18-200 VR autofocus/infinity fix

08/12/2010 04:00:22 PM · #1

Just want to share this with the Nikon peeps who have this lens. One main critique has always been that it tends to be a bit soft at 200mm; personally I find 175mm to be the magic focal length for distance. So I'd zoom in a subject, focus, then back out just enough to get the 175mm sharpness.

However yesterday afternoon when out shooting with Ryan at a favourite spot for herons, and at 200mm...no focus at all, manually or on auto. The focus ring just didn't work. I am super-careful with all my gear and this lens is still my favourite and is definitely my walking-around lens. Was able to get some shots up to 150mm or so but past that the lens completely crapped out - shutter wouldn't even depress. There were no error messages displayed on the camera either, but tested my other lenses on it just to be sure, and they were fine.

So was glumly considering the possibility of an expensive repair job when Ryan went online. And ta-daaa, on flickr we found the fix: the front lens element is prone to coming loose! Ryan was able to be tighten up the front element by hand alone, but very carefully tightened it using the two grooves in the element. Now some things are very clear, like why I was getting so much softness, missed focus and far too much noise even at ISOs of 400 and less.

We went back out in the evening and shot - and this time the difference is astounding. It'll never be a tack-sharp lens at 200mm, but for shooting birds in flight as the light was dropping off, it performed amazingly well with at a guess a good 20%-30% improvement in image quality.

I have since seen a post or two on flickr mentioning that the front-lens fixy didn't work for them and they did have to send in the lens to Nikon. But there were also several grateful posters who were saved a needless waste of time and money with this fix.

Will post some images from last evening - will crop and resize only - and see if I can find similar images taken at the same locale and time for comparison purposes.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/12/2010 04:03:36 PM · #2

can you post the Flickr posting? I have similar problems with a couple of my lens

citymars

Nikon D700

08/12/2010 04:04:18 PM · #3

That's great -- congrats on the "easy" fix.

Leo

Apple iPhone Xr

08/12/2010 04:09:45 PM · #4

Interesting. Thanks for the post.

08/12/2010 04:10:24 PM · #5

I've asked Ryan to send me the flickr post where we found it. I recall we googled something like '18-200 VR infinity focus' and the flikr post was about halfway down first page. I'll recognize it when I see it.

Leo

Apple iPhone Xr

08/12/2010 04:17:20 PM · #6

I think this is the link:
flickr link

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/12/2010 04:22:38 PM · #7

Here is one of the shots: taken with ISO of 320, probably 1/640 and f5.6. And this is about 30% of the original image. No PS done apart from resizing.

This sandpiper

is about 10% of the original image....these geese are about 20%

Yes, Tourist, thanks! That's the linky! :-)

And fwiw

this gull was shot in the same location and was PS'd, taken about a month ago.

Message edited by author 2010-08-12 16:41:20.

chromeydome

Nikon D7000

08/12/2010 04:45:40 PM · #8

Thanks--good to know! Will go check mine right away.

BTW, I like this lens a lot, a great general purpose walk-around lens. But I had also noticed a lot of shots were REALLY soft. It turns out that this lens is really weak around 135mm. So I try to stay away from that region. It gets somewhat better at 200. This Test Page (section 3 if the link takes you to the beginning of the review) made it really clear, and then I knew what was going on with my shots.

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM

08/12/2010 04:47:55 PM · #9

I like this lens as well, it covers most things encountered during a day out, but, it does tend to over expose at times. Perhaps mine has a problem, but the next few shots are sharp and spot on exposure.

08/12/2010 05:16:24 PM · #10

ok, guess I will jump in here and ask the stupid question...

I have a 18-135mm and 70-300mm that does this also...so would the same fix apply? It seems logical...but then logic is sometimes lost on me... I need to go out to my car and get my camera equipment and do some looking....

08/12/2010 05:37:57 PM · #11

Originally posted by Ja-9:

I don't know, maybe it would work on other Nikkor lenses. Wouldn't hurt to look. Just be careful, you don't want to force anything! In the case of my lens I could actually hear something moving ever so slightly, but it wasn't anything obvious.

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

08/12/2010 08:23:21 PM · #12

evening bump

Neil

Fujifilm X-T30

08/12/2010 08:56:08 PM · #13

where's the link to the flicker info? I love my 18-200, it's my favorite lens ever. I've gotten some great results from it at all focal lengths. but recently, I've noticed the right side of the field is off in focus.

08/12/2010 09:09:56 PM · #14

Originally posted by The_Tourist:

I think this is the link:
flickr link

here it is Neil...

08/12/2010 10:40:18 PM · #15

nighttime bump

08/13/2010 08:44:13 AM · #16

morning bump

08/14/2010 07:55:09 AM · #17

another bump!

08/26/2010 11:53:50 AM · #18

well, I just pulled out my 70-300mm and my 18-135mm lens can't see anyplace to do any adjustments to the lens...either I'm missing something or mine just doesn't have this...

George

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR

08/26/2010 12:10:01 PM · #19

Originally posted by Ja-9:

ok, guess I will jump in here and ask the stupid question...

I have a 18-135mm and 70-300mm that does this also...

Focus ring getting stuck?

Message edited by author 2010-08-26 12:10:28.

08/26/2010 12:29:21 PM · #20

it just seems that these two lens are soft in some of the focal points...so I thought I'd see if the 18-200mm adjustment applied...but I guess not???

George