Two beefs about Nikon

[bill c.]

If there is one thing Nikon does worse than get new digital cameras

out on time, it's design attachments to their cameras and lenses that

will actually stay on!

 

I had the older 80-200 f2.8 D lens, and now I have the 70-200 2.8 VR.

The hood for the older lens was an $80 option that had to be special

ordered, and after two weeks of mild use, the grip mechanism was so

worn down that I couldn't carry the camera for more than two minutes

without the shade falling off.

 

The new design for the 70-200 2.8 VR is little better. Though it has a

locking button, after just a few months of use (and I try to be very

easy on it) the mechanism on mine has been worn down to the point

where it is basically useless. I can count on the shade falling off

every four minutes of carrying. This is disgusting.

 

But even worse than the lens shade is the display protector for the

D2x. I lost the first one in two weeks. You look wrong at the display

protector on the back of a D2x, and it falls off on the floor. The

clip is the cheeziest little protrusion imaginable. Then, I bought a

Hoodman. Man, do THOSE things ever grip! You can rip the ends off your

fingers trying to take the Hoodman off of a D2x.

 

Now, if Hoodman can make an attachment that can grip onto the back of

a D2x that well, why can't Nikon? The clips clamp on to the same

places in both products. This is ridiculous! -BC-

[bernard_frank]

Be careful, Bill, you can't criticize Nikon on this forum! I did, the other day, commenting on

the outrage of Nikon's encrypted Nef files and their adding insult to injury by not bundling

Nikon Capture with the $4,000 plus D2X, and I was quickly deleted.

 

Made me wonder if Nikon is a photo.net sponsor or something.

[ShunCheung]

Bernard, we criticize Nikon here all the time. Just look around and see how many threads are about the poor viewfinder on the D70/D70s. However, the WB encryption issue had already been beaten to death in multiple threads within days. We might consider deleting them in the future if we are merely rehashing the same arguments over and over and over.

 

Moreover, if you have complaints, there is the Feedback Forum here in photo.net. The rule of all forum is that you do not criticize how each forum is moderated inside that forum.

 

Now back to Bill's question, I don't have those loose lens hood problem Bill experiences. Are those locks really tight, probably not. But for example my 5+ year old 80-200mm/f2.8 AF-S hood still works fine.

 

P.S. Bernard, I tried to send you e-mail but got an error from Hotmail.

[laurie_m]

While I haven't had the same problem with lens hoods, and I'm hard on my gear, I do agree about the LCD display protector. Mine has fallen off several times while out and about. I've been lucky enough to hear it hit the ground. That said, I'm not sure Canon provides one at all for their digital SLR's. My other minor complaint about my D2X is the batter compartment door. While it works just fine, it just seems a bit flimsy. So far, that's the worst I can say about the D2X. I'm thrilled with the camera.

 

Thanks for the endorsement on the Hoodman version. I'll have to check in to that.

[Palouse]

No problem with the hood on my 80-200 AFS-D or the LCD protector on my D100 and D70. Have had a lot of trouble with the view finder eyepiece-I have used a a whole raft of diferent ones. The problem appears to be my knocking them off as I put the camera back in my bag. It needs to have stronger gripping action. The only lens shade that occasionally causes me grief is the 24-85 (older, D, non AFS version)--which is easy to miss thread.

[ShunCheung]

I too have lost a few viewfinder eyepieces, the round, screw on type on the FM/FE, N8008, F100, F5 ..., not the fixed rectangular ones on the D100, etc. that cannot come off.

 

Now when I am not shooting, I try to tighten those eye pieces once in a while. I have also cracked the back LCD cover on my D100. When I travel, I bring a few of those spare parts along with extra len caps and camera body caps.

 

Nikon did make an improvement on the latest bodies such as the D2X. Now that little viewfinder shutter doubles as a lock for the eye piece. You need to close that shutter before you can unscrew the round eye piece.

[._._z]

<i><blockquote> we criticize Nikon here all the time. Just look around and see how

many threads are about the poor viewfinder on the D70/D70s.

</blockquote> </i><p>

 

Is my memory faulty, or was continued discussion of this particular issue ordered

stopped by you back in April or so?

[bernard_frank]

Well, believe it or not, Shun, I have also been deleted on the Feedback Forum in the past

for just complaining about deletion rules. So...

 

Besides, why would YOU decide that a subject has been discussed long enough, when

obviously some members still find them relevant. The Nef encryption, for instance, is so

outrageous that it deserves to be commented on until Nikon loses too many customers to

Canon, and decides to give up this scam to force NC into their customers' throats.

[ShunCheung]

Bernard, I do not moderate the Feedback Forum. If someone else deletes your post in that forum, you can complain to Bob Atkins and Brian Motterstead. If it happens to be one of them who deletes your post, then you are essentially out of luck. Brian's decision is final for photo.net.

 

Again, we do not discuss how this forum is moderated here. The White Encryption issue was fully debated already in multiple threads within a very short period of time. IMO there is no value to keep taking about the same thing. Probably the same should be said about complaints on the D70's viewfinder.

 

Now back to Bill's original topic.

[bwcombs]

I went through 2 of those LCD protectors on my D70, until I got

wise.

 

I tied a short length of string (in my case, a very thin piece of

flyfishing leader) to the protector and connected it between my

tripod quickrelease plate and the base plate of the camera. It

has popped off several times, but cannot fall to the ground.

 

In fact, I can pop it off quickly, and it simply hangs down from the

body, when I want to show a review to a client or friend.

[greg s]

"I can count on the shade falling off every four minutes of carrying."

 

Kinda makes you wish they (the world) didn't fashion most everything with a plastic snap lock designs, as opposed to a button release. Snap locks can be handy, but they really need to be 'qualified' for wear and tear. Thankfully the hoods on the big telephotos have a mechanical lock.

[lex_jenkins]

"...more than two minutes without...falling off...falling off every four minutes..."

 

Hmmm...? Sorry, I feel asleep, are we still talking about Paris Hilton's clothes?

 

My LCD cover popped off once when it hooked on my belt buckle. But so far Paris hasn't dropped trou around me at all, let alone every two minutes.

[greg s]

Paris uses a quick release mechanism developed by NASCAR pit crew engineers.

[ilkka_nissila]

I don't use the LCD protector, it basically reduces the quality of the viewfinder image and decreases comfort of viewfinder usage, not to mention can fall off, why bother? I don't have a single visible scratch on my D70's LCD although I've taken 15000 images with it without any cover.

 

The eyepiece rubber has started falling off on my D70 also. However, this has never happened on any of my film cameras. Also, I've never managed to break a lens hood so that it would drop by itself. Perhaps you're a bit too rough on your hoods when you mount them and they wear out due to this.

[marty_elan]

"BW Combs , aug 11, 2005; 12:12 p.m.

I went through 2 of those LCD protectors on my D70, until I got wise.

 

I tied a short length of string (in my case, a very thin piece of flyfishing leader) to the protector and connected it between my tripod quickrelease plate and the base plate of the camera. It has popped off several times, but cannot fall to the ground.

 

In fact, I can pop it off quickly, and it simply hangs down from the body, when I want to show a review to a client or friend."

 

While I can't answer to your lens hood issue, I can vouch for BW Combs suggestion. I too have tied flyline tippet between neck strap lug and the LCD protector. Just simple drill a small hole in the protector and tie on the tippet material or any other material you like. It has saved me the hassle of buying a new one.

[erickpro]

My LCD has a small hole already where you can tie it to the necktstrap or holders. It is an original LCD cover from Nikon that came with my D100. I never had the LCD fallen off the camera. My lens hood has never fallen either. The only thing that has fallen is the rubber off the viewfinder and I really don't have a clue why because is the last thing I'd think it would fall.

[gary_woodard]

Nikons best equipment was made 10-20 years ago, still available in the used

market.

[icuneko]

Become a vegetarian. Then you won't have any beefs about Nikon. ;)

[steve_levine]

You don't need to be as recent as the D70 to complain about bad Nikon viewfinder's. I have whined about the FM series' viewfinders since they were introduced in the late 1970's. Nikon tried to copy the Olympus OM-1's compactness, but messed up on the most basic of basics.(IMHO all the OM's had great VFers)

[briany]

Calderon, I agree. My viewfinder cup fell off fairly soon after I got the D70. I've had no problems with the LCD cover, though I have noticed the little hole on it. I just went down to B&H this weekend - went to the counter, asked for the Sigma 30 f/1.4 to try out, and while they were fetching it held a 200 f/2 and ogled a Fuji 617. Finally the Sigma came and I tested it out, vacillated, and ended up walking out with a $5 D70 eyecup and a Giottos rocket blower. And the salesman was very quite nice about it all!

[larry n.]

Saw a dude once with a big magnifier attachment on his D100 LCD. He must need it for taking pictures of Paris.

 

Contrary to what one of the complainers complained about above, we on this forum love hearing valid complaints about Nikon equipment bacause it helps us make better purchasing decisions.

[john schroeder]

Be carefull there buddy! The magical Nikon elves will shower you with hot pixels or the evil GBLOD will visit you in the night. You had better say a prayer to the Reciprocity Goddess and ask for forgeiveness.

[lex_jenkins]

Some Nikkor hoods, like those on the 17-80 DX kit zoom and 24-120 VR, have what usually is called a bayonet mount: align and twist to lock in place.

 

I can see where these could eventually loosen. A snug fit depends on plastic nubbies than can be worn down and a semi-circular thin sheet spring of the same plastic, incorporated into the hood. If one of these springs loses elasticity or breaks the hood probably won't hold.

 

It might be possible to restore a snug fit by using some kind of epoxy. Some experimenting would be needed to find one that adheres reliably and has the right combination of rigidity and resiliency. I've used Duro clear two part epoxy, which comes in a double barreled injector kit, for some repairs to plastics, as well as building up surfaces on plastics. The cured epoxy is pretty tough. A drop of paint can be added to the mix to blend with the color of the material you're repairing. I've used Testor's modeling paints and they don't compromise the curing of the epoxy.

 

Another possibility is drilling and tapping a tiny hole to accomodate a grub screw to clamp the hood more tightly to the lens. Lens hoods designed this way usually incorporate a thin springy strip of metal or plastic between the hood and lip of the barrel to minimize finish damage and to improve the grip.

 

If all else fails I'd probably epoxy the damn thing to the lens and be done with it. Or maybe use masking tape and keep a spare roll in the bag, which I usually do anyway. It's the least bad of a bunch of crappy alternatives, such as losing an expensive hood or stomping it into powder out of frustration after it falls off for the umpteenth time.

[Jerry_]

I've a large LowePro lens case: the AF 80-200mm f2.8D Nikkor with the lens hood attached fits. Never have had much need to remove the hood...two years running, still a tight fit.

[hique]

Bill, I never had problems with the hood on my Nikon lenses. And they are not even as PRO as yours.

 

They are the kind that you put and twist. All plastic parts. I even dropped the lens some other day with the hood on and nothing happened.

 

Maybe you should write to Nikon to see what they say.

 

About design problems, sometimes there are other factors that forces the design to be worse than desirable, factors like cost. I don't know if it's the case though, and wouldn't expect it from a 5000usd camera.