Nikkor Lenses are prohibited?

[arvay]

Dear all,

Today I heard a roumour that European Comission prohibits the usage of Nikkor

lenses as they contain led. The story reminds of the same with Hasselblad and X-

Pan. That time it contained mercury and Hassel refused to produce them further

on.

Have anybody heard something like this or it's just a rumour?

Regards.

[janvanlaethem]

I didn't know about Hasselblad, but I think there was also an issue with Pentax. I hope this is just a rumour though. There are far more chemical substances going into nature by dumping batteries into household garbage and not being properly processed. Factories and cars do more harm than any lens or camera could ever do, even if they were discarded.

[iangriffiths]

There is a new regulation that has been bought in for the Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS).

 

This basically means that all new items have to be manufactured without using lead (as in solder), as well as some other materials. This kicked in around June/July last year.

 

It is perfectly legal to use items, otherwise everyones TVs, PCs, toasters, etc would be banned. It only affects newly manufactured items.

 

If you look at new European electronic items,they should display the RoHS symbol.

 

Cheers

 

Ian

[theodore_papageorgiou]

Lead has been prohibited from all items. ie water and wine glasses.

If you shop around for them, you will see it in the companys" sites.

All old crystals, were made of glass rich in lead. The new ones, use some other metal.

Theodore.

[hannu]

I recently wanted to but a 4T closeup lens from a store which still listed it in it's catalogue. They didn't have any in stock, though, and when they queried the local Nikon representative, the reply was that they don't anymore import it or other close-up lenses due to RoHS.

 

So, I bought a used one on 'bay, as use of old items is indeed not banned in any way.

[Ed_Ingold]

It's the new social order. "Out with the old, in with the... Hey! Is anyone out there?"

[leicaglow]

And we wonder why the US hasn't signed the Kyoto protocol?

[chris_vincent2]

There is no restriction on using any Nikon lenses. The new directive applies to the manufacturer and sale of products containing highly toxic heavy metals which are hazardous to dispose of and may well result in many manufacturers phasing out older products.

 

Hasselblad has chosen not to change to non-lead solder for the circuit boards in the X-Pan, preferring to discontinue production.

 

In Europe these regulations are often used as scapegoat for business decisions that were really made for economic reasons e.g. sales=zero.

[arvay]

So, we can make a prognosis that old Nikkors' prices will go up as Nikon have to decrease the production and new as well as Nikon should use some new expensive technologies to produce lenses of the same quality?

[janvanlaethem]

Now I know why Nikon started producing G lenses: the lead was in the aperture ring, so they took it off. Very soon we'll have lens designations like "70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G ED-IF AF-S VR Zoom-Nikkor RoHS ELE" (ELE = European Limited Edition).

 

I'm glad I purchased a couple of manual AIS primes recently, I think we will soon see production of these lenses come to a complete stop. According to the Nikon USA website, there are only four manual lenses in production at this moment. I think about a year ago there were about ten. Of course, some people will call this progress.

[greg s]

"And we wonder why the US hasn't signed the Kyoto protocol?"

 

A: Easy... money and general lack of environmental concern.

[alex_lofquist]

Leaded glass is not toxic by itself. It is only when melted or vaporized that it may present a health problem. There are a lot of other elements more toxic than lead. Mercury, cadmium, and thallium come to mind.

[juan_parm_nides]

We, european people, care very much of our enviroment. I am proud of it.

 

Regards.

[dan_spahn]

What's next? A "turn in your neighbor with old cameras" program? Just a bunch of nosy full diaper bureaucrats.

[stormchaser]

WHAAAAAAAAT?

 

 

 

No... no more Nikkor?...

[johnw63]

"Quote....

 

"And we wonder why the US hasn't signed the Kyoto protocol?"

 

A: Easy... money and general lack of environmental concern.

 

 

Actually, no. Some of the reasons are the list big countries that will not be held to the standard, like China. If it doesn't apply EQUALLY to ALL, then it is not really designed to do what it says. Only to punish selected countries.

[claude_batmanghelidj]

Totally off topic, but as an American, I can vouch for our utter lack of leadership in a number of important fields. I would like to see an America with a Department of Peace, rather than a DoD. The DoP could work around the clock to rid the world of war and conflict, probably with a mere 50-100 billion dollars a year. Americans are captive to the myth of "Security" that is sold to them by the Military Industrial Complex and its puppets/zombie slaves in Washington.

 

America could also lead in a variety of other fields, such as inter racial harmony, advanced post industrial infrastructure, organic food, energy independence. This list goes on. There is much work to do.

 

However, we have no business telling anyone else how to do anything. We need to lead by example.

[carbon_dragon]

"Actually, no. Some of the reasons are the list big countries that will not be held to the standard, like China. If it doesn't apply EQUALLY to ALL, then it is not really designed to do what it says. Only to punish selected countries."

 

I think those are more like excuses than reasons and I'm an American too.

[rjacksonphoto]

Have to agree with Juan, Claude, and David on this one. We, as Americans, need to start doing what is right rather than just what benefits us.

[arthuryeo]

Hmmm ... now, how many lenses ended up in landfills?