My 12-42 Oly II R shows lens error

This lens came on the first PL1 I bought in April two years ago, and it's given great service through thousands of shots on a lot of camera bodies I've bought since.

But today, at a birthday dinner, my OMD M5 II started going black and reading Check Lens Status in the screen. At first, remounting the lens fixed the problem.  After about a hundred shots, it became more frequent, and finally now  the lens will always generate a a check lens status reading if I extend the lens out to 42mm.  It usually works for awhile on the wide setting.

I tried it on one of my OMD M10's, and it does the same thing.

My first MFT lens, is in a bad way.

I've cleaned the contacts, and everything looks good about the lens, it just won't work properly.

I did get the lens just a little bit wet today earlier, only a few drops of water on the barrel.

I think I'll call Oly on Monday and see what flat rate repair they have for the 14-42 II R, but it will likely be as cheap to find another PL-1 with a lens attached, or use the money to buy one of the new pancake 14-42 kit zooms.

Anybody have any ideas for how to try and fix my lens without sending it in for service?

Or do I just have a cool paperweight, for my desk?

Any help would be much appreciated.

apathyman wrote:

The same thing happened with my 40-150 zoom. Apparently an electrical contact on a ribbon inside in the lens breaks. I got a rough quote for repair which was only about $40 less than buying a new one, so I bought a new one.

Sadly, I doubt it's something you can fix yourself.

Cheers

Brian

Oly's flat rate for repair is $73. A brand new lens isn't a lot more than that.

I do commend Olympus for even trying to repair their cheapest kit lenses. If I was really that sentimental about my first MFT lens, I could have it fixed for less than a hundred bucks.

As things are, I bought a used Olympus E-PM2 with a 12-42 II R on Ebay for $99, plus $8 shipping. I've wanted a little Pen Mini for some time, and the PM2 has the 16mp sensor and a touch screen, and it essentially comes with a free kit lens. There's a thirty day return if I don't like it.

Roberts Camera has refurbished silver PL-3's with the same 14-42 II R kit lens for $169, but I've had the PL-3, already.

And the PL1 with this kit lens only cost a hundred bucks on Ebay, two years ago.

Oly's kit lenses are so cheap, it's best to try out a new used camera with one on it, when they finally give up.

I have two of these lenses with the same problem. The first I dropped, twice no less, onto hard surfaces. the second was used.

As such, I decided to upgrade to the Olympus 12-50 f/3.5-6.3. Though this lens is prone to flare when point at a light source, it is sharper and more useful.

shinndigg wrote:

I have two of these lenses with the same problem. The first I dropped, twice no less, onto hard surfaces. the second was used.

As such, I decided to upgrade to the Olympus 12-50 f/3.5-6.3. Though this lens is prone to flare when point at a light source, it is sharper and more useful.

I already have a silver 12-50 Oly, that only cost about a hundred bucks.

It's a better lens, but it sticks out and makes the cameras more noticeable

The 12-50 lenses are supposed to cost about five hundred bucks, and were intended as weatherproof kit zooms for the original OMD M5.

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/07/19/the-olympus-micro-43-12-50mm-real-use-lens-review-the-misunderstood-kit-zoom/

My PM2 with it's 14-42 II R should be in next week.

With my Oly 17mm pancake on the PM2, I should have about the most pocketable Oly MFT camera ever made, and a replacement little kit lens for my other cameras, all for a hundred bucks.

One reason to shoot Olympus cameras and lenses, is that they are worth far more than they cost.

Humansvillian wrote:

shinndigg wrote:

I have two of these lenses with the same problem. The first I dropped, twice no less, onto hard surfaces. the second was used.

As such, I decided to upgrade to the Olympus 12-50 f/3.5-6.3. Though this lens is prone to flare when point at a light source, it is sharper and more useful.

I already have a silver 12-50 Oly, that only cost about a hundred bucks.

It's a better lens, but it sticks out and makes the cameras more noticeable

That's very true. And one of the reasons I considered the 24-42 EZ lens

The 12-50 lenses are supposed to cost about five hundred bucks, and were intended as weatherproof kit zooms for the original OMD M5.

http://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2012/07/19/the-olympus-micro-43-12-50mm-real-use-lens-review-the-misunderstood-kit-zoom/

My PM2 with it's 14-42 II R should be in next week.

Yeah I saw that above. Great price... Well worth it.

With my Oly 17mm pancake on the PM2, I should have about the most pocketable Oly MFT camera ever made, and a replacement little kit lens for my other cameras, all for a hundred bucks.

One reason to shoot Olympus cameras and lenses, is that they are worth far more than they cost.

Excellent point

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