Internal issue on a Nikon 80-200mm 2.8 AF-S

[cmulcahy]

<p>I have a Nikon 80-200mm 2.8 AFS lens that I am borrowing and considering purchasing. The purchase price would be pretty low because of a very strange spec or scratch on the 3rd (from the front) internal element. I can buy this lens for about $500 so if I needed to spend a little on cleaning....not a big deal. The body looks great. It doesn't look beat up at all.</p>

<p>I've shined a flash light into this lens and it's very clean. Other then this very strange looking artifact. At first glance it looks crystal like or a broken glass chip but it will not move. I looks as if the element is chipped or scratched. I've had several photographers look at it and no one can figure out what it is. They don't think it's mold or fungus. It's pretty large (about a 1mm in length) so if it were a particle it would likely move around if you shook the lens right? This will not move at all. </p>

<p>The plastic / glass window that covers the focus distance numbers on the barrel of the lens is cracked pretty good. (I've seen this on many Nikon lenses actually - so that didn't overly concern me) I'm wondering if a piece of that glass or plastic from that window didn't break off and get wedged in between two elements inside the lens? Is this possible? </p>

<p>The lens functions normally other then a little bit of grinding (like sand inside) when I manually focus. More evidence that maybe something got in there?</p>

<p> The AF works perfectly and is fast and quiet. The picture quality is good. Occasionally I think I get some sort of reflection off that "artifact" if I take pictures directly into a light source. (Which I rarely do) Otherwise I see no issues w/ the picture quality. <br>

My thought is to send this lens into Nikon and have them clean it and check it out. Will Nikon replace an element if it is scratched? How on earth would an internal element get scratched anyway? What do you think? What Nikon service center should I send this to? Does Nikon do a lens "tune-up" ? If so any idea what that would cost typically?</p>

[SolaresLarrave]

If the particle has little or no effect on the resulting images you may still have it checked. Also, the grinding you mention

may come from your not switching the camera to manual focus. I don't think this lens has the AF/MF clutch, hence the

sound... which my AF 105mm Sigma also makes when I try to focus it manually (and forget to switch the camera itself to

MF).<p>

 

Let's see what others have to say about the particle inside. As for places to send it, I'd recommend <a

href="http://www.nikoncamerarepair.com/">Authorized Photo Service</a>, a former Nikon repair facility in IL. They are

very quick... I should have sent them my own 80-200 lens (early version, had sticky blades) to them instead of giving it to

the technicians of a camera shop in Chicago. At the price you're quoting, anything you pay for the repair will only increase

the resale price, and you'll still be paying less than market price even AFTER the repair. You're one lucky guy!

[ShunCheung]

<p>A couple of years ago, I sold my 80-200mm/f2.8 AF-S in very good condition for $850 or so. It took me a little while to find a buyer.</p>

<p>I don't think it is a good idea to spend $500 to buy someone else's problem and if you need to get it repaired, it can easily be another couple hundred dollars just to pay for the labor to dissamble and reassamble the lens. You are better off starting with something that is already in good condition and save yourself some headache.</p>

[cmulcahy]

<p>Well if a cleaning costs over $200 I'm not going to buy the lens. My thought was a repair shop could at least tell me what that is and if it's something I need to worry about.....and give me an estimate on the fix. </p>

<p>The AFS 80-200mm lens allows you to manually focus while in AF. The grinding isn't severe, it just seems like there is a little sand in it or maybe a piece of the AF Distance Window broke loose - since there is a crack in it. </p>

<p>I agree w/ Shun's thinking, but after using the lens for about 2 months now I've really come to enjoy it and the results are great. So yea it has these issues but it's working great for me and the price is great. I have not been able to find a used 80-200mm 2.8 AF-S lens for under $900. I've seen other versions of this lens for much less - ( I just sold my old beat up 80-200 2.8D push/pull for $375) My old one had no tripod mount and the AF was so slow it was un usable in most circumstances. If I could find a good 80-200mm 2.8 AF-S for $800 I'd probably buy that. <br>

I am wondering though if I can just put up w/ the "spec" inside the lens and get a great piece of glass for only $500. I'm buying this lens from a dealer who took this lens in as a trade in. I know the dealer well. He doesn't know what to think of the lens either. He gave little for it in a trade in so he's willing to sell it to me cheap and even let me use it for the last couple months. (free of charge) I suppose I could see if I could "borrow" the lens for a couple years? <br>

I still would like to have a service tech. look at this lens and tell me what they think. Unfortuneatly I'd need to UPS it to somewhere....I just don't know where. </p>

<p>What is a typical cost of cleaning such a lens?</p>

[ShunCheung]

<p>Well, I had my 80-200mm/f2.8 AF-S on photo.net's classifieds for over a year before I managed to sell it, but I wasn't aggressively selling it on eBay, for example. However, now I kind of wish I had the 80-200 to test alongside the 70-200 on FX bodies, but that lens was sitting around doing nothing.</p>

<p>A few years ago, I sent my 200mm/f4 AF-D macro to APS to replace the AF/MF ring that is a weak link on that lens, and they charged me over $200. Any work that involves taking the lens apart to clean a middle element and then putting it back together correctly is not going to be cheap. It'll involve caliberating it. Any parts you need to replace will cost extra, especially if they need to replace an element.</p>

<p>Additionally, I wonder how a middle element has problems. Was that lens ever taken apart?</p>

[SolaresLarrave]

Shun, the market must have been slow when you were trying to sell your lens. Right now, they're going at a bit over a

grand. I know it... I've been watching them with lust, because I want to replace my push-pull version with a two-ring lens.

 

As for the repair... it's ultimately a personal choice. If I could swing that lens for $500, I'd have it repaired and keep it. I've

done it before. But then, that's me.

[ShunCheung]

<p>Francisco, the problem is that we don't know for sure what the problem is and therefore what the repair cost is. When there is also grinding sound when you focus, it is certainly not good news. If the repair cost is $200, you wonder why the owner doesn't get it repaired and then sell it for $900 to $1000.</p>

[SolaresLarrave]

True, the grinding is a bad sign. Better not buy the lens unless it's repaired.

[walterh]

<p>A known problem is easy to evaluate and to judge if you can live with it or not.<br>

Two unknown problems with two indications of possibly serious consequences is a very good sign to stay away from it.</p>

<p>As Shun said the fairly complex zoom lens needs to be dis-assembled to analyze the problem. This cannot be done cheap in an adequate way. If a store offers cheap service (well below 200 US$) I would worry that this may be another source of trouble.</p>

[rrroger]

<p>I too sold my 80-200 AF-D to upgrade to the 80-200 AFS. It is so much better that $500 ( even if it needs $400 repair) is a bargain I would not pass up now that I am shooting full frame. I think it is a better lense than the 70-200 for a D3 or D700.<br>

I was persuaded at the time that a wider range, VR, and better sealing were a good reason to "upgrade", but that lense has known issues and is only equal in sharpness and speed.<br>

I recommend you send it to Melville were it will almost surely come back working as good as new. They have done great work on my lenses. Be sure to externally clean it well first. I use 91+% Isopropyl Alcohol.</p>

[rrroger]

<p>Last year I sent in one of my 70-200s for cleaning and adjustment. I had it insured but the shipper dropped the box and broke the front element. Because I was sending it to a repair facility they claimed it was already broken. Nikon charged me the full price which still came out to total less than $500.</p>

<p>If you choose to ship USPS, they will supply a 12" square Priority Mail box and postage for around $5 + a couple bucks for a signed receipt if you want one. I no longer bother with insurance for any carrier.<br>

Wrap the lense in bubble wrap and fill the box with styrafoam balls.</p>

[cmulcahy]

<p>Thanks for everyone's thoughts. </p>

<p>I found a camera repair shop not too far from where I live. So I took it there and the technician looked at the lens and thinks that the element is not damaged and thinks that it can be cleaned out. He said it appears to him that the plastic window that covers the focal distance numbers on the barrell of the lens has chipped off into little pieces and is causing the grinding feel under the manual focus ring and a small piece is wedged between two elements. He did say this is how it appears but there is no garauntee until he takes it apart. <br>

To replace the manual focus window, cleaning, and adjustments he said to expect around $350...it could be more or less depending on what he finds and how long the job will take. He's had experience w/ this lens before and said it can be a real pain the #@% to work on. He said if I send it to Nikon expect to pay at least another $100.<br>

This guy is not a certified Nikon repair center but they've been around for 20+ years. So I dont know what to think. The lens works now......the repair guy suggested buying it and just living w/ the issues given the price I can get if for. Then down the road spend the $ to get it fixed.</p>

[cmulcahy]

<p>The guy also said depending on what side of the element the debris is on could change the price to fix dramatically. He said it's fairly easy to get to the first couple elements but if its in further then that then I might have to send it to Nikon. He thinks it is on the 2nd element which wouldn't be too big of a deal....but you never know until you have it apart.</p>

[cmulcahy]

<p>How funny.....another repair tech just called me as I was typing this.. He took a look at the assembly manual of this lens and said it is likely not as bad as it could be. If it is as I describe it he thinks its in between the 2nd and 3rd element ...which just under the manual focus ring.<br>

<img src="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/AF-Nikkor80200mm/AFS-80200_optic.jpg" alt="" width="333" height="181" /></p>

<p>... see how close the AF Window is to the manual AF ring? that window is cracked pretty badly. Slivers of that plastic window are under the manual focus ring and a small piece has wedged inside the elements. Apparently there a something like 18 elements in this lense and some of them are very tight together which would explain why the chip is not moving around.<br>

<img src="http://www.mir.com.my/rb/photography/companies/nikon/nikkoresources/AFNikkor/AF-Nikkor80200mm/Photocreative80200AFS-D.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="286" /></p>

<p>BTW - Good luck finding this lens any cheeper then $1300 if it is in good condition. Apparently the full frame cameras have created a new demand for this lens since many are not happy w/ the 70-200mm vr on the full frame. I think Im going to take the risk and buy this lens and get it cleaned. At worst the repairs will cost me another $500 which would be less then what I can seem find this lens anywere right now.</p>

<p><img src="file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/CHADMU%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg" alt="" /></p>

[rrroger]

<p>Go for it. This lense should only go up in value. Hopefully it comes with Nikkor hood. You can practically shoot into the sun with that on and it does not have the ghosting, flaring, vignetting or other issues of the 70-200</p>