# Small, super small scratch on front element.



## Evertking (Jun 18, 2020)

How much would repair be for a scratch smaller that the tip of a sharp pencil?


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## privatebydesign (Jun 18, 2020)

Evertking said:


> How much would repair be for a scratch smaller that the tip of a sharp pencil?


On which lens? it is surprising how much crap a front element can take before it impacts IQ though.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 18, 2020)

They don't repair scratches, it would cost more than a new element. The cost varies greatly for a new element, some lenses have just a piece of coated glass that almost anyone can just pop in place, while others use a ground element that is more expensive and the lens has to be recalibrated after its replaced. Unless it bothers you a lot, just ignore it, it should not cause a problem.


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## Evertking (Jun 18, 2020)

85 1.2L ii
It's killing me.. so what should I do?


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## Maximilian (Jun 18, 2020)

Ever read this post from uncle rog?








Front Element Scratches


We had a chance to make a pretty fun demonstration today, and here it is. As most of you know, we’re very finicky about our gear. We don’t like even tiny scratches on front elements or dust in a lens (although a bit of that is inevitable). We’re like you. We want the lens to [...]



www.lensrentals.com





My recommendation:
Try to ignore the scratch. Live with it.
Only way would be to replace the whole front element.

And... where is it? I couldn't see it on the photo you posted. Maybe I need new glasses


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## padam (Jun 18, 2020)




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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 18, 2020)

Evertking said:


> 85 1.2L ii
> It's killing me.. so what should I do?


I would expect it to run from $600 to $1000. many of Canon's repair facilities shut down for Covid-19, so it might be a long wait for service.


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## Evertking (Jun 18, 2020)

Yeah, it's small but man it sucks. It looks and I thought it was, a grain of sand.


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## JBSF (Jun 18, 2020)

The effects of that would be virtually undetectable. I have had two recent lenses with larger blemishes and have never seen any effects from them. One of my first cameras (45 years ago, I hate to admit) was a 1930s view camera that used sheet film that was in 3 1/4 x 4 1/4 format. A long-retired professional photographer gave it to me. It had a Zeiss Jena Tessar lens, which was uncoated. Upon close inspection, you could see bubbles in the glass. The guy who gave it to me said that the bubbles were a feature of some of Zeiss’s best glass from that era. The bubbles and a small scratch on the front element (much larger than on your lens) never affected an image. That said, heavily over-cleaned lenses with lots of scratches on the surface, common with early soft coatings, exhibited obviously reduced contrast.


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## Evertking (Jun 18, 2020)

I tested it and I can't even see it in the pictures that's just me knowing it's there is killing me. Would have insurance cover this if I if I still had it at one time I had insurance through PPA but I have let it go.


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## Evertking (Jun 18, 2020)

I'm sure that little scratch on the lens has now made this once mint 85 now about an $800 lens maybe 7?
I'm just going to throw a UV filter on it I'm trying to forget about it I guess.
This might sound crazy but if I was given the option of have a scratched 85 or to take a hammer to my own car and put a dent in it the car would be sitting out there with a dent in it right now that's sad isn't it


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 19, 2020)

A lower cost option might be to sell it and buy a used one. Sell for $750-$800 on Fred Miranda and buy one that is used but perfect for $900-$1000. It would end up costing you around $250-$300.


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## Valvebounce (Jun 22, 2020)

Hi Maximilian. 
Damn, I was just going to post almost word for word what you just wrote! Including the link to the post, i love how bad that lens is and still takes passable photos, not great photos, but passable! 

As for seeing the scratch, perhaps we “Should have gone to specsavers!”

Cheers, Graham. 



Maximilian said:


> Ever read this post from uncle rog?
> http://[URL]https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2008/10/front-element-scratches/[/URL]
> 
> My recommendation:
> ...


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## Maximilian (Jun 22, 2020)

Valvebounce said:


> Damn, I was just going to post almost word for word what you just wrote! Including the link


 Graham, It seems, we spend too much time at this forum 
Especially when the weather is too bad to go out. Yesterday I could train again on dragonflies in flight. I'm getting better


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