Nikon 24-70 f/2.8 focus stutter noise?

[mizuho_saito]

<p>I have one more question for owners of this lens. When you are focusing does anybody else hear the motor stutter as it travels the last few millimeters? Is this normal for Nikon AF-S lenses/ 24-70s? Or do other users experience a completely silent focus that just snaps right to the right focus without the last bit of stuttering? It's kind of hard to explain what I'm talking about, but I'm pretty sure you will know what I'm talking about if your lens does it.</p>

[hawkman]

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<p>You are asking a very difficult question as people's hearing threshold varies greatly, some people will say yes and some will say no depending how sensitive their ears are! I can only say that 24-70 is as silent as other high-grade AF-S lenses, that is very quite. I need to put it close to my ear to hear the motor, and mine does not seem to produce any "last bit of stutter" If I stand in a quiet room with my camera at eyelevel I am not able to hear the sound.<br>

If you put your camera in continuous focus (AF-C) mode and focus on object that is ~2 ft away or closer @ 70mm do you see any instability in the focus mechanism? </p>

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[mizuho_saito]

<p>*post deleted*</p>

[mizuho_saito]

<p>I am currently uploading a video on youtube as a demonstration. I get the same results on any AF setting, currently set up as single point focus on AF-Single. I can definitely hear the lens focus when put to eye level. This happens at all focus ranges at every zoom range. The focus mechanism shifts slightly when stuttering.<br>

In this particular photo the zoom is zoomed out to 70 and the focus is fairly close. Sound maybe be amplified a little because the camera is sitting on my desk. I can upload more videos if you would like with different settings and zoom ranges etc.</p>

[prettygeeky]

<p>Just looked at your video. Wow that is quite a noticeable stutter. I wouldn't tolerate that level of noise for such an expensive lens.</p>

[Dieter Schaefer]

<p>Don't have that particular lens - but none of my AF-S lenses makes that kind of noise. Agree with Ty - for a lens that expensive, I wouldn't tolerate the noise - in particular because it might indicate worse things yet to come.</p>

[mizuho_saito]

<p>So i have the option to return the lens to B&H since it's only been a couple of days which is what I'm thinking of doing. I will shoot with it tomorrow at a family dinner to see how things go, but I'm leaning towards returning it which is a bummer since I had planned to use it heavily in a couple of weeks. The only problem is I don't think I would be able to exchange it at B&H since they are out of stock and Adorama just ran out of stock. It looks like it'll be a few months again before anywhere gets them in stock. I may just have to sit and wait like I did before. I would still like to hear from 24-70 owners though and compare if anybody has experienced this little issue before of the shutter stuttering before achieving focus lock.</p>

[hawkman]

<p>Mizuho san,<br /> This is not normal at all, it sounds like something is trying to lock but it can't, there is a problem with AF motor/element(s). I am sorry but looks like you experienced the "bad/defective" copy that PN gods had been denying (I still remember your last thread and all of the unfriendly comments that were posted by the experts).<br /> Since you bought from B&H just return the lens, the lens is defective. You can also send it to Nikon for repair but that may also take 3+ weeks (in my experience with Nikon service center in El Segundo, CA) and you have to pay for insured shipping one way, unacceptable IMO-Good luck!</p>

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[james_symington1]

<p>Definitely a sick lens. Take it back to B&H is my advice. On the few occasions mine stutters it does so nearly silently.</p>

[trevans]

<p>B&H has an excellent return policy and customer service, you should have no reservations about returning it and should have no problems with the exchange. Just send it back.</p>

[mizuho_saito]

<p>Okay I have decided to return the lens for a refund seeing that the lens seems to be out of stock once again. I'll have to wait till the next shipment or to go for something else, the 70-200 perhaps.</p>

[papa_john]

<p>If you need that focal range I will stick with 24-70 but I have a 14-24 and it does not make that noise. To me it sounds "sick", as in a defective. I might be wrong. Any users of this lens on line?</p>

[Mary Doo]

<p>Mine makes "normal" soft zoom noises only. Why not return it for an exchange?</p>

[mizuho_saito]

<p>I'm not returning for an exchange, because they don't have any in stock and probably will not recieve any within the next few weeks or so. Also I can always just buy another one when the get it in stock or buy from adorama or anywhere else I find that gets it in stock first. Adorama's stock of 24-70s seemed to last a little longer than B&H which only lasted a day. A full refund just gives me more options.</p>