ongoing 18-200 lens probs...

[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

[cyclohexane]

Sounds like you got a lemon. I'd try to get Nikon to replace it; not much you can do except raise hell.

My dad has an 18-200, and while he's not a huge fan of the image quality, the only problem it has ever had is zoom creep.

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

Where are you getting the 18-200mm Nikkor at over $1000? It's a $700 lens.

[Dirk]

must be a " monday morning or friday afternoon" lense .. return it and demand a new one ..
this is not nikon quality what i read here and where you have paid for..

[Douglas]

Hmm appears the problem is obvious. Your lens doesnt work in Europe. You need to get the Euro version of the lens and then you should be ok. Like how we have NTSC and Europe has PAL versions. Or the whole 110/220 watt thing. Or left lane vs right lane driving. Etc etc. You get the picture.(pardon the pun) You need a European 18-200 or a converter for the US version you have, when over there.

(and anyone who took this post seriously, I have a bridge in NY to sell you and some oceanfront property in Arizona)

[Dirk]

pal :way

[glockman99]

It seems to me that this lens is causing you alot of stress, which can lead to high blood-pressure, which can lead to a heart-attack or a stroke, which can lead to death.

I suggest that you send this lens to me as a gift, and by doing so, it might save your life..

Just in-case:

Dann Fassnacht
708 North L Street Apt. 2
Aberdeen, WA 98520

[Jeff Perry]

Sus, there is obviously something seriously wrong with that particular lens (or at the very least they guy who "fixed" it the last time, especially since he left something inside it the first time). If the lens is a "made-for US" lens with a 5-year wanrranty, and that was a US Nikon service center that "repaired it", you should demand a new lens, and not a refurbished one.

As for the quality of the I have two of them and they are the work-horse lens for both me and my girlfriend. She almost never uses anything else, unless I "force her to try something different", and on any given outing she out shoots me by 50-100%. Between hers and mine, we probably have at least 30-50,000 images made with those lenses, and have never had any problem with them. That translates to a lot of VR and AF actuations. While they are a bit on the pricey side, IMHO, they are well built and worth every dollar.

Hope you get a new one.

Jeff

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Originally Posted by Douglas

Hmm appears the problem is obvious. Your lens doesnt work in Europe. You need to get the Euro version of the lens and then you should be ok. Like how we have NTSC and Europe has PAL versions. Or the whole 110/220 watt thing. Or left lane vs right lane driving. Etc etc. You get the picture.(pardon the pun) You need a European 18-200 or a converter for the US version you have, when over there.

(and anyone who took this post seriously, I have a bridge in NY to sell you and some oceanfront property in Arizona)

NOT FUNNY!!!

*%%*#&^% lens that I *just* got back from the second warranty repair - AGAIN started to come apart within 3 days of being there. Not a problem as I had my 16-85 I got from my last trip, and the 70-300 I got just before the trip. Just called Nikon - IMO the lens is a POS.

WORSE - I get my 16-85 lens home, after performing flawlessly - I pull it out of the case this AM to shoot a couple pix... and IT does EXACTLY the same thing the 18-200 did.

WTF!!!!!!

I gotta ask - is it something I am doing? If so - WHAT? I've NEVER had so much trouble with a Nikon Zoom lens, now I've had 2 come apart the same way. Worse, how do I do the warranty thing on an European Lens in the USA? Yiii!!! (And this isn't counting not having either lens for tomorrow - at least I have my 70-300... for now, anyway!)

Sus

[Dirk]

the next time you go to photo store bring the camera too perhaps it is a camera <> lens problem , nikon lenses arn't cheap so if you bought them in europe they should work in the usa too , consult the seller with the problem and mail or call nikon usa explaining the problem .

i have a 18-70 now since 2007 it has never ever failed me , my 18-55 vr i have since 2008 and also never ever failed me and i do not expect this from nikon.

good luck

[cyclohexane]

Worse, how do I do the warranty thing on an European Lens in the USA? Yiii!!!

If you bought the lens outside of the U.S., you need to provide a copy of the original receipt, otherwise your lens will not be serviced by Nikon USA, warranty or otherwise.

[Douglas]

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

[cyclohexane]

Good guess, but I doubt it. My dad has flown numerous times to foreign countries in Asia, Europe, and South America, and his 18-200 has not come apart.

[Douglas]

Ok. Was just a shot in the dark. Trying to find the common denominator for 3 lenses going bad in the same fashion.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

Air pressure on Flights? Not likely as it travels in my Caririon, er, Carry On...

The only other commonality I can think of is the body - I've used all 3 of them on the same D300 body. Could somehow *that* be causing my lenses to wonkafy itself?

Mind you I also have an older 70-300 that doesn't (yet, at least) seem to have this problem (in fact it is *well* broken in and the zoom will creep), and I also have a 28/ 2.8 prime, both work remarkably well, both are non-VR... but, darn, can there be something in (or on) the body that can cause a lens to disintegrate internally?

At least I still have my 28 and the 70-300. Sadly the only other (film) lenses I still have are pre-AI (and I'll be darned if I slap those on this body this weekend, unless there's an easy conversion I can do on the spot to make them work)... And BTW - Nikon USA won't touch the EU lens, even WITH the receipt... already checked. Nor will Nikon NL take the lens from the US - it has to ship from the EU. Talk about double jeopaerdy!!!

HEY - Idea. Drawing straws, but at this point I'll try anything (esp since my new 16-85 isn't covered under warranty - see if I buy anything in Europe again while living here - grumble grumble...)

can you even MOUNT a non-converted pre-AI lens on a D-300, and if so, what damage would ensue, and then if that happened, could that screw up the other lenses (After all, there are 4 people I know who have used my D300, and know of my other cameras... like I said, I'm grasping at straws, but now losing the 16-85 scares the heck out of me!)

Hugz (and worried beads of sweat)...
Sus

[Douglas]

Wait.... So you bought your 18-200 here and it wont work there. And you bought the 16-85 there and it broke over here?

Maybe I was on to something in my first post... (kidding of course. this is a serious situation. At the very least financially. Thats a lot of green to throw away)

And the main reason I brought up the flight possinly causing it was based on my own travel experience. I had 2 screw on filters that were on my camera when I flew back from a trip. The airpressure caused them to be fused together until the seal was broke (meaning one of the filters glass). And this equipment was with me in a carry on case in the overhead bin.

[Bay Bridge Sue]

I just don't know *how* well sealed the lens is, but I do know that the repairs consisted of replacing the "track" that adjusts the focus with relation to the zoom barrel (it had broken somehow?) and a lot of the ancilliary parts. I would think that the air pressure differential wouldn't be that much - after all, I've taken other lenses overseas with nary a problem, and have done aerial photography at up to about 9000' (not counting shooting out of a pressurized jet) with no ill effects... true, it was film gear, not this new fangled stuff, but nonetheless, it shouldn't make a dif, I'd think.

Since there IS no warranty on the 16-85 (NEVER again...) I may just try to find a manual for it to do my own disassembly (yeah, guess I am just about crazy)... order the parts and re-assemble. But I want to know WHY it disintegrated so KNOW the body is not to blame... and if it is, so I can get it fixed. Ergo my latest question if the body might be what's causing this, er, now these lenses to discombouboulate themselves...

More 2b later...
Susanne

[roglo]

To answer your querry on pre-AI lenses on a D-300. Unfortunately, you're out of luck. Non-AI/AIS lenses won't mount and forcing them will do serious damage to your camera.

[Dirk]

But how in Bog's name could you have bought a 16-85 without warranty in europe (where at what dealer so i k now wehre to stay away from) ?

The last 4 years i travelled with most of my gear to greece (this year it is not possible financially) , I always carry my gear( at least that that i can take with me) in a normal berghaus rucksack , the last 2 years i tokk the D70 always with me with the 18-70 dx ed mounted on the camera wrapped in tshirts , because when i go on hilliday i aslo take some clothes for 2 - 4 days with me in the rucksack incase my samsonite goes lost. never had a problem and 2 years i brought extra lenses with me too and they survived shiphol , the flight to and from greece and offcourse several trips there too

do you have a insureance ? (travel) may be it is covered there , if you lost the recepit a copy of your banking drafts showig to withdrawal of the money should work to as prove of buying someting

[cyclohexane]

But how in Bog's name could you have bought a 16-85 without warranty in europe (where at what dealer so i k now wehre to stay away from) ?

Technically, it has a warranty. Nikon USA is refusing to honor it, according to the OP's conversations with them. Nikon NL is also refusing to honor it if the OP ships the lens from California and not Europe.

[Dirk]

Originally Posted by cyclohexane

Technically, it has a warranty. Nikon USA is refusing to honor it, according to the OP's conversations with them. Nikon NL is also refusing to honor it if the OP ships the lens from California and not Europe.

Hi Micheal that is a real bommer .. i'll think about it the next time i'll buy a new lense..

luckyly i'll have lenses, and other gear enough..