Nikon 18-200, bad copy or expected limited performance? What other options?

Zarch

Zarch

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Mick
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I've had this Nikon 18-200 mk.1 for a number of years, first on my D3100 and now my D7000.

In all honesty, i've rarely used it, but have always been loathed to sell it (just in case).

Over the past two or three years when shooting my kids and on days out i've used my Tamron 17-50 2.8 and also got out the beast (Sigma 70-200 2.8) when required, usually wildlife park trips. Otherwise, the 17-50 is nigh one permanently attached.

My kids have recently started dancing in galas through the summer and at last years events I carried both the 17-50 and 70-200 as I didn't know how far away or how big the performance area would be.

But no matter which I used, I was either tied to the wide angle with the 17-50 or zoomed with the 70-200 and I missed shots. Obviously, image quality was great with both lenses, but I need to instantly go from wide to zoom as they move around so quickly. So this weekend as a test I only took the 18-200.

But firstly rewind to last weekend where I used the 18-200 for the first time in quite a while when shooting the Tour de France here in Sheffield. This was because my 17-50 was being repaired, so I had nothing wide in the bag aside from the 18-200. Frankly, I was disappointed, but on reflection many of the problems were my own doing. Shooting wide open (found to my cost that the lens doesn't appreciate it) and having some self inflicted focus issues. (fast bikes,my fault)

So I spent this week just gone reading how to try and get the best out of the 18-200. The most basic advice was to keep the aperture between f8 and f10. So I set up Sunday at f8, 1/1000 ish shutter speed and auto ISO. It was a bright day as these galas usually are, so ISO was around 600 to 1000, perfectly acceptable for my D7000.

I shot the whole session with those settings (or thereabouts) and instantly noticed an improvement in picture quality versus the Tour de France shots from the weekend before. Some of them, especially towards the centre of the image really impressed me.

But I did notice quite a lot of softness/issues down the side and especially down the left hand edge when between 18mm-50mm.

Is this just a problem with the 18-200 full stop and not my copy? As it does seem better at 200mm down the left hand side as the last image shows.

I've looked back through my lightroom library and noticed that the lens seemed to look better on my old D3100. It didn't seem to show as much softness as I'm getting now on the D7000. Better camera accentuating flaws in the lens perhaps? Or has the lens gone belly up on me?

I feel like I'd like to sell the 18-200 and get something else, something better to cover these galas. On reflection, I don't think I need all the way to 200m and could probably cope with 105/135/140 or something. But I certainly don't feel my Tamron 17-50 is long enough for these events.

Could I cope with a 16-85 and crop? But is that really that much longer than my 17-50?

Are the kit lenses; 18-105, 18-135 and 18-140 any better than the 18-200? Especially at 18mm-50mm?

Would be interested in any views people have.

Also, I won't be offended if you tell me that you think i'm trying to polish a turd and there is no decent "do it all" option. :)

Some pictures below from Sunday with the Nikon 18-200 on D7000........... thoughts appreciated

Thanks, Mick



Soft on the left side at 50mm (only cropped top and bottom), centre and right sharper


MJW_0577.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr



Soft on the left side at 18mm, centre and right sharper


MJW_0404.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr



Another soft left at 18mm, centre and right sharper


MJW_0580.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr



Impressive centre performance at 42mm? (image only slightly cropped left/right)


MJW_0477.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr



Not too bad in centre at 18mm? (image only slightly cropped left/right)


MJW_0605.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr



Not too bad across the picture at 200mm, left looks fine now? (barely cropped)


MJW_0584.jpg by Zarch1972, on Flickr
 
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Hmmm... looks strange. It is always soft on the left side.

Is this happening with your other lenses at the moment? If not, thoroughly clean both elements of glass on 18-200mm failing that, I'd sell on eBay and probably get a different one as it would be out of warranty now.
 
Phil Young said:
Hmmm... looks strange. It is always soft on the left side.

Is this happening with your other lenses at the moment? If not, thoroughly clean both elements of glass on 18-200mm failing that, I'd sell on eBay and probably get a different one as it would be out of warranty now.
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Why would you offload a potentially faulty lens on some innocent Ebayer :(
 
Phil Young said:
Hmmm... looks strange. It is always soft on the left side.

Is this happening with your other lenses at the moment? If not, thoroughly clean both elements of glass on 18-200mm failing that, I'd sell on eBay and probably get a different one as it would be out of warranty now.
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It appears to always been on the left, but only at wide angles as the first three images show. (18mm and 5mm). As you can see from the final image, at 200mm it looks better and the same lens doesn't have the same issue.

My other lenses are fine.
 
maybe you should test it more accurately with a Test chart

lots on the web that you can down load and stick on the wall
 
:agree: give a full test with test chart :)

Also if you cant live with the results of theses sorts of lens,they very rarely work great across the full range,maybe think about getting an 2nd body so you can use both lens that you like :)
 
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simonblue said:
they very rarely work great across the full range
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I'm certainly thinking this about the lens Simon, in fact, its what I expect. I just want to be sure what i'm seeing in photos is just that?

I've managed to do some limited focus chart testing, but despite the nice weather the light has failed me this evening.

25 test shots here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mickwall/sets/72157645736621062/

Basically, 18mm is tough to test as the chart is too small. Although prob need to do some 3.5, 4.5, 5.6 and right up the range, only did a few.

But at 34mm its soft on right hand side when shooting wide open, but get to f8 and f10 and the problems go away.

So at certain focal lengths and apertures its a bit wonky on one side (my Sunday pics), but change the focal length and the issue moves around.(tonights test) Which is just what Simon is alluding too?

I imagine there is that much glass moving around inside that there are only a few 'sweet spots' in there? and there is nothing actually 'wrong' with the lends, its just expected performance? Or is that too naive a notion?
 
Hi
You really need to pin the chart against a very flat wall to get the best results,and make sure the cameras on an tripod and straight on to the targets :)
 
Zarch said:
I'm certainly thinking this about the lens Simon, in fact, its what I expect. I just want to be sure what i'm seeing in photos is just that?

I've managed to do some limited focus chart testing, but despite the nice weather the light has failed me this evening.

25 test shots here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mickwall/sets/72157645736621062/

Basically, 18mm is tough to test as the chart is too small. Although prob need to do some 3.5, 4.5, 5.6 and right up the range, only did a few.

But at 34mm its soft on right hand side when shooting wide open, but get to f8 and f10 and the problems go away.

So at certain focal lengths and apertures its a bit wonky on one side (my Sunday pics), but change the focal length and the issue moves around.(tonights test) Which is just what Simon is alluding too?

I imagine there is that much glass moving around inside that there are only a few 'sweet spots' in there? and there is nothing actually 'wrong' with the lends, its just expected performance? Or is that too naive a notion?
Click to expand...

Sounds like a decentering issue, and is quite common. Decentering is most evident on one side or corner, at the wide end, and at lower f/numbers. Pretty much exactly what you're reporting. Those test chart pictures will tell you nothing, and most likely lead you up the garden path.

simonblue said:
Hi
You really need to pin the chart against a very flat wall to get the best results,and make sure the cameras on an tripod and straight on to the targets :)
Click to expand...

No. Testing any lens, particularly wide-angles, at close distance with a flat chart is very likely to reveal 'problems' that don't actually exist in practise. In particular, field curvature that will affect flat target images but a) is substantially reduced at greater distance, and b) has very little impact on real world images anyway.
 
HoppyUK said:
Sounds like a decentering issue, and is quite common. Decentering is most evident on one side or corner, at the wide end, and at lower f/numbers. Pretty much exactly what you're reporting. Those test chart pictures will tell you nothing, and most likely lead you up the garden path.



No. Testing any lens, particularly wide-angles, at close distance with a flat chart is very likely to reveal 'problems' that don't actually exist in practise. In particular, field curvature that will affect flat target images but a) is substantially reduced at greater distance, and b) has very little impact on real world images anyway.
Click to expand...

While i agree with you,if your going to use an test chart an uneven surface and coming in from different angles wont help the test :)
 
HoppyUK said:
Sounds like a decentering issue, and is quite common. Decentering is most evident on one side or corner, at the wide end, and at lower f/numbers. Pretty much exactly what you're reporting. Those test chart pictures will tell you nothing, and most likely lead you up the garden path.
Click to expand...
Thank you Richard.

Yes, I suppose as i'm turned the zoom wheel, what is wrong is moving around inside and popping up in different places.

So is there a fix other than send it away for repair? And how much is that going to cost? :(

Having already sent one lens away for repair in the last 2 weeks I feel like i'm currently cursed.
 
Zarch said:
Thank you Richard.

Yes, I suppose as i'm turned the zoom wheel, what is wrong is moving around inside and popping up in different places.

So is there a fix other than send it away for repair? And how much is that going to cost? :(

Having already sent one lens away for repair in the last 2 weeks I feel like i'm currently cursed.
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All zooms move things around inside of course, and super-zooms like 18-200 more than most. That sometimes leads to a slightly uneven feel to the zoom ring, but if there are loose bits inside then there will be problems for sure and it's unlikely to get better ;) This kind of thing is often the result of a drop or hefty jolt at least, but it needs fixing :(
 
Fixation suggesting £85 + vat + parts (if required)......... I really am cursed after the £140 repair bill on my 17-50 just a few weeks ago. :(
 
Okay, update for you on this one. Prepare to be confused.........

I have just come back from my local independent dealer who has had a look at the 18-200 lens for me.

He obviously agreed from looking at the pictures (at the beginning of this post) that there is something wrong somewhere. But he tried my lens on his D7100 in the shop, it worked fine. :thinking:

So my 18-200 lens was good on my old D3100, looks fine on a brand new D7100, but has issues on my D7000.

My D7000 faulty then? I really doubt this as pictures recently taken on my 35mm, 17-50 and 70-200 all look spot on. (although need to go back into LR tonight really have a detailed look, but i'm convinced)

I suppose a different 18-200 on my D7000 and my 18-200 on another D7000 are the only two tests i've not done?

Is the internet myth that certain lenses just don't like certain bodies really true then? :exit:
 
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Zarch said:
Okay, update for you on this one. Prepare to be confused.........

I have just come back from my local independent dealer who has had a look at the 18-200 lens for me.

He obviously agreed from looking at the pictures (at the beginning of this post) that there is something wrong somewhere. But he tried my lens on his D7100 in the shop, it worked fine. :thinking:

So my 18-200 lens was good on my old D3100, looks fine on a brand new D7100, but has issues on my D7000.

My D7000 faulty then? I really doubt this as pictures recently taken on my 35mm, 17-50 and 70-200 all look spot on. (although need to go back into LR tonight really have a detailed look, but i'm convinced)

I suppose a different 18-200 on my D7000 and my 18-200 on another D7000 are the only two tests i've not done?

Is the internet myth that certain lenses just don't like certain bodies really true then? :exit:
Click to expand...

There is definitely something amiss in the images you've posted, very clearly in the first shot. The softness down LH side is not a camera issue. It could be intermittent if things are a bit loose inside, or only at certain focal lengths and focusing distances.
 
Guy in the shop shot at 18mm and same apertures as my pics (wide open and f8 etc) with the D7100 and the images showed no problems with my lens.

Luckily, a lad at work has a D7100 so i'm gonna do some of my own testing.
 
Zarch said:
Guy in the shop shot at 18mm and same apertures as my pics (wide open and f8 etc) with the D7100 and the images showed no problems with my lens.

Luckily, a lad at work has a D7100 so i'm gonna do some of my own testing.
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Your first pic was at 50mm focal length.
 
Some of the others with issues are at 18mm. Like I said, I'd like to do my own testing too. But it's a line of enquiry.
 
Thankfully, just processing around 500 shots taken last night on my D7000 at the Sheffield cycling event and I see no issues at all with my 35mm, 17-50 or 70-200.
 
Just wanted to bring this back to the top after a bit more testing.

Did some tests using my D7000 and my pals D7100 in the car park at work with the pesky Nikon 18-200 lens.

I took the same shots at the same focal lengths and apertures on both cameras. With same focus modes, metering etc.

Files begin with 1-, 2-, 3- which indicates aperture and focal length used in this list.

1. f3.5, 18mm
2. f5.6, 18mm
3. f8.0, 18mm
4. f4.2, 35mm
5. f5.6, 35mm
6. f8.0, 35mm
7. f4.8, 50mm
8. f5.6, 50mm
9. f8.0, 50mm
10. f5.6, 130mm
11. f8.0, 130mm
12. f5.6, 200mm
13. f8.0, 200mm

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mickwall/sets/72157646429113992/

Remember, its the edges that are the problem, centre usually seems okay.

Looking at these, it looks to me that my D7000 just does not like the lens. The D7100 shots look better. Especially the 18mm and 35mm ones.

Next test is find another D7000?

Or just upgrade to a D7100? ;)
 
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D7000 shot looks both front focused and softer on the left. D7100 is better focused but also softer on the left. Lens needs fixing.

Does the D7000 focus accurately and consistently with other lenses? If not, send that in too.
 
HoppyUK said:
D7000 shot looks both front focused and softer on the left. D7100 is better focused but also softer on the left. Lens needs fixing.

Does the D7000 focus accurately and consistently with other lenses? If not, send that in too.
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Thanks Richard. Never had any issues i've seen with my D7000 on my other 3 lenses.
 
Zarch said:
Thanks Richard. Never had any issues i've seen with my D7000 on my other 3 lenses.
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What you're seeing, poor focus and edge sharpness, are both consistent with something loose inside the lens. Same as it was a month ago ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
What you're seeing, poor focus and edge sharpness, are both consistent with something loose inside the lens. Same as it was a month ago ;)
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okay, okay, I can take a hint Richard....... time to get something done about it. ;)
 
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