Worth fixing to keep or sell?

badboy1984

badboy1984

Messages
2,529
Edit My Images
No
My trusty Nikon 28-70 f2.8 is broken recently, the focus stuck and it won't auto focus or manual focus. The lens have been back to Nikon before (last year) to replace the focus motor, new lens mount, new rubber, clean/service etc. Haven't use the lens at all after that repair.

Nikon told me the lens is out of service warranty so I have to paid for the repair, they estimate the following quote to repair the stuck focus problem.

"This job may be re-estimated if further faults are found during repair
Fit new spare parts
Infinity focus, shift/ deviation and lens resolution checked Lens communication and Aperture function checked.
AF/VR functionality and accuracy checked - recalibrated if necessary.
Focus/Zoom ring functionality checked and adjusted if necessary. Elements cleaned and optical alignment checked.
Repair, adjust and lubricate zoom

Cost £159.48 inc VAT"

It will take them 1hr to repair and only 2 rubber ring parts needed ......

For £160 it will get the lens running again and come with 6month warranty.

I have mix feeling about this, I like the lens a lot, not sure to fix it and then keep using it or fix it and sell it for something else. The main reason why I didn't go for the 24-70 f2.8 is because the 28-70 f2.8 have aperture ring which is good for some of my video projects. Tempting to go for the 24-120 f4 VR if I do sell this.
 
I rang Nikon up and ask them to provide me with a more detail of the problem. I said by looking at the quote it does not tell me what is wrong with the lens. I told them I already had a expensive repair last time and I want to find out why is broken again so quick.

They will get back to me on this one in writing about the problem soon.
 
My 28 to 70 is pin sharp. I don't think I could get anything like that sharpness without a considerable outlay. Mine had a new motor but it was worth it. £160 isn't a big price and you will probably get at least a couple of years out of it, and /or a working lens resale price, many going at £450 plus.
 
Yeah is one of those thing, I had the lens for a few years now, never let me down except that one time the AF motor is gone after a knock. Nikon did say £160 is estimate only and if they found any more fault it may be more. Not sure how accurate is Nikon's estimate.
 
at roughly 10% of the cost of replacement I'd repair it - I love mine...
 
gramps said:
Interesting how many older lenses are not liked by some of the new bodies, particularly the D810! :thinking:
Click to expand...

I know the D800 series doesn't like the 28-70 f2.8 for some reason. You would assume Nikon would fix this .......

I shoot with D3 and D700 anyway so I'm ok. Don't think I need any newer body yet unless any of my breaks.

I told Nikon to go ahead and repair the lens. I really like the 28-70 f2.8 to behonest.
 
gramps said:
Interesting how many older lenses are not liked by some of the new bodies, particularly the D810! :thinking:
Click to expand...

I wasn't sure if it was a lens fault as I kept swapping it back to the D700 and it worked fine but on the D810 it just sat there clicking away and not focussing. Most odd. Anyway I traded it in for a used 24-70 which is a great lens to.
 
Interesting that different people have different result on the D800. I read a few forum that other D800/D810 user have the same problem. Well I'm still old school shooter with D3/D700 combo. What I like about the setup is both is identical camera but one is bigger and one is smaller. Both use the same battery which helps a lot when shooting 2 different body lol.
 
D700 / D810 are virtually the same to handle, although the 810 is marginally less hefty. But the different batteries is a pain, especially if shooting both bodies. That said, the ones in the 810 last a lot longer although that may be because the ones in my 700 are as old as the camera (nearly 8 years old).
 
Well I have 8 D3 batteries and I just use them on both D3 and D700. No point messing around with the original D700 battery. D3 battery last longer anyway .....
 
Just an update on the repair.

Nikon fix the lens for £159 and I should get the lens back sometime this week or early next week.

They did the following on the lens which I believe is standard:

- Infinity focus, shift/ deviation and lens resolution checked Lens communication and Aperture function checked.
- AF/VR functionality and accuracy checked - recalibrated if necessary.
- Focus/Zoom ring functionality checked and adjusted if necessary. Elements cleaned and optical alignment checked.
- Repair, adjust and lubricate zoom

The parts they fitted is the following:
- Shield plate
- Focus base plate unit

With the last repair and this one, I pretty sure 80% of the lens component had been replace lol.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top