Dead 28-70/2.8

[dmeckert]

Hey all,

Wanting to see if anyone has any thoughts.

My 28-70/2.8 recently kicked the bucket. It won't focus, even manually. I'm sure it's repairable. For reference it's defs in user condition (it's had nearly 9 years of heavy use).

Anyone have any idea what repair would cost with nikon's new hideous repair prices?

Conversely, what's it worth to someone willing to have it repaired?

eBay didnt seem to answer my questions, and the internets varies tremendously as far as reported repair costs.

Thanks,
Daves

 

[pophoto]

If you file it on the Nikon website for website, you will send it at your cost to have it evaluated and an estimate for repair costs given to you before you proceed. I have used both Nikon and Canon repair services, and I can tell you costs are very reasonable, but be realistic too!

 

[dmeckert]

definitely realistic, and expecting something north of $300 but south of $600. mainly curious if anyone's got figures before i waste half a dozen trenta iced coffees on shipping.

 

[Tektrader]

The fact that you can not focus it even manually is a good thing. The expensive part of the 28-70 is the focus motor. Seeing your wont manuallay focus something may just be jammed inside.

I dont think this is going to be too expensive. Its a great lens and I still use mine. Get it fixed....

 

[dmeckert]

Thanks. That sounds reasonable. I definitely hope it's not the focus motor, it's what I fear. With that as a possibility I suppose it's worth sending in. I'd hate to sell it for parts to find it was a cheap fix.

 

[dmeckert]

okay...update.

the 28-70 has been serving to keep my kitchen table from floating away since i started this thread.

i fiddled around with it, and discovered that it actually will focus manually.

i've also moved to a d800 rather by accident (the lens was stone dead on the d600)...and on that body, it seems to have come alive...but behaves very strangely.

the AF operates...for a few shots. then the viewfinder goes dark, and i have to turn the camera on and off. it occasionally causes the camera to have a card error (the card is fine, verified with a 28-105). half pressing the shutter won't wake the camera up, but turning it off and on gets the AF to lock on.

any ideas what's going on? i've given the contacts a cleaning, to no effect.

faulty wiring? debris inside the lens housing?

i'm sure it'll have to go back to nikon, but i'm curious. really glad i decided to fiddle around with it again, as i almost decided to list it as-is for a few hundred bucks. lol

 

[D&A]

This does sound like it might be a electrical problem more than anything else. Whether the external contacts or an internal wire or small PC board like part, it's hard to say. Before sending it in and with nothing to loose, I'd look at those contacts again. On occasions I've found when one type of cleaning process doesn't work, another does. Try a pencil eraser, then try a small amount of Alcohol. I've often found an appropriate electronic contact cleaner works well. After attempting this once more, then see what happens.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Vivek]

Try a pencil eraser, then try a small amount of Alcohol.
Dave (D&A)

Whatever you do (OP), do not use that remedy!

The electronic contacts are gold plated, a pencil eraser (most of them anyway) has rubber that is vulcanized (an old American innovation that is also a key step in the industrial revolution) which means that it has sulfur. Sulfur bonds to Gold readily than anything else and makes it less conductive.

 

[paulraphael]

At lensrentals.com they use pencil erasers on the contacts. They clean the lenses every time they send them out.

 

[Vivek]

Poor customers!

 

[D&A]

Vivek,

I'm not qualified to comment on the positive efficacy or detrimental outcome of using a pencil eraser on rear gold plated contacts, but I witnessed on more that one occasion techs from a major lens manufacturer doing exactly that sort of thing.

Dave (D&A)

 

[Vivek]

Dave:

Canon article: Canon DLC: Article: Canon EOS Error Messages: An explanation and understanding

Warning: do not clean lens contacts on either a Canon lens or the camera body with an eraser! It’s incredibly easy to rub off the gold plating on these contacts, and end up with data communication problems, even if that wasn’t the original source of the problem! It’s obviously a good idea to clean the contacts if a lens communication error is reported, but our strong recommendation is to use a soft, clean cloth, perhaps moistened with isopropyl alcohol if you feel the contacts are smudged with fingerprint oil or similar debris and really need a cleaning agent. Again, do not use anything abrasive, and to repeat: do not use an eraser!

 

[D&A]

Dave:

Canon article: Canon DLC: Article: Canon EOS Error Messages: An explanation and understanding

Obviously these messages are to be taken seriously. Maybe the way gold is vapor depositied (or by whatever means it is)....may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer.....so warnings may vary I suppose?

Dave (D&A)

 

[Vivek]

Of course, Canon Gold is a different isotope than the one used by Nikon or Sony.

 

[dmeckert]

lol. interesting stuff. thanks fellas

i found my roommate's alcohol and gave the contacts a little love. i think i'm imagining a subtle improvement...but after a few shots it still locks up. so it's probably just my imagination. if i can find a more appropriate cleaner, i may give it a whirl. i suspect there's a wire or contact inside the lens that's funky...it only seems to have trouble when it gets toward the ends of the focus range, or has to traverse a large distance. or at least, it seems.

hopefully it's something minor. i would LOVE to give nikon a few bucks instead of replacing the swm. *fingers crossed*