VR “broken” on Nikon 18-200 DX VR

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RayP

New member
I was lucky to acquire a Coolscan V 9 years ago. Invaluable for digitising lots of precious shots from the 70s onwards.

The detail from a 5x4 negative must be a sight to behold. 😳
 
Silversnapper

Silversnapper

Senior Member
RayP said:
I was lucky to acquire a Coolscan V 9 years ago. Invaluable for digitising lots of precious shots from the 70s onwards.

The detail from a 5x4 negative must be a sight to behold. 😳
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In case you don't now, if the Coolscan ever thows a wobbly, there is a guy in Lincolnshire that has lots of spares and can repair most versions.

Age and arthritis is taking it's toll so I'm winding down my film work, closing down my darkroom and concentrating on digital macros and a limited amount of field work, as long as I can keep pressing a shutter button and seeing the results I'll be a happy bunny. :)
 
R

RayP

New member
A more positive experience this morning. I phoned MPB and the call was answered almost immediately. The young lady listened attentively as I went through the problem. She said it sounds like a full test of the lens by their staff missed VR not working. The lens will be collected tomorrow and once back with them they’ll contact me so the replacement Mk 2 I’ve selected in ‘as new” condition can be dispatched.

I asked this new lens be tested to ensure VR is working and written confirmation sent by email. She agreed to do this.

So in a week’s time I should be in possession of a replacement which hopefully will give me many years of good service.
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
Good to hear MPB has good customer service. I have had good experiences from MPB, and never had an issue with any of the equipment I've purchased. Based on my experiences, I would rather buy used from MPB than a refurb from Nikon.
 
R

RayP

New member
I’ll report back as things progress. I want to gauge people’s experiences with VR but I’ll post a separate topic. 👍
 
hark

hark

Administrator
Staff member
Super Mod
Contributor
RayP said:
I’ll report back as things progress. I want to gauge people’s experiences with VR but I’ll post a separate topic. 👍
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I had 2 rotator cuff surgeries and don't have quite the strength to hold long lenses steady. So even if I am using a fast shutter speed such as 1/1600", I still use VR. I've tested it with and without VR. The VR images are superior with sharpness.

The only issue I've had with VR (and with more than one lens), is when the image 'jumps' inside my viewfinder. What I mean is I frame up my shot, and as I press the shutter, the VR kicks in. The image jolts inside the viewfinder for a split second rather than just locking in place. However, the images still turn out sharp.
 
R

RayP

New member
@hark , it was more about its longevity really. Does VR tend to eventually fail on all compatible lenses? Autofocus still works fine on my 17 year-old lens but VR has failed during the last 6-7 months.
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
I believe some VR components are much more susceptible to damage from drops and bumps. There are some delicate components that don't take kindly to bumps. Besides being careful not to drop or bump your lens, one thing you can do is to be sure and turn off your camera prior to unmounting the lens. This will put the mechanism into a "parking" mode that is more resistant to damage from sudden movements.
 
R

RayP

New member
With an 18-200 lens that covers all my needs it rarely comes off. I’ve always been careful handling my cameras over 50+ years. This is the first time I’ve had this kind of failure.

I’ve always left VR on. Does that cause any issues? Maybe turning it on only when required might help. But then would the switch wear out? Arrgghh! 😩
 
Clovishound

Clovishound

Senior Member
I don't think leaving it on while shooting is the issue. It's removing the lens when the camera is on. With a lot of lenses, if you remove it from the camera when it is on, and the VR is on, if you gently shake the lens, you will hear a rattle inside. If you mount it and turn the camera off, then remove and shake it, you won't hear that rattle. I never used to worry about that when changing lenses in the field, until my daughter had an issue with her macro lens, and I talked with customer support. They told me about this issue. I've tried it with several lenses, and definitely notice a difference between removing with the camera on and off.
 
Roland2904

Roland2904

New member
RayP said:
I’ve registered here to get some expert advice from fellow Nikon users.

I’ve had my Mk 1 18-200 DX VR lens since 2007. I’m not a frequent photographer but have been doing it for over 50 years.

The lens started on a D70 then D90 and finally a D7100. In all that time things have been fine until I noticed a shot taken in poor November light had camera shake. That’s unusual.

I’ve discovered VR isn’t working. So I bought a used replacement from a British company MPB. It arrived today and I’m sorry to say VR isn’t working on it either. I’ve reported it to MPB.

Is this common with Nikon lenses? Does VR eventually fail and if so can it be repaired? The money I’ve spent on this replacement could go towards a repair if you think that’s a sensible move. I know it’s 18 years old but remains in very good condition and has never been dropped which might have caused damage.

Thanks.
Ray.
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Hi Ray!
A very common issue after a few years with this lens. Requires a replacement of the VR flex cable. Costs about $ 150,00 by a Nikon service center.
 
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