My 5 x week old Canon 50D with Canon EF 70-200mm 1.4 L IS USM lens together with Canon Extender EF 1.4 II was accidentally dragged off a table by a closing door and hit the tiles...hard.

The camera and extender seem OK (kudos to Canon), but the lens is bent/cross threaded under the camera end of the zoom ring. It is noticeably mis-aligned. At full zoom, focus and IS seem OK, but focus deteriorates increasingly with zoom out. I guess even at full zoom there is a loss of quality. This is (was) a terrific lens, I need it back and working.

Unless someone can suggest a worthwhile option (local repair?), research on the net indicates it needs to be packed off to Canon for a hefty repair bill. Some forum stories indicate that is not a sure way to get a 100% product back. Appreciate any experiences or leads. I'm 6 hours out of Bangkok so it's no simple matter to pop into the Canon dealer.

Also, I'm considering buying a Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM. I have family visiting from Australia next month. Prices there on the web seem to be A$1900-2700. Has anyone priced this lens in Bangkok recently?

Or if anyone has something comparable second hand it would be of interest.

I'll try to not break it for at least a couple of months. I'm not happy.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune Chinavet.

PM sent

Sorry to hear about your accident.

I managed to destroy a car and break my back on the way back to Pattaya from Bangkok last year. Joining me in the accident was my 1D with a 135mm lens attached, and a 70-200mm in a separate bag. The 135mm was distorted at the point where the camera meets the body, the 70-200mm had a smashed filter but nothing else obviously wrong with it. The camera didn't seem to think anything had happened!

Once I was mobile again I gave the whole lot back to Canon for checking. I got the camera and 70-200mm back in a couple of days, checked and calibrated for a few hundred baht. The 135mm needed a new part which took a couple of weeks to come from Japan and cost me 3,000 baht. But everything worked as it had before the accident and I found Canon Bangkok to be very helpful throughout.

Good luck!

Sorry to hear about your accident.

I managed to destroy a car and break my back on the way back to Pattaya from Bangkok last year. Joining me in the accident was my 1D with a 135mm lens attached, and a 70-200mm in a separate bag. The 135mm was distorted at the point where the camera meets the body, the 70-200mm had a smashed filter but nothing else obviously wrong with it. The camera didn't seem to think anything had happened!

Once I was mobile again I gave the whole lot back to Canon for checking. I got the camera and 70-200mm back in a couple of days, checked and calibrated for a few hundred baht. The 135mm needed a new part which took a couple of weeks to come from Japan and cost me 3,000 baht. But everything worked as it had before the accident and I found Canon Bangkok to be very helpful throughout.

Good luck!

Hughden, I think my 'accident' is insignificant compared to your misfortune. I hope your recovery is complete.

Hey, thanks a bunch for the input, it's encouraging.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

I managed to destroy a car and break my back on the way back to Pattaya from Bangkok last year. Joining me in the accident was my 1D with a 135mm lens attached, and a 70-200mm in a separate bag. The 135mm was distorted at the point where the camera meets the body, the 70-200mm had a smashed filter but nothing else obviously wrong with it. The camera didn't seem to think anything had happened!

Once I was mobile again I gave the whole lot back to Canon for checking. I got the camera and 70-200mm back in a couple of days, checked and calibrated for a few hundred baht. The 135mm needed a new part which took a couple of weeks to come from Japan and cost me 3,000 baht. But everything worked as it had before the accident and I found Canon Bangkok to be very helpful throughout.

Good luck!

Hughden, I think my 'accident' is insignificant compared to your misfortune. I hope your recovery is complete.

Hey, thanks a bunch for the input, it's encouraging.

Has been an "interesting" year getting over it, breaking your back is not as much fun as it sounds. But I can carry all my camera gear around again, so that counts as being healed!

Don't trust "local repair guys"

Get the camera and lens to the Canon Centre.

Sorry to hear about your accident.

I managed to destroy a car and break my back on the way back to Pattaya from Bangkok last year. Joining me in the accident was my 1D with a 135mm lens attached, and a 70-200mm in a separate bag. The 135mm was distorted at the point where the camera meets the body, the 70-200mm had a smashed filter but nothing else obviously wrong with it. The camera didn't seem to think anything had happened!

Once I was mobile again I gave the whole lot back to Canon for checking. I got the camera and 70-200mm back in a couple of days, checked and calibrated for a few hundred baht. The 135mm needed a new part which took a couple of weeks to come from Japan and cost me 3,000 baht. But everything worked as it had before the accident and I found Canon Bangkok to be very helpful throughout.

Good luck!

Hughden, I think my 'accident' is insignificant compared to your misfortune. I hope your recovery is complete.

Hey, thanks a bunch for the input, it's encouraging.

Has been an "interesting" year getting over it, breaking your back is not as much fun as it sounds. But I can carry all my camera gear around again, so that counts as being healed!

The amount of gear I'm hauling around these days puts me next in line for a broken back!

I really do need a clearout before it's too late.