Subject Shifts in Viewfinder When Focusing In & Out

[vivid light photography]

I have a newly purchased Nikon 18-35mm AFD lens and notice that my view through the viewfinder slightly shifts

when changing focusing direction (ex. close-up to infinity & vis versa). It's more noticable when on a tripod. I believe

this in one of the interal lense elements moving but would like an opinion on whether I should make a deal about it.

The lenses focus great and is quite sharp but this is starting to anoy me a little. I had a 24-85 AFS G lense once that

did the same thing and I exchanged it for the 24-85mm AFD and like it much better. Both my current 24-85mm and

recently purchased 18-35 display a slight viewfinder shift if I fully extend the barrel and move it up and down (They

both have a little play) but only the 18-35 displays this when changing focusing direction.

 

Thanks.

[robert_hooper1]

It gives me an uncomfortable feeling to be able to wiggle the front end of an extended AF zoom lens around, or when you put it down on a flat surface while mounted on a camera body it bends into the shape of a banana. In the days when all zoom lenses were manual, it was a sign that your lens was worn out. Today, its just a sign of the times.

 

My 18-70mm and 18-200mm behave as you describe, Darrell, but performance does not otherwise seem to be compromised.

[jose_angel]

You can experience this on almost all zooms, althought I found it more pronounced on cheaper (consumer) ones. Even the most expensive f2.8 pro zooms colud show this issue, some of them almost unnoticeable when new.

 

The times of tight but smooth greased helicoids passed.

[ronald_moravec1]

Crappy construction on consumer grade lenses. Cost of making to sell at low pricing.

 

Nothing is made like it used to be. In fact decades back there was but one grade of lens, profesional.

 

Even Leica has come up with the Summarit line of slightly cheaper lens. Still outrageous but a bit cheaper.

[keith_b1]

The times of tight but smooth helicoids has not passed...Zeiss ZF lenses(for the range of focal lengths they offer) are made correctly

for long term service without needing to be re-greased every few years, unlike(with a few exceptions) the much-vaunted but ultimately self-destructing

Nikon Ai and similar. Hopefully they'll expand the range.