Fixing my 18-200

[faTony]

Finally it compresses back to 18



And goes to 200

 

[faTony]

There was a tiny bit of crap in the lens mount spacing rings which was throwing the image plane slightly off.



This might be a better indication of the sharpness.

The corners are a still a bit fuzzy...

I think that they need those alignment jigs only to seat the glass. This was definitely a very lucky way for the lens to break. I didn't have to really shift any glass to get to the broken parts and all the electrical was still in tack.

I'm happy with the result and for a free broken lens, you can't really beat that price.

 

[F3T]

The OP saved about $200 by not sending to Nikon.

Now he has a working (for how long?) lens which is an optical garbage OOF on right side.

What's the next likely scenarios? Selling it on eBay and putting the problem in some other naive guy's bag.

Overall a nice job for which he deserves general clapping on this forum.

... you don't understand my french. Let me translate: you can repair most things > mechanic or electronic but you can never realign optical elements back to > manufacturers specs, on your kitchen table.

I think we should cut him some slack. The lens is in much better shape than when he started. And it has cost him nothing and been very rewarding. I have done some things like this before and know the feeling. Can he align it to original specifications? Likely not unless he is very lucky. So what! Peter

 

[faTony]

I'm a student, so photography is a very expensive hobby for me. I'll take all the free lenses I can get so I'm not going to sell it on don't you worry. The thing that is likely to go next is the fractured actuator plate that I chose not to replace because it still does the job. At least when it goes I know how to replace it.

 

[F3T]

No, I'm not worried about anything. You want to sell it/not sell it is neutral to me.

I don't buy used lenses on eBay and I couldn't care less for the naives.

I was long, long time ago a student like you and had the same painfull hobby like you, so I know your point, buttt... we are all only humans...

I'm a student, so photography is a very expensive hobby for me. I'll take all the free lenses I can get so I'm not going to sell it on don't you worry. The thing that is likely to go next is the fractured actuator plate that I chose not to replace because it still does the job. At least when it goes I know how to replace it.

 

[Aristoc]

Buy a new lens from Amazon. Then a few day later put your origianal broken lens that you repaired inside the box and return it back to Amazon and say it arrived damaged in shipping.

 

[Peter A Stokes]

Troll... DNFTT

 

[Peter A Stokes]

I'm happy with the result and for a free broken lens, you can't really beat that price.

Congratulations! The image of the fabric looks pretty sharp. Corner softness is normal in lenses so perhaps that isn't because of the repair. Thanks for sharing this adventure with us. Peter

 

[faTony]

Thanks Peter,

I my curiosity was too great to pass this opportunity and I'm glad to share it so others can see.

You are also right, I talked to someone that actually owns a super zoom and they said softness around the lens is normal.