Broken 28-70 lens :-(

[stubbsy]

Yesterday when I started shooting with my trusty 28-70 f2.8 Nikkor all my images were overexposed by around 3 stops. After some investigation it turned out that the small silver lever that opens and closes the aperture blades is extremely stiff and doesn't get snapped into place with the sping like it should. You can slide it to a spot and the blades stay there. Hard to say if it's just a broken spring (which I doubt since it's quite stiff when I move it), but regardless it's off to the doctors for repair.

What really annoys me is this is a pro grade lens (with a price to match) and after 2 or so years not only is the rubber grip almost completely unglued, but now this. Doesn't make me confident of Nikon's build quality.

Given I'm buying a new body for my Antarctic trip maybe it's time to consider a switch to Canon

[dviv]

Sorry to hear about the lens Peter, hopefully Nikon service come through.

Given I'm buying a new body for my Antarctic trip maybe it's time to consider a switch to Canon

You know you want to

[chrisk]

a long time ago i told an old boss i was leaving for another job. he asked me a simple question. "are you running away from something or are you running towards something."

[Greg B]

Stubbsy, I seem to recall another thread recently about someone threatening to move from Nikon to Canon,
maybe you should look it up, might be useful.....

[aim54x]

Peter, fingers crossed that they Dr is nice!

I do hope you stay with Nikon though.

[chrisk]

Stubbsy, I seem to recall another thread recently about someone threatening to move from Nikon to Canon,
maybe you should look it up, might be useful.....

lol lucky i'm no sprinter heh ?

[Alpha_7]

De ja vu - Stubbsy shame about your lens, and your right we pay a lot of money for Pro glass, and yet we generally treat it better then Pros, if it was with a reporter or sports shooter it would of had a much harder life so far - yet its crapping out on you. Peter if you do go to the dark side, I'm keen to take the 70-200 and TC off your hands so I have something longer for Antartica. Only 9 days to go

[myarhidia]

Yesterday when I started shooting with my trusty 28-70 f2.8 Nikkor all my images were overexposed by around 3 stops. After some investigation it turned out that the small silver lever that opens and closes the aperture blades is extremely stiff and doesn't get snapped into place with the sping like it should. You can slide it to a spot and the blades stay there. Hard to say if it's just a broken spring (which I doubt since it's quite stiff when I move it), but regardless it's off to the doctors for repair.

What really annoys me is this is a pro grade lens (with a price to match) and after 2 or so years not only is the rubber grip almost completely unglued, but now this. Doesn't make me confident of Nikon's build quality.

Talk about Déjà vu, your lens must have come out of the same batch that mine did......

- return spring on the aperture, did that about 2 years ago
- rubber grip - same problem
- pre-warning you on #3 issue..... viewtopic.php?f=38&t=38566

[aim54x]

- pre-warning you on #3 issue..... http://www.dslrusers.com/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=38566

OUCH! I remember that thread....

[Killakoala]

I dare not take mine out now

[Lucifer]

My Dad has one of these since 2001. No problem with it so far. He is a weekend shooter.

I also got one for myself. Love the lens. Have no problems with it at all.

[glamy]

This is the lens I use most after the 17-35 and it has never missed a bit... The newer lenses are not without issues either.

[stubbsy]

Well I have my repair quote from Nikon which also includes replacing the big 1.5 cm wide rubber ring around the outside of the body that is mostly unglued (go Nikon build quality - glue that lasts less than a few years of basic use!):

$27.92 REAR GROUP PROTECTOR RING -
$27.12 APERTURE COUPLING LEVER
$13.24 RUBBER RING
$270.00 SERVICE LABOUR
$8.25 CONSUMABLES

That gives a grand total of $346.53 plus another $9.90 to have it freighted back to me.

[aim54x]

Well I have my repair quote from Nikon which also includes replacing the big 1.5 cm wide rubber ring around the outside of the body that is mostly unglued (go Nikon build quality - glue that lasts less than a few years of basic use!):

$27.92 REAR GROUP PROTECTOR RING -
$27.12 APERTURE COUPLING LEVER
$13.24 RUBBER RING
$270.00 SERVICE LABOUR
$8.25 CONSUMABLES

That gives a grand total of $346.53 plus another $9.90 to have it freighted back to me.

Gotta love how expensive the labour is going to be.....Gerry had a very nice theory about this labour charge...being the highest they think someone will be willing to pay for the job.

Glad to hear that this is not a very expensive repair after all.

[gstark]

Actually, that sounds like it's about three hours labour. Given the intricacy of the work and in particular, what probably needs to be done with re-assembly and calibration, that's probably not too bad.

Of course the frustrating part of this is realising that the failure of a $30 part on a $2500 lens has caused a $350 repair bill!

[biggerry]

$27.92 REAR GROUP PROTECTOR RING -
$27.12 APERTURE COUPLING LEVER

Peter, great to hear it is a relatviely inexpensive repair, i would be interested in the details of waht actually failed, it sounds obviously mechanical and given your description of the aperture lever being sticky the spring or some part has departed and partially jammed it.

Gerry had a very nice theory about this labour charge

yeah, really it just makes good business practice from their end.

really, 270 for labour it probably ok when your dealing with a lens worth thousands, that kinda money would, in my opinion, ensure there is more than just a monkey with a screwdriver.

[chrisk]

one one hand annoying that a pro lens needs this sort of repair in the first place. that i understand. but the cost to me looks more that reasonable. $270 in labour is bugger all in todays terms. i got charged something like that recently to fix my busted fridge, (4 yrs old), and the bloke was only in the house for an hour...$120 labour and $130 call out fee.

[biggerry]

i got charged something like that recently to fix my busted fridge, (4 yrs old), and the bloke was only in the house for an hour...$120 labour and $130 call out fee

i hear ya, how about plumbers - man their pay is ridiculous imo, i would not be saying that if I was a plumber tho

[Matt. K]

Peter
Having had quite a bit of Nikon stuff repaired at NIKON your quote is on the lower side of expensive. At least the lens will have a guarantee/warranty period and in my experience will be as good as new when you get it back.