ongoing 18-200 lens probs...

[trapman]

I thought all Nikon lenses have a one year, international warranty. The Nikon USA lenses have an extended 4-year warranty on top of the 1-year international. But what Sue says just seems to be something out of the "Twilight Zone"! Rule #1, though, is never, ever loan your gear! Sorry to hear your story.

[Dirk]

lenscreep is something most large zooms got to deal with in due time , i know from a old sigma 28-200 lens that worked fine on analog , after the first trip to greece and back (by my own) i noticed that when i held the camera facing down (to shoot a flower or so) the lens creeped down from 42 mm or so to 200 mm position. back in holland i contacted a shop where they sold sigma and they said that it can be fixed but the lens AND the body where needed because some screws had to be tightend and tested if the autofocus moter still was running smoothly.

in the due years to come i used the lens less more and replaced it by a the tammy witch i think is better , it is shorter build, has the same reach but looks to me as a better build lens than the sigma was. finaly i ended up selling the lens that i bought with a used F65 body for 65 euro for 50 euro (not bad)

@trapman..

indeed you should never loan your gear out

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Originally Posted by trapman

I thought all Nikon lenses have a one year, international warranty. The Nikon USA lenses have an extended 4-year warranty on top of the 1-year international. But what Sue says just seems to be something out of the "Twilight Zone"! Rule #1, though, is never, ever loan your gear! Sorry to hear your story.

And if you forget rule #1, refer to Rule #2 - NEVER FORGET RULE #1!!

Sadly, this has nothing to do with loaning gear.

Just got off the phone with N-USA, they want me to return the 18-200 lens to them yet again. Wrote in the letter the lens seems defective, that no other people I have spoken to have experienced a problem with it, and perhaps they could consider replacing it. And they also reiterated that a lens purchased from an overseas vendor is not covered under their warranty in the USA, and to contact Nikon NL. I *did* call them , and they told me that the lens would NOT be accepted from an US address, and that the warranty was invalid from here. So beware.

Kinda sours me on Nikon. Been loyal 35 years. It's like working somewhere and retiring, and after 3 months they tell you, "Sorry, we have a new manager and he's decided you don't get your pension". Pretty... um... unethical IMO.

Sus

[Douglas]

wow. Thats some heavy BS. They wont take it here, because it was bought outside the country, and then the international one wont take something from the US. Not even talking to managers or whomever will help?

[trapman]

What an awful "Catch 22"! Although it sounds like all is not lost, as Nikon USA has asked you to send in your lens. Please keep us all abreast of your situation! You know, it's not out of the realm of possibility that camera company reps read this posts, and report their findings as a way of monitoring public sentiment, as it applies to their products. Much luck! Hope evrything works out!

[Aquanaut]

Originally Posted by Douglas

Could the flights be causing the issues? Maybe the air pressure? Just a guess.

Please let me interject some science into this concept. My 18-200 lens expands about two times its volume when zooming from 18 to 200, so it must let air into its internals to compensate for pressure changes. Does this make sense?

[Tusker]

Originally Posted by Bay Bridge Sue

Hey you wise Camel-lions... ))grins((

Finally got the new (6 month old) 18-200 lens back from its warranty repair (and the subsequent sending back again because of dirt left INSIDE - WTH??)... Left for my spouse's art show in London, thence to Italy with my supposedly just repaired 'do all" glass...

Anyway, after about 3 days of so-so use, it starts to bind up from about 45mm on down. Really. The Focus ring binds up when the lens is widened out past 45. After hoping it will clear itself, it became obvious that the problem not only won't go away but is getting worse.

Now... This is the same lens that had the entire internal focus/zoom alignment rings (or cams or whatever) come apart LAST time I was in Europe... and now again, less than 100 pix thru this rebuilt POS thing and it takes yet another dump. Again while overseas.

Are these lenses basically just high dollar trash (at over $1000) that I should expect to come apart when I rely on them, or do I have a lemon, and is there any way I can get Nikon to make good on this, or am I burned for this thing? Needless to say I am really steamed over this. REALLY fuming mad.

Sus

Sus~ I can only tell you that so far, in over a year, I have NEVER had a problem with mine. Since it is wasted on the D700, it stays on the D80, unless I have time to get out the 105. I keep hearing about problems with this lens, but I seem to be lucky in this department.