If it sounds too good to be true...
Discussion
Bought a Nikon 17-55mm f2.8 lens from a certain well-known high street electrical retailer's ebay outlet store a few days ago.
It was priced a good few hundred pounds less than other online camera stores were selling it for, but it was advertised as brand new.
When it arrived today the lens packaging was badly damaged (the store's website did say packaging could be missing a seal, be damaged or have some parts or documentation missing, which is why they sell the goods cheaper).
The lens looked perfect and unmarked. But the focus ring is SO stiff it's virtually impossible to turn it with one hand. Plus, you can continue turning the focus ring beyond the distance window limits.
I'm thinking that the packaging, given how ripped apart it was, has either been dropped from a very great height or been crushed in some way, resulting in a damaged focus ring. Either that or it was faulty to start with.
Though I hardly ever use manual focus, it's bound to affect resale value if I sell it in years to come and it also makes me wonder what else might fail on the lens in time. Thankfully it's covered by a year's warranty so i'll be giving them a call tomorrow.
Just when you think you've grabbed yourself a bargain...
It was priced a good few hundred pounds less than other online camera stores were selling it for, but it was advertised as brand new.
When it arrived today the lens packaging was badly damaged (the store's website did say packaging could be missing a seal, be damaged or have some parts or documentation missing, which is why they sell the goods cheaper).
The lens looked perfect and unmarked. But the focus ring is SO stiff it's virtually impossible to turn it with one hand. Plus, you can continue turning the focus ring beyond the distance window limits.
I'm thinking that the packaging, given how ripped apart it was, has either been dropped from a very great height or been crushed in some way, resulting in a damaged focus ring. Either that or it was faulty to start with.
Though I hardly ever use manual focus, it's bound to affect resale value if I sell it in years to come and it also makes me wonder what else might fail on the lens in time. Thankfully it's covered by a year's warranty so i'll be giving them a call tomorrow.
Just when you think you've grabbed yourself a bargain...
jonott said:
Bought a Nikon 17-55mm f2.8 lens from a certain well-known high street electrical retailer's ebay outlet store a few days ago.
It was priced a good few hundred pounds less than other online camera stores were selling it for, but it was advertised as brand new.
When it arrived today the lens packaging was badly damaged (the store's website did say packaging could be missing a seal, be damaged or have some parts or documentation missing, which is why they sell the goods cheaper).
The lens looked perfect and unmarked. But the focus ring is SO stiff it's virtually impossible to turn it with one hand. Plus, you can continue turning the focus ring beyond the distance window limits.
I'm thinking that the packaging, given how ripped apart it was, has either been dropped from a very great height or been crushed in some way, resulting in a damaged focus ring. Either that or it was faulty to start with.
Though I hardly ever use manual focus, it's bound to affect resale value if I sell it in years to come and it also makes me wonder what else might fail on the lens in time. Thankfully it's covered by a year's warranty so i'll be giving them a call tomorrow.
Just when you think you've grabbed yourself a bargain...
The focus rings do have a slipping clutch mechanism so its possible to rotate past the apparent end points.It was priced a good few hundred pounds less than other online camera stores were selling it for, but it was advertised as brand new.
When it arrived today the lens packaging was badly damaged (the store's website did say packaging could be missing a seal, be damaged or have some parts or documentation missing, which is why they sell the goods cheaper).
The lens looked perfect and unmarked. But the focus ring is SO stiff it's virtually impossible to turn it with one hand. Plus, you can continue turning the focus ring beyond the distance window limits.
I'm thinking that the packaging, given how ripped apart it was, has either been dropped from a very great height or been crushed in some way, resulting in a damaged focus ring. Either that or it was faulty to start with.
Though I hardly ever use manual focus, it's bound to affect resale value if I sell it in years to come and it also makes me wonder what else might fail on the lens in time. Thankfully it's covered by a year's warranty so i'll be giving them a call tomorrow.
Just when you think you've grabbed yourself a bargain...
Simpo Two said:
Look into the window as it focuses - is the scale going back and forth underneath?
It seems that for AF it's fine.
The zoom ring can be fairly stiff though.
Yes, the scale whizzes back and forth just fine, which, as you say, suggest the AF is fine. But it's impossible to turn the focus ring with one hand when attached to the camera as it's so stiff, which sort of defeats the purpose of manual focus.It seems that for AF it's fine.
The zoom ring can be fairly stiff though.
Courier hopefully picking it up Friday.
jonott said:
Yes, the scale whizzes back and forth just fine, which, as you say, suggest the AF is fine. But it's impossible to turn the focus ring with one hand when attached to the camera as it's so stiff, which sort of defeats the purpose of manual focus.
Courier hopefully picking it up Friday.
It will be interesting to see, when the replacement lens arrives, how much you actually use it on MF. But I agree it wasn't right.Courier hopefully picking it up Friday.
Manual focusing on a DX DSLR is tricky at the best of times.
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