Is Camerabox.co.uk fobbing me of?

allanm

allanm

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Allan
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I recently bought a Nikon 80-200AF-D for my D300. Among other things, I mentioned to them that I was interested in doing portraits with the lens.
After a few test shots, I came to the conclusion that the AF wasnt accurate and sent it back. I tested the lens against my 80-200AF-S, shot for shot, (which was pin sharp at all ranges) so I was convinced the new lens was faulty.
That was two weeks ago and after a reminder to them to send my refund, they sent me this email reply!

The refund has gone forward and we will go back onto the payment card in the
next 3-5 working days.

For your information, there is no fault with the product. This lens in
particular is not suited to the type of photography that you indicated in
your letter i.e. portrait. It is designed more for distance and moving
capture.

Kind regards

I assume as they say the lens isnt faulty, I wont get the postage back?

Any comments?
I will be contacting Nikon too for their views.

Allan
 
allanm said:
I recently bought a Nikon 80-200AF-D for my D300. Among other things, I mentioned to them that I was interested in doing portraits with the lens.
After a few test shots, I came to the conclusion that the AF wasnt accurate and sent it back. I tested the lens against my 80-200AF-S, shot for shot, (which was pin sharp at all ranges) so I was convinced the new lens was faulty.
That was two weeks ago and after a reminder to them to send my refund, they sent me this email reply!

The refund has gone forward and we will go back onto the payment card in the
next 3-5 working days.

For your information, there is no fault with the product. This lens in
particular is not suited to the type of photography that you indicated in
your letter i.e. portrait. It is designed more for distance and moving
capture.

Kind regards

I assume as they say the lens isnt faulty, I wont get the postage back?

Any comments?
I will be contacting Nikon too for their views.

Allan
Click to expand...

That's pretty funny... so using a lens for portrait work makes the AF not accurate?

LOL... sounds like a fob off to me, although I'm sure someone will come along and prove me wrong!
 
Actually this lens isn't much good at its minimal focal distance, and all the most recent Nikon camera body manuals have mentioned AF issues with this lens close to MFD. (see your manual, in my D700 manual its on page 371 for example)

When focusing at minimum focus distance with AF 80-200mm f/2.8 lens at maximum zoom in-focus indicator may be displayed when image on matte screen in viewfinder is not in focus .Adjust focus manually until image in viewfinder is in focus.


This was a pretty well known issue I thought? Pretty much any recent body has come with this mentioned (its in my S5 Pro manual too)
 
I remembered that it says that in my D300 manual too ( page 350) but after looking again, it states an AF 80-200 f2.8S.
However, i didnt use it at its minimum focus distance knowing that the AF may not be totally accurate.
I first became aware of the problem taking a shot at 200mm at a distance of about 25 metres then again at about 40 metres. Both shots were at an aperture of f5.6 and speeds over 1/500th where I would expect a very sharp image.
I then did shot for shot comparisons with my 80-200AF-S, every shot taken with the AF-D was OOF but less noticeable at or near 80mm.

Allan
 
allanm said:
The refund has gone forward and we will go back onto the payment card in the next 3-5 working days.
Click to expand...

Whilst I understand that many people will have had satisfactory transactions with them, I'll never touch them with someone else's bargepole.

P1$$up in a brewery is the phrase which springs readily to mind and I'd rather send my bank details to Nigeria then have anything to do with them.
 
allanm said:
I remembered that it says that in my D300 manual too ( page 350) but after looking again, it states an AF 80-200 f2.8S.ut less noticeable at or near 80mm.

Allan
Click to expand...

There is no " AF 80-200 f2.8S" - its a typo, it should be D, the S key is next to the D key ;)

Its corrected in some later manuals, the problem with this lens is at both extremes and its worse than documented. This lens is problematic on recent bodies, especially the S5 Pro and D200 (this lens, and the 35-70 is responsible for a number of "back focus" issues on the S5 Pro in particular)

Nikon can adjust the lens with shims to your body, but can't fix it otherwise (AF-S lens can be caliberated)

The lens does work fine at about 15 feet or more out.
 
puddleduck said:
The lens does work fine at about 15 feet or more out.
Click to expand...

The point was, mine didnt.

I`ve read quite a few posts on other forums that suggest a focus issue with this lens close up on max zoom, as you suggested, but 25 metres at 200mm should be sharp. It was even on a tripod.
I will be contacting Nikon today anyway.
Watch out for a duff 80-200 lens being sold by Camerabox. I have the serial number!

Allan
 
I've bought a couple of things off them which I had to return, and they were very stroppy on both occasions, only just agrreing to my refunds. I wont be using them again.
 
I contacted Nikon about the problems I had with the lens. They said it should be fine for portraits and the Minimum focus issue doesnt affect all lens / camera combinations, and the lens should be fine just over mfd.
They gave me the impression that they didnt believe Camerabox`s assessment of the lens, but couldnt be absolutely sure unless they tested the lens.

I must say they delivered the lens very quickly, ordered on Friday delivered Saturday.

But that is academic because I wont use them again, ever...

Allan
 
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