Help: how to fix a broken Fuji lens

[Sarahrs]

Hi,

I’ve managed to drop my Fuji zoom lens. Both the front and rear glass elements have cracks/chips.

Is it possible to fix it/ or do I need to buy a new lens?

Sarah

[Mike Farley]

Hi Sarah

It will be possible to fix your lens but it might not prove to be an economic repair. Front elements in particular are usually designed to be easily replaced as they are the most likely to be damaged. The problem is that whereas they used to be fairly inexpensive, they do tend to cost a fair bit these days. Replacing a rear element would require a bit more disassembly which all adds to the cost. On the other hand, depending on the extent of the damage, you might be able to get away without doing anything to the rear element. However, the lens could be more susceptible to flare than it was previously. That also assumes that nothing detrimental has occurred to any of the the lens' internal components which are not visible.

There is an interesting article by Robert Cicala of Lens Rental fame where he discusses the topic of repairs to front elements in some detail:

https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2016/1 ... revisited/

Fixation at Kennington are the best known local repairers. Alternatively, you could take it to Reg at the Croydon Photo Centre and he will give you good advice. What Reg does not know about camera equipment after a lifetime of experience is not worth bothering with. Fuji is another option but will probably charge you just to examine the lens and also be expensive.

If you are felling particularly adventurous, you could acquire the parts and the appropriate tools to fix it for yourself. That should provide you with "entertainment" for an evening or so. Just remember that Japanese crosshead screws might look like Phillips ones but are actually JIS. If you use the wrong screwdriver, you could end up damaging the head.

Should all else fail, you might be able to recoup part of the purchase price of a new lens by selling the old one on eBay for parts or repair. There is usually a market for such items.

[Sarahrs]

Thanks for helpful advice as a result I’ve taken a few pictures and doesn’t look like it’s overlly affecting the images. Will have another look once there on the computer but it might be more minor than first look.

[Mike Farley]

Depending on the amount of damage, there will be some degradation of image quality. Superficial blemishes can have very little effect but cracks and chips will interrupt light transmission. Depending on aperture, it might be apparent as a darkening on the image which can be fixed in post processing but could be more distinct and troublesome, especially as the lens is stopped down. Try shooting a plain white surface at different apertures to see how even illumination is across the frame. As I recall, it is a zoom lens so it is worthwhile repeating the test at different focal lengths. Do you have any images taken before the incident which you can repeat to establish if there has been a deterioration in performance?

As mentioned previously, flare is likely to occur more readily. If the fall was hard enough that elements have been broken, there is also a possibility that elements have become dislodged which would affect overall sharpness. The AF and aperture functions might not function properly either.