Possible damaged lens, advice needed!

Discussion in 'Digital Cameras & Equipment' started by jbwolffiv, Jul 29, 2011.

  1. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    I recently got off the Disney Dream and on Tuesday while shooting by true pool my 55-300 mm zoom lens began to flicker just slightly before focusing. ; I could hear the lens "working" when I was just holding it and not focusing.

    I have still used the lens since and the "flicker" happens sometimes, sometimes not. ; I can still hear it "working" sometimes and it sounds like something is loose inside.

    I will be here at WDW for another 10 days (I know, poor me!) so I really can't do anything until I get home.

    My questions are: ; should I stop using it altogether until I get home? ; I have used it each day since it started acting up, just not sure if I can male it any worse.

    I don't know the first thing about contacting Nikon about repair, do I start with the web site?


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  2. Tim

    Tim Administrator Staff Member

    i only know canon so i will say what they do...

    you fill out a repair request on their site and they give you the flat-rate repair quote. ; i haven't needed anything more than that for anything other then when a lens was dropped and required extra parts for fixing. ; i don't think (just a guess though) that you would make it any worse but you have to use your best judgement.

    sorry to hear about your predicament.
     
  3. Scottwdw

    Scottwdw Member

    Isn't that a new lens? ; Nikon warranties them for five years. ; I had to send in my 18-200VR once. ; No charge to get if fixed.
     
  4. Roger

    Roger Member Staff Member

    I believe they have an online form to begin repairs, and Scott is right, this should be covered under warranty.

    I would stop using it though. ; Based on a small problem I had with the 70-300 DO IS and my conversation with Roger Cicala, maybe the clutch went out on the silent wave drive.
     
  5. ELinder

    ELinder Member

    Give Colonial Photo in downtown Orlando a call. They now have a repair tech there, and he could probably tell you if it's safe to continue using it. When I dropped my 17-55 f/2.8, they fixed it in house.

    Colonial Photo & Hobby, Inc
    634 North Mills Avenue
    Orlando, FL 32803

    Tel: 1-800-841-1485


    Erich
     
  6. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Yep it is new, got it in Oct. ; Thanks for the advice!


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  7. ddindy

    ddindy Member Staff Member

    And if you need to send it to Nikon, here's the link to their Service & Repair page. ; I've used it once before and it's relatively painless.
     
  8. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Thanks Dennis!!!!


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  9. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Shipped it off to Nikon today, will see soon what it is.
     
  10. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Re: Possible damaged lens, advice needed! Covered by Warranty!!!!

    Very happy with the email from Nikon today! ; Now to wait for it to return to me! ; Thanks for all the help and adivice!
     
  11. PolynesianMedic

    PolynesianMedic Global Moderator Staff Member

    What was the final outcome?
     
  12. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Covered by warranty, but just initial receipt of the lens. ; No info on what they will do yet to fix.
     
  13. PolynesianMedic

    PolynesianMedic Global Moderator Staff Member

    Gotcha well I am glad that it is covered.
     
  14. mSummers

    mSummers Member

    Glad to hear the damage is covered by warranty.

    As a side note in case anyone else has a similar problem, I highly recommend that if anyone suspects that they have a problem with a lens, stop using it immediately and send both the lens and the camera in for repair. ; I learned this one the hard way last year. ; I didn't notice it, but my 28-70 was having aperture problems which I didn't notice until the aperture stopped working all together on a photo charter I was attending. ; Looking back on it, I should have noticed the inconstant exposures that were randomly happening while shooting the same subject with the 28-70 using the same settings (I shoot mostly manual) over the course of several months. ; My failure to notice the problem early on and my continued use of the broken lens resulted in damage to some of the mechanisms in the lens mount on the camera which led to a high priced repair bill. ; In my case, if I hadn't sent the camera in with the lens, I wouldn't have known that it was damaged as well which could have led to further damage to the rest of my lenses.
     
  15. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    I got it back yesterday! ; They replaced the zooming mechanism, adjusted the "defocus" control (not sure what defocus is) and did a "general check and clean. ; Final cost = $0! ; Thanks for the advice everyone since I would not have know to send it back to Nikon! ;
     
  16. Scottwdw

    Scottwdw Member

    Yeah! ; Now, get out there an photograph something. ; :)
     
  17. jbwolffiv

    jbwolffiv Member

    Will be at the Renaissance Faire in about 10 minutes to try it out again!


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