Disaster (Nearly) Averted, Quasi-Resurrection of the Nifty Fifty

After the initial mourning period regarding the dropping and breaking of my EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens, I consulted the elves at Photo.net about what might be done. I was instructed to get epoxy glue to reset the back-most element group (below) which had become dislodged and lost some of the brads that held it in place.

[Note: Cyanoacrylate glue should be avoided; it has poor shock resistance and gives off a vapour which condenses on the lens elements."]

This morning, I began the rather quick process of gluing and reattaching the displaced element, and reinstalling the back cover the lens, which just snaps in place. That being done, it was time for the real test, taking photos.

I was immediately encouraged that the focusing ring moved smoothly throughout the focal range and that the autofocus worked.

So with good initial results, I then set up the camera on a tripod in front of a brick wall, so I could make sure all the elements were still properly aligned after the impact of the 5-foot fall that caused the damage. They were not.

They four photos below will serve to indicate the problem the lens now has.

Full Photo @ f/1.8 :: Notice the sharp center and the deteriorating focus as you move toward the corners

100% Crop of the Top Left corner @ f/1.8

I then tested the lens at full stop increments from f/1.8 to f/22, the lens' smallest aperture. As the depth of field increased with the smaller apertures, everything in the frame began to come into focus. By f/11, everything was more-or-less as it should have been.

Full Photo @ f/22 :: Notice everything in the frame is equally sharp

100% Crop of the Top Left @ f/22

Of course, only being able to use the lens at f/11 or smaller completely defeats the benefits of the lightweight, wide aperture 50mm f/1.8. It looks as though the Nifty Fifty will have to be replaced, either with the same lens or the Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Macro Lens, so if anyone's looking to donate to a worthy cause, I can give you the necessary information.

Update: I have been told that the above photos at f/1.8 are what one should expect from this lens with the aperture wide open. And since the lack of corner sharpness is even throughout each of the corners, then the lens is not likely out of alignment.

Tragedy Strikes the Nifty Fifty

The lens I have had the longest and used most regularly on my Canon cameras (both film and digital) is a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II. While it isn't necessarily my favorite focal length, particularly on the APS-C sensor Canon cameras, it is certainly Canon's most economical lens, coming in at around $100.

My 50mm provided several years of faithful service...until today. It turns out that the lens wasn't designed to survive a fall from about 5 feet onto rocks. To be fair, this lens has survived innumerable bumps and thumps before today's mortal wound.

This morning, I left the house early so that I would be able to take a couple of photos of an old building in Bessemer that adjacent to some railroad tracks. I was hoping to catch it in that golden light before the sun gets to high above the horizon. (I was successful, but that is not the subject of this post, so you'll just have to wait.) 

As I was packing up and walking away, I had the lens about shoulder high until gravity wrenched it back to earth. Even though the fall occurred behind me, I knew almost instinctively its source. And when I leaned to pick up the lens, it made a miserable rattling noise that was not native to it.

The aft-most element of the lens had broken away from the surface to which it was mounted. Upon consulting the wise elves at Photo.net, I received some guidance on what might be done, though the outlook is grim for any sort of revival. Amidst the advice/encouragement I received was a site, which describes in detail the method for disassembling/reassembling this lens. Well, I already had half of that covered.

My next step will be to glue the back element back into place. Some of the lugs which naturally held it were broken off, so gluing is the only method for re-attachment. Even if that element can be effectively re-attached, there's still the possibility that other elements will be misaligned because of the fall's impact.

Over the next couple of days I'll attempt to resuscitate this little gem, but despair reigns supreme.