fEE error with TC 14 E II (dropped it)

[anuragagnihotri]

Hi guys, bit of a problem here.

My new AF-S 300/4 is working fine on my D800E, but the

camera is flashing fEE when mounted with the TC. I have

locked the lens aperture at F32 so that's not a problem.

Camera is autofocussing fine but the metering is not

happening. Neither can i actuate the shutter button.

Upon falling, the 'meter coupling ridge' has bent a bit at one

place, on the camera side of the TC mount. TC slone is

mounting fine on the camera and there is no fEE then, but

when i mount the lens, the error comes back.

Is the TC broken, or i am doing something silly? Is there a

D800 menu item that has to be enabled in order to mount a

TC?

Is the 'meter coupling ridge' on TC ia movable

thing...because its not moving and is fixed.

Please help,

nde

[ShunCheung]

<p>Could you clarify whether you have dropped some or all of those components? I have all of those pieces (a TC-14E version 1 instead of 2, but there is no real difference). They should work if you mount them together with the TC in the middle. There is no menu to select to enable this.</p>

[anuragagnihotri]

Dropped just the TC on the floor. It was on my lap and i got

up :)

 

Shun, i faintly remember that the "meter coupling ridge"

(from diagram on accompanying multi lingual leaflet) could

move if i push it with a finger, or maybe it didn't. It doesnt anymore. Thats where the dent is actually.

It was a brand new TC. What luck :)

[ShunCheung]

<p>As you probably know, there is a mechanical connection from a Nikon SLR body to an F mount lens to open and close the aperture diaphragm. (There are a few E lenses that are exceptions, such as the various PC-E tilt-shift lenses and the 800mm/f5.6 AF-S VR.)</p>

<p>On the lens side, the lever is spring loaded. Normally, the aperture is completely closed. If you apply a bit of pressure on the lever of a lens that is not mounted, you can gently open the aperture diaphragm. Its counter part on the SLR body side is at the 9 o'clock position.</p>

<p>On Nikon teleconverters, there is a mechanical lever that couples those two parts together since the lens is no longer directly mounted onto a body. On a TC that is not mounted, that mechanical lever should move freely. Once you mount the TC onto a lens, it becomes spring loaded due to the spring inside the lens.</p>

<p>If the drop has damaged the lever inside your TC so that it no longer moves freely, you'll need repair. You might as well use that opportunity to make sure that the lens elements inside the TC are still aligned.</p>

[anuragagnihotri]

Shun, see this image:

http://www.photo.net/photo/17639499

It is from the manual.

The part that is No. 2 is described as'meter coupling ridge'.

This is where the dent is.

The mechanical lever that you are talking about is this?

Does this move?

Regards,

Anurag

[ShunCheung]

<p>This is a TC-17E II, but the TC-14E looks the same.</p>

<p>If either one of those is now stuck after the drop, it needs repair.</p><div></div>

[james_lai]

<p>Did you buy it with a credit card? If so, check to see if the card has insurance for accidental damage to newly purchased items.</p>

[anuragagnihotri]

Shun, none of these are stuck. Your picture is of the lens

side. The ridge that i wrote about is on the camera side. See

my picture.

 

James, no.

 

I will have to send it for service :(

[ShunCheung]

<p>Let's take a look at both ends of Nikon teleconverters. The <em>meter coupling lever</em> (blue) is spring loaded inside the TC while the <em>EE servo coupling post</em> is not.</p>

<p>Since your D800E has an aperture follower tab, the EE servo coupling post is not needed in this case.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Shun, i faintly remember that the "meter coupling ridge" (from diagram on accompanying multi lingual leaflet) could move if i push it with a finger, or maybe it didn't. It doesnt anymore.</p>

</blockquote>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Shun, none of these are stuck. Your picture is of the lens side.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I find it strange that the meter coupling lever is stuck on the back side but is still spring loaded and can move on the front side. Unless the mechanical linkage is broken inside, I don't see how it is stuck only on one end.</p>

<p>In any case, if any one of those is completely stuck, you need repair.</p><div></div>

[anuragagnihotri]

Shun you are right. Its stuck on the both side.

In the 5 minute i had it with me before dropping it, i could

only notice that the long ridge moves and there is some

rattle. It didnt give me enough time to notice the connected

tab on the other side.

 

Shun, ya, its going to Nikon. Do you think it can be repaired

in a meaningful way? I hope its not reached point of no

return...or may be the fix is simple.

 

I will know soon.

 

Thanks for your time.

Anurag

[georges_pelpel]

<p>That is typical with a dropped Nikon TC. The barrel is very thin and easily bends under impact thus preventing the coupling lever free movement along its entire path.<br>

I have had the same issue on a couple TCs, one dropped, the other was forgotten in a cotton camera bag and put into the dryer after a wet photo shoot. I tried to repair both and failed. It is almost impossible to reshape the outer barrel round and smooth again. The only option is to send it to Nikon and have all the elements put into a new barrel.</p>

[anuragagnihotri]

Good to know. Exactly what happened.