Help - Nikon AF 80-200 f/2.8 D Manual Focus Ring Slipping

I just bought a used Nikon AF 80-200 f/2.8 D, two ring version with

tripod mount. It appears to work fine in AF mode. But when I rotate

the A-M ring to M the manual focus ring does not positively engage the

focus mechanism. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it slips. Sometimes I

need to rotate it to its limits to get it to engage. Once engaged it

may subsequently slip. The slipping is accompanined by a clicking

sound suggesting a pawl that is not fully engaged. The problem is

independent of the manual focus setting on the camera and on the focus

limit control on the lens.

 

Has anyone here had a similar experience? If so, how did you solve it?

In particular was it an adjustment that you could make yourself?

 

Thanks much,

Bill Wetzel

Hi, Bill. Same here, I have this len for more than 2 yrs and recently it start to have the same problem. I can't use manual focus, auto focus work just fine, but somehow the ring slip by itself. I have tried so many ways to fix it, but it never work.

I heard it'll cost around 100-200$ if you send to NIKON to have them fix.

I had an accident with my 80-200 f2.8D (and some other lenses). Since then the A-M ring wouldn't positively engage in either position. The fix? About 100ukp + VAT. Take it in for a quote and you will find out what the problem is and the exact price to fix it. Nobody on here, even a qualified technician, will be able to tell you that without taking your lens apart.

<h2>Problem Solved</h2>

The problem with the slipping ring appeared to be very close to the surface of the lens, not burried deep down inside of it. I could hear the clicking as the ring slipped quite plainly. So... I decided to have a closer look. No screws appeared to give access so I tried moving the focus-ring rubber grip to see if it would reveal anything. I had the vague recollection from other lenses that access to screws or other mechanisms may hide beneath grips. Success!

<h3>The problem</h3>

I carefully slid the grip down, over top of the Auto/Manual selector ring, and over top of the zoom-ring grip. This revealed a thin plastic strap wrapped completely around the focus ring and secured with adhesive tape. I removed one side of the adhesive tape and the plastic strap to reveal two Tee-shaped spring tabs that engage a cogged wheel that is part of the focus mechanism.

The spring tabs are retained on the focus ring by two plastic studs passing through two holes in the tabs and melted over at the time of manufacture.

One of the melted plastic studs had broken off allowing the spring tab to lift high enough that it no longer engaged the cogs on the internal mechanism and allowing the focus ring to slip.

 

<h3>Solution</h3>

I applied a little dab of epoxy to the tab to accomplish two things. First, the epoxy will hopefully adhere to the sides of the wall of the slot in which the spring tab is located as well as the remains of the stud. Second, if that fails, then the epoxy will fill the space between the bottom of the slot and the plastic band so that the plastic band, retained by the adhesive tape and rubber grip, will keep sufficient pressure on the spring tab.

 

<h3>Further Examination</h3>

There is another tab facing the opposite direction that locks the manual-focus ring when the auto/manual ring is in the auto position. I took a close look at the tab and discovered that it too was also loose but not enough yet to prevent locking in auto. The melted stud had also broken but had not yet seperated from the base. I put a dab of epoxy on this tab also since I already had the area exposed.

 

<h3>Engineering Analysis</h3>

 

This is a clear design flaw that Nikon should be ashmed of. The 80-200 f/2.8D AF lens is an expensive, professional-caliber product that should not have parts secured by melted plastic studs. That's the design of toys. Since a good bit of the lens is metal I was a bit surprised to find a plastic ring beneath the grip. I'll accept plastic there - it was no doubt used for weight reasons and does not affect the mechanical integrity of focus/zoom or the positioning of the glass. But the spring tabs should have been secured by screws or some other removable fastner and not by melted plastic.

<p>

I'm suspicious that Nikon is quite aware of this problem. There is a third Tee-slot in the focus ring in the same orientation as the one used for the manual-focus spring tab. This slot has two clean, un-melted studs. It appears that Nikon intentionally designed in this spare slot so that it would be easy to repair the lens when the studs broke by moving the spring tab to the spare one. I can think of no other reason for the spare slot.<div></div>

This just saved me $3-400 in repair costs... Thanks!

You're welcome. It's been three years now since I made the repair and it is still working fine.

That happened to me too. I bought it used at my local store. I took it to them with the problem. They send it to Nikon and I got it back within a week. No charge and with a 6 month warranty on their job. This was Nikon Japan. I never had the problem again. I sold it to my friend and he hasn't had the problem either. Rene'

thanks Bill for the info.I was able to repair my 80 200 lens because of your post.I got the same problem of yours

around two yrs ago.I was hesitant to have it repaired to some never- heard technicians here in Manila.but when i

came across your post,Eureka,i was able to have my manual setting working again..Again thank you so much...

<p>Hi Bill,<br>

I have the same problem with my lens....as a matter of fact, the zoom ring is also very loose.<br>

I am planning on fixing both the focus and the zoom ring at the same time.<br>

A question before I begin, what brand or type of epoxy glue did you use? where can I get it?<br>

thanks!</p>

<p>I'm sorry but it was so long ago that I did the repair that I can only guess at this point. Based on the color and what I have around the house I suspect that it was "JB Weld". You should be able to find it at auto-parts stores and maybe hardware stores. However, don't fret over the brand. If I didn't have that I would have used any other epoxy glue that I could conveniently find. I would not use an epoxy putty - too thick - and definitely not use a water-thin epoxy of a type used for hardening rotten wood. That is too thin and would run. But any epoxy glue will be fine.</p>

<p>As a backup, I placed a little double stick tape on top of the spring tab that fits into the slot. On the double stick I placed a very small piece of foam to help force it into the slot. Very, very little force but a bit of assurance that it will seat consistently.</p>

<p>Hi Bill, this is a very old post but very helpful to me right now. I am having the exact same problem you describe.<br>

Before I get to it I was wondering what setting did you have the M/A ring to. Does it make a difference? I would think M would make more sense to see if the mechanism was engaged while doing the repair.<br>

Thanks!</p>

<p>I realize these posts are old but they gave me the confidence to finally take mine apart since I believed I had the same problem as mentioned here. I was able to make the repair and I believe it will work now better than ever and I saved $600 by doing it myself. I used JB Weld and applied it with a toothpick. I probably should have used a pin or needle. I taped over a tiny square of rubber washer to the tab to help keep it in place in Manual mode. It works. IT WORKS. I have my lens back. Thank you. </p>

<p>I had the same problem and I fixed that by a small plastic stick and it works just fine. But I have a wonder, that's where did the smaill melted stud go? Did it go into the focus ring and is that a problem?<br>

(sorry if english was wrong)</p>

<p>Manh Tong, <br>

Sorry for the late response. Your query arrived while I was traveling and I'm afraid that it got pushed back in my inbox. To your question... I have no idea where the melted stud went. It may have fallen out when I accessed the area or it may have gone further into the lens. If it did I have not heard it rattle around nor does it affect the motion so I suspect that it is not causing a problem. (Your English is fine, by the way.)</p>

<p>Glad I saw this thread. I was seriously considering buying one of these two-ring 80-200 AF ED models. Posts about it not being so great on the D800 were not too off-putting, since I shoot with a D700. Complaints I noticed about the weight (3.5 pounds!) made me think twice. And now this: a lens that sells used, as of spring, 2016, for around $555 and up, and it is put together like a child's toy? Apparently the metal housing is just for looks, and underneath it is no better than a cheap lens? </p>

<p>I think I better pass. Apparently it's better to stick with the older Nikkors, made back when they were really built right--even if we do have to enter the focal length and the max aperture manually. Then again, my small collection of plastic AF-Nikkors has not failed me; apparently they were a wiser purchase for the money.</p>

<p>80-200 AFD user here and this issue got me by surprise yesterday. This post is GOLDEN i tell you i'm here in the philippines and though i love the products , nikon support here sucks though i was supposed to get it to a 3rd party tech but Thanks to you i was able to confidently able to check on this problem and found the same issues ....by the way with my lens both the studs were missing but the pin is still in place and yes when i applied a little bit of pressure on it manual focus works ....ust need to get the materials to fix it up !! again thanks for this!!</p>

<p>Hey there,</p>

<p>Just letting you guys know, i am so glad to have found this thread. I called around and was told that it was not actually worth trying to fix this lens becuase it would onlyu be a patch and cost a few hundred so i thanked them for the honesty and said well I have nothing to lose really. So I dove right in , and found the T little Sections and rigged it in for a quick fix. AND IT WORKED! . Awesome. Im going to redo it though for a perm fix soon. But thank you all again. </p>

<p>Thanks to the original poster you saved me several hundred as nikon wanted $300 plus parts,it was exactly as you described,wish you could see my grin, at first ifound it strange that such a seemingly solid well made lens should have 2 wimpy plastic studs,light bulb,do you think it was made to break?say some fool, like myself, tried to focus while in auto thinking it in manual,so as to save any serious damage,or does it not work that way,i must admit to knowing very little about theses things.</p>

<p>Joe - I would not accuse Nikon of designing something with intention of failure. More likely it was just a cost cutting decision to avoid the need for two screws, metal inserts to receive them, and the labor of screwing them in. <br>

In electrical engineering circles there is a slight pejorative known as "RCA Engineering"- design a product like a TV, remove components one-by-one until the product fails, then add in the last one removed. In designing consumer goods as RCA once did a savings of just a few cents on production runs in the millions of units can add up. Lenses are not quite in that category but the same ideas apply.</p>

Hi Bill, just fixed the same problem following your directions. Thanks a lot

Ed

<p>You're quite welcome and thank you for letting me know of your success. I'm grateful to hear back from readers who found this post helpful.</p>

Hi Bill, this thread has gone on for 13 years, so thanks for continuing to respond! I opened the tape (under the rubber focusing ring) on my f/2.8G / 70-200 AF-S VR-Nikkor lens, but it looks different than your picture. Any thoughts on how to fix this on my model? Thanks!http://gdurl.com/cYNq

Joshua, your lens is a 70-200. The lens in the original post was an 80-200 and has no internal auto focus motor and is not an AFS or VR lens. They are different beasts. I own both of them. The manual to auto focus ring on the 80-200 that has a tendency to break is an acknowledged design flaw in that particular lens. My 20 year old 80-200 had a broken ring that was held in place with black gaffers tap until I sent it for repair. The 70-200 has a much different switch to activate an internal autofocus motor. I would recommend sending your lens in for repair since I don't believe there is any work around. Most repair jobs include clean and adjustment. I just got my 15 year old 200-400 f4 back a few months ago and it arrived clean and pristine inside and out with a new autofocus module. Sorry that I don't have better advice or an inexpensive solution. Good hunting

I have the same problem of manual focus not wanting to engage most of the time. When it does engage, it isn't positive. It seems as though the clutch is not moving up to engage properly when placed in manual mode or their isn't sufficient forward pressure on the clutch ring. Both or my metal tabs appear to be correctly located and the plastic studs are in excellent condition. Any tips for getting better engagement of manual focus?