Buy or Fix PLEASE! (Page 3): My friend once dented a Sony lens big time by falling and it still worked! Purchased another one on E-bay.

ggenova64

My friend once dented a Sony lens big time by falling and it still worked! Purchased another one on E-bay.

al13

leenso52 wrote:

I really appreciate the fast response, input and s... (show quote)

Yvou can always rent a lens for your trip until you have more time to decide what you are going to do. Lens Rental.com

pahtspix

Check out KEH photo for a "USED" lens with a warranty before you put $$$$'s into sending your lens to Nikon..My 2 cents, which can save you MORE!!

TJ28012 Loc: Belmont, NC

If you send it for repair, it probably will not be back in time for your vacation.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

My personal property policy with State Farm has the option to repair or replace when the repair is 80% or more of the purchase value. That would be a guideline for you. You might want to look into these policies. They're relatively cheap for amateurs. No deductible, no depreciation.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

You could look to Ebay or Usedphotopro, MPB.com, B&H, KEH, Cameta, Adorama, etc. and also this site for a used Nikon 55-300, or 55-200 (VR or not) to cover the vacation until you can get the wide zoom fixed or replaced. Make sure you look for AF-S style, as your 5200 does not have screw drive for the older AF lens. You ought to be able to pick either one up for less than a C-note ($100 or less, delivered - I picked up both for approx. $120.00 total), of course, if it needs to be "pristine", might be a bit more. I have built a whole kit with AF-S Nikon lens this way, and they all look great and work very well. If you don't mind losing the wide capability for a while, those aforementioned lens would work in concert with the prime you have. You could also consider a used/new Tamron or Sigma wide-zoom - Tamron 18-200 brand new for $200.00 at a number of places. Sigma 18-250 Macro HSM OS used can be had for less than half the repair cost. There are alternatives for short term. The aftermarket lens is not quite a Nikon 18-300, but they are also quite good, stop down a bit and they are decently sharp. If you had a screw drive Nikon body I'd lend you an older lens for your trip, I several Nikon AF zooms, they are a bit heavy though, metal bodies, although I do have the plastic 75-240!

jcboy3

ggenova64 wrote:

Now that we are on the topic of filters.... Heddgehoggers always use a UV filter to protect your lens from falls! It is much cheaper to replace a UV filter than a lens.

No, they don't.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

One other thing I do when I leave my gear on tripod for any length of time, hook it to something, or attach a weight (attached from the ground) so that it is not easily knocked over, and keep it out of the "foot traffic stream".

jcboy3

leenso52 wrote:

Hi everyone. Love this forum. I've commented but never asked for help. (intimidated??!!) But now I need it desperately! Last night I did the unthinkable.
I stupidly knocked over my new tripod which had my camera attached over onto my ceramic tile floor in my kitchen. Good news, my tripod was not damaged and it appears neither was my Nikon D5200. Yes, beginner's. I've had it five years. My floor was cracked. But much worse, my AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm
f/3.5-6.3G ED VR lens cracked around the rim of the outside glass. As far as I can tell the lens still functions, focuses, and camera still took a few test shots. It did not shatter, just some of the glass around the rim. I can't tell if this scratched the inner glass, does not seem so.
I went to the Nikon site and started the process of sending for repair. Obviously my five year warranty does not cover stupidity. But the estimate is $375! I paid $699.00 at Hunts in Melrose two plus years ago, trading in my two kit lenses. Now I only have my Nikkor 50mm lens and am going on vacation in less than 3 weeks. Money is definitely an issue as I am retired and presently not working at all. If I could afford it I would have upgraded my camera by now, bought a few desired lens (into birding now!) etc. But my photography means the world to me!
Do I send for repair or look into buying a used one? Refurbished? What would you do, in MY shoes? No snarky remarks if you can help it, like "I would have taken better care of my equipment!" I'm sure you all would! Was most regrettable. I had been photographing birds at my feeder, outside my kitchen window on and off all day. Was done for the night and should have put away. Instead I just moved the set up out of my way. So I thought. This on the same day I "broke" my grass trimmer AND chain saw!
Thanks ever so much! I need to decide quick. BTW, the process included me paying the $375 up front so it is on my charge card already. Am getting ready to send but await your feedback.

Hi everyone. Love this forum. I've commented but ... (show quote)

Send it in for repair now, so you can get it back before you leave for vacation. It is cheaper than replacing it.

If you are worried about getting it back in time (I would be), then buy one off eBay. Sell it when you get back.

And that is precisely what I would do, because photography is important and you are going on vacation soon.

If money is really tight, then buy off eBay, sell when you get back, and send the lens in for repair then. The rest is why we have credit cards.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Just did a quick search on Ebay for " Nikon AF-S lens", used the "buy it now" filter and found several of the not so wide Nikon zooms for well under $100.00. Just make sure you read the description, some are advertised as "working fine", some may need repair, or don't function correctly, so read description and contact seller for more questions. If you don't VR, there are quite a few reasonably priced, VR is a bit more, but not a bank breaker.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

leenso52 wrote:

Hi everyone. Love this forum. I've commented but never asked for help. (intimidated??!!) But now I need it desperately! Last night I did the unthinkable.
I stupidly knocked over my new tripod which had my camera attached over onto my ceramic tile floor in my kitchen. Good news, my tripod was not damaged and it appears neither was my Nikon D5200. Yes, beginner's. I've had it five years. My floor was cracked. But much worse, my AF-S DX Nikkor 18-300mm
f/3.5-6.3G ED VR lens cracked around the rim of the outside glass. As far as I can tell the lens still functions, focuses, and camera still took a few test shots. It did not shatter, just some of the glass around the rim. I can't tell if this scratched the inner glass, does not seem so.
I went to the Nikon site and started the process of sending for repair. Obviously my five year warranty does not cover stupidity. But the estimate is $375! I paid $699.00 at Hunts in Melrose two plus years ago, trading in my two kit lenses. Now I only have my Nikkor 50mm lens and am going on vacation in less than 3 weeks. Money is definitely an issue as I am retired and presently not working at all. If I could afford it I would have upgraded my camera by now, bought a few desired lens (into birding now!) etc. But my photography means the world to me!
Do I send for repair or look into buying a used one? Refurbished? What would you do, in MY shoes? No snarky remarks if you can help it, like "I would have taken better care of my equipment!" I'm sure you all would! Was most regrettable. I had been photographing birds at my feeder, outside my kitchen window on and off all day. Was done for the night and should have put away. Instead I just moved the set up out of my way. So I thought. This on the same day I "broke" my grass trimmer AND chain saw!
Thanks ever so much! I need to decide quick. BTW, the process included me paying the $375 up front so it is on my charge card already. Am getting ready to send but await your feedback.

Hi everyone. Love this forum. I've commented but ... (show quote)

If it is the lens and not a filter, I would get the lens repaired. But I would do it after vacation. I would rent that lens or a lens that I might want to try in its place for the vacation. This will keep you from jumping to a decision and will keep you from worrying about if the lens will make it back in time from repair for your vacation.

mizzee Loc: Boston,Ma

So sorry! What about your homeowners insurance? Will it help? I hope so,

agillot

looking , there is also a crack at inside .wonder if you could try to re glue that lens in place and see if the lens would work ok .beside that after a violent shock , i dont think i would fix .what is there on the used market ??

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

ggenova64 wrote:

Now that we are on the topic of filters.... Heddgehoggers always use a UV filter to protect your lens from falls! It is much cheaper to replace a UV filter than a lens.

No, they don't. At least this Hedgehogger doesn't.

IMO it's pretty silly to think that adding a thin piece of glass in front of a lens will "protect" it. It's just as likely to damage the lens, when the filter breaks and the metal frame is jammed into the lens barrel. I've used, bought and sold many hundreds of lenses over the years and have a camera collection that includes a large number of them. Frankly I've never seen a lens that could prove had been "saved" by a filter. I have seen lenses that were damaged when a broken filter was jammed into it. IMO, a modern, high impact plastic lens hood and lens cap do a far better job "protecting" lenses. UV filters were used a lot when we shot film, because much film was overly sensitive to UV light. That's not a problem with digital.

ggenova64 wrote:

Thank you Donald. This brings me to an interesting topic or discussion.

Hedgehoggers "Should UV Filters also be used to protect our glass from drops?"

Again, my answer is "no".

But don't take my word for it. See and decide for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0CLPTd6Bds

From the appearance of the original poster's lens in the images, a filter most likely would have made no difference or just made matters worse. The impact caused the front element of the lens to break out of it's mountings and pop past or through the finishing/name ring that held it in place. Even the edges of the glass element are damaged from ripping out of the mounting.

To reduce the cost of repair I would contact independent repairers to see if anyone has the parts to repair it from a donor lens (perhaps one with a failed AF unit or other problem, but a good front element). For that matter, you might be able to buy one "for parts" on everyone's favorite auction site. Installing it may be more difficult than just removing the retaining ring in front and popping in the replacement front element. The lens also should be checked for all other function and accuracy, may need adjustment and calibration.

Nikon won't sell you replacement parts. That's been their policy for several years now. They won't sell parts to any repairers outside their network of approx. 20 "authorized repairers". They say it's to ensure quality repairs (...not to be able to set and control prices of the repairs

If it were a Canon lens you could call them up, buy the replacement part and have it shipped to you, then install it yourself.... or have a local, independent repairer do it for you.)

Sally D

lamiaceae wrote:

It that actually the front element of the lens? I don't see a filter or filter ring. I'm so sorry. I also see a crack in the (plastic?) below the glass you are holding there.

Thus far I've never damaged any of my lenses from a drop. I once let an old metal constructed one drop about three foot on to carpeting with no effect - just the lens when I was swapping on a camera on a tripod. I do fear dropping any of my newer film or digital lenses. They seem to be made out of plastic and glass. My old ones were glass, steel, and brass, heavy and would destroy the flooring! After seeing your catastrophe I may not any longer leave my camera out on a tripod when the dogs are around! My tripods I don't worry about one would have to drive over a Gitzo to damage it.

Can you get to a place where you can buy another lens in time for your trip? You might just forgo fixing it as it is only a DX lens and not an FX model. You might be better off and making a step up by getting a higher quality (not so much due to possible brakage) Nikkor AF-S FX f/2.8 or 4 lens. Yes, more $$$. The most generally useful lens you could probably have is a Nikkor AF-S FX 24 - 120mm f/4 lens. A zoom to 300mm is barely enough for birding, really not actually. Your camera is not the most basic D3xxx model. The build of FX lenses is so much better. In any case, even for the future there is nothing wrong with refurbished or used equipment. On the other hand if that front "element" is only a front optical glass "cover" glass and the insides are not cracked or damaged the repair might be less than the estimate.

Your situation with your lens and vacation is very different than mine would be. I have rather limited funds too but in a pinch like this I have plenty of other lenses that have overlapping focal length with say a 18-300mm. I could just take another lens. Hell, if I had Nikon lenses to spare I might just give you one. But I use Pentax and any "extras" would not work as AF lenses on your camera. Seems people using MILC use all sorts of lenses with adapters. Good luck!

P.S. Actually that 18-140mm referb someone else gave you a link to might be a good idea.

It that actually the front element of the lens? I... (show quote)

Boy, did Swede from Canada make you a great offer! Before I read that I was going to tell you that two years ago when we were flying back from S. America, I sloppily just stuck my wide-angle lens in my camera bag rather than putting it in its own case first. When we got home, I found it was broken or at least I thought it was. I took it in to our local camera shop. Imagine my relief when the unscrewed the filter and the lens beneath was fine. I got lucky. Lesson learned.