My own stupid fault, but I scratched my lens yesterday. So we won't dwell on that, but what's done is done.

Is it possible to replace or repair scratched glass?

I emailed Sigma and asked exactly that, but just got a standard reply that didn't answer the question at all.

Any ideas?

how does it affect the photos ?

Might be worth giving these guys in Bristol a call – they service cameras and accessories for professional photographers – http://www.bonwcameras.co.uk/services.html

Simon, well, that's the thing really…. I could see it on the camera screen when I was outside, like a broard line where it was slightly lighter, but I'd touched the lens (I thought something was stuck to it) and couldn't get it clean properly.
I cleaned the lens when I got home and took a couple of test shots, close up, of the carpet. (Single colour with some detail in the pile was my thinking) and had a good look at them on the computer. I don't think I could see it at all, TBH.

Sigma want £80 to look at it, but I can get a used lens for not much more….

Was it on the front or rear optic PP?

You might have a greater chance of flair I guess, on the front optic, but some of the lenses I have used in the past have been plastered in scuffs, with little or no problems, unless shooting into the sun or light source that is.

My old boss once wedged a match stick on the front optic of a Nikkor 300mm F2.8 at a football game to see if I could spot the difference, in the prints later.

Could I heck!

He used to flick his fag ash into it at half time as well, then wipe it clean with his elbow!

Ski – LOL!

It's on the front, about 3-4mm long and deep enough to feel. It has to be said I was shooting into the sun when I noticed it, yes. Not this precise shot, but this exact location later in the day, with the sun just above the bank in the background. I could see it as a vertical line in the leaves above the riders' heads.

Sigma repair lenses, cost is 50 quid an hour labour plus parts, its a full service and includes optics
So depends what lens it is as to whether its worth it or not

Saw an article once about lens scratches and the tester wrecked one with gouges and it still wasn't too bad
Personally would carry on using it and see how it goes

Looks more like someone scrawled your name over the lens, impressive scratch 😀

Loads of people claim you can't see much when it happens to the front element, I've got to say that across a range of lenses (18-300mm) I can spot the slightest speck in most of my shots, but I do do a lot of shots with large areas of same or graduated tones. Lens repair – it would have to be worth it, I can rarely see it being worth it unless it was a very nice lens.

The surface of the lens will always be well out of focus except for some macro lenses, so the scratch will cause flare and/or reduction of contrast, and if it's off centre it'll probably have less affect at smaller apertures (higher numbers) as light from that part of the lens is masked by the iris.

From what I read, yup.

You'd be amazed at how much damage to the front element you can get away with:

Oh my word!

Oh my word!

WOW! Note that in that case, stopping down made the effect worse as the most damage was central!

google fixation.I'm not sure if the do sigma, but they did my nikon lense a treat.

google fixation.

at first I took that to be a critical remark 🙂

I tried to take a pic of the scratch last night, but my only other lens isn't a macro and I can't get a decent shot of it. I reckon I'll leave it and see how it goes.

Wherer can I get a cheap 72mm UV filter from so I don't do this again..? Ebay?

Beware of cheap filters. Why spend money on glass and then cover it with a cheap bit.

I appreciate you have just scratched your lens but I tend to shoot without UV filters but always attach the lens hood – even in the dark or indoors – anywhere!

simonfbarnes – Member

google fixation.

at first I took that to be a critical remark

Ha! It just what you expect on here..

I agree, no point in having a nice lens then sticking a cheap (or any) filter on it unless you want it for a specific technique, filters only ever degrade image quality. Admittedly not as much as scratches, but if you put the cover back on there's no prob!

The thing is, when you're leaping around shooting MTB races, as I was when this happened, by the time you've taken the lens cap off, the shot is gone. And I did have the lens hood on all day too, so I'm really not sure how it happened, TBH…

fixation – bit patronising, but their work is good

Image quality – cheap – easy in difficult environment, all mutually exclusive I'd say, such accidents are bound to happen at some point to all of us <cringing at the thought> but I'd not sacrifice a sharp shot, I spend too long trying to perfect them!

by the time you've taken the lens cap off, the shot is gone.

I don't know where my lens cap is – I always rely on the butterfly hood that came with the lens(e), which is also useful for keeping the rain off 🙂