Ken C

Hi, I have 28mm to 300mm Tamron lens for my Nikon. While I am shooting and point the camera down it slides down to 300mm. I want to send it out to a company to be fixed. I don't want to send it to camera store that is going to send it out. Also any idea of the cost.
Ken

chase4 Loc: Punta Corona, California

I think most of those Tamrons have a 6 years warranty. If you have that, send it back to them. chase

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

It's called lens creep. My Canon 100-400 cost me a little less than $300 to have it fixed. But not all lenses are the same.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Put a wide silicone band on the lens so it contacts both the barrel and the zoom ring and your problem is solved for next to nothing.

Strodav Loc: Houston, Tx

Just send customer service an Email and they will get back to you with a price.

rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA

KEH camera (used) in Smyrna GA has an excellent repair facility that charges flat rates for lens and equipment repair. For your type of lens, the quoted price is $320.

rjriggins11 Loc: Colorado Springs, CO

Hi Ken.

Hi. My name is Rick. I’m the owner and lead technician at Discount Camera Repair and a member in good standing here at the UHH. I’ve been doing repairs for other members here at greatly discounted rates and would be glad to help.

There are a few of things you can try to hold the lens in place but most repair shops will tell you there isn't anything that can be done. The front glass is heavy and gravity prevails. I've some luck using heavier grease on the barrels but, depending on the lens design, this can cause the lens to be too stiff.

If the lens is still under warranty and not gray market, I'd send it to Tamron. They prefer to work on their own products anyway and do not sell parts if necessary.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

queencitysanta Loc: Charlotte, North Carolina

Rick Riggins kept my girlfriends lens for a number of months saying he could repair it. Parts were ordered etc. Finally, I had to threaten to take legal action to get her lens back. I would not let Rick touch my camera or lens.

lamontcranston

They do have a 6 year warranty but you MUST have the original proof of sale (invoice) before they will honor it. In my case, my Tamron 18-270 was a gift and the giver threw away the invoice. Tamron won't honor the warranty. My lens as well as many other Tamron zooms I've handled have "lens creep" to some extent. I just deal with it by not pointing it down and holding on to the rings. It takes great photos.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

That's more of a characteristic of tele lenses than a defect. Most of us learn to live with lens creep.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

My Tamron 70-300 mm and parted company with the camera a few months back--what a mess, but being in the same situation as you are with no camera repair centers nearby, I sent it (and the 60D Canon camera) to Tamron in Comack, NY for repair and calibration (right word?) to the camera. A week and ($160.00) later I got it back, and I think it is sharper than when new. Tamron has an 800 number on their website, call them and ask about it. The cost is about 1/3 of what I paid for the lens alone about five years ago.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

If less than six years old, and you have a sales receipt, contact Tamron for instructions. Their warranty is great! While it does not cover abuse, this sounds like a manufacturing defect.

olemikey Loc: 6 mile creek, Spacecoast Florida

Some of the Tamron lenses (and others) have an adjustment screw/bushing under the rubber band for zoom control, and it can be adjusted or modified slightly to increase/decrease the friction. The screw that holds the bushing can also back out and jam the zoom. I have repaired several jammed zooms by fixing this item, and have also tightened them up to eliminate the dreaded lens creep. Peel the zoom band back and look on the backside near where it says "Made in xxxxxxx", if it is made the way I described you will see a little hole with a screw/bushing - try tightening/loosening slightly. If you want to remove the screw/bushing for slight modification tape the zoom section so that it doesn't move, use magnetic screw driver (it can be hard, but not impossible to get the screw/bushing out if they fall back into the lens body) so you don't lose it into the lens body. You can also put thread lock on the screw threads to eliminate it changing the adjustment from vibration and usage. Note that I said some of the lenses have this setup, not all (Nikon 18-70 is another that has it).


If it is internal setup (no hole, no screw/bushing adjustment from external) it will cost more to fix, since it will have to be disassembled. Most camera repair shops can easily handle the repair, one I know of is Mid-State Camera (look them up), others will mention shops they know of. Good luck with it.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Ken, does your lens have a Lock on it? My Nikkor 28~300 has a focus lock that engages at the 28mm focal length. That keeps the lens from doing what you describe.
--Bob