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DAE have to choose between CLA'ing a lens yourself vs sending it to a pro?
I just got a 50mm f1.4 with a stuck aperture ring and some haze. Doing the CLA myself would cost me maybe $15 in tools and an afternoon of cussing. Sending it to a pro shop in Chicago would run about $90 plus shipping and a 3 week wait. I went ahead and did it myself because I'm impatient and cheap, but now I got a tiny spec of dust I can't get out from between the elements. Has anyone else had a self repair go sideways and end up wishing they just paid the pro?
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oscarm2412d ago
The dust thing is actually a perfect example of a bigger pattern I notice everywhere. People try to save money or time on something, then one tiny mistake makes them wish they'd just paid the pro. It's the same with fixing a leaky faucet or painting a room... you do it yourself to save eighty bucks, then you have to stare at that one smudge or drip forever. The real cost isn't the money, it's the constant reminder that you couldn't get it perfect. Your lens is probably still fine for shooting, but that speck will live in your head rent free every time you use it.
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river_wright11d ago
Yeah, I get what you're saying but honestly that speck thing only bugs you if you let it. I've got a scratch on my favorite lens that I notice maybe once a year when I'm cleaning it and the rest of the time it doesn't affect anything at all. Sometimes the "imperfect" thing is just in your head and not actually a problem.
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