposed to drop or knock precision optics, but if you do, there's a good chance you can afford the repairs.

 

I'm sure your Sony rep will be able to tell you this.

 

 

This was the Sony quoted repair cost, from above:

 

 

 

Sony Canada gave me a quote of $900.00 to fix it.

 

 

SO, this is not cheap! Clearly the lens is not designed with an engineered failure point .... I'm personally not convinced such a thing would be effective anyway, the idea that you drop a lens, and no matter how it lands, it breaks cleanly in the middle, I find that a little too optimistic     

[mkg3]

I had this happened to me and I'm the one with the lens in the trunk. No it did not bounce about. It simply failed from normal ride.

 

The cost of repair in US was $400 and I was told they see quite a few of these break.

 

Frankly, we debated at the time, I still believe its a design flaw to have such a weak link in the build.  My Nikon 80-200/2.8 has been fell over from being mounted on a tripod w/DSLR mounted, and aside from catches, no issue.

 

I appreciate the desire to make the lens lightweight but its at a tradeoff to the robustness of the lens' durability.

 

Still own this lens and I do like it, but I also treat Sony gear with great care, compared to my Nikon gear.  It feels quite fragile in comparison.

[Guest Jaf-Photo]

How much do you think it would cost if the internals had been warped? At least twice, which in uneconomic. I know for a fact that modern long lenses fail like this and that the manufacturers normally change around $500 to fix it. That is a cheap lens repair. I don't know why OP was quoted $900. Maybe the lens was more damaged. The general idea is to not drop or knock your lens. If you do, the manufacturer is not liable, but it can fix it if you pay.

 

This was the Sony quoted repair cost, from above:

 

 

 

 

SO, this is not cheap! Clearly the lens is not designed with an engineered failure point .... I'm personally not convinced such a thing would be effective anyway, the idea that you drop a lens, and no matter how it lands, it breaks cleanly in the middle, I find that a little too optimistic

[mkg3]

How much do you think it would cost if the internals had been warped? At least twice, which in uneconomic.......The general idea is to not drop or knock your lens. If you do, the manufacturer is not liable, but it can fix it if you pay.

 

 

 

This is exactly the kind of responses I got when I originally posted that the lens snapped in half.

 

No kidding - don't drop the lens... Wow, some great insight that we never thought of.

 

The issue isn't that if you break it, you pay to fix it.  No different than a car accident.  We all get that.  

 

What we're discussing is inherent design flaw, just as it occurs on any product.  To say that it could have been worse - of course.  Its a given.  It could also have been less or not break and still come out without a significant damage that render the lens useless.

 

Sorry for a bit of harsh response.  Your response just happen to remind me of all the Sony Fanboy-like feedback I got originally. The fact is that this lens can be designed better from durability perspective.  To argue that there is no need,in my mind, is nonsense, when there is a trend of broken lens at the same exact place.  Not an isolated incident.  It occurs on a regular basis, based on factory authorized repair provider feedback.

[yukiku]

Phew! You should take the lens to sony and fill a full complaint!

Did that. Didn't work. I live in Turkey and Sony Eurasia is not interested

[yukiku]

As strange as it sounds, this is normal for long lenses today. They have a weak point that will snap under force. The idea is that it will protect the rest of the lens by dissipating the force. The broken part can be fairly easily and cheaply replaced.

So you say f2.8 is probably the same?

[yukiku]

My lens broke in the exact same spot! Sony Canada gave me a quote of $900.00 to fix it. I wonder how many of these lenses have broken? With the right information I would contact Sony about its repair quote. Mine was brand new.

I didn't think too many, at least not as in my case (without "any" external force) until now. But am beginning to get suspicious.

[yukiku]

Quite a lot.

 

But here is the thing ... they are not "just breaking" for no reason. At some point a reasonable physical force must have been applied to the lens. The idea that "has separated into two parts right behind the focus ring as I was taking it out of my bag, without any external physical force" is probably indicating that the lens was subjected to the physical force at some earlier point in time, at which point damage was inflicted on the joint, but it held together until eventually the joint failed.

 

I don't think this is an engineered failure point because the repair cost is so high.

 

 

Recently I took my camera out of its padded bag, rested it gently and carefully on the bag, stood up, my dog got tangled in a strap of the bag, the camera slid of the bag and fell around 20cm onto a rock. On the first impact, the lens cap, which was on, got knocked off , on the second impact the UV filter got shattered and the lens scratched (by glass from the filter). The lens still works, and its fine, the scratch does not matter ... but sometimes things happen, its nobodies fault, or perhaps it is ... either way, these things don't break on their own!

I wouldn't have posted it here if there was any external force to the lens. I am sure there has never been, I am extremely careful with my lenses and there isn't the tiniest bit of scrach on it. I am afraid the only force is the weight of the lens itself on its bolts that are fixed to its weak plastic joints. That's why I'm trying to find out if 2.8 has stronger ones. This lens has been my favorite (including my l series cannon ones) in terms of picture quality, and am still willing to get the 2.8 if this problem has been fixed with it.

[Guest all8]

I wouldn't have posted it here if there was any external force to the lens. I am sure there has never been, I am extremely careful with my lenses and there isn't the tiniest bit of scrach on it. I am afraid the only force is the weight of the lens itself on its bolts that are fixed to its weak plastic joints. That's why I'm trying to find out if 2.8 has stronger ones. This lens has been my favorite (including my l series cannon ones) in terms of picture quality, and am still willing to get the 2.8 if this problem has been fixed with it.

 

 

For all you know your lens fell of the end of the production line ... it happens you know ...

 

... mine is fine after almost 2 years of somewhat careful use, since I dropped in once, on my foot, and hike a bit where it gets small knocks from time to time. It also has no scratches. Not saying there is no problem ...