kane_engelbert Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>Just received a refurb 24-70 2.8 from Adorama. Within 5 shots on my d700 I couldn't believe my eyes. I couldn't get the thing to focus through-out the image. Only the focus area would focus and everywhere else would not. <br> Im not the most savy "lens tester" but I pulled out my 70-300 vr, set my camera to manual focus, the lens to infinity and shot some trees at 200 f8 at 70mm. <br> Here are the images at full res. #1 is 70-300 #2 is 24-70 2.8. You will see the image from the 70-300 is BY FAR the better image. Even when trying my best to focus the 24-70, I could only get some of the trees to focus. everything else is completely out of whack. What the hell is the issue. Is this front focusing or focus shift? <br> Im highly upset, because I have a week long backpack in Canyonlands beginning this Sat. I paid for expedited shipping to get the lens here on time. <br> <a href="http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/original/605179.JPG">http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/original/605179.JPG</a></p> <p><a href="http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/original/605181.JPG">http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/original/605181.JPG</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eric_arnold Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>imo those images you posted aren't the best way to check focus. blue sky at infinity is gonna look like blue sky, period. i'd maybe shoot something with a clearly-defined foreground and a clearly-defined background. and while the 70-300 does look sharper, if you can post 100% crops side by side that would help in comparison. that said, the left side of your 24-70 image is clearly OoF compared to the right side.</p><p>look on the bright side: you'll save weight not lugging the 24-70 on your trip.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_mann1 Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>I realize that both shots were taken at 1/160 sec, but how windy was it at the time you took those pix?</p> <p>Tom M.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kane_engelbert Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>There was zero wind. A bluebird day. What threw me off instantly was looking through the viewfinder, I couldn't focus entire image, its impossible. Just parts of the image would focus. As you can see in the image, the right side of the image was in focus but the left side was incredibly out of focus. Next I focused on the left, but the right would be out of focus.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kane_engelbert Posted March 16, 2010 Author Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>There was zero wind. A bluebird day. What threw me off instantly was looking through the viewfinder, I couldn't focus entire image, its impossible. Just parts of the image would focus. As you can see in the image, the right side of the image was in focus but the left side was incredibly out of focus. Next I focused on the left, but the right would be out of focus.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieter Schaefer Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>Looks to me more like a decentering effect. Try shooting something planar - and make sure you are square to it (a mirror in the center of the area will help with that - when you see yourself/camera in it, you're OK) - then you should easily be able to determine if the lens is decentered or not.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>Tomorrow's Wednesday. You can have the lens to Adorama by Thursday, and they can have a replacement back to you by Friday. But you'll need to get into personal communication with a customer service rep there to hash out the details.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ted_kahn Posted March 16, 2010 Share Posted March 16, 2010 <p>It's clear that at least one of the elements in the lens is misaligned. There's nothing to do but return it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_south Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>I'm sorry that you have to go through this extremely frustrating experience. However, it would have been prudent to make critical gear purchases well in advance of your travels. That would have afforded you more time to resolve the issues that you have encountered. What if the next copy that you receive also has a problem?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen_oster Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Kane<br> I've just picked up your posting re problems with your refurb.<br> Would you like to contact me directly: <a href="mailto:helen.oster@adoramacamera.com">helen.oster@adoramacamera.com</a>, with your order number, and let's see what we can do to help.<br> If we email you a pre-paid label today you can send it right back to us; in terms of a replacement, if you would permit us to place a second charge on your card we can get a replacement out to you today, and when yours comes back I will ask for the check-in process to be expedited so we can refund your card as quickly as possible.<br> I am so sorry that this has happened and I hope we can make it right for you so that it doesn't spoil your trip.<br> Helen Oster<br />Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador<br /><a href="http://helenoster.blogspot.com">http://helenoster.blogspot.com</a><br> <br /><a href="mailto:helen.oster@adoramacamera.com">helen.oster@adoramacamera.com</a><br /><a href="http://www.adorama.com">www.adorama.com</a></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kohanmike Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Bravo Adorama and Helen.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolly1 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Wow! Wish every store had the service and flexibility of yours Helen. Best advertisement I've seen for donkeys years.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolly1 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Wow! Wish every store had the service and flexibility of yours Helen. Best advertisement I've seen for donkeys years.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digidave2 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Damn! I wish I knew what a "Donkey Year" was! I would probably agree. ;>)</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_bez Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Helen, You have turned what could have been seen as a negative post for Adorama into a highly positive endorsement.</p> <p>Kane, It looks like you will have your new lens for your trip I hope you enjoy it.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_finn Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>Great Response from Helen of Adorama! That just moved up their reputation in my book. I will strongly consider them in my future purchase decisions.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kane_engelbert Posted March 17, 2010 Author Share Posted March 17, 2010 <p>A 7 out of 10 for customer service, if you consider the bad lens just bad luck. I waiver there, because it was clear within 5 shots there was something wrong with the lens. The zoom ring also had some play at 50mm. I wonder why the 1600.00 lens was for sale. What I appreciated most was Helens fast response and willingness to do her best. In the end, just one thing didn't feel right, but everything else was spot on. <br> The following happened with Adorama customer service. Helen may have had some behind the scene input but we did not communicate with her via phone. I did not get a phone # for her, so we had to quickly find someone to talk to ensure I got a new lens by Friday. <br> We ended up having to buy another lens to get it sent out today from NY so it would arrive in Denver on Friday. I am cool with this, logistics, and weird circumstances occur. There was no way my bad lens would get back to NY in time for a credit and in time for another to be sent out to me in Denver. I was lucky to have my tax refund showing up Friday. Adorama agreed to pay for the overnight shipping after I paid for a new lens... with a little nudge from me of course. For whatever reason, Adorama first asked us to pay 30.00 for overnight shipping. My wife had to convince Adorama to pony up the overnight fee so I can have the lens by friday. <br> The only other issue I have is that Adorama would not overnight the bad lens back to NY so they could quickly refund 1600.00 by Friday. We did not fight this because Ive got that tax refund showing up friday. Instead, they are sending us ground shipping. So, I hope to be refunded next week at some point. </p> <p>Thanks Adorama<br> thank you Helen for</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rene11664880918 Posted March 18, 2010 Share Posted March 18, 2010 <p>I'm impartial on this. specially coz I don't buy from Adorama since I live in Japan.<br> I think that selling a bad lens is not really Adorama's fault, that is Nikon's fault.<br> I myself here in Japan got brand new lens out of the box with a defective aperture ring. How could people in the store know about it? I was the one who open the box and got it out for the first time at the store.<br> I am sure if at the store they played with every lens they would had found out it was a bad lens but specially in America i know how people would be screaming about the stores playing with every lens. Even when people buy a new camera they come here asking about the camera having too many actuations already.<br> I think Adorama did a great job trying to help you and what ever inconvenience you had is just bad luck.... then again good luck coz a rep from Adorama took the time to see your post and help you with your problem.<br> We need to grow up and complain less! Cheers!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kane_engelbert Posted March 18, 2010 Author Share Posted March 18, 2010 <p>Rene, if you read my post, I was never assisted whatsoever from Helen. I was assisted by the customer service department. That's the only phone number I had to actually talk to someone. I recieved two nice emails from Helen before calling, and no phone number to contact her. Due to the time contraints, I had no choice to call the customer service department. In fact, if she was aware of my issue and communicated that to the department, then why do I have to haggle with their customer service department to send my lens overnight? </p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen_oster Posted March 19, 2010 Share Posted March 19, 2010 <p>Ummm... I was actually dealing with this; I'd already requested a pre-label and you wouldn't have had to haggle over the return shipping if you'd left it with me!<br> Unfortunately, when you went through to the main CS team (I don't work on the 'phones at all, I only cover the 'boards'), the process re-started with someone else.....</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kane_engelbert Posted March 19, 2010 Author Share Posted March 19, 2010 <p>Helen, again know I'm impressed with the effort. I think the logistics of me receiving a different lens before i leave tomorrow was my big issue. All in all it worked out. Received the new lens today and it's just what I was hoping for. I'll definately be back for more shopping. Thanks mostly to you and your kind words.<br> Kane</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toby_swank Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 <p>That's crazy great service. Kind of feel like "big brother" is watching.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helen_oster Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 <p>"Big Brother"? Hmmm, I was described as Wonder Woman-without-the-spandex a couple of weeks ago - not sure which I prefer!</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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