Heat destroyed my 135mm f2L

I left my EF 135mm f2L out in the sun for 3-4 days. It's old and gave off a bit of a musty/basement odor, so I thought I'd let UV light clean it up. I took the lens in at night to shield it from the cold.

Unfortunately, the lens is now completely destroyed. My R6 often cannot recognize that it is an autofocus lens, and automatically goes into Manual when attaching it. But even when the autofocus is recognized, the motor keeps running and humming continuously. Also it doesn't matter whether I shoot it in auto or in manual focus mode, all images turn out soft and with artifacts in the pictures.

I'm really bummed as this was my favorite lens. I thought a lens could handle UV rays and heat, as I imagined guys at safaris or hiking the outdoors with their camera on a strap would be proof that heat won't be an issue for a camera lens.

So just a heads up. Take care of your gear and don't let it get too hot or stay in the sun for too long.

If there's moisture outside, condensation will build up inside. Depending on where you're at, if the water droplets freeze at night, that will make things inside the lens expand if there's water inside. Couple that with the sun, it's just not going to turn out well.

I think I'd expect things to go wrong if the lens was intentionally left out in the sun or in the elements over the course of a few days.

LennyLevino wrote:

I left my EF 135mm f2L out in the sun for 3-4 days. It's old and gave off a bit of a musty/basement odor, so I thought I'd let UV light clean it up. I took the lens in at night to shield it from the cold.

Unfortunately, the lens is now completely destroyed. My R6 often cannot recognize that it is an autofocus lens, and automatically goes into Manual when attaching it. But even when the autofocus is recognized, the motor keeps running and humming continuously. Also it doesn't matter whether I shoot it in auto or in manual focus mode, all images turn out soft and with artifacts in the pictures.

I'm really bummed as this was my favorite lens. I thought a lens could handle UV rays and heat, as I imagined guys at safaris or hiking the outdoors with their camera on a strap would be proof that heat won't be an issue for a camera lens.

So just a heads up. Take care of your gear and don't let it get too hot or stay in the sun for too long.

Worth looking at a flex cable break from age and heat cold cycles.  Or, a poor/aged solder joint.  Electronics hate heat cold cycles.