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Sudden Nikon 16-85 mm problem

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bflood

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My wife and i Just returned from a one week cruise. Since photography wasn't a major part of the trip, I took my old D7000 with my 16-85 (we didn't even plan to leave the ship, but did on one day, for about 2 hours). I took a variety of shots around the ship during the cruise and during our walk around Cabo. Everything worked just like Nikon always wanted. It was used last on Feb 8 and then packed in my backpack for the trip home.

This morning (Feb 12) I picked up the D7000/16-85 and went to get a couple of shots, only to find the zoom won't budge. With enough force, I can move it, and I found by the traditional search and destroy method that the zoom works distinctly easier if the lens is pointed straight up, and it's almost unmovable when pointed straight down. Everything else seems to work fine. No rattled if I shake the lens.

I've had the lens since 2008, which makes me wonder if it will be cost effective to get a 10 year old lens fixed.

Bottom line: does anyone have a similar experience with this lens? If so, what kind of repair cost am I likely to incur?
 
I used to have that lens, but never had that problem. I would think that you would be looking at least 200-300 dollars for repair. Is it worth it, you decide. Good luck.
 
volks 1 said:
I used to have that lens, but never had that problem. I would think that you would be looking at least 200-300 dollars for repair. Is it worth it, you decide. Good luck.
Click to expand...
 
bflood said:
This morning (Feb 12) I picked up the D7000/16-85 and went to get a couple of shots, only to find the zoom won't budge.
Click to expand...
The lens needs a repair - if you consider the cost economic.

At 10 years old something may be worn out, something may have broken, or it may have been "squashed" in-between other luggage when returning home from the cruise.
 
Update:

I had a physical therapy (pain and torture) appointment yesterday afternoon, and, as my local camera store is near the clinic (B&C Camera, Las Vegas), I took the lens with me. After the appointment, I took the lens into the store, and a couple of the staff whose knowledge/experience/judgement I trust had a look at it.

In the store, the lens didn't seem as stiff to me as it had earlier, but it was stiffer than it should be, and the force needed to rotate the ring was quite uneven. Both of the store staff were of the same opinion - the zoom ring mechanism was obviously malfunctioning, but the lens worked (poorly in one way, but it still worked). They both estimated the cost of repairing it at Nikon would be high enough to make one consider whether it would be worthwhile. The autofocus works as well as ever, the aperture functions correctly, and the optics aren't affected - just the zoom ring.

They both agreed on a course of action - use the lens. If the condition doesn't change, I still have a working lens. If the condition worsens, I'll have to make a decision, and there's a chance the condition might improve. Neither could find any indication of foreign matter in/around the zoom ring (or anywhere else on the lens).

I've decided to give their recommendation a try. I'll keep the lens and use it, and see what happens. I did a little looking online at alternatives if the lens quits entirely. Among the options is a refurbished 18-55 VR II from Nikon for $100 - a pretty cheap solution. I'd miss those 2 mm on the wide end, but I can cover the longer end with other lens+camera hardware.

So - we'll see what happens. Wish me luck.
 
bflood said:
Update:

In the store, the lens didn't seem as stiff to me as it had earlier, but it was stiffer than it should be, and the force needed to rotate the ring was quite uneven.
Click to expand...
Many zooms have different zoom ring resistance turning the zoom ring, or pointing the front element upward.

The reason is zooms often move different groups of elements at different speeds when zooming.

It seems you can continue to use this old lens, but my advice is check image quality prior to taking important photos.
 
bflood said:
Update:

I had a physical therapy (pain and torture) appointment yesterday afternoon, and, as my local camera store is near the clinic (B&C Camera, Las Vegas), I took the lens with me. After the appointment, I took the lens into the store, and a couple of the staff whose knowledge/experience/judgement I trust had a look at it.

In the store, the lens didn't seem as stiff to me as it had earlier, but it was stiffer than it should be, and the force needed to rotate the ring was quite uneven. Both of the store staff were of the same opinion - the zoom ring mechanism was obviously malfunctioning, but the lens worked (poorly in one way, but it still worked). They both estimated the cost of repairing it at Nikon would be high enough to make one consider whether it would be worthwhile. The autofocus works as well as ever, the aperture functions correctly, and the optics aren't affected - just the zoom ring.

They both agreed on a course of action - use the lens. If the condition doesn't change, I still have a working lens. If the condition worsens, I'll have to make a decision, and there's a chance the condition might improve. Neither could find any indication of foreign matter in/around the zoom ring (or anywhere else on the lens).

I've decided to give their recommendation a try. I'll keep the lens and use it, and see what happens. I did a little looking online at alternatives if the lens quits entirely. Among the options is a refurbished 18-55 VR II from Nikon for $100 - a pretty cheap solution. I'd miss those 2 mm on the wide end, but I can cover the longer end with other lens+camera hardware.

So - we'll see what happens. Wish me luck.
Click to expand...
..good to hear the lens is working again..

..the 16-85mm is a lens that I've purchased over the holiday's at a decent deal.. you may want to browse on *bay from time to time and look for deals..

..Cheers..
 
I have 2 copies of this lens, both gotten new as a kit lens, a few years apart.
The first copy's zoom got a stiff and jerky zoom. I stopped using it.
Eventually the 2nd copy also got stiff and jerky. I then tried the 1st copy again to compare the zoom problems, thinking I might get one or both of them repaired. Surprisingly the first copy's zoom worked fine. No stiffness or jerkiness and no need for repair. I'm using it. I don't know why it healed itself.
 
Valps said:
I have 2 copies of this lens, both gotten new as a kit lens, a few years apart.
The first copy's zoom got a stiff and jerky zoom. I stopped using it.
Eventually the 2nd copy also got stiff and jerky. I then tried the 1st copy again to compare the zoom problems, thinking I might get one or both of them repaired. Surprisingly the first copy's zoom worked fine. No stiffness or jerkiness and no need for repair. I'm using it. I don't know why it healed itself.
Click to expand...
..thanks for sharing your experience.. yes, seems strange.. but glad to hear things are working again.. :-)

..Cheers..
 
bflood said:
My wife and i Just returned from a one week cruise. Since photography wasn't a major part of the trip, I took my old D7000 with my 16-85 (we didn't even plan to leave the ship, but did on one day, for about 2 hours). I took a variety of shots around the ship during the cruise and during our walk around Cabo. Everything worked just like Nikon always wanted. It was used last on Feb 8 and then packed in my backpack for the trip home.

This morning (Feb 12) I picked up the D7000/16-85 and went to get a couple of shots, only to find the zoom won't budge. With enough force, I can move it, and I found by the traditional search and destroy method that the zoom works distinctly easier if the lens is pointed straight up, and it's almost unmovable when pointed straight down. Everything else seems to work fine. No rattled if I shake the lens.

I've had the lens since 2008, which makes me wonder if it will be cost effective to get a 10 year old lens fixed.

Bottom line: does anyone have a similar experience with this lens? If so, what kind of repair cost am I likely to incur?
Click to expand...
I have a 18-300mm F3.5-5.6G ED VR purchased in 2013 that suddenly stopped focusing and wouldn't zoom.

I don't recall any incident that could have caused the damage.

I claimed on my travel insurance but they depreciate the value of lenses so rapidly that it would have been almost as cheap to by a second-hand lens. As it was i had to wait about 5 months for the insurance claim to be assessed, evaluation of the repair cost, delivery of parts and time to repair.

I should have just gone and bought a second hand lens. That said, it was the first Nikon lens (out of about 60 Nikkor lenses) that has ever failed in 36 years.
 
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