Shadows on every corner of DSLR photos and loose lens. Help!

christiani

Hey everyone,

I bought a 2nd hand camera off somebody on eBay, and it turns out to have something wrong with it. The guy won’t accept a return either.

When I take photos with the lens fully collapsed, I get small shadows on each corner of the image. The lens is also loose, and completely expands/unravels itself if I have the camera around my neck with the lens pointing downwards. I’ve attached a couple of photos to show you what’s going on.

Do any of you know what might be the problem?

Bl4ckGryph0n

It would have helped if you stated what camera and lens you've bought, and even better if you provided photos of the items. Likewise why the guy doesn't accept a return. The only reason I can think of is if he mentioned this in the listing.

Possible causes; lens hood not compatible, or lens not compatible or broken

stearman65

Does the lens have a lens hood, it looks like the hood is cropping the image. Pictures look OK?

AMc

I used to use vintage manual lenses on my Pentax DSLR.  My long zoom lens had a push/pull zoom action and used to extend itself when slung around the neck.  It wasn't faulty it was just heavy and nearly as old as me.  I wouldn't worry about that unless it moves side to side as well as in and out.

As to the vignetting/shadows in the corners.  If there is a lens hood (tube of plastic or rubber fixed to the end of the lens) that could cause that problem.
Likewise if the lens is designed for a camera with a smaller sensor that would also cause that problem.  The lens projects a circle of light onto the rectangular image sensor in the body.  On most systems the circle is big enough to overlap completely.  If you use a lens designed for a smaller sensor then you will see the corners.

Can you borrow a compatible lens from someone and try your lens on their body to work out what's at fault?

Again without knowing the camera and lens it's hard to tell what's the problem we're just guessing.

Johnmcl7

I agree about the lens hood being the potential cause as when I first bought an Olympus DSLR I had similar results and it was because I wasn't quite screwing the lens hood on fully.  While it is possible for a lens to have darker corners which is known as vignetting, the corners shown in the attached images are too dark for that.  If there is a lens hood, try taking some photos with it removed entirely.

Depending on which lens it is some will extend themselves when pointed down, I have a few current bigger lenses which do it very easily and have a lock switch on the barrel to prevent the lens extending.  It's not a fault of the lens though.

John

shotokan101

Agree with all above - looks to be a lens hood that's too small for the FOV of the lens it's on....

icemanonline

I think it was an alien!  They did it!... Maybe Donald Trump.... U just never know......Mmmmmmm...... Was there a tindge of orange in it.... Or random teeth flying in the area?  Conspiracy theories......

Where is my pills?

Ice

snerkler

With the OP talking about the lens "collapsing" could he be talking about a compact camera in which case it would be unlikely to have a hood.

shotokan101

Nope

snerkler

Why, have I missed something obvious?