Nikon lens repair item: Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it...

stumbler Loc: People's Republic of Vermont

Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it should cost a lot to repair, but the offers are high. Cannot find a parts diagram, or anyone to talk to on a Sunday. Suggestions?

Thanks.

The problem

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Since you are "in hiding" we don't know where to direct you to for an authorized Nikon Repair that is independently owned.

stumbler Loc: People's Republic of Vermont

Thanks. Moi, newbie. How do I get out of hiding?

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

In your profile, enter your city & state. Welcome to the Hog.

Accelerator

stumbler wrote:

Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it should cost a lot to repair, but the offers are high. Cannot find a parts diagram, or anyone to talk to on a Sunday. Suggestions?

Thanks.

If the repairs remain financially prohibitive and you are sure that is the only damage and you have all the pieces. I would suggest go to a hobby shop and get a product called zap-a-gap which is gap filling crazy glue that will even glue oily surfaces. That suggestion should raise some hackles on here but it is 4 bucks and a little of your time verses ??.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Have you made any photographs with it since the spill?Do you have the broken pieces? Will the lens hood screw on? This happened to me but I had my lens hood on to begin with so that was the only thing broken and easily replaced. Hence, I don't put on a lens without a lens hood and I upgraded my tripod head. Good luck.

stumbler wrote:

Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it should cost a lot to repair, but the offers are high. Cannot find a parts diagram, or anyone to talk to on a Sunday. Suggestions?

Thanks.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

Perhaps you can find a very cheap, non-functioning "for parts only" identical lens on eBay that appears to have an intact front ring section, then change out the needed parts to make your lens whole again. Although I haven't done this with a lens yet, I have used this approach to repair a camera.

stumbler Loc: People's Republic of Vermont

Thanks to all. Probable next steps: take the broken ring off, insert and glue the fragment into place, reattach when glue fully cured. [Possible obstacle: I see now that the ring is slightly bent, lifting off the housing about 0.5 mm at one end of break.] Search for parts-only replacement. Learn what repair shops suggest.

Asides: Thanks, Nick. I have heard of "city", but not seen one around here. We are neck and neck with Wyoming, both near 600K total, about as many as Portland OR. David, yes, yes and yes. Had not considered a hood for this lens.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

I'd do a Google search for "Factory Authorized Nikon Camera Repair" , then look for any locations that aren't listed as part of Nikon, Inc. The Metro Detroit one is Midwest Camera Repair- they are the franchised warranty repair service in this area: www.midwestcamera.com 318 Oak Street, Wyandotte, MI 48192
(734) 285-2220 They have been a Factory Authorized Nikon repair as long as I've used Nikon cameras (1965) and probably a few years before that.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

romanticf16 wrote:

Since you are "in hiding" we don't know where to direct you to for an authorized Nikon Repair that is independently owned.

You may be able to screw a filter (or a filter ring with the glass removed) on it and screw your hood into it. If it vignettes, a step-up ring to the next larger size, and a corresponding hood, may serve. Gluing the broken piece in may sacrifice the filter threads. It is almost criminal how any otherwise reputable lens maker would use plastic to save a few dollars and fractions of an ounce.
Let us know how you fare.

mechengvic Loc: SoCalo

stumbler wrote:

Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it should cost a lot to repair, but the offers are high. Cannot find a parts diagram, or anyone to talk to on a Sunday. Suggestions?

Thanks.

If you remove the three screws and remove the broken ring, then can line up the broken piece so that the filter threads line up perfectly, then you might be able to glue the pieces back together. I would definitely do the gluing off the lens, make sure any glue is removed from the filter threads, then mount it back on with the three screws and finally screw in the flange cover. Its worth a try. You can always tell Nikon the ring broke off completely and you took the screws out to save them, that's if you're still under warranty.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

RWR wrote:

You may be able to screw a filter (or a filter ring with the glass removed) on it and screw your hood into it. If it vignettes, a step-up ring to the next larger size, and a corresponding hood, may serve. Gluing the broken piece in may sacrifice the filter threads. It is almost criminal how any otherwise reputable lens maker would use plastic to save a few dollars and fractions of an ounce.
Let us know how you fare.

I have a vintage Nikon lens where the front of the barell is threaded metal- if that gets dropped and bumped out of round you can no longer screw in filters and a repair is needed. So what is the difference? Plastic or metal can both be damaged and need repair.

RWR Loc: La Mesa, CA

romanticf16 wrote:

I have a vintage Nikon lens where the front of the barell is threaded metal- if that gets dropped and bumped out of round you can no longer screw in filters and a repair is needed. So what is the difference? Plastic or metal can both be damaged and need repair.

Your are correct, of course. Steel will bend if struck hard enough. And molded plastic is superior to aluminum and brass in many lens designs. A plastic filter ring, however, is chintzy and prone to binding threads, in addition to cracking. No ding is a good ding. Stumbler's misfortune could befall anyone, with any lens.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

rook2c4 wrote:

Perhaps you can find a very cheap, non-functioning "for parts only" identical lens on eBay that appears to have an intact front ring section, then change out the needed parts to make your lens whole again. Although I haven't done this with a lens yet, I have used this approach to repair a camera.

Since Nikon has a policy against sending service parts to anyone except an authorized repair center WHO HAS HAD AN EMPLOYEE GO THROUGH NIKON'S OWN SERVICE TRAINING, the above looks like the best solution to your problem. You might even try Googling "damaged nikon 10-24 lens" keeping the details of the lens to the minimum and using ONLY lowercase letters. If you get too many hits, trying again with "dx" included and refining until you find what you need.

turp77 Loc: Connecticut, Plainfield

stumbler wrote:

Stumbled (hence the handle), knocked over tripod, broke the plastic ring on front of 10-24 lens. It is affixed by 3 screws to lens housing. Doesn't seem like it should cost a lot to repair, but the offers are high. Cannot find a parts diagram, or anyone to talk to on a Sunday. Suggestions?

Thanks.

my camera went flying and hit my driveway. My lens broke into 9 pieces the front element broken and the silent wave motor was all over the driveway. I sent it to Precision camera and they were able to repair it to like new condition for $120.00, I feel it works better now. You can get a free estimate on line at www.precisioncamera.com