Is this normal?

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NikonSimon

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Simon
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Just bought a used Nikon 16-85mm VR for my D40x. Lens in great condition, very happy indeed. But when just taking some test snaps indoors, I've noticed it does some things that didn't happen on my previous 18-70mm. I shall try to describe it as best I can for you.

When looking through the eye piece and flicking the camera to 'on', the lens itself 'clicks' about 4 times, and when doing this the image I'm looking at through the eye piece moves up and down a little in time to the clicks, before staying where it was.

Also, every now and then (right now it appears to be 'then' as I'm trying to make it do it whilst I'm typing to describe it, but it won't) when I zoom to 85mm and half depress the shutter button for it to autofocus, the lens clicks again a few times, and as it does this the image moves around in the eyepiece (almost like it's searching), before settling back where it was, in focus.

Sorry for the length of this, but it's a little tricky to describe.

Also, before anyone asks, yes I bought it on here, but I'm not trying to cause problems or anything. I was bowled over by the service I received and the communication and speed throughout, and the lens itself is in great condition and appears to take perfectly sharp (albeit having only taken pictures in quite low light in my lounge whilst watching tv). I'm just genuinely interested to know if this is normal, or whether it is something that shouldn't be happening.

Thanks
Simon
 
That sounds like it's the VR cutting in.

Turn it off and see if the image still jumps and the clicking noise has stopped.
 
It's the image stabilisation (sorry, "Vibration Reduction", I'm a Canon guy :D) starting to work! Nothing odd about it at all, some lenses make really strange noises!
 
Your probably seeing the VR working. When you turn it on i would imagine it warms up or resets in the centre to, moving to its extremes to get its baring first of all.
 
I just turned the VR switch to 'off' and it still makes the clicks when I turn the camera on and the image I see through the eyepiece still jumps in time to the clicks.

I must admit it doesn't appear to be doing it anymore when autofocusing at the long end
 
yeah iv,e just got the 70-300 vr and it takes a bit of getting used to but all sounds normal to me :thumbs:
 
p.s. thanks for all the speedy responses. Like I said, I don't want to cause any issues with the seller, and was a bit nervous about posting as a result. I just wanted some re-assurances
 
MY 70-300 IS used to jump around when you half-pressed the shutter. As the motors start up there will be movement, then as they stabilise the movement will stop and you'll just have a very steady view on things. Don't worry!

Chris
 
just to clarify. After playing around a bit more, it's not the clicking I'm worried/intrigued about. It's the jumping around of what I'm looking at through the viewfinder when it makes these clicks that I'd like to know about.

It's my first VR lens, so forgive me if this is normal
 
dinorock said:
yeah iv,e just got the 70-300 vr and it takes a bit of getting used to but all sounds normal to me :thumbs:
Click to expand...

i have the 55-200 VR - same odd jumping but 100% ok

ps Nikon and others say to turn OFF the VR when clamped firmly to a tripod
the system - seeing no vibration - will *hunt* for some.....:shrug:

weird but true......:lol:
 
chris321 said:
MY 70-300 IS used to jump around when you half-pressed the shutter. As the motors start up there will be movement, then as they stabilise the movement will stop and you'll just have a very steady view on things. Don't worry!

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris, thanks a million for that. It's put my mind at rest (and everyone can ignore my previous post now!)

If the person I bought this off reads this thread, I wasn't for a second thinking I'd been sold dodgy gear. It was something that I hadn't experienced before and just wanted to check.
 
Yardbent said:
i have the 55-200 VR - same odd jumping but 100% ok

ps Nikon and others say to turn OFF the VR when clamped firmly to a tripod
the system - seeing no vibration - will *hunt* for some.....:shrug:

weird but true......:lol:
Click to expand...

Yeah, I read that in one of Scott Kelby's books. with VR on it hunts for noise and corrects it. If there isn't any at all (i.e. when using a tripod) then it will create it by hunting.

I think I interpreted it right!

S
 
Actually, just to back track slightly.. I know you guys said it's normal as it's the VR getting itself sorted, but is it normal if it happens when I flick the VR to off?

Cheers
Simon

P.s. Posting on my mobile on the train to work, so don't have my camera handy to check anything out
 
NikonSimon said:
Actually, just to back track slightly.. I know you guys said it's normal as it's the VR getting itself sorted, but is it normal if it happens when I flick the VR to off?

Cheers
Simon

P.s. Posting on my mobile on the train to work, so don't have my camera handy to check anything out
Click to expand...

With VR off you shouldn't see the image moving (unless your moving the camera) or hear the VR spinning up
 
Dogfish_magnet said:
With VR off you shouldn't see the image moving (unless your moving the camera) or hear the VR spinning up
Click to expand...

ah, well, I flick it to off, and I still hear that clicking when I first turn the camera on, and the image moves up and down in time to the clicking.

I'm confused now, as to whether the lens is fine or not :thinking::shrug:
 
You are switching off the VR aren't you and not flicking the AF/M switch?

not calling you stupid just eliminating options.

Remember you should have the VR set to active only if you are in a moving vehicle so leave on normal.
 
PsiFox said:
You are switching off the VR aren't you and not flicking the AF/M switch?

not calling you stupid just eliminating options.

Remember you should have the VR set to active only if you are in a moving vehicle so leave on normal.
Click to expand...

Don't worry, I know you weren't calling me stupid!

Definitely switching the VR switch and not the M/A-M switch. The 'normal/active' switch was on normal.

So, initially, was happening with:

VR= on
M/A-M= M/A
normal/active= normal

So tried it with VR 'off', everything else the same, and it still seems to happen. Like I've said it doesn't seem to happen as much after a while, so the point made by a previous poster about it 'sorting itself out' and warming up seemed to be sensible, but I then realised it still seems to do it when VR is switched to 'off'
 
NikonSimon said:
the point made by a previous poster about it 'sorting itself out' and warming up seemed to be sensible, but I then realised it still seems to do it when VR is switched to 'off'
Click to expand...

when the VR is switched off does it do it only at start up and not when focusing? if so i can understand that as the electronics may well do a self check on power up.

I'll let someone wit ha VR lens confirm I was just chipping in to make sure it reads right.
 
Simon, what autofocus mode do you have the camera on? AF-S, AF-C or AF-A?

I picked up a 70-300mm VR from the classifieds here (great lens BTW:)) and what you are describing was what I noticed straight off. At the time my autofocus mode was set to AF-C as I had been "trying" to get pictures of some garden birds. With the combination of the VR and AF-C the lens made lots of little clicks and sounded very odd. I then changed to AF-S and the clicks were far less. It doesn't appear to go away fully and you do get used to it.

Hope my meanderings make sense?:thinking:

Cheers, Rob
 
Rob Bartley said:
Simon, what autofocus mode do you have the camera on? AF-S, AF-C or AF-A?

I picked up a 70-300mm VR from the classifieds here (great lens BTW:)) and what you are describing was what I noticed straight off. At the time my autofocus mode was set to AF-C as I had been "trying" to get pictures of some garden birds. With the combination of the VR and AF-C the lens made lots of little clicks and sounded very odd. I then changed to AF-S and the clicks were far less. It doesn't appear to go away fully and you do get used to it.

Hope my meanderings make sense?:thinking:

Cheers, Rob
Click to expand...

Cheers Rob. I'm at work at the moment, so can't check. I must admit, I did think of that last night, but in my 'wisdom' didn't get round to checking it.

I shall have a look later tonight when I'm home.

It's a great lens, btw. And I'm very pleased as it feels a lot more solid and balanced than the 18-70mm I had
 
B3R said:
when the VR is switched off does it do it only at start up and not when focusing? if so i can understand that as the electronics may well do a self check on power up.

I'll let someone wit ha VR lens confirm I was just chipping in to make sure it reads right.
Click to expand...

Another one I'll check when I get home! I must admit, I can't really remember now. It was my birthday yesterday, and had had a couple of shandys, so my memory of when it did and didn't happen is a bit fuzzy!

I do know for sure that there was some movement and noise when VR was switched to off. However, if it did it when focussing or not is a different matter

Simon
 
maybe the when the camera is first turned on, even with VR off the lens needs to lock the glass to a central position?

Will check my lenses at lunch time.

Nick.
 
right, am home. Had a bit of a play. Am pretty certain it's the VR adjusting itself. When I turn the VR on, and also off, it does that clicking and picture jumping thing I was talking about.

Am going to try and see if it happens when I zoom in and out with VR turned off.
 
Seems like it doesn't happen when I zoom to different lengths with VR off.

However, it does the 'clicky movey' thing (as I'm now going to call it), whenever I turn the camera on with VR off.

Is that normal?
 
Simon

Sorry I was rubbish with my reply but the real world intervened!

I had a quick play with my camera and lenses (plus my dads) and I cant seem to replicate the clicks while I have seen a small image shake, not much though.

Maybe your shiny lens has a greater range of VR movement than mine though so I'll now pass and let others reply..

Nick.
 
Alternatively get a response from the horses mouth

Nikon U.K. support

+44 (0)330 123 0932
Lines are open 9.00am - 5.00pm Mon - Fri
 
Turns out it wasn't normal at all.

The seller has been nothing short of fantastic with this, and has given me a full refund, and in return I've taken it into a Nikon approved service centre in London on a lunch break last week, for an estimate.

I used the refunded money, plus £90 extra, to get a new one from Park Cameras and there is no sign of 'clicky shakey' issues at all
 
Simon

Congrats on a satisfactory solution.

Nick.
 
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