Disconnect power between camera and lens

[sfbrunner]

Hi guys,
I got a Sigma 18-125 lens and unfortunately the optical stabilizer is broken. It's constantly shaking and does not permit taking pictures. The switch on the lens does not allow turning it off anymore either. This is something that's too expensive to fix compared with buying a new lens. Therefore I'd just like to stop using the stabilizer and autofocus altogether and cut the power going from camera body to lens. The optics alone are valuable enough to me.

Does anyone know how this can be done? Can some of the contacts on the lens be covered with tape? Do you know which ones specifically?

Thanks,
Simon

[Azaki]

if everything on the lens can be operated manually, you *might* be able to cover the contacts with electrical tape. An issue would be if the aperture is operated electronically, so you might just end up buying a new lens.

[ptremb3043]

You can try to tape over all the contacts. That will prevent all power going to the lens, but in doing this you also loose the communications to the distance part of the lens so it turns into a full manual lens. the aperture will still work as that is controlled by a mechanical linkage between the lens and body. the other thing you could try to retain part of the electronics is look at an older "d" type lens that has the screw drive and much less pins and cover only those pins not used between your broke lens and the old style, this may be enough to get your metering back and still be a manual focus. once you figure out what way you want to go in and verified operation remove the tape and clean the pins good and put a drop of clear nail polish on the very tip of the pin to prevent contact, trying to prevent this from flowing down the pin as it will lock the pin from sliding in the bore . "ALL OF THIS IS AT YOUR OWN RISK OF DAMAGE" had to put this in there.