Hi Chris, see below: Chris Eastwood wrote:
> > I was commenting on the electrical stuff inside, the > >AF and IS systems. Actually we are expecting **more** like IS and AF > >and then complaining when these newly complicated systems fail us. > > actually, its not so much the IS motors, and USM motors (as I'm of the > belief that they're reasonably robust) its more the cams and mechanical > operation in the zooms It is my experience (primarily with the AF system failure) and the experiences that I have read most often from others (mostly IS), that it is the electrical stuff in the 28-135 that fails, not the zoom system or mechanical stuff (not that the electrical stuff isn't mechanical...you know what I mean). Other lenses are probably a different story, but I have had one of these babies that took a good knock and gave up autofocusing one direction (it would AF out, but not back in). Many other folks I have heard have had problems with the IS flaking out, and actually I have had instances of this too, with this lens without any real damage to the lens causing it (funny shuttering of the IS and goofy noises from it). However, note that this is the *only* EF lens I have had any problems with either the AF or the IS, and I have had a number of them (mostly L series, though I do have a 50/1.8 mkI which I *love*). This is why I cautioned the original poster specifically about this extremely versatile, but not all that durable zoom. I would say that pretty much all zooms, even the "solid" old metal ones, have their problems and stop working smoothly when whacked right. *Maybe* it is even possible that the plastics of the new lenses can take more abuse than the old metal cams without becoming "sticky" or "stiff". Not sure about this though. Same goes for old focusing helicals on primes, but other than the general looseness and a feeling of low quality in today's zooms, I haven't seen a whole lot of problems with the mechanisms. Mike -- Michael Shupe M.J.Shupe Photography Michigan Tech University www.northernlightsgallery.com * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
