Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 EF L IS USM repairing the smooth-tight zoom lock ring to avoid zoom creep

[@petecrosbie841]

Brilliant. Thanks so much for this video. Very well filmed and explained. My lens has been loose for 5 years. I really appreciate the time you took to make this.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Thank you for your comment, I'm glad that my video was helpful.

[@AndrewGraves-n9b]

Fantastic! I think with this (and the video about cleaning the inside of the front lens) you've just saved me a few hundred pounds! :-)

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Glad I could help!

[@jg1bozpochi]

I was able to work with reference. The tape width on my lens was 3.5mm. Thank you very much.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're welcome!

[@brianwatson-lavery5684]

Followed instructions, a 10 minute job, works perfectly. I used an A4 guillotine to cut the painters tape, mounted the tape on greaseproof kitchen paper. Saved me a lot of money. Lens was serviced around 8 years ago by Canon, saw where they marked the lens screws, as per the dust remover video. Most useful videos ever..

[@brianwatson-lavery5684]

However, I seem to have lost manual focus. Autofocus is fine, so assume I’ve done something wrong?

[@davidporter3908]

Thank you so much for this no nonsense, clearly laid out instructional video. I could not find anything about this issue on the web with the black pieces of paper coming out from under my zoom lock ring. I followed your instructions with no problems. My only advice to others would be for the tiny flathead screws to remove the end cap of the lens with the "L" red ring. These screw are almost brittle and super, super easy to strip the slot head of the screw. This saved me likely hundreds of dollars sending it back to Canon. Thanks again!

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're right with your tip: it is easy to strip the head of the small screws, use a sharp screwdriver. Fortunately, if you damage one of the screw, you can still remove the ring after you removed the other two screws.

[@jameshawkins537]

Thank you so much, worked really well.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Great to hear!

[@twanvanriel8961]

Just done the job, Saves a €400,- OEM repair !!! many thanks en credits for your video

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're welcome, glad my video helped!

[@nedgrace395]

Thanks for clear disassembly instructions! FYI I used electrical tape & wrapped it around ring in 2 places (removing ring), hoping it would not come loose like I feared painter’s tape might. Also found that easier than cutting take and positioning so precisely. But great video!

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Thank you for your comment! Let me know if your method works in the long term.

[@cirks450]

Brilliant. Just done and nice quick job and even if it doesn't last as long as a "proper" Canon replacement/repair, it works perfectly. Mine had been repaired by Canon in 2011 (whilst they did another repair) only lasted a few years and that wasn't cheap! I'll ping over contribution

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Thank you for the PayPal donation! I'm glad that my video has helped you!

[@ggwildlife]

This is a fantastic video i will be repairing mine next weekend thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@jirilinhart5580]

Thanks for the great tutorial. First time I did it 9 months ago, in combination with cleaning of lenses from the second tutorial. Now, after a time, tape was broaken and partially removed from the position. The result was difficult zooming. Today I did it again, again together with cleaning part (in case of disassembled lens it makes the sense). So this solution is not for ever, but 9 months is okay from my point of view, it is good time to clean also lenses after a time. I again tested finally auto and also manual focus and I didn't recognised any issue - both works well. So with the right procedure it is without problems. 20-30 mins of time per year is very good solution for me - thanks again!

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're welcome! I'm glad my videos helped you.

[@stephanc7192]

Great Video

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@telkirton]

Excellent work thank you very much....

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Thank you too!

[@Machaon83]

This is perfectly what I need !!! thanks

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're welcome!

[@Ledinylongirls]

Good afternoon, I reviewed your video, everything is clear. But there is a problem. What to do with the podshibnik? Could you make a video release on its replacement or repair?

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Do you mean the bearing / small metal balls which is in the locking mechanism?

[@brianthomas6500]

I have the opposite problem, the ring does not turn far so its a little stiff to zoom. Now how I have seen how it comes apart I may have a look at it. Thank you.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

You're welcome and good luck!

[@brianthomas6500]

@@CamerasLensesEtc My problem turned out to be the small balls somehow had come out of position, most of them dropped out, still have them. I spread the ones left in it around and refitted the other part of the assembly, the 2 screws would not line up perfect so it just one in it now. I have covered it and the empty hole with a small round red sticker that came with a wall planner. The lens now works fine, I bought it new 15yrs ago so its done well. Being a pensioner, the thought of spending lots to get it fixed was not something I wanted to do. It was still usable but getting worse since the problem started a few weeks ago. Thank you again.

[@JohnSmith-ou3xq]

Hi! Can't this ring be removed? or are there bearings under it? If you remove the ring, it is easier to paste the tape.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

I haven't tried to remove the ring. There are bearings inside the mechanism, and I'm afraid they would fall out.

[@alainborrat241]

Bjr I have the same problem with my sharp lens. I would like to know whether this makeshift repair is permanent. Thank you very much.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Hi! Yes, this "makeshift" repair solves the problem permanently.

[@armisteadsaffer3604]

I have the opposite problem. My zoom lock is stuck and won't budge. Is there a video on how to fix that?

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

I don't have that.

[@allenyu4586]

Great video! I wonder if you have any insight to this: My zoom ring doesn't tighten all the way. There is a gap in between the smooth-tight collar and the housing that I can't seem to close. I removed the bearings and two shims, but don't see a mechanical obstruction. Because of this, the ring isn't able to tighten fully (the housing doesn't get fully seated to the top retainer bearing to close the gap). Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

When you say you removed the bearings, do you refer to the small bearing metal balls in the smoot-tight mechanism?

[@allenyu4586]

@@CamerasLensesEtc Yes, the pair of bearings that tighten the ring.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Well, my first thought that the metal bearing balls are not on their place, and that prevented the mechanism works correctly. I had this problem before, and for me the solution was to disassemble the bearing: remove the four screws which are on the side of the smooth-tight ring under the white cover dots, then separate the rings, after that the bearing balls will fall out (so be careful not to loose them), then I removed the bearing ball which was stuck in the smooth-tight mechanism and prevented it from working correctly. After that I put some grease on the ring, and put back the balls (they stuck in the grease, so they did not fall out), and then assembled the smooth-tight rings.

[@allenyu4586]

@@CamerasLensesEtc unfortunately, even after the removal of bearings and making sure there’s no ball bearing, it’s still unable to twist all the way down.

[@Tanandjess]

Thank you for this detailed and well explained video. We were all set to 'fix' our lens ourselves since Canon doesn't even want to do repair services on this 'old' model. But... the L ring came of easily but seems like the cross screws underneath are all already stripped. :-/ (we bought the lens second hand several years ago) Any 'easy' advice on getting the screws out anyway? Or any safe tips on a good expert to do this for us? We really need this lens. Thanks already for your answer. And is there another way to contact you more efficiently ? ;-) We also sent you a message on messenger.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

I already sent you a message on messenger, but maybe someone has the same problem here on youtube, so here is my answer: For stripped screws first I try different, bigger or smaller screwdrivers, maybe it can grab the inner groove of the screw if any left, then I try bondhus screwgrab, if that doesn't help, then I try a cutter plier if I can grab the screw with it from the side, if that doesn't help, then I drill the head of the screw.

[@amagnu100]

Thank you so much for this, I did it today and it works like a charm. Those second lot of 3 screws are made of cheese tho, Had to cut a slot in em with a dremel tool.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Thank you for the feedback! Sometimes I have those problems with the screws... sometimes the small screwdriver doesn't fit in the head perfectly, and if I feel that the screwdriver starts to bend the teeth of the head of the screw, then I use PH00 or PH0 screwdriver to get the screws out.

[@angylc5310]

Cannot get these off >.< Too rusty... How frustrating!

[@HK-sp1pl]

My zoom lock works fine, but the zoom range is slightly limited. It wont zoom wider than 115mm. What might cause this problem? I tried to dissamble the lens but some of the screws were way too tight. I actually chipped couple of screws.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

In general, start disassembling the lens, and after every part you remove, test the lens is it runs on the whole zoom range. This problem usually caused by a lens part which is not in the right position... sometimes quite hard to determine which one, but when assembling the lens, make sure you follow exactly the way it is assembled in the video. This problem happens sometimes with me, usually the solution is to disassemble the lens, and twist one of the inner lens tube 120 degrees (so I assembled the lens incorrectly). Chipped screws: well, that is a quite annoying, and takes lots of time to remove them. Search in youtube for ideas how to solve this problem, I'm quite sure there are tons of videos of this topic.

[@shwohh]

I have a Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 EF L IS USM and the Manual Focus appears to be malfunctioning. The distance scale does not move and when looking through the viewfinder turning the focus ring does not change focus. Is it as simple as tightening screws in the lens after disassembling it or harder than that? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Hello! I would start disassemble the lens, and after every step (lens part removed), test the manual focus. If the manual focus runs smooth again, then I would check the last removed lens part.

[@sametturgutr]

There's dust in the zoom section. I came. All is well. What I don't understand is the sticky tape part. What happens if you don't wear sticky tape? What does sticky tape do?

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

The sticky tape provides the grip which is needed to lock the lens with the zoom lock. If there is no painters tape, the metal ring which the tape should be on, is sliding on the white lens tube, and it will scratch it. Originally there is a thin velvet-like material on the ring (one side is adhesive, the other is like velvet), but since I can't buy that, I use painters tape.

[@michelmartens6465]

Why didnt you remove the metal ring to clean it and put the tape on? its much more easy to put the tape on when its out of the lens and cut the tape to size, just cut all the tape thats sticks out of the ring.

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

As I remember, I can't remove the ring from inside. Anyway, I don't think it would be much easier to clean and stick the painters tape on the ring when it is removed than when it is not.

[@Martyn0001]

Think I'll put some sticky tape on mine...!

[@clementvatte6969]

Hi, thanks you for the video ! I just send You a text via Messenger for dôme questions :)

[@CamerasLensesEtc]

Got it!

[@cynjalil]

Fantastic Video! I'll try it on my 28-300, which is stuck.