NEW 24-70mm f2.8ii Zoom Ring "Ticking" While Zooming

Hi Guys,

I just received my new 24-70 f2.8ii lens and it's everything that people have said it was. It's super sharp wide open and focus speed and accuracy is to die for!

But I also noticed one particular thing funny about the zoom ring. It seems to produce a very faint "tick tick tick" as I zoom from 24-70 and back at regular intervals. I read over at Canonrumors Forum that some folks have noticed it as well with the "NEWER" batch of lens made this year with thew new CENTER PINCH lens caps, which I also got. I ordered mine her from DPR's GearShop which ships from Amazon's stock. It's been reported that it may be due to a "brush" sensor or sorts that reports focal length to the camera as you zoom. It's not been verified of course.

Other than that, the lens is fantastic. I just wanted to see if folks here have experienced the same issue. I've only had the lens for about 5 days now and it's not gotten better or worse.

Thanks,

dsc888

It's probably ticking because "it's da bomb", as the young folks used to say ;-).

Are you focusing when this happens? Or no?

If I remember, I'll check if my copy does the same thing later today.
--
- Bill

billythek wrote:

It's probably ticking because "it's da bomb", as the young folks used to say ;-).

Are you focusing when this happens? Or no?

If I remember, I'll check if my copy does the same thing later today.
--
- Bill

It may be just my hearing, but I sure don't hear any ticking when I zoom the lens.

Ryan Ruel wrote:

dsc888 wrote:

Hi Guys,

I just received my new 24-70 f2.8ii lens and it's everything that people have said it was. It's super sharp wide open and focus speed and accuracy is to die for!

But I also noticed one particular thing funny about the zoom ring. It seems to produce a very faint "tick tick tick" as I zoom from 24-70 and back at regular intervals. I read over at Canonrumors Forum that some folks have noticed it as well with the "NEWER" batch of lens made this year with thew new CENTER PINCH lens caps, which I also got. I ordered mine her from DPR's GearShop which ships from Amazon's stock. It's been reported that it may be due to a "brush" sensor or sorts that reports focal length to the camera as you zoom. It's not been verified of course.

Other than that, the lens is fantastic. I just wanted to see if folks here have experienced the same issue. I've only had the lens for about 5 days now and it's not gotten better or worse.

Thanks,

dsc888

I noticed this with mine as well, and it appears to be normal.

I don't notice it at all anymore after using the lens for a while, either it went away or I don't obsess over it. The images from the lens are so good I don't care, and everything I read said it's just the design of the lens.

Yeah, I found a few members over at CanonRumors that had the exact same issue and it seems like all the new March 2013 units, which I have, are ticking to some degree. Some have had success by getting older 2012 units with the folder side squeeze lens caps. But yeah, I only hear it in a quiet room. Click here  to check out the post over on the CR forum. It affects nothing in terms of function or the resulting image. The zoom ring is stiff even for an L lens though. Neither my 17-40 nor my 24-105 were as stiff when new.

billythek wrote:

billythek wrote:

It's probably ticking because "it's da bomb", as the young folks used to say ;-).

Are you focusing when this happens? Or no?

If I remember, I'll check if my copy does the same thing later today.
--
- Bill

It may be just my hearing, but I sure don't hear any ticking when I zoom the lens.

Thanks Bill. It seems to affect only recent 2013 units. If yours came with Canon's newer "center pinch" lens cap, then yours is new and may have the ticking.

billythek wrote:

billythek wrote:

It's probably ticking because "it's da bomb", as the young folks used to say ;-).

Are you focusing when this happens? Or no?

If I remember, I'll check if my copy does the same thing later today.
--
- Bill

It may be just my hearing, but I sure don't hear any ticking when I zoom the lens.

Thanks Bill. It seems to affect only recent 2013 units. If yours came with Canon's newer "center pinch" lens cap, then yours is new and may have the ticking.

I got mine in 2012. So, you are implying there was a design change to the lens itself on the units that came with the center pinch caps? Interesting. It would be nice to know what they changed.
--
- Bill

billythek wrote:

billythek wrote:

billythek wrote:

It's probably ticking because "it's da bomb", as the young folks used to say ;-).

Are you focusing when this happens? Or no?

If I remember, I'll check if my copy does the same thing later today.
--
- Bill

It may be just my hearing, but I sure don't hear any ticking when I zoom the lens.

Thanks Bill. It seems to affect only recent 2013 units. If yours came with Canon's newer "center pinch" lens cap, then yours is new and may have the ticking.

I got mine in 2012. So, you are implying there was a design change to the lens itself on the units that came with the center pinch caps? Interesting. It would be nice to know what they changed.
--
- Bill

Yes Bill. It seems that only people with 2013 units are having the issue. Quite a few more folks posted to my other thread on CanonRumors and no one with the 2012 lens have the issue. I have no idea what might have been changed but it obviously resulted in undesirable noise. Again, it was reported that Canon states it is related to the brush connector rubbing as you zoom.

Ryan Ruel wrote:

qianp2k wrote:

My copy seems doesn't have this issue, but I can double check tonight.

It's something you really have to look for....

In a completely quiet room, slowly turn the zoom ring, it FAINTLY will "tick tick tick". It's very faint... this isn't like "CLICK CLICK CLICK".

Thanks qianp2k. This is EXACTLY what the noise sounds like. Some folks may not even know their's is affected if they don't test out the zoom ring in a quiet environment. I'm still not sure if I want to swap mine out as it seems many owners have the same issue. What if I get one with worse optics and it still ticks?

qianp2k wrote:

My copy seems doesn't have this issue, but I can double check tonight.

Please post when you have checked yours. And is yours the 2013 unit with the center pinch lens cap?

I checked my copy very carefully and it does not make that sound.  I purchased it in December 2012 with the older style lens cap.  Since you have seen it reported elsewhere, I would not worry about it if everything else is performing to your satisfaction.

Good luck.

qian and randy,

Thanks for the both your replies. It seems both of you got the older 2012 units that are noise free with the older style edge squeeze caps. Again, I have still 20 plus days to make up my mind. And being that it was purchased from GearShop (i.e. Amazon), it's really not an issue. Whatever happens, I will post back here once a decision is made. Thanks all for all your feedback.

Just received mine today from Adorama and yes it has the very faint tick tick, tick!!

Not sure what that means if anything!!

Wayne wrote:

Just received mine today from Adorama and yes it has the very faint tick tick, tick!!

Not sure what that means if anything!!

It's because it's "Da Bomb"!

Hi,

I got the lens during the $1699 price from B&H last week. I have the same ticking sound and having owned so many L lenses this sounded strange to me and have RMA'ed for replacement. But it looks like its common on these new 24-70 II lens and might very well be in the new one that I am going to get as well

But looking at the date code (by serial number) it starts wtih 03.... which indicates its March 2013 production and I am surprised the lenses that most of seem to have purchased in past week or so is having March production dates and not anything more recent!

Has anyone gotten the lens recently that is later to March of 2013? If so what does your serial # starts with (first 2 or 4 numbers) and do you also experience the same ticking sound? Trying to see if it has something to so with March batches - 03.... serials.

Thanks

Anand

Called Canon CPS and talked to their techies, they have not heard of this at all. The guy did
 say to me that "it can't be good" !!