Taking photos for an event yesterday and intermittantly the lens autofocus didnt work. Everytime the focus stopped working it was stuck around 1.7M, couldnt even get it go past 1.5M using the manual focus ring. Did this fix today, no more issues! I couldnt be happier, this video made my day. Thanks!!!
By the way, thanks for the video. I see a lot of users are highly appreciative especially the fact that this IS a wonderful lens. I have had this problem fixed once before and Nikon didn't charge me much and it took less than 15 mins. This time around, they quoted me equivalent of USD400 and it would take two weeks.
Thanks for sharing. My lens was stuck too but was different from your case. I found my lens was due to glue stuck around the circuit board edge causing the jam. I apply some wd-40 with cotton bud and slowly scrath those glue. And it finally works flawlessly. This is inspired by your sharing. Thanks again. 😊
Thanks Mark, and I think its great fun to make the videos, and at the same time share my experience with other people. I also think its great that someone can use the info in my videos, because its difficult to get photo equipment repaired today, and many of the issues is sometimes "easy" in a way to fix. The problem is to get spare parts.. Cheers Kenneth
A friend wants to sell this lens to for price K&H will give him $300. Its got this issue. I bought it at a chance it may clear up. Now ill have a well working lens for 300. Youve saved me around $700 for a new one. Thanks much.... made my day..
Wow! Am glad to find your video on this problem I have with my 70-200 f2.8. The problem is intermittent and tend to happen when the weather is cold. I will give it a go. Many thanks Mike! 👍🏼👍🏼
Brilliant! With your tutorial I could fix a recently bought lens. I was pretty sad when the focus stuck some days ago but you made my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's a brilliant lens and now I can shoot again with it - yeah!
Wow, thank you very much for this video, I had this problem with my lens, I sent it in for repair, they charged for a swm motor, and a few months later the same problem is happening again. Not going to get ripped off again now, this is a great easy fix...thank you for your video
Hello! Thanks to your video I managed to eliminate jamming of an auto focus of the lens Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200 of f/2.8 IF ED VR independently. Thanks a lot that showed how everything is arranged.
I just used medium thin superglue with a wicking tip. It seeps under the board and sets quick. It fixed mine however if you deliberately wind the manual focus past 1.5m and deliberately keep winding as if trying to go to back and back (pretend it exists) the autofocus will get stuck but a simple twist manual focus will get the auto focus working once it gets to 1.5m the autofocus gets working again. If you use autofocus you won’t have this problem. Mine wouldn’t even manual focus before the fix. My suggestion for those who have fixed this issue unless you really need it to focus to 1.5m id set the 2.5-infinity switch as A it speeds up the focus and B will stop any sticky end of the lens where it’s problematic. Most of the time you’re more than 2.5 m away from subject anyway. Once it’s glued if you do find it a fraction tending to stick at 1.5m a quick manual focus twist fixes it. There is no doubt this fixes the manual focus issue
Hi! Thank you for the very good instructional video. I fixed my optics which had the same problem. Saved a lot of money and did not need to send for repair to Nikon. Good work!
@@mariiaklymak7032 Hello! I actually used superglue viscous. Had to wait a while before I screwed it together so as not to get glue mist on the glasses.
Mine has the same issue, sticks at the macro end , I guessed it was a part held down with double sided tape which had moved or come loose , ( the distance scale was my thought) but never have guessed it was a tracking PCB . filing down the edge of the PCB at that point will probably sort it too but I like the glue idea !
thx thx again!! this issue happens on my lens too! and i hv spend hundreds on repair. i'll try this if it get stuck again.. thank you for creating yet another helpful video!! sincerely, hv a great day!
Thanks a lot!!! My 80-200 auto focus had a different kind of stuck than your lens but this video helped me to understand how to get close to the problem and fix it.
Mike, you're the man. Thank you for this video. I ordered some of the Loctite adhesive and will be giving this a shot as soon as it comes in. Very detailed explanation of everything that is going on with this repair, well done.
Thanks for the fix, however, seems my circuit board is hardly fixed, cannot move a bit. I just hold the inside part with the focus ring, and keep rotating it many many times, then the stuck is improved, and can be rotate back much easier. Although it is not completely fixed, the lens is now "usable" .
Thanks for this very interesting guide. In my experience, even if the manual focus override does not get stuck as well, the lens can still misbehave and stop at slightly below 1.5m. After investigation under the microscope I could clearly see that due to this shift of the PCB, which seems to be limited to the close focusing end, the fingers of the wiper don't completely align anymore with the contacttraces. The problem is that the different pads need to be connected to the flexcable, which is via gold plated thin traces (and thus conductive when touched). There is only so much tolerance before the finger bridges the own ring with the connecting trace of the next ring, effectively confusing the distance logic circuit. You can even see this effect in your video when you test the lens on your camera. When the PCB is out of alignment, the lens will focus slightly closer than 1.5m. When they are making contact with the right traces, the autofocus will stop at exactly 1.5m. And with every shutter button press it will try to focus by going to from where it was to 1.5m and then back to infinity. I was not able to find back any video or image set (including the iFixit document) demonstrating this behaviour. What I could see is that the finger is properly centered at the far end, but of center at the near end.
Thanks for this video! I think this may have fixed my lens problem as well, time will tell. If so, I can't thank you enough. What a waste of an otherwise great lens if I couldn't get this resolved. Cheers!
I have a 70-200mm version 2 lens, so the window under the rubber grip and tape is different. It's a small circular hole and there are 3 tapes instead of one. Anyway, I managed to solve my stuck focus "temporarily" depending on weather. I live on the Asian equator. When I took my lens out to use, the focus was stuck. After placing the lens in an air-conditioned room for an hour, the focus was freed and it worked. I guess it has something to do with heat and expansion - thus focus is stuck. Otherwise, I have to manually focus on my subject and the beep (for focus) still works. No fuss. Just a small hassle.
My lens has the same issue. I opened it up but can’t figure out where it sticks. Funny enough after I opened it up and pushed the board it stopped sticking. I’ll keep an eye on it.
Hello , Great video. thanks for sharing. i have the same lens. it does not manual focus! and so also not autofocusing either. any ideas.why? i feel the spring pressure strips need to be adjusted is it? how? or is there something else thats causing it. usually the lens which doesnt manual focus will certainly not autofocus, correct?
Autofocus on my lens stops working. I rack the manual focus several times and then the Autofocus seems to work for a little while. It then stops working and I rack the manual focus again several times and autofocus works again for a little while..... Any ideas on what might be causing the autofocus to stop working? Thanks -Tim-
I have the same lens 70-200 Nikon 2.8 , but the one newer with VR II , My issue is the focus ring when you manually focus / rotate ,little bit feels “sticky” , but my zoom ring rotates smooth , Do you know why is that? Does it have to be disassembled and lubricated? Thank you.
Does anyone find that this defect causes the AF motor to burn out? I inherited this lens, it has the sticking issue at 1.5m, and also the AF motor makes a horrible grinding sound on long throws, if it tries to make the adjustment at all.
Thank you. Very clearly presented. I have an issue with a Lumix lens that the focus ring on top of the zoom is "stiffy", you need a bit force to make it manually turn. I thought there is dust or sand or it might be lubricated somehow, but as I look your video and found that dame looking hole under the zoom-rybber band I think maybe the lend is slightly twisted cause of a dropdown or sthg. Can the focusring be lubricated and with what kind of "grease"? Thanks for advice.
When I remove the rubber ring on the focus ring and push in the circuit board without gluing it seems to work fine. However, when I put the rubber ring back on it the issue seems to come back. Any ideas here. Thanks.
With as many Nikon owners as have had this same problem with their 70-200mm f2.8 lens, if Nikon was the honorable, ethical company they profess to be... they would fix this problem on every lens that has this issue and since it is CLEARLY, CLEARLY a manufacturing error/flaw... THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE! My lens does EXACTLY the same thing, both my 70-200mm f2.8 and my Nikon 600mm f4 AF-S ED lens have he same problem. This is a NIKON problem NIKON should fix for FREE. I have been using Nikon Cameras, 21 systems of Nikon since 1973 and the company was entirely different in the 70's, 80's... they stood behind their products. Back when the AD on TV every night said, "More professional photographers use Nikon 35mm cameras than all other brands combined." Back when that was true, Nikon would have never allowed their customers to have to resort to tearing apart their lenses to fix a manufacturing error. If I did not have so much Nikon high-end glass, I would move to Sony in a midnight minute.
Hello, would this fix be the same on the VR ii version of this lens? Mine focuses a few times, gets stuck, then I have to manually rack focus to un-stick.
Hi i have the same problem here but i am using a tamron 70-300mm lens which i cant seem to find how to fix that on google or other platform.I only found people sharing about the same problem.
mikeno62 Thanks for another GREAT VIDEO... I am having a similar problem with my Nikon 600mm f4 AFS ED lens. Any videos on how to repair a focus ring that does not seem to connect with the mechanics inside?
sniff I wish you were nearer, I send my tamron 24-70 to clean, and they broke the focus motor, so now you can listen how the autofocus is moving but it's not working in real. Everything is out of focus, even in manual focus. Also I see that something must have been badly assembled, as it shows lot's of light all the time as if we leave the lens all the time at 2.8 super bright. I used to love that lens with my canon cameras. (PS I live in Uruguay) . The other lens I have a problem is the sigma150-600 contemporary, from one day to another, it has kind of humidity in the front lens, so I separate it from the rest of the lens, but I didn't know how to go on to dissasemble it... Two beautiful pieces of heavy equipment, just sitting down in my cupboard! if you have any vid regarding any of this problems, I would deeply appreciate your help! Thans a lot!
Hi Mike. I got the same issue I think. I see on your lens that it stops directly at 1.5 m. On my lens it continues a little longer and I wonder what it could be due to. When it gets to the bottom, the lens squeaks a little ?! As I said, the zoom sticks just like yours and others' but I do not dare to do this as I am not 100% sure how you do. Hard to see I think. However, I hope I can interpret your film in more detail so maybe I should give it a try. Thank you for your fantastic knowledge that you share.
So, it seems that the existing adhesive under the circuit board is somewhat flexible and is allowing the circuit board to subtly move and must be pushed back in place and secured?
Mike, thank you a lot for this video. But do you have a solution for another problem which stays after I fixed this one: when I use AF in my camera, it moves the focus ring a bit as well and stops. I think that the camera detects this tightness of moving focus around and stops trying. So sometimes I have to click AF a few times in order to get it move out of 1.5m zone.
Thank you mikeno62! truly you are heaven-sent, just followed your video, but in my case it's just the gummy' tape that melted along the sides that made the stopping on the nearest distance, but thanks to you it is fixed now, I just called Nikon Canada before that and they do not sell any parts for this product, the only solution they are offering is to swap this with a 250 CAD plus the shipping to the office. whoooo. and I am saved from that! Thanks again!
Hopefully this may help others. My lens was/is having stuck close focusing issues, when I followed this video just by sliding the rubber for the focus ring down, off the focus ring the close focus stuck issue goes away. I've racked focus from infinity to minimum back and forth manually and with a camera and it looks good. I'm guessing the rubber is drying and shrinking and causing some movement issues of the focus ring. I bought my lens back in 2008, so its 12 years old. I've been trying to find a replacement rubber ring without any luck so far.
Well, I see your point Willy, in my case it was the circuit board that has come loose and rubbing against the moving focus part. About the focus rubber ring, I actually found this website and the company is called "band.it", where one can get a rubber grip to many different lens brands and in many different colors, also black for a fair price, here it is: www.camerabandit.com/products/nikon-af-s-nikkor-70-200mm-f-2-8g-if-ed-vr?variant=15852599705690
@@mikeno62 Thank you for the feed back. Yeah even Nikon Canada said they didn't have the part for this old of a lens. Even though I see parts of even older lenses. I did track down the part # 1K110-583 if anyone is interested and was able to bring up some parts from Aliexpress, I'm not sure of the quality of these non OEM parts. For now I have stretched the rubber out a bit and it looks to be ok for the time being. Thank you for making all these great and informative videos.
Dang, I need a similar video for my 13+ year old Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (Hadn't used it in a while ((years)) and trying it a few weeks ago and it will not focus via the camera buttons at all. a D800 camera.)
In 2016 I sent this exact lens off to Nikon for a repair quote for the sticking and a general cleaning. The total was over $500 so I'm pretty sure it's only gotten more expensive. Luckily enough for me, the shipping company mangled the package and damaged the lens during shipping. Nikon repaired the lens for free and sent it back without a second thought. And 8 years later, the lens is sticking again! Hopefully this video will let me fix it on my own.
Is it possible to use a mini grinder like a Dremel tool to grind the edge of the circuit board so it does not make contact restricting it's movement if one uses a vacuum cleaner nozzle held against the opening while doing the grinding to avoid grind dust getting into the lens? Just curious.
I can see the idea but I would not recommend the use of the Dremel in this case, because all the very fine fibreglass dust will no matter what, find it's way deeper into the lens and then there's another problem to get it out again. Maybe you can use some sticky tape around the area to prevent the dust from coming into the lens, but it would still be a little risky. Just my opinion.
@@mikeno62 Thanks Mike! I am wondering if a SHOP VAC sucking the filings away from the inside of the lens while I scrape the edge of the circuit board with a sharpened screwdriver head would trim the edge without getting shavings in the lens? My 70-200mm f2.8 is all but worthless at this point it sticks so much, I may be willing to sacrifice it just to see if I can shave the edge off the circuit panel. Every week I think about just buying another new one, but I have the Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 and the Nikon 300mm f2.8 I use most of the time. I may just RISK IT!!!!
I have a stupid question. At the far end of the lens, just behind the hood, there are 3? or 4? buttons. what are they for/ I bought a used one without a manual.
Well Mike, it's not a stupid question, and I found a link to the user manual here: www.manualsdir.com/manuals/192154/nikon-af-s-vr-af-s-vr-70-200mm-f-28g-if-ed.html?download The button is actually use to lock the focus
@@mikeno62 thank you very much. The obvious answer. I started that direction but, the internet can be like a kid in a candy store. That and my wife's "Honey do list" calls often. You are so kind. Many people would just say look it up. In 2019 I was hospitalized and near death with something called sepsis. I still have problems linking thoughts. That thing they use on soap operas, amnesia? It's a real thing. Again, thanks for a great video and your kindness 😊 oh. The buttons mechanically lock focus. Can't imagine how you use it with focus further back. Cheers!
@@mikeno62 thank you. Sorry for being lazy. I figured it was focus but, it still has the limit and I couldn't see an obvious result when pressing. Add that I'm turning 69, my eyes are getting really bad and this lens on my D850 is very heavy, getting worse all the time. I likely will resort back to the D90 or D7100 to loose weight. I should join a club but I feel like they have expectations that I am seldom up to. Again, Thanks for the help and hospitality.
Those 3 buttons are for focusing the lens from the lens as opposed to focusing from the camera body. It is set up to “enable” from the camera body menu. Really a cool feature!
No, because the circuit board is only glued to the inner tube and if someone want to change some worn out parts, it would think that it would not be a problem. Cheers Kenneth
By the way, does anyone know where to get the two rubbers of that lens? mine are very deteriorated, and the interior, that is, the closest to the camera, is very longThanks in advance, and very grateful to share the videos.
It should be those rubber ring parts you can here: parts.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/lens-parts/af-s-vr-zoom-nikkor-ed-70-200mm-f%252f2.8g-if-focus-rubber-ring.html parts.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/lens-parts/af-s-vr-zoom-nikkor-ed-70-200mm-f%252f2.8g-if-zoom-rubber-ring.html
QUESTION ABOUT THE GLUE... Some mentioned Super Glue, but Super Glue gives off a residue when it cures. So much so, the FBI and Law Enforcement Forensic Units use Super Glue gases to fog and expose finger prints. Will the Lucite Glues do the same and FOG the lens elements inside the lens barrel?
This is overkill, for a simpler fix without glue scrape off a tiny amount of the board exactly where he shows it sticks... when he shows where it makes contact at 8:00, push (rotate) the metal part directly under his arrow out of the way (basically free it up) then at the point where you have just revealed the sticking part of the circuit board that was hidden under the metal, scrape the edge of the board with a very small flat head screwdriver to shave away a tiny amount of the board edge. It scrapes away quite easily, but do this upside down so the resulting dust falls out. This fix works when you have shaved off just enough of the board where it was binding with the rotating metal part so that there is no more contact.
Anyone ever try the UV LIGHT activated Super Glue? That would allow one to hold the circuit board in and instantly solidify the glue by turning on the UV Activation Light hardening the glue within a second or two. Do the glues break down over time and turn into glue flakes or glue crumbs in the lens body?
I just used medium thin superglue with a wicking tip. It seeps under the board and sets quick. It fixed mine however if you deliberately wind the manual focus past 1.5m and deliberately keep winding as if trying to go to back and back (pretend it exists) the autofocus will get stuck but a simple twist manual focus will get the auto focus working once it gets to 1.5m the autofocus gets working again. If you use autofocus you won’t have this problem. Mine wouldn’t even manual focus before the fix. My suggestion for those who have fixed this issue unless you really need it to focus to 1.5m id set the 2.5-infinity switch as A it speeds up the focus and B will stop any sticky end of the lens where it’s problematic. Most of the time you’re more than 2.5 m away from subject anyway. Once it’s glued if you do find it a fraction tending to stick at 1.5m a quick manual focus twist fixes it. There is no doubt this fixes the manual focus issue
Hi. I have a lens just like that and curiously suffers from that same problem. I have seen the video several times, but I do not know where to paste exactly, the printed circuit board, other than my English is very limited. mikeno62, thank you very much for sharing the videos. Greeting.
Thank you very much for your interest Kenneth. I do not know if I'll be able to do it, but I'll try, although first I have to look for the components and the glue and know exactly where to put the glue. Thank you also for providing me the page where I can buy the rubber, curiously the shipment costs much more than the spare hi hi hi. Thank you very much Kenneth again.
I found some info from "ifixit.com" that maybe could help you. www.ifixit.com/Guide/Solve+stuck+focus+of+AF-S+VR+Zoom-Nikkor+ED+70-200mm+f2.8G+IF/96068
Kenneth, thank you very much for your kindness and for your help. I've seen the link you sent, I think it's another way to disassemble the lens, to get to the place where you have to paste the printed circuit board, although I consider it easier to access as you indicate in the video. Thank you very much Kenneth
Sir, that glue is 98$ at Granger, is there another like (Loctite superglue) that'll work. Im partially torn down, waiting for your recommendation. Thanks in advance.
Yes, you can use super glue and I think it's the best if you use the GEL type, BUT you have to wait until the gas (smell) in the glue is fully evaporated, the rest of the gas could maybe make some damage to the lens element's surface, so better let the opening face upward, 1-2 days until the smell is gone.
mikeno62 Thank you. All taken into consideration, i think it's worth paying for correct glue. I'd feel better about it. Got lens for $300, so im in good situation. Why take a chance. Thanks for the reply, its appreciated.
mikeno62 Sir, Ive bought the black Ultra Gel Control along with the, Locktite. Plastics, All plastics All Materials. Bonding System. Fuses hard-to-bond plastic. Has an activator, and glue. Doesnt say if its a gel. Any thoughts? Thank you again. If you say just order aa330 (be safe, do right) I'll get it tomorrow. Id rather wait to do right. Cheers...👁
I did'nt know about the Loctite® Super Glue ULTRA Gel Control™, but it looks like a good glue for many things. Well, even if the "Multibond" dryes up slower than the "Loctite® Super Glue ULTRA Gel Control™, I would use the "Multibond" it gives you time to correct if something not sits correct, just let it dry over night and it will be fine. I see in the video about the AA330, that he use a spray can, but when you use it in the lens, ******* FIRST! spray the activator on a cotton bud, and then apply in the lens... it will make it more easy to point where it should be, and NOT everywhere in the lens. And another good thing, the AA330 is also a very good glue for many other things that has fall apart. Cheers Kenneth
Simply because, there is no residues when I use lighter fluid , I have try with Isopropylalcohol 99% but it takes away some residues but it's not so good to take away very oily film on the surface, it's not very often I use Acetone because I think lighter fluid do the job better in most cases.
Thank you verymuch for a very comprehensive tut. I was able ro repair my 70-200. However the lens is squicking when focusing like the 300mm on this video: ruclips.net/video/Z8rUBqAVSPM/видео.html Please advise. Thanks
Taking photos for an event yesterday and intermittantly the lens autofocus didnt work. Everytime the focus stopped working it was stuck around 1.7M, couldnt even get it go past 1.5M using the manual focus ring. Did this fix today, no more issues! I couldnt be happier, this video made my day. Thanks!!!
Wow that's great it also works for you :-)
4 years later this is still a great video! - i just fixed my lens with your video as a guide. Thanks alot!
By the way, thanks for the video. I see a lot of users are highly appreciative especially the fact that this IS a wonderful lens. I have had this problem fixed once before and Nikon didn't charge me much and it took less than 15 mins. This time around, they quoted me equivalent of USD400 and it would take two weeks.
Thanks for sharing. My lens was stuck too but was different from your case. I found my lens was due to glue stuck around the circuit board edge causing the jam. I apply some wd-40 with cotton bud and slowly scrath those glue. And it finally works flawlessly. This is inspired by your sharing. Thanks again. 😊
I watch almost all your videos even I don't have the item. I really appreciate you taking time to show how to fix these issues.
Thank you,
Mark
Thanks Mark, and I think its great fun to make the videos, and at the same time share my experience with other people.
I also think its great that someone can use the info in my videos, because its difficult to get photo equipment repaired today, and many of the issues is sometimes "easy" in a way to fix. The problem is to get spare parts..
Cheers
Kenneth
@@mikeno62 yeah, I have a graflex shutter that could just need a good clean but might need parts. I'm not sure how to tell.
A friend wants to sell this lens to for price K&H will give him $300. Its got this issue. I bought it at a chance it may clear up. Now ill have a well working lens for 300. Youve saved me around $700 for a new one. Thanks much.... made my day..
WOW that's really great to hear about :-)
Wow! Am glad to find your video on this problem I have with my 70-200 f2.8. The problem is intermittent and tend to happen when the weather is cold. I will give it a go. Many thanks Mike! 👍🏼👍🏼
Brilliant! With your tutorial I could fix a recently bought lens. I was pretty sad when the focus stuck some days ago but you made my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's a brilliant lens and now I can shoot again with it - yeah!
Wow, thank you very much for this video, I had this problem with my lens, I sent it in for repair, they charged for a swm motor, and a few months later the same problem is happening again. Not going to get ripped off again now, this is a great easy fix...thank you for your video
Hello! Thanks to your video I managed to eliminate jamming of an auto focus of the lens Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200 of f/2.8 IF ED VR independently. Thanks a lot that showed how everything is arranged.
It lookts to have fixed my 70-200 lens too. Thanks very much for the tutorial.
Wow! Thanks so much for this video! I've just repaired my lens using your advice, and bingo, all fixed!
I just used medium thin superglue with a wicking tip. It seeps under the board and sets quick. It fixed mine however if you deliberately wind the manual focus past 1.5m and deliberately keep winding as if trying to go to back and back (pretend it exists) the autofocus will get stuck but a simple twist manual focus will get the auto focus working once it gets to 1.5m the autofocus gets working again. If you use autofocus you won’t have this problem. Mine wouldn’t even manual focus before the fix. My suggestion for those who have fixed this issue unless you really need it to focus to 1.5m id set the 2.5-infinity switch as A it speeds up the focus and B will stop any sticky end of the lens where it’s problematic. Most of the time you’re more than 2.5 m away from subject anyway. Once it’s glued if you do find it a fraction tending to stick at 1.5m a quick manual focus twist fixes it. There is no doubt this fixes the manual focus issue
Nikon should be repairing this for free, quite obviously a design flaw on what is a very expensive lens.
Without open the lens you fixed the lens with glue idea
Grate job.
Hi! Thank you for the very good instructional video. I fixed my optics which had the same problem. Saved a lot of money and did not need to send for repair to Nikon. Good work!
Hello 👋 maybe you know which glue is great for this one,I can’t find loctite 330?
@@mariiaklymak7032 Hello! I actually used superglue viscous. Had to wait a while before I screwed it together so as not to get glue mist on the glasses.
Mine has the same issue, sticks at the macro end , I guessed it was a part held down with double sided tape which had moved or come loose , ( the distance scale was my thought) but never have guessed it was a tracking PCB . filing down the edge of the PCB at that point will probably sort it too but I like the glue idea !
thx thx again!! this issue happens on my lens too! and i hv spend hundreds on repair. i'll try this if it get stuck again.. thank you for creating yet another helpful video!! sincerely, hv a great day!
Thanks TinSeng :-)
Cheers
Kenneth
Thanks a lot!!!
My 80-200 auto focus had a different kind of stuck than your lens but this video helped me to understand how to get close to the problem and fix it.
Mike, you're the man. Thank you for this video. I ordered some of the Loctite adhesive and will be giving this a shot as soon as it comes in. Very detailed explanation of everything that is going on with this repair, well done.
Thanks for the fix, however, seems my circuit board is hardly fixed, cannot move a bit. I just hold the inside part with the focus ring, and keep rotating it many many times, then the stuck is improved, and can be rotate back much easier. Although it is not completely fixed, the lens is now "usable" .
Thanks for this very interesting guide. In my experience, even if the manual focus override does not get stuck as well, the lens can still misbehave and stop at slightly below 1.5m.
After investigation under the microscope I could clearly see that due to this shift of the PCB, which seems to be limited to the close focusing end, the fingers of the wiper don't completely align anymore with the contacttraces.
The problem is that the different pads need to be connected to the flexcable, which is via gold plated thin traces (and thus conductive when touched). There is only so much tolerance before the finger bridges the own ring with the connecting trace of the next ring, effectively confusing the distance logic circuit.
You can even see this effect in your video when you test the lens on your camera. When the PCB is out of alignment, the lens will focus slightly closer than 1.5m. When they are making contact with the right traces, the autofocus will stop at exactly 1.5m. And with every shutter button press it will try to focus by going to from where it was to 1.5m and then back to infinity.
I was not able to find back any video or image set (including the iFixit document) demonstrating this behaviour. What I could see is that the finger is properly centered at the far end, but of center at the near end.
Thanks for this video! I think this may have fixed my lens problem as well, time will tell. If so, I can't thank you enough. What a waste of an otherwise great lens if I couldn't get this resolved. Cheers!
Hi, great video..... what if the focus ring is stiff over the entire range?? is is the same fix? thanks
I have a 70-200mm version 2 lens, so the window under the rubber grip and tape is different. It's a small circular hole and there are 3 tapes instead of one. Anyway, I managed to solve my stuck focus "temporarily" depending on weather. I live on the Asian equator. When I took my lens out to use, the focus was stuck. After placing the lens in an air-conditioned room for an hour, the focus was freed and it worked. I guess it has something to do with heat and expansion - thus focus is stuck. Otherwise, I have to manually focus on my subject and the beep (for focus) still works. No fuss. Just a small hassle.
Wow mikeno62. Thank you very much for a really good video on such an easy repair. It really saved my life. Thanks a lot.
Thank you Mikeno62. I fixed the lens problem with the help of this video. Tks for share
My lens has the same issue. I opened it up but can’t figure out where it sticks. Funny enough after I opened it up and pushed the board it stopped sticking. I’ll keep an eye on it.
Hello , Great video. thanks for sharing. i have the same lens. it does not manual focus! and so also not autofocusing either. any ideas.why? i feel the spring pressure strips need to be adjusted is it? how? or is there something else thats causing it. usually the lens which doesnt manual focus will certainly not autofocus, correct?
Thank you for your clip. It's extremely useful and save my money.
It's really it also works for you :-)
Autofocus on my lens stops working. I rack the manual focus several times and then the Autofocus seems to work for a little while. It then stops working and I rack the manual focus again several times and autofocus works again for a little while..... Any ideas on what might be causing the autofocus to stop working? Thanks -Tim-
I have the same lens 70-200 Nikon 2.8 , but the one newer with VR II ,
My issue is the focus ring when you manually focus / rotate ,little bit feels “sticky” , but my zoom ring rotates smooth , Do you know why is that? Does it have to be disassembled and lubricated? Thank you.
Thanks, I need to do this.!! Will get back to you with my results.
Does anyone find that this defect causes the AF motor to burn out? I inherited this lens, it has the sticking issue at 1.5m, and also the AF motor makes a horrible grinding sound on long throws, if it tries to make the adjustment at all.
Great informations. I am deeply impressed about your knowledges. Thank you!
Thanks Ray :-) I try to do my best.
Cheers
Kenneth
Thank you. Very clearly presented. I have an issue with a Lumix lens that the focus ring on top of the zoom is "stiffy", you need a bit force to make it manually turn. I thought there is dust or sand or it might be lubricated somehow, but as I look your video and found that dame looking hole under the zoom-rybber band I think maybe the lend is slightly twisted cause of a dropdown or sthg. Can the focusring be lubricated and with what kind of "grease"? Thanks for advice.
Hello Mike, thanks for this video, do you know of a reliable Lens repair person in U.S. that is not charging an arm and leg to fix a lens??
i have the same problem, thank youuu very very very much :)
When I remove the rubber ring on the focus ring and push in the circuit board without gluing it seems to work fine. However, when I put the rubber ring back on it the issue seems to come back. Any ideas here. Thanks.
Thanks a lot for this. I have the same lens with the same problem.
With as many Nikon owners as have had this same problem with their 70-200mm f2.8 lens, if Nikon was the honorable, ethical company they profess to be... they would fix this problem on every lens that has this issue and since it is CLEARLY, CLEARLY a manufacturing error/flaw... THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE! My lens does EXACTLY the same thing, both my 70-200mm f2.8 and my Nikon 600mm f4 AF-S ED lens have he same problem. This is a NIKON problem NIKON should fix for FREE. I have been using Nikon Cameras, 21 systems of Nikon since 1973 and the company was entirely different in the 70's, 80's... they stood behind their products. Back when the AD on TV every night said, "More professional photographers use Nikon 35mm cameras than all other brands combined." Back when that was true, Nikon would have never allowed their customers to have to resort to tearing apart their lenses to fix a manufacturing error. If I did not have so much Nikon high-end glass, I would move to Sony in a midnight minute.
Sir, you've made my year!
Hello,thank you for great video!I do have a question for you:what I can use instead of loctite 330 glue and activator ,do you have any suggestions?
Hello, would this fix be the same on the VR ii version of this lens? Mine focuses a few times, gets stuck, then I have to manually rack focus to un-stick.
Hi i have the same problem here but i am using a tamron 70-300mm lens which i cant seem to find how to fix that on google or other platform.I only found people sharing about the same problem.
mikeno62 Thanks for another GREAT VIDEO... I am having a similar problem with my Nikon 600mm f4 AFS ED lens. Any videos on how to repair a focus ring that does not seem to connect with the mechanics inside?
sniff I wish you were nearer, I send my tamron 24-70 to clean, and they broke the focus motor, so now you can listen how the autofocus is moving but it's not working in real. Everything is out of focus, even in manual focus. Also I see that something must have been badly assembled, as it shows lot's of light all the time as if we leave the lens all the time at 2.8 super bright. I used to love that lens with my canon cameras. (PS I live in Uruguay) . The other lens I have a problem is the sigma150-600 contemporary, from one day to another, it has kind of humidity in the front lens, so I separate it from the rest of the lens, but I didn't know how to go on to dissasemble it... Two beautiful pieces of heavy equipment, just sitting down in my cupboard! if you have any vid regarding any of this problems, I would deeply appreciate your help! Thans a lot!
Hi Mike.
I got the same issue I think. I see on your lens that it stops directly at 1.5 m. On my lens it continues a little longer and I wonder what it could be due to. When it gets to the bottom, the lens squeaks a little ?!
As I said, the zoom sticks just like yours and others' but I do not dare to do this as I am not 100% sure how you do. Hard to see I think.
However, I hope I can interpret your film in more detail so maybe I should give it a try. Thank you for your fantastic knowledge that you share.
Bless you for making this video!
So, it seems that the existing adhesive under the circuit board is somewhat flexible and is allowing the circuit board to subtly move and must be pushed back in place and secured?
That's correct.
Mike, thank you a lot for this video. But do you have a solution for another problem which stays after I fixed this one: when I use AF in my camera, it moves the focus ring a bit as well and stops. I think that the camera detects this tightness of moving focus around and stops trying. So sometimes I have to click AF a few times in order to get it move out of 1.5m zone.
Thank you mikeno62! truly you are heaven-sent, just followed your video, but in my case it's just the gummy' tape that melted along the sides that made the stopping on the nearest distance, but thanks to you it is fixed now, I just called Nikon Canada before that and they do not sell any parts for this product, the only solution they are offering is to swap this with a 250 CAD plus the shipping to the office. whoooo. and I am saved from that! Thanks again!
Hopefully this may help others. My lens was/is having stuck close focusing issues, when I followed this video just by sliding the rubber for the focus ring down, off the focus ring the close focus stuck issue goes away. I've racked focus from infinity to minimum back and forth manually and with a camera and it looks good. I'm guessing the rubber is drying and shrinking and causing some movement issues of the focus ring. I bought my lens back in 2008, so its 12 years old. I've been trying to find a replacement rubber ring without any luck so far.
Well, I see your point Willy, in my case it was the circuit board that has come loose and rubbing against the moving focus part. About the focus rubber ring, I actually found this website and the company is called "band.it", where one can get a rubber grip to many different lens brands and in many different colors, also black for a fair price, here it is:
www.camerabandit.com/products/nikon-af-s-nikkor-70-200mm-f-2-8g-if-ed-vr?variant=15852599705690
@@mikeno62 Thank you for the feed back. Yeah even Nikon Canada said they didn't have the part for this old of a lens. Even though I see parts of even older lenses. I did track down the part # 1K110-583 if anyone is interested and was able to bring up some parts from Aliexpress, I'm not sure of the quality of these non OEM parts. For now I have stretched the rubber out a bit and it looks to be ok for the time being. Thank you for making all these great and informative videos.
Good information to know, Nice video, Thanks!
Dang, I need a similar video for my 13+ year old Sigma 70-200 f/2.8
(Hadn't used it in a while ((years)) and trying it a few weeks ago and it will not focus via the camera buttons at all. a D800 camera.)
What will it cost i you fix it by nikon ? Sometimes it works again after turning focus ring by hand
In 2016 I sent this exact lens off to Nikon for a repair quote for the sticking and a general cleaning. The total was over $500 so I'm pretty sure it's only gotten more expensive.
Luckily enough for me, the shipping company mangled the package and damaged the lens during shipping. Nikon repaired the lens for free and sent it back without a second thought.
And 8 years later, the lens is sticking again! Hopefully this video will let me fix it on my own.
thanks so much for sharing mike.
Is it possible to use a mini grinder like a Dremel tool to grind the edge of the circuit board so it does not make contact restricting it's movement if one uses a vacuum cleaner nozzle held against the opening while doing the grinding to avoid grind dust getting into the lens? Just curious.
I can see the idea but I would not recommend the use of the Dremel in this case, because all the very fine fibreglass dust will no matter what, find it's way deeper into the lens and then there's another problem to get it out again. Maybe you can use some sticky tape around the area to prevent the dust from coming into the lens, but it would still be a little risky. Just my opinion.
@@mikeno62 Thanks Mike! I am wondering if a SHOP VAC sucking the filings away from the inside of the lens while I scrape the edge of the circuit board with a sharpened screwdriver head would trim the edge without getting shavings in the lens?
My 70-200mm f2.8 is all but worthless at this point it sticks so much, I may be willing to sacrifice it just to see if I can shave the edge off the circuit panel.
Every week I think about just buying another new one, but I have the Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 and the Nikon 300mm f2.8 I use most of the time.
I may just RISK IT!!!!
love the easy fix
Hi mate, will the araldite glue off the super market shelf work for this?
Does this work for the early model thanks paul
Great job.
extremely helped me...thanx a lot!
Any plans on doing some binocular cleaning, repair videos? (I know, the alignment is a pain without equipment, but still)Thanks.
maybe sooner. I think I have an old one somewhere that need some cleaning and lube.
Hi Sir
Thnks for this video . I got 70-200 vr１st
The AF MOTOR wont work but i can hear motor sound
I have a stupid question. At the far end of the lens, just behind the hood, there are 3? or 4? buttons. what are they for/ I bought a used one without a manual.
Well Mike, it's not a stupid question, and I found a link to the user manual here:
www.manualsdir.com/manuals/192154/nikon-af-s-vr-af-s-vr-70-200mm-f-28g-if-ed.html?download
The button is actually use to lock the focus
@@mikeno62 thank you very much. The obvious answer. I started that direction but, the internet can be like a kid in a candy store. That and my wife's "Honey do list" calls often. You are so kind. Many people would just say look it up. In 2019 I was hospitalized and near death with something called sepsis. I still have problems linking thoughts. That thing they use on soap operas, amnesia? It's a real thing.
Again, thanks for a great video and your kindness 😊 oh. The buttons mechanically lock focus. Can't imagine how you use it with focus further back.
Cheers!
@@mikeno62 thank you. Sorry for being lazy. I figured it was focus but, it still has the limit and I couldn't see an obvious result when pressing. Add that I'm turning 69, my eyes are getting really bad and this lens on my D850 is very heavy, getting worse all the time. I likely will resort back to the D90 or D7100 to loose weight. I should join a club but I feel like they have expectations that I am seldom up to. Again, Thanks for the help and hospitality.
Those 3 buttons are for focusing the lens from the lens as opposed to focusing from the camera body. It is set up to “enable” from the camera body menu. Really a cool feature!
Today i follow along your instructions. If it works, ill want to kiss you on the cheek. Not really. Thanks so much, you are a gem.
Great video, thank you!
Thanks Colm :-)
You are the man!
hopefully this works on Nikon 300mm f/4.5? 🤔
Thank you so much you genius man!
How to put rubber back? it got stretched out.
My 200-400mm f/4 thanks you !
:o)
wouldn't the glue, sticking two internal parts, affect somehow if the lens needs to be dismantled one day?
No, because the circuit board is only glued to the inner tube and if someone want to change some worn out parts, it would think that it would not be a problem.
Cheers
Kenneth
@@mikeno62 thanks so much mike.
Thank you!
Hello, Do you know why my lens's focal length is moving the opposite way? At 28mm its extended, long, at 70mm its shorter, retracted!
Not all Nikon lens rings turn the same way to focus. Some move clockwise to get to infinity and others move counter-clockwise.
By the way, does anyone know where to get the two rubbers of that lens? mine are very deteriorated, and the interior, that is, the closest to the camera, is very longThanks in advance, and very grateful to share the videos.
It should be those rubber ring parts you can here:
parts.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/lens-parts/af-s-vr-zoom-nikkor-ed-70-200mm-f%252f2.8g-if-focus-rubber-ring.html
parts.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product/lens-parts/af-s-vr-zoom-nikkor-ed-70-200mm-f%252f2.8g-if-zoom-rubber-ring.html
Exactly, they all suffer from the same problem, they get longer.
Thank you very much for the info mikeno62
QUESTION ABOUT THE GLUE... Some mentioned Super Glue, but Super Glue gives off a residue when it cures. So much so, the FBI and Law Enforcement Forensic Units use Super Glue gases to fog and expose finger prints. Will the Lucite Glues do the same and FOG the lens elements inside the lens barrel?
Does anyone know how long this fix will last for?
Amazing!
This is overkill, for a simpler fix without glue scrape off a tiny amount of the board exactly where he shows it sticks... when he shows where it makes contact at 8:00, push (rotate) the metal part directly under his arrow out of the way (basically free it up) then at the point where you have just revealed the sticking part of the circuit board that was hidden under the metal, scrape the edge of the board with a very small flat head screwdriver to shave away a tiny amount of the board edge. It scrapes away quite easily, but do this upside down so the resulting dust falls out. This fix works when you have shaved off just enough of the board where it was binding with the rotating metal part so that there is no more contact.
I did this to mine and it works fine, you can also use a vacuum to remove the dust.
Anyone ever try the UV LIGHT activated Super Glue? That would allow one to hold the circuit board in and instantly solidify the glue by turning on the UV Activation Light hardening the glue within a second or two. Do the glues break down over time and turn into glue flakes or glue crumbs in the lens body?
I have try the UV glue but I was not satisfied with it, it does not really work like in the advertisment.
I just used medium thin superglue with a wicking tip. It seeps under the board and sets quick. It fixed mine however if you deliberately wind the manual focus past 1.5m and deliberately keep winding as if trying to go to back and back (pretend it exists) the autofocus will get stuck but a simple twist manual focus will get the auto focus working once it gets to 1.5m the autofocus gets working again. If you use autofocus you won’t have this problem. Mine wouldn’t even manual focus before the fix. My suggestion for those who have fixed this issue unless you really need it to focus to 1.5m id set the 2.5-infinity switch as A it speeds up the focus and B will stop any sticky end of the lens where it’s problematic. Most of the time you’re more than 2.5 m away from subject anyway. Once it’s glued if you do find it a fraction tending to stick at 1.5m a quick manual focus twist fixes it. There is no doubt this fixes the manual focus issue
Thanksss!!!
hi makino, any video repairing an 80 200 ed?
Not at the moment.
Hi.
I have a lens just like that and curiously suffers from that same problem.
I have seen the video several times, but I do not know where to paste exactly, the printed circuit board, other than my English is very limited.
mikeno62, thank you very much for sharing the videos.
Greeting.
It's important that you only add the glue / paste on the inner side of the edge of the circuit board. I hope it make sense.
Cheers
Kenneth
Thank you very much for your interest Kenneth.
I do not know if I'll be able to do it, but I'll try, although first I have to look for the components and the glue and know exactly where to put the glue.
Thank you also for providing me the page where I can buy the rubber, curiously the shipment costs much more than the spare hi hi hi.
Thank you very much Kenneth again.
I found some info from "ifixit.com" that maybe could help you.
www.ifixit.com/Guide/Solve+stuck+focus+of+AF-S+VR+Zoom-Nikkor+ED+70-200mm+f2.8G+IF/96068
Kenneth, thank you very much for your kindness and for your help.
I've seen the link you sent, I think it's another way to disassemble the lens, to get to the place where you have to paste the printed circuit board, although I consider it easier to access as you indicate in the video.
Thank you very much Kenneth
Thanks for saving me lots of $$$$$$$$
If ANYONE knows of or runs across a video of a Nikon 600mm f4 AF-S ED with the same issue being fixed... Please let me know where to find it.
Sir, that glue is 98$ at Granger, is there another like (Loctite superglue) that'll work. Im partially torn down, waiting for your recommendation. Thanks in advance.
Yes, you can use super glue and I think it's the best if you use the GEL type, BUT you have to wait until the gas (smell) in the glue is fully evaporated, the rest of the gas could maybe make some damage to the lens element's surface, so better let the opening face upward, 1-2 days until the smell is gone.
mikeno62 Thank you. All taken into consideration, i think it's worth paying for correct glue. I'd feel better about it. Got lens for $300, so im in good situation. Why take a chance. Thanks for the reply, its appreciated.
mikeno62 Sir, Ive bought the black Ultra Gel Control along with the, Locktite. Plastics, All plastics All Materials. Bonding System. Fuses hard-to-bond plastic. Has an activator, and glue. Doesnt say if its a gel. Any thoughts? Thank you again. If you say just order aa330 (be safe, do right) I'll get it tomorrow. Id rather wait to do right. Cheers...👁
I did'nt know about the Loctite® Super Glue ULTRA Gel Control™, but it looks like a good glue for many things.
Well, even if the "Multibond" dryes up slower than the "Loctite® Super Glue ULTRA Gel Control™, I would use the "Multibond" it gives you time to correct if something not sits correct, just let it dry over night and it will be fine.
I see in the video about the AA330, that he use a spray can, but when you use it in the lens, ******* FIRST! spray the activator on a cotton bud, and then apply in the lens... it will make it more easy to point where it should be, and NOT everywhere in the lens.
And another good thing, the AA330 is also a very good glue for many other things that has fall apart.
Cheers
Kenneth
why is it that you use lighter fluid instead of acetone or isopropyl?
Simply because, there is no residues when I use lighter fluid , I have try with Isopropylalcohol 99% but it takes away some residues but it's not so good to take away very oily film on the surface, it's not very often I use Acetone because I think lighter fluid do the job better in most cases.
@@mikeno62 thank you 😊
Anyone ever tell you that you sound like Morten Hilmers?
Thank you verymuch for a very comprehensive tut. I was able ro repair my 70-200. However the lens is squicking when focusing like the 300mm on this video: ruclips.net/video/Z8rUBqAVSPM/видео.html
Please advise. Thanks