Canon USA have issued a Service Notice for the new Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, about the lens flare problem that we reported last week.

Canon USA Service Advisory

We have recently discovered a problem with early production samples of the EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens in which flare occurs at an unacceptable level under certain conditions. The flare is most obvious in the wide zoom and wide aperture settings. (See attached picture.)

The problem affects all EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lenses with a control number less than UT1000. With apologies for the inconvenience involved, we ask customers to check the control number on the back of the lens.

Affected model and control numbers:
EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

The control number is indicated on the back cover of the lens with UTxxxx symbol (see the number in the red ellipse on the right), and if it contains the letters UT followed by a number under 1,000, the product is affected. Should you have any difficulty identifying the control number, please contact our service centers.

Repair services:

  * Starting November 14, 2005, Canon will repair, free of charge, EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM lenses exhibiting the above-mentioned flare problem. Canon will also cover the cost of shipping and handling in connection with this repair.

  * U.S. residents are kindly directed to contact the Canon Customer Support Center for further assistance at 1-800-828-4040. Support hours are Monday thru Friday - 8:00 AM to 12:00 midnight; and Saturday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM (all times EST). Alternatively, if electronic support is preferred, please send your email to [email protected]

  * This information is for residents of the United States of America and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused by this issue, and appreciate your understanding in this matter. Thank you for your support and patronage of Canon products.

Website: Canon USA