ottocrat Posted March 15, 2006 Share Posted March 15, 2006 I finally took delivery of my new 18-200 VR lens this evening, and I've been playing with it for a couple of hours. Everything seems to be working more or less as it should - but one thing bothers me slightly. The zoom ring seems loose at the extremities and stiff through the mid-range. Also, there is zoom creep throughout the range except when fully retracted at 18mm. It's almost as if the thing is spring-loaded. Is this going to settle down with use? I don't want to exaggerate, it's just not quite the beautifully-cammed, well-damped masterpiece that I'd been expecting... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hash Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 My lens has none of the issues mentioned, but I haven't tested for zoom creep - it might have some, but not enough to bother me. I did have variable stiffness of the zoom ring on my old 24-120VR. It worked fine none the less so I didn't bother trying to fix it. If it works ok don't worry, just shoot - you'll get used to it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramon_v__california_ Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 it's always best to factor in things to you don't feel right.i would get another sample if i were you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constance_cook Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 The origianl 24-120 didn't just creep, it fell. Nikon ended up fixing all of them and those that came after the second or third wave don't creep at all. There was no way Nikon didn't know about the creep in that lens so I look for some free fixes in the future on the 18-200 VR. Conni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa_zervorza Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I've also posted this subject up before. Unfortunately it's the aggravating characteristics of this lens design. I also dislike the rattly feel to it, zoom creep etc etc. On a positive note, my one rattles, creeps and generally wobbles about dreadfully after only a couple of months of use, but still makes fairly sharp and detailed images at actual size on a D1X and D70s. It's working for me not to ponder too much on the build quality and concentrate on the picture making instead. http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00FSEN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hash Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 To me zoom creep is a non-issue on this lens. It's meant for handheld use, and when I hold it by the barrel including the zoom ring, it can't creep on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggoodroe Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I have had zero problems, no creep, rattle, or anything bad....<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 Thanks for the reactions. I've now shown it to a couple of guys at local photo shops whom I trust, and they don't think it's anything to worry about, so I'll relax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soumya_simanta Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 George, I�m new to the world of DSLR and still a novice at photography. I really like your bus shot above. I would love to know how you actually did it and what is this technique called in the photographic world. Can any one point me to any book/tutorials about this doing stuff like this. I recently got a Nikon D50 with a 50mm 1.8 prime lens. I�m still waiting on my 18-200mm VR. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert_hooper1 Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Luckily, my 18-200mm is tight throughout the zoom range, but I've had other zoom lenses that did creep after years of use. This can be aggravating if you are shooting on a tripod with the lens pointed downward. Gaffers tape can save the day. I'm disappointed that Nikon can't seem to get a handle on this and other quality control issues. This is the sort of negative variation one used to expect from 3rd party lens makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 Just to add that on a shoot outside with this lens over my lunch break I found myself having to recompose the shot a few times as the zoom would creep while I was adjusting the polariser. So, yeah, creep seems to be an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john schroeder Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I don't think it's unexpected to have some creep in an ultra zoom. All that glass is going to have weight. A super zoom is a complex optical design so I don't think it is unusual that the zooming isn't perfectly smooth either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggoodroe Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hi Soumya, Thanks for your kind words� The Bus picture was created by shooting with a fairly slow shutter speed�1/20 second, then�while the picture is being taken you zoom from wide to telephoto� It is the zooming action while the picture is being exposed that causes those streaks in the picture. I will say that the 18-200mm VR Zoom Nikkor really did help out in this case. I had the camera set to shutter priority 1/20 sec�and when I saw the bus rolling towards me I simply pointed�pressed the shutter and zoomed in to the bus�The Vibration Reduction did help steady the action. I am quite pleased with the lens. Thanks again and happy shooting! George Goodroe, CFPSt. Petersburg, Florida USA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ggoodroe Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 by the way...Photo.net replaced all of the 3 dot spacers in my post above with question marks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constance_cook Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 John: Nikon has fixed all the cascading (ou could hardly call it slifding it was so loose ) 24 - 120s and those bought two years later are perfectly solid. And a 24 - 120 is a pretty broad zoom. So the idea that we have to accept creep in this zoom doesn't work. The 18 - 200 is a far lighter lens, as well. Conni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hash Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 Chris, are you using this lens with the camera on tripod? Then zoom creep could be an issue. If handheld, you must be holding the camera by the body in your right hand and turning the polarazier with your left. I find it more comfortable (and stable) to support the camera in my left hand by the lens barrel and turn the polarizer with my right hand. BTW I checked my lens - no creep, no slack, just snug and smooth. Guess I was lucky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hearst Posted March 16, 2006 Share Posted March 16, 2006 I had zoom creep on mine when I pointed it straight down. I sent it to Nikon and had it back, fixed, within two weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 16, 2006 Author Share Posted March 16, 2006 Hashim, usually I'd be working handheld though I would certainly be using a tripod sometimes.<br> <br> After 24 hours I'm pretty disenchanted with this 'wonder lens' - the stiff barrel and the creep are one thing, the poor optical quality another. I'm not expecting miracles but I am expecting it to be in the same ballpark as my 18-70 in terms of sharpness throughout the frame. At large apertures the 18-200 is unacceptably blurred at the edges of the frame (not the extreme edges either). Here is a comparison of the 18-200 at 50mm and f/5.6 with the 18-70 and the 50mm f/1.8 prime (also both at f/5.6):<br> <br> (1) <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/chris.kendall/.Public/18200% 20crop.jpg">18-200</a><br> (2) <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/chris.kendall/.Public/1870% 20crop.jpg">18-70</a><br> (3) <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/chris.kendall/.Public/50prime% 20crop.jpg">50mm prime</a><br> <br> These are 100% crops taken from the upper right corners, in all of them the centre was in sharp focus. OK, obviously the prime is going to be far better than the other two, but what I wasn't expecting was the difference in quality between the 18-70 and the 18-200. There shouldn't be that much of a difference, should there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisa_zervorza Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 I'm probably wrong here on how you took the shot, but I've found that you need to let the VR motor settle and lock on before you fire off frames or you can get uneven results. Could this have been the case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottocrat Posted March 17, 2006 Author Share Posted March 17, 2006 Hmm, that could be the case. This is my first VR lens and I'm just getting used to it. Having slept on it I'm inclined to think that I'm being a bit anal about the sharpness, after all this was shot wide open and normally I'd be shooting stopped down to f8 at least (one of the advantages of the VR). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leon_h._ritchie Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I think the 18-200VR is great, i have other lens but now 18-200 is the main one if your stuck in a situation where you can only take one lens this is it. I guess i'm lucky i've had no creep and it's tight all the way out to the 200.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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