Sigma 16mm - 1.4 - Element cracked

Hi all,

I Bought a Sigma 16mm 1.4 less than 1 year ago an another day changing my lenses I realized I tiny white spot on the back on my sigma lens.

Looking it closer I saw that one of the inside elements on the back of the lens had I little crack on the border of the glass.

I used this lens very few times and never hit it against anything and never dropped it as well. In fact It would be hard to say that it is a used lens.

Anybody had some similar problem ???

Thanks in advance!

Images below:

Do you have your purchase ticket? Less than a year old it is within the warranty period.

Drask_ca said:

Hi all,

I Bought a Sigma 16mm 1.4 less than 1 year ago an another day changing my lenses I realized I tiny white spot on the back on my sigma lens.

Looking it closer I saw that one of the inside elements on the back of the lens had I little crack on the border of the glass.

I used this lens very few times and never hit it against anything and never dropped it as well. In fact It would be hard to say that it is a used lens.

Anybody had some similar problem ???

Thanks in advance!

Images below:

Click to expand...

It may not matter: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2008/10/front-element-scratches/

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If you're totally happy with the lens performance, I suggest you don't mess with it. It is so small that it's unlikely to affect the image quality at all. I'd guess that chip covers much less than 1% of the surface of that lens element.

Just so you know, this is wild speculation by me, but it looks like a chip caused by thermal expansion or a shock. I'd guess it happened because the lens element is held so tight that it can't expand without breaking at that point, so it might be a case of the lens element retaining ring being too tight, or the lens element itself could be slightly imperfect. Then again, maybe the lens element was dropped, and the chip was never discovered during assembly. It's likely that it doesn't affect the lens in any meaningful way though.

I am not a qualified lens expert, though I have a lot of lenses now, and I have read a lot about lenses. I have never repaired a camera lens. I have never seen such a chip in a lens element before, and I do not know much about lens repair, malfunction, scratches, or chips, so any advice I might give should be taken with a grain or two of salt. I'm just telling you my thoughts.

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Hi, Thanks for the article ... very interesting... never saw anything like that.
My concern with my lens is that it is less than one year old and I barely used it compared by the time I have in my camera bag.

Also... My question is: can it grow? will it expand in the next years ??? Definitely is a manufacture problem ...

I own a bunch of lenses from 1 year and 50 years old ... never saw this in any of them!

Thanks again for your comment ...

Hi... Yes. I have everything. Already contacted Sigma but now I have to send the lens to New York for inspection ... Don't know if they repair or exchange it for free. I will update here...

Scottelly said:

If you're totally happy with the lens performance, I suggest you don't mess with it. It is so small that it's unlikely to affect the image quality at all. I'd guess that chip covers much less than 1% of the surface of that lens element.

Just so you know, this is wild speculation by me, but it looks like a chip caused by thermal expansion or a shock. I'd guess it happened because the lens element is held so tight that it can't expand without breaking at that point, so it might be a case of the lens element retaining ring being too tight, or the lens element itself could be slightly imperfect. Then again, maybe the lens element was dropped, and the chip was never discovered during assembly. It's likely that it doesn't affect the lens in any meaningful way though.

I am not a qualified lens expert, though I have a lot of lenses now, and I have read a lot about lenses. I have never repaired a camera lens. I have never seen such a chip in a lens element before, and I do not know much about lens repair, malfunction, scratches, or chips, so any advice I might give should be taken with a grain or two of salt. I'm just telling you my thoughts.

Click to expand...

I have a 24-105 Nikon lens that has a big ding on the front element such that no one would probably be keen on buying it. Has zero effect on the image quality.

However, if you have damage on the inside of a lens, it clearly can't be user inflicted, so if the lens is still under warranty, I'd send it in.

It looks to me like the begiinning of failure of the cement between two cemented elements.

I have a couple of enlarger lenses where this process has gone much further, probably because enlarger lenses can get hot. I should do some test shots to see if there is a visible effect on the image. It looks bad from the front of these lenses.

I can see issues on the front element not mattering much, I've also seen that small scratches or dust never show up.

The rear element though, I've never seen damaged nor any dust - the front element can have issues because light is traveling through so many elements, I'm pretty sure issues like a crack would have a lot more impact on the vary last element before light reaches a sensor.

It's such a sheltered location it should never have damage, I would do what he did and send it into Sigma for repair/replacement.

I can say I've never seen a rear element with that issue.

Hi everyone ...

Thanks a lot for the all comments.

One fact is true ... I do not see any difference on my images and since I discovered this tiny crack inside the lens I tried to take pictures in a lot of different situations and I cannot see any interference.

I am just not sure if it will stay like that or grow with the time so I agree with the comment from @DMillier ...

"However, if you have damage on the inside of a lens, it clearly can't be user inflicted, so if the lens is still under warranty, I'd send it in."

I sent the lens to Sigma for inspection. Let's see what they say ...

I will give updates once I have a report from them.

Cheers.

As others have said that won't affect image quality.

If you're worried about resale value see what you can do. I'd also be concerned if it "popped up out of nowhere" - where is that piece of glass?

I don't think it'd spread (it's a chip not a crack - big difference) but I wouldn't want any glass floating around inside my camera if it did spread.

As promised ...

I sent the lens to Sigma for repair and 2 days later after they received it in New York, I got a notification saying that they were sending it back, nothing else.

When I opened the lens, checking from the back, the little crack was gone however, I notice I big piece of dust INSIDE the front element ... Could not believe.

I am not sure if they sent me the same lens or another one, the dusty spot is easy visible with naked eye but I did not notice in any of my pictures in all apertures ...

I will just keep it as it is ...

The dust will not impact your images at all. See: https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2019/04/removing-fly-from-weather-sealed-canon-70-200mm/

Didn't your original receipt have a serial # on it. Somehow, I expected better from Sigma service. Also, doesn't the lens have a 3-year warranty?

Thanks for reporting.

Gesture said:

Didn't your original receipt have a serial # on it. Somehow, I expected better from Sigma service. Also, doesn't the lens have a 3-year warranty?

Thanks for reporting.

Click to expand...

Be interesting to see the SN check, but where the chip was they don't have to go anywhere near the front group to change out that element; I assume they replaced the lens.

You can send it back and they'll get the dust out of the front if you want.

Hi all!

I sent a email to them complaining about the dust spot.

They said that they sent me a brand new lens and I should not have an issue with it.

I got a return label from them asking me to send it back :-|

Hi! Did you have warranty for this lens? I have the same problem, but my crack is bigger, and i can see it on the picture, and of course, it has't got warranty...