55 to 300 Nikor Lens Question: I have a new 55 - 300 Nikon Nikor Lens. When I zoom back in to 55mm the barrel doesn't fully retract into it's orrigional possition. I can place it to...

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

I have a new 55 - 300 Nikon Nikor Lens. When I zoom back in to 55mm the barrel doesn't fully retract into it's orrigional possition. I can place it to manual focus and turn the barrel back in. Is this normal? It's brand new just got it yeaterday and didn't know if thaqt is the way it works.

JCook Loc: Piney Flats Tennessee U.S.A

I have same lens and that has never happened.

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

Thanks for responding.
To carify this it will come back into within 1/2 to 3/4 inchof its origional position. But this just happen to be related to the distance that the barrel came out while focusing (I checked a little closer last night). If I focuse on something at the right distance it will come back in. Naturally it won't go back to origional focus position when turned off. Or is it supposed to?

JCook wrote:

I have same lens and that has never happened.

JCook Loc: Piney Flats Tennessee U.S.A

I'm hoping someone else jumps in here to help you out. Not sure if I understand the problem.

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

Well, when I took the lens out of the box, the end of the barrel is flush with the end of the lens. While taking a photo the inner barrel will extend a little to focus. This is to be expected. But, when I shut everything down and put the lens away, I noticed that the barrel was still extended 1/2 to 3/4 inch past the end of the lens. This is the distance that the barrel moved to focus.

JCook wrote:

I'm hoping someone else jumps in here to help you out. Not sure if I understand the problem.

50teeslady Loc: Ormond Beach Florida

I have that same problem with my new nikon 18-55 lens! I bought it about 3 months ago and don't recall it doing that on my old 18-55. I wondered also if it was normal???

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

I really think it is normal but I have sent an email to B&H to ask. I will post the answer for you.

50teeslady wrote:

I have that same problem with my new nikon 18-55 lens! I bought it about 3 months ago and don't recall it doing that on my old 18-55. I wondered also if it was normal???

50teeslady Loc: Ormond Beach Florida

Eugene wrote:

I really think it is normal but I have sent an email to B&H to ask. I will post the answer for you.

50teeslady wrote:

I have that same problem with my new nikon 18-55 lens! I bought it about 3 months ago and don't recall it doing that on my old 18-55. I wondered also if it was normal???

I hardly ever use the lens so I thought because it is new and needs some breaking in time it will get better.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

I think sometimes lenses that don't retract fully into the barrel might be set at an aperture that doesn't allow for it. I am not familiar with the Nikkor 55-300 specifically, but if I remember correctly I've had lenses that did this in the past. I may have something to do with Manual Focus, minimum focus distance, and aperture all working together.

Is there a switch on your lens that lets you choose the minimum focus distance? Many long zooms have one.

GWMH Loc: Kisumu, Kenya, East Africa

On lenses where the end of the lens turns, the physical length of the lens gets longer as you focus farther out, shorter as you focus closer. So even if the lens is at 55 mm, if it is focused at infinity, the end will be extended just a bit. On lenses with internal focus, the end of the barrel does not turn, so it stays the same length all the time. It is perfectly normal for the end of the lens to protrude slightly...that's how it was designed. It doesn't make any difference if it is out a little bit, unless you're worried about it being too long, in which case you can put it on MF and focus it to the closest setting.

GWMH's little bro

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

That does sound logical.

JimH wrote:

I think sometimes lenses that don't retract fully into the barrel might be set at an aperture that doesn't allow for it. I am not familiar with the Nikkor 55-300 specifically, but if I remember correctly I've had lenses that did this in the past. I may have something to do with Manual Focus, minimum focus distance, and aperture all working together.

Is there a switch on your lens that lets you choose the minimum focus distance? Many long zooms have one.

OnTheFly Loc: Tennessee

That's what I thought. So it is normal for it not to come back in when turned off?

GWMH wrote:

On lenses where the end of the lens turns, the phy... (show quote)

smartet

I have that lens in a DX VR model. That is not normal. It should retract all the way. If its under warrenty, exchange it for a different one.