600MM f6.3 lens foot design flaw

On my copy, the locking knob has to be moderately loose before the lens can be quickly released on pressing the recessed quick release knob.

Either your knob was not fully tightened or the collar lock is defective.

This type of issue can be similar to not fully locking a ball and socket type tripod head. If not securely locked, the cameras and lens can tip over while attached to the tripod head and can perhaps as a result cause the tripod with camera/lens attached to fall to the ground.

Leonard Shepherd said:

On my copy, the locking knob has to be moderately loose before the lens can be quickly released on pressing the recessed quick release knob.

Either your knob was not fully tightened or the collar lock is defective.

This type of issue can be similar to not fully locking a ball and socket type tripod head. If not securely locked, the cameras and lens can tip over while attached to the tripod head and can perhaps as a result cause the tripod with camera/lens attached to fall to the ground.

Click to expand...

Thank you,

Yes the knob was definitely fully tightened, as it took considerable force to loosen it after it was al detached.

This kind of thing can happen with any of the feet which have the quick release button on them if the lens is held parallel to the ground or perpendicular with the "wrong" end up. People widely "publicized" this as a kind of PSA about the 500pf, for instance, which is essentially the f-mount version of this lens. However, it is only possible if the knob is not securely fastened. You say that the knob was tightened, but if the knob on these feet is tightened adequately the button cannot release the foot.

It is not totally impossible that there is something wrong with the knob, but the knob is really an extraordinarily simple mechanical device - it's just a screw that tightens - and so I think it's much more likely that your knob was turned only until it hit a little resistance so that it was turned "all the way" but not tightened.

Generally speaking the best practice with these sorts of feet seems to be to close the knob slightly loosely if you are using it on a tripod but may want to remove it to walk around with by using the button, or to turn it so that it is very tight if you are not using it with a tripod and are just carrying it around. The button's job is to allow the lens to come off of the foot very easily when you may want it to, and the knob's job is to make sure it can't do this when you don't. When it is configured so that the button can release the lens from the foot easily, it's important to keep in mind that it can come off easily since that is the purpose of the button and so to avoid holding it in a way it might be disconnected inadvertently.

I have the 500pf which I presume is a similar foot and I have found that the knob can indeed be turned so that it is "closed" but that there is a very noticeable and distinctive extra amount of tightening possible when I want it to be secure. Since I never use a tripod I periodically check the tightness to make sure it hasn't loosened up due to vibration or whatnot and I have found that it really doesn't loosen at all when it is tightened sufficiently and there is absolutely no movement when the button is pressed. I'll still continue to check it as a standard precaution, but the knob is really staying nice and tight once it is set that way.

This certainly isn’t the first time we’ve heard of failures with Nikon quick release feet on their longer lenses.

Because I had read about them, the first thing I did with my 500 PF was to replace the foot with a replacement from Hejnar Photo. First off, I can’t imagine what I’d want a quick release foot for anyway, and with the replacement foot you get a very solid mount (I also used threadlocker on the screw), an Arca-Swiss compatible design with safety screws, a QD socket (which I use to connect a sling strap), and the usual 3/8” and 1/4’ screw threads. It’s a much better design than Nikon’s and Hejnar makes versions for most Nikon long lenses.

http://www.hejnarphotostore.com/

Sorry to hear this happened. I'd be disappointed. I have a replacement foot on my 500pf for that reason.

I don't like the release knob being inside the foot and so positioned just where your hand sits if carrying it by the foot. I have a Leofoto foot on my 600 but it has the same issue presumably because of the Nikon mount design. I always nervously check the screw tightness when setting off on a walk with it.

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

There's something that I have been confused by in two of your posts on this. You're saying that the knob was very tight so that it took considerable force to move it... but if that is the case, I don't understand how it is detached. In other words, how can something be both extremely tight and also detached from the thing it was tightened to at the same time?

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

Sad story, but not unheard of.

I had a similar loss of faith some ten years ago, and I had also spent thousands on lenses and bodies and just kept the first camera and the first lens. But my kit was Pentax in those days.

Now, when I'm older and hopefully wiser, I might have acted differently, but the discovery of the Nikon 1 series of cameras and lenses changed my life!

And mixing three systems is a delight, all being Nikon!

SCoombs said:

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

There's something that I have been confused by in two of your posts on this. You're saying that the knob was very tight so that it took considerable force to move it... but if that is the case, I don't understand how it is detached. In other words, how can something be both extremely tight and also detached from the thing it was tightened to at the same time?

Click to expand...

Overtightening screws can lead to lots of issues, just as does loose screws. Overtightening leads to ripping out the threads, sadly easy to do (I did that on the flywheel on my last motorbike, some 35 years ago).

SCoombs said:

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

There's something that I have been confused by in two of your posts on this. You're saying that the knob was very tight so that it took considerable force to move it... but if that is the case, I don't understand how it is detached. In other words, how can something be both extremely tight and also detached from the thing it was tightened to at the same time?

Click to expand...

What is confusing about that? The knob was very tight, so tight it shouldn't have come off.

The lens foot came off, when I found the detached piece on the floor and I checked how tight it was, it was still very tight.

The lens foot had a scratch where the knob was applying pressure, so, to my point, it's a design flaw.

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

Search through this and other Nikon websites. I’m sure you’ll find multiple occurrences of this happening. Collect the results and email them with your complaint to Nikon. That’s what I did when the zoom on my 200-500 failed to prove to them that it was a known, and not uncommon, issue. They might just change their minds as they did with me.

Blufftonian said:

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

Search through this and other Nikon websites. I’m sure you’ll find multiple occurrences of this happening. Collect the results and email them with your complaint to Nikon. That’s what I did when the zoom on my 200-500 failed to prove to them that it was a known, and not uncommon, issue. They might just change their minds as they did with me.

Click to expand...

That is what I've been doing for 2 weeks. They claim the knob has no manufacturing defects, but ignore the design flaw issue.

They have provided a 40% discount and will arrange a free loan while the camera and lens get repaired.

This is, for me, not about money, I can afford £650, discounting it to £400 isn't doing much to convince me to stay with them.

Cifu said:

Blufftonian said:

Cifu said:

Hi, I wanted to provide an update.

Nikon refuses to own the issue, as I said before, I'm pretty sure the knob was as tight as it could be, I'm 6"2, strong, and it took considerable force to move it after it was detached.

I'll have to pay for this repair but this experience is making me leave Nikon, I'm not sure if I'll sell everything I own now and move on or wait until I need to replace my bodies naturally and then sell the lenses.

It's pretty disappointing, I've spent thousands on Nikon, trusted them, I'm an NPS member, and all I get is a mere discount on the repair.

Thanks for your responses.

Click to expand...

Search through this and other Nikon websites. I’m sure you’ll find multiple occurrences of this happening. Collect the results and email them with your complaint to Nikon. That’s what I did when the zoom on my 200-500 failed to prove to them that it was a known, and not uncommon, issue. They might just change their minds as they did with me.

Click to expand...

That is what I've been doing for 2 weeks. They claim the knob has no manufacturing defects, but ignore the design flaw issue.

They have provided a 40% discount and will arrange a free loan while the camera and lens get repaired.

This is, for me, not about money, I can afford £650, discounting it to £400 isn't doing much to convince me to stay with them.

Click to expand...

As much as I'm committed to Nikon products, I think I'd feel the same way.

Cifu said:

Hi,

I'm opening this new thread as a question, I'll explain what happened to me a couple of weeks ago and see if someone else has experienced similar issues.

I had my Z9 attached to the 600mm f6.3, the lens at the time was a week old, it was a refurbished unit sold directly by Nikon UK. I was holding both with my hand by the lens foot and I suddenly felt how the camera and then the lens feel on the floor.

The lens foot was tightened, the wheel was in "lock" position, I must have pressed the button to release the lens foot, but it should have never came off, as, as I say, the wheel was lock.

Camera mount broke and the lens was also slightly damaged by the mount too.

I don't have any pictures but I saw how the wheel had a scratch mark where the locking mechanism actuates.

Do any of you have lived anything similar? I know many users go for a 3rd party lens foot, but I'd be great if you could share your experiences.

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear of this. In the interest of helping to avoid a repeat, this thread describes my decision making when selecting a replacement foot (and strap) for a 500PF. I'll note that there are alternatives that will work equally as well. But I'm convinced that the OEM foot is not suitable for task at hand and should be replaced. Good news is that there are multiple options available. Good luck!

Nick

NicholasD said:

Cifu said:

Hi,

I'm opening this new thread as a question, I'll explain what happened to me a couple of weeks ago and see if someone else has experienced similar issues.

I had my Z9 attached to the 600mm f6.3, the lens at the time was a week old, it was a refurbished unit sold directly by Nikon UK. I was holding both with my hand by the lens foot and I suddenly felt how the camera and then the lens feel on the floor.

The lens foot was tightened, the wheel was in "lock" position, I must have pressed the button to release the lens foot, but it should have never came off, as, as I say, the wheel was lock.

Camera mount broke and the lens was also slightly damaged by the mount too.

I don't have any pictures but I saw how the wheel had a scratch mark where the locking mechanism actuates.

Do any of you have lived anything similar? I know many users go for a 3rd party lens foot, but I'd be great if you could share your experiences.

Click to expand...

Sorry to hear of this. In the interest of helping to avoid a repeat, this thread describes my decision making when selecting a replacement foot (and strap) for a 500PF. I'll note that there are alternatives that will work equally as well. But I'm convinced that the OEM foot is not suitable for task at hand and should be replaced. Good news is that there are multiple options available. Good luck!

Nick

Click to expand...

Thank you, I think I'll go with the Hejnarphoto, it looks the most secure of all the options I've seen.

Dinosaur dave said:

This continuing lens-foot issue is just asking to divide opinions into:

........ "those who are blind to any criticism of Nikon" ....... as is often shown in these lens-foot threads ..... and defend the undefendable ........

those who have a genuine concern about the safety of their other equipment ..... quite rightly .....

........ and those who have been bitten by this lens-foot and are disgusted by Nikon's pathetic cover up service response ........ and who can end up selling their gear ......... as once confidence of a manufacturer is lost, often the customer goes with it ....... justifiably in my view in this case!

Click to expand...

I would just like to add that Nikon show their blind stubbornness even more by continuing to plague their lens range by manufacturing more of the same .......