Thanks I’ll give them a ringNikon show here third party repairers and one is in Glasgow
https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/service_support/repair_centre/arc.page
Thanks @rob-nikon.Fixation would be another.
Also try:
http://www.cam-rep.co.uk/ I’ve had a ton of work done by Alan - super fast turn around and great value for money.
AF-S motors on these lenses are notorious - I’m sure he’s seen it before and can give you a very honest idea on the work and timeframe involved.
Fixation would be another.
Nikon show here third party repairers and one is in Glasgow
https://www.nikon.co.uk/en_GB/service_support/repair_centre/arc.page
A J Johnstone & Co
395-399 Central Chambers
93 Hope Street
Glasgow
G2 6LD
Tel 0141 221 2106
Fax 0141 221 9166
www.ajjohnstone.net
HTH
What camera body are you using ?
I can’t see a reason why a repaired af-s 300/4 wouldn’t give excellent results - providing you’re not experiencing back/front focus issues....
I use the older version and focus is bang on - no problems. Most af errors on fast tele’s are operator error imo over lens issues.
Sorry @gilbouk - I need to work on my grammar ....
My initial message wasn't clear - what I was trying to say was... If you can achieve sharp results with MF then there's no reason why you shouldn't get sharp results with AF. The front / back focusing may happen depending on camera and body - although with a Z6 with the different focusing technology - you can expect bang on results. Otherwise - send it back to the person who repaired it...
As for whether repairing a lens may turn a good lens into a bad one.... It depends whether the SWM repair requires the lens element groups to be disassembled - I am not familiar with the exact construction of the lens - there are some Nikon tele's that require only one (or none) (usually the 5th ) of the element groups to be removed for SWM replacement. Others that require most of the elements to be removed.
I would say that if I were in your position (and my AF issues with my Nikon's (and Canon's for that matter) are well documented on here) I would not be too worried about sending the lens for repair - however I would be paying close attention to who and where I sent it too... I have not used AJ Johnstone and therefore do not have an opinion on their work. I have used Alan - who I see you have contacted and I have also used Fixation and Nikon themselves. I have nothing but excellent things to say about Fixation - brilliant and backed by WEX too - my point being, if I were to send a lens for repair and it came back less than 100% I would not have any issues sending it back to Fixation or Alan until it was correct.
I am not sure how much fixation would charge for the work you are requiring - however their request for the lens is fair and in your shoes - I'd rather fixation than anyone else to repair the lens.
MF at that focal length is tricky - especially with a modern dslr. I have a mf 400 2.8 and that’s pretty difficult but it can be done!Thanks for explaining to some extent what may be involved during the repair. Hopefully the examination of the lens will not require removal of the element(s) and should the quote be too high, I can get the lens back in it's original 'glory' albeit still in MF. I may very well go with your recommendation.
I'm going to wait until my z6 arrives, and try the lens using focus peaking to see if I can achieve more consistent results, but judging by how minuscule a movement on the focus ring can be the difference between a sharp and a soft subject - MF may just not cut it when shooting wide open to get that lovely bokeh and depth I'm looking for and that fantastic sharpness at the same time.
Sorry @gilbouk
I am not sure how much fixation would charge for the work you are requiring - however their request for the lens is fair and in your shoes - I'd rather fixation than anyone else to repair the lens.
Don’t be too hard on yourself re manual focus with a fast tele. It’s hard .... also the 300 f4 from nikon is in my opinion a hugely underrated lens. I believe it’s very close in sharpness to the 300 2.8 at equivalent apertures and I believe it’s ‘forgotten’ due to the lack of vr....
Anyway - I’d definitely consider getting the lens repaired - I love my 300 af-d - has a great look to it and produces some great results
Nice one ... we had a Bar-headed along with a group of Barnacle Geese down here a few months ago, wonder if it could be the same individual.ZSC_0083 by Gilbo B, on Flickr
Probably the once in a lifetime shot that ultimately made me decide I wanted the AF repaired!! A bar-headed goose which arrived along with a large group of greylags. Gutted it's not tack sharp :-(. I did get a few keepers, but none as good as what this would have been had it been in focus!!
Nice one ... we had a Bar-headed along with a group of Barnacle Geese down here a few months ago, wonder if it could be the same individual.
Thanks for updating the thread Gil.Many thanks for your help @toohuge. In the end the MF was still too difficult, even with the focus peaking on the Z6. I found that the movements required, on the focus ring, were just too small, and the ring just not quite smooth enough to achieve positive results. That and trying to hold the lens completely still, and the subject moving just had too many factors working against me, and any sharp photos at 100% were just fluke tbh!!
In the end I sent my lens to Fixation who were fantastic at sending me a quote on examination within hours of receipt today. The only problem is that the cost of the repair is quite high. Compared to the quote from the local firm of £252 all in (parts and labour and VAT), the cost of the parts alone comes in at the same price with a further £135 + VAT for labour bring Fixation's price to £410 + postage. That's a difference of £158 - 62% more. From the quote from Fixation - it would appear that the parts are directly from Nikon, and I'm expecting it might take a while before they get them (I've sent them an email asking).
I now have to decide on whether the repair would be worth it, based on how much I paid for the lens, and the value of a second hand lens with functioning AF. Saying that, having the lens repair would mean less likely hood of the AF failing on me in a short time. All in with the cost of the repair, and what I paid for the lens initially, the total will be just over the £550 mark. Is it worth it - does that sound a good prospect. I just love the photos I've taken with it so far, and I'm really considering getting it repaired with Fixation.
Thanks for updating the thread Gil.
That repair cost sounds about right - afs motors are expensive and you are correct, the part will be coming from Nikon directly.
Anyway....
It's a tough decision to make on that particular lens. The following is only my opinion - The motor used in that period of lenses (17-35, 80-200, 300 f4, 28-70) are notorious for SWM issues and it's an inherent design issue, so those motors are prone to going bad with time. The 300 f4 you have is still a current lens so no part availability issues.
Now we are down to whether or not it is worth it.... Here are your options for fast AF 300mm lenses for Nikon:
300 F4 AF-D
300 F4 AFS
300 F4 PF VR
300 F2.8 AF-D
300 F2.8 AF-I
300 F2.8 AFS (and a number of variants some with VR)
As you're planning on adapting this lens to the Z system, you'll need an AF-S lens, so that narrows your choice to:
300 F4 AFS
300 F4 PF
300 F2.8's etc.
The 2.8's are awesome, but heavy and awkward to travel with etc. I love the 300 PF as it's tiny and has VR which may come in useful for your applications.
The 300 F4 AFS is a lovely lens, but I feel the market for these lenses (with the notorious AF motor issues) is getting pretty scarce now and 550 is strong money for this lens - however if you go for this lens, at least you'll have a new AF motor that should last.
I can't make the decision for you - however if the focal length and speed suit your applications, there are few other options out there at that price.... that give the same quality. It comes down to whether you were planning on spending close to 600 on a fast tele for the nikon system...
In your shoes I would not be replacing the motor in that lens for an all in cost at 550. I'd either go for a new one on the grey market for circa 650 or consider holding out for a PF to keep the Z6+lens combo nice and compact.
The 150-600 is too long, too heavy and not fast enough. I love how compact the 300mm f4 is.The other option would be to look for a used one on somewhere that offers 12 months warranty . Giving you at least that long peace of mind ,or for a little bit more get a sigma 150-600 C new ones often have 3 warranty and give equivalent I.q due to I.s
You are correct an replacement motor will not solve the design flaw as the motor, and lens design for that matter, have not been updated since the original. The only difference with this lens compared to the others that I have mentioned, is that it is still a current production lens so part availability is not a problem.Your advice is very much appreciated. Would I be right in saying that a replacement motor won't solve the design flaw which will likely resurface with the lens again at some point in the future?
Perhaps you're right about avoiding the repair. I did see a excellent condition 300mm for £500 and mine does have a small scratch on the front element. That being said it's hard to judge whether a second hand lens would last as long as mine with the replacement motor fitted. You could be unlucky and have the second hand lens fail quite quickly.
At this stage the repair locally by the Nikon approved agent seems attractive, but I can't imagine it's genuine Nikon parts unless Fixation have big overheads to cover!!
I have been using the lens for portraits and just love the results at f4 with the beautiful bokeh and compression. Does the PF have these same beautiful characteristics?
You are correct an replacement motor will not solve the design flaw as the motor, and lens design for that matter, have not been updated since the original. The only difference with this lens compared to the others that I have mentioned, is that it is still a current production lens so part availability is not a problem.
I suppose it comes down to your particular use case and what is important, with the prices of the 300 pf holding real strong - you could buy a 300 f4 used with a 12 month warranty and trade it after 11 months etc. or in your shoes - and bare with me, a used 70-200 2.8 fl e is spectacular in every way and much more versatile, with fantastic bokeh, super fast AF a stop faster when you need it and excellent performance with a 1.4 teleconverter. If shooting portraits, a 200 2.8 will give you similar subject separation as a 300 f4.
Thanks for updating the thread Gil.I know it was a hefty price tag, but I decided to go for the repair of the 300mm with fixation. I was considering a 300mm at £499 in excellent condition before purchasing my faulty one, so I can live with paying an extra £50 all in knowing that the motor will be in the best possible condition being new. I'll hopefully get more longevity out of the AF compared with buying any other second hand lens - plus I'll have the 6 month guarantee.
The main reason I decided to fork out is that I've taken my best photos with this lens, I love it's size and weight, and can't afford the other options - (I'm keen on getting a 20mm f/1.8g and a 85mm too).
Thanks for updating the thread Gil.
If you were looking to spend circa 500 on a tele - then this is the most sensible option. Plus the lens will be fully calibrated and tested etc. and if it's not 100% you have some come back with fixation! It's a great lens and I'm sure you'll enjoy it when it's returned!
Although they had estimated a repair time of 12-15 working days, they did the repair in just 1 working day which is fantastic!! They have already arranged return for me, and I have had an email from ups saying it will arrive back tomorrow!! Astonishing service when I only sent it last week. Can't wait to AF fine tune and give it a go tomorrow night on the D750.
I'm not sure if using it with Eye AF on the Z6 is such a good idea with the heavy use on the AF motor when in this mode. Perhaps I should stick to single spot? Perhaps use only on D750 since it's an older lens, or should I just go for it on the Z6?
That's good to hear about fixation - I have always found them excellent and do recommended them both frequently and highly.
I would definitely use it on the Z6 and simply enjoy the lens - I'd be curious to hear how good the eye af is with an f mount lens on the mirrorless cameras, especially the focal lengths. Although the motor is 'vulnerable' there's very little evidence that usage patterns affects longevity - it's really potluck.
Yes, so far I've been impressed with Fixation's service. Will let you know how it feels when I get it back, and how it performs with the Z6
So far I've found that eye AF is actually quite good on F glass mounted via the FTZ adapter. If you have one subject in the frame is probably the only time I would use it though. For cats it's been great at catching them in motion and achieve pretty good results although it does sometimes gets their spots mis-identified as eyes. I do have to admit, it's not as reliable at focusing as placing the single spot on the D750 for example - it's more likely to get it wrong with the selection of the eyes, but when it gets it right it which is quite often - it enables you to get shots you wouldn't get without worrying about placing the centre spot at all - so it has it's pros and cons. My next purchase will be a native z lens, but that's a little away with all the spending I've been doing lately!! Will be interesting to see how AF performance compares and whether it gets it right more often.
Hi Gil
i always use AJ johnston in hope street
had them replace my focus motor on my nikon 70-200 2.8
found there prices much better than fixation
it means the lens doesn't run the risk of getting damaged during being posted never trusted the post office
and there service second to none
Shouldn‘t be noisy ..that’s not normal