Can't focus to infinity with my 135mm f/2L!!!

I've been using my EF 135mm f/2L lens for three years and have taken great photos with it. I've used it for landscapes quite a few times, but not much lately. However, I just discovered that it no longer focuses to infinity ... which means I can't take landscapes. The lens will not focus on distant objects whether it's set on auto-focus or if I focus it manually.

There's no visible damage on the lens and I've taken care not to bang it around. There is no resistance during focus and there are no noises when I shake the lens. I'm mystified as to what could be causing the problem.

Anyone run into this problem? Any suggestions to get it to work again?

Thanks in advance!

Did you try LV? I am puzzled by the fact that even MF does not allow you to focus at infinity. My 135L did not focus well at infinity. I sent it to Canon and it is much better now.

The tree is in the middle distance and very much out of focus. I re-sized the image but kept the two cut-outs at their original size so you could see just how badly out of focus it is. It's still a great lens for shooting people, even with this issue, but I'd sure like to use it for landscapes, too.

I don't have a filter on this lens, so I know that's not an issue.

Did you turn the focus ring all the way to infinity (and beyond)? I am trying to understand if this is an AF error or inability of the lens to focus too far.

If, indeed, it cannot focus too far, it should be serviced, it is misalignment problem.

I've tried it with both automatic focus and manual focus. When I rotate the focus ring as far as it will go, it will not bring those distant objects into focus. I was hoping it was something really obscure but easy to fix as I dread having to part with it for more than a week ... it's still great for doing portraits.

This is an old thread, but it is the only one I have found with a similar problem to the one I am having with this lens. Actually, the same exact problem as described by the original poster.

I am hoping to hear how the issue was resolved, if at all.

A few days ago I was out with my camera taking pictures, when I noticed my 135 2.0 was not focusing at infinity. Came back home and started playing with it, and the lens will not focus from my 4th floor apartment down to the sidewalk across the street and beyond. Doesn't matter if I use AF or MF, distant objects are never in focus. The lens doesn't hunt for focus while on AF, it just goes to infinity and stops, I don't get focus confirmation from the camera. Or I can manually focus it, and infinity is still always out of focus.

I noticed the problem on a 5D markII, and tested it on a 40D and a rebel xti, same results on all camera bodies. Cleaned the contacts and mount, but that didn't help

The lens works just fine at close range, it doesn't make any weird sounds and still focuses as fast as it did before. there is no indication that it is malfunctioning whatsoever, until I try to focus on far objects. The distance scale has not changed neither, I can reach the infinity mark on the distance scale (AF or MF) and manually turning the ring is smooth as it has always been. I don't have the exact working distance, but as I mentioned before, it will not focus on the sidewalk across the street from a 4th floor apartment.

The last time I used the lens was 5 days before I noticed the problem and I took several shots at infinity, and it was fine then. The lens had been sitting in my camera bag in my closet, as it has been for like 6-7 years when not in use. What bothers me is, I don't even use it that much. I only use it once in a while and it is the only lens I had problems with.

I did some tinkering with the lens and managed to get it to focus to infinity again. Turned out to be the outer o-ring screw. I'm not sure if that's what its called, but its the ring that screws over the front glass and holds the front glass in place. It has 4 notches on it for a tool to fit and screw/unscrew it.

If I moved the lens around, it always made a very soft, damped "clank" sound, as if something was loose. I always assumed it was just the focusing ring moving slightly, as I have had lenses with slightly loose focus rings that made almost the same sound. But when the lens started having focus issues, I thought it'd try and tighten the front ring, since its really the only thing I could do without taking the lens apart. Sure enough, it was loose. I tightened it. The lens no longer made that clanking sound, but it still didn't focus to infinity.
 Couple of months later I loosened the ring again, just enough to get that "clank" sound again. Then I grabbed the lens in my hand and gave it a few good sudden twisting motions, in the hopes that maybe whatever was loose inside would thread up or down to where it was supposed to be. Put the lens back on the camera and... it was working fine! Then I tightened it up again to keep it from moving.

I don't know if it was just crazy coincidence, or if my assumption that there was something that needed to thread back into place was correct, but I can focus infinity again.

I didn't have the tool to tighten/loosen the ring, so I used the nail filer from a nail clipper. put it into one of the notches, and turned carefully. I could have used a small flat screw driver, but it stuck out a bit much, and I was afraid of it slipping and scratching the glass (be real careful if you decide to try this, the nail clipper slipped from the notch a couple of times, and each time I was sure I put a big scratch on the front glass. I was lucky I didn't)

I have  the same issue. Focus at far subjectd are blurry soft or out of focus. In close range like medium to portrait shot is ok. I don't understand this lens. Sent in to Canon and they restored and replaced parts, and change the mounding elements and usm electronics.  Still the same. Distant objects are out of focus.  Only mid range and portraits are ok. Still not fully functional If I wanted to shoot at a distances. I only see the results when i get in and see it on my computer. Holy 5hit.  It is horrible. I am considering of dropping the Canon line. This issue is beyond callous to have a lens like this, especially a prime lens, to have so much forum blog problems.  Not acceptable for for Canon.  I have other lens that does a better job and it's not even a prime lens. What damn shame. I know I use to get excellent images with this 135mm f2/L and now its trash.  I Someone please tell me what's going on.  This lens had been to the moon and back from Canon west coast and they still can't get it together.  Last toss up is to send it to another service center and see if they can resolve this.  Anyone. Pleeeese.  Give me your thoughts. I am about done.

solidstate9 wrote:

Thanks for the update I had the same problem and I tightened the outer ring and now its fixed!

I hope this doesn't sound stupid but what is the "outer ring"?  I have the same problem and tried to tighten what I thought was the outer ring but nothing is fixed...