Back In Focus

I got my zoom lens from the old Canon Film Camera back from cleaning service and am very happy.

It is quite fortunate that the old lens can still be compatible and used on the new Canon EOS 450D dSLR I purchased a while back.

Since I first brought back my dSLR camera home, I discovered that the two old lenses fitted nicely onto the new camera and its auto-focus mechanism responded exactly as the new one. I was ecstatic!

The 2 old lens - an EF35-85mm and EF75-300mm Zoom Lens did burnt quite a big hole in my pocket back then. I was quite sad when my most trusted film camera was rendered obsolete when the digital era began.

Since I first invested on a full-fledged digital camera - a Panasonic Lumiz DMC FZ10, the old camera and its lenses sat in my desiccator and became untouched for years... until now.

My Lumiz became my trusted new friend, yet I missed the old one because it could do just as good. Only drawback was the absence of the MegaOS or anti-shake function as compared to my fixed lens Lumiz and the new EF18-200 USM Lens.


After months of research and comparisons between brands and models, I decided that my next upgrade was a Canon EOS 450D dSLR. The good comments and researched comparisons made by a very good website called DPreview.com reaffirmed my choice.

The compatibility that Canon gives for the old lenses with the new dSLR body was a pleasant surprise for me. I have no idea how I could have missed the feature that was definitely a decisive factor I would have wanted.

After months of saving-up, the opportunity to own one came at a perfect timing. I got to own one at a promo price at the quarterly Computer and IT Show.

The two old lenses worked with the new body but were all fogged-up. There was no escape from fungus attack even when I stored them in my desiccator.

Again I saved-up to realize a budget and had both lenses cleaned. I logged-on to Canon Singapore for such service and was happy to receive their call the next day for a pick-up arrangement from my home.

After 3 days, Canon service technician called to inform my lenses status. They could only get rid of about 70 to 80% of the fungus off my EF75-300mm Zoom Lens. It was not worth the money to save the other EF35-80mm lens as the recovery was only about 50%.

Both lenses no longer had any spares available for replacements as the lenses were already obsolete.

So, last Tuesday, 4th August 2009, the courier from Yamato Logistics delivered my lenses back. It cost me S$80.00 for the EF75-300mm Zoom Lens for the service while the collection and delivery was at $14.00. In all I spent S$100.58 with the GST included.


The first thing I did to test it was taking pictures of the full moon out from my window... zoomed in at its fullest and was very happy that it gave a clear enough photo... at least with these untrained eyes.

So now, I am happy to lug around my zoom lens in my bag when I carry my dSLR with me during outings. Besides zooming in on far away objects, the macro is superb especially with the even fuzzier background it creates to give more attention to the subject... is now back in focus.