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My Nikon 18-200 VR lens has stopped working.

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DavidApp

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I bought the Nikon 18-200 VR Zoom lens some number of years ago. It stayed on my D90 almost all the time and has done great for me. Last week I noticed I had a strange artifact in the view finder which would disappear as I zoomed out. There is a rattle in the lens if I shake it.
The local camera shop seems to have gone out of business so I am at a loss as to where to send it for repair that is if it is worth the expense of having it repaired.
I may be better replacing it with a new 18-200 or the 18 -300.
David
 
David, the lens is not economically fixable. Troll around on fleabay. That optic seems to be one of the most common ones for sale, used. Saw one listing for that lens yesterday, someone had it listed for $500.00!! But most are hovering around $100.00. Just be "discriminating" about it. 😉

I'm currently "stalking" a 12~24mm wide-angle on there, have had good luck with the optics we've purchased used from it so-far. 👍

You should sign on to the photo group Basil has set up here.
 
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The strip that feeds the electronics for the VR is prone to let go. This is a design failure (for this type of lens) that happens after some years.
Parts available but most lenses have damaged brushes as a result of this.
 
Agree with Doc...for what it would cost to have repaired you could likely get another lens.
 
Basil said:
Agree with Doc...for what it would cost to have repaired you could likely get another lens.
Click to expand...
Quite possibly TWO! Nikon's own repair services have gone ballistic.
 
I was hoping to walk into a camera shop and get a "Yes we can do the repair for $*** or not worth the cost of repair" Sending it off somewhere is a bit of a shot in the dark.

I had forgotten I had a 28-200 VR lens. I am using that at the moment and am considering my options on another lens.

David
 
That effective 15mm longer focal length just means ya gotta take two steps back. 😉
 
I have decided that my D90 may need to be retired.

Any suggestions on a Nikon mirrorless cameras. I am looking at the Z50, Z5 or Z6.

David
 
DavidApp said:
I have decided that my D90 may need to be retired.

Any suggestions on a Nikon mirrorless cameras. I am looking at the Z50, Z5 or Z6.

David
Click to expand...
When I finally decided to step out of the dark(room) ages, I did a real 'soul searching' period trying to decide whether to go with a full-frame, APS-C or mirrorless DSLR. Having spent the first half of my life using cameras for a living it was not an easy decision between top-end and "adequate to purpose." Finally went with Nikon's APS-C body, a D7500 (same sensor as their D500). All my old AiS prime glass works on it, too. For the images we take now, the expense of "latest-greatest" cameras is unjustifiable. The crop-sensor images have thus far been more than good enough to please. I can't imagine an issue with publications refusing to use one, either. IMHO the optics are where to spend the money.
 
Have a look at some of the radically size reduced or cropped images in the photo group.
 
Check out youtube for how to repair. I looked and they have several videos about repairing lenses. My shutter was stuck and camera error message was telling me to take to authorized dealer for repair, checked youtube and fixed it myself in less than 3 minutes. What have you got to lose, if you try and it don't work you are no worse off. Should it work you save time and money and your lens works like it should.
 
I have looked at the repair video on the lens but think that my eye sight and hand eye coordination is no longer good enough to do that kind of work.

David
 
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