Dropped lens. What to look out for.

fixbones

.......sometimes i thinks
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Hi folks,

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread but...

I dropped my CV 28mm f3.5 Color Skopar from a height of 1m onto the edge of a wooden coffee table and then on to a carpet floor. Lens had both front and rear caps on.

Anything that i should look out for for tell-tale signs of trouble?
There is no visible signs of dent or scuff on the lens at all, focusing is still smooth and nothing is loose

I am in the first leg of my travels and have shot a quick roll of 24ex to test the lens. Unfortunately their scan i very low res and everything seems to look ok.
 
I've dropped a few lenses before. If the focus is smooth, and the aperture is good- the last thing too look for would be the optics getting knocked off-center. That would show up at the corners of the image being too soft, or distorted. I would think the scans you have would show such distortions. The caps probably provided a cushion.

Did the wood on the table get "dinged"?
 
Having unfortunately dropped a fair amount of camera equipment, carpet really seems to absorb quite a bit of the shock upon impact. Based on your description, I'm sure the lens is fine. Most lenses, particularly those with metal construction, are pretty robust and can easily handle the fall you described.
 
Brian, the edge of the coffee was indeed dinged. Good/bad???
I think it was dinged by the edge of the rearcap as that was the only mark i can fin the the lens and also there were some wood residue.
 
Wood was soft. Good. Absorbed the blow.

Check the scans that you have to comfort yourself. As you are starting a big trip, easy to understand the deep concern. I'm sure the lens is Okay, and would use it myself under the circumstances- especially with the test roll back.
 
Thanks for the reassurance Brian. I appreciate it.

I thought it was ok myself but just felt like double checking with you guys just in case i might mis something.

Thanks again =D
 
Does it rattle more than previously when handled? In my experience, this indicates what suffers most has happened, damage to the helical focusing mechanism, possibly to cause a jam at a later date.

I suspect that the end cap has absobed much of the impact and, above all, protected any projecting levers, etc.,
 
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