My 18-200 won't focus on infinity (auto-reply)

[Franglais]

I'm going to answer my own question here. If someone has any better ideas go ahead:

Q>> I was out on the beach in the rain with my D60+18-200 and all of a sudden by camera won't shoot when I try to zoom in something a long way away. The little green focus light doesn't come on, even if I focus manually. Things are normal with other lenses.

A>> Nikon cameras will not shoot if the battery is too low or (in most modes) if they can't get focus. It sounds like you've got sand/water in the focussing mecanism and it won't go all the way to infinity. If you absolutely have to have the shot then set the smallest aperture possible (to increase depth of field) and switch to Continuous focussing mode which will fire regardless of whether focus is good or not.

24 hours later..

Q>> OK it hasn't dried out but I've looked closelly at the results and the lens seems OK up to about 85mm and at shorter distances up to 200mm. I must have a working tele lens to do the sunset over the Alhambra in Granada plus there's the Feria in Sevilla next.

A>> Head for the nearest city and look for an economical solution like the 55-200 AF-S (to work with the D60). Don't worry too much about the Alhambra - the Great Postcard Shot was taken from the top of a church tower that you can't get to

Q>> OK I found a Sigma 55-200 HSM which works just great with the D60. Must write a review of it when I get back.

[Anbesol]

I'm not sure about the Nikon D60, but on my A700 you can set the shutter to focus priority or not, so the shutter can release only with confirmed focus or not. I thought this feature was pretty standard, can you not do this on the D60?

[Franglais]

I'm not sure about the Nikon D60, but on my A700 you can set the shutter to focus priority or not, so the shutter can release only with confirmed focus or not. I thought this feature was pretty standard, can you not do this on the D60?

That's a good question. Plunging into my camera manuals - you can disable focus priority on the D300 in a custom menu but on the D60 it only switches off when the camera considers its in continuous-focussing mode or in manual focussing mode.

[Franglais]

The Nikon Shop in Paris is great.

They don't sell anything except the expertise of the repair technicians behind the counter. The guy listened politely to my tale of woe, sand, rain, etc. then pointed out that the front lens element was coming unscrewed, perhaps because of the vibration during the flight. He took the lens away for a couple of minutes and came back with it repaired. For free.

[Frog]

Good news is good to hear and now I know something to look for if I ever have the same problem.

[Grandpaw]

I'm with Frog on this....... glad to hear it was an easy fix, and the price was right too, Jeff

[Franglais]

Thanks guys.

From now on I'm going to take extra special care in rain with the 18-200. When it's at the tele setting the extension of the front part is really long and a lot of water can collect on it. The joint between the elements is tight but not weatherised and it's easy to imagine some water getting back into the lens when you switch back to wideangle. Ugh.

[SmartWombat]

When it's at the tele setting the extension of the front part is really long and a lot of water can collect on it. The joint between the elements is tight but not weatherised and it's easy to imagine some water getting back into the lens when you switch back to wideangle.

Exactly what happened with my Canon 100-400 L, it fogged up internally instantly.
Switched over to the 70-200 which is an internal zoom and totally sealed.

Spent the night until 2am with a pec-pad as an air filter over the end of a hair dryer blowing hot air into the lens at full extension. Then with a pec-pad held over the lens mount with an elastic band zooming in and out in the warm air until it was totally dry.

I managed to save the IS and AF electronics in the lens from damage and it's still working today.

[mudd]

For the newbies, can you explain what the front lens element is? I drag my 18-200 all over the world and worry about something like this happening half way through Syria...

The Nikon Shop in Paris is great.

They don't sell anything except the expertise of the repair technicians behind the counter. The guy listened politely to my tale of woe, sand, rain, etc. then pointed out that the front lens element was coming unscrewed, perhaps because of the vibration during the flight. He took the lens away for a couple of minutes and came back with it repaired. For free.

[Franglais]

For the newbies, can you explain what the front lens element is? I drag my 18-200 all over the world and worry about something like this happening half way through Syria...

He didn't actually explain it to me (I was pretending to be an expert). The front lens element is the first piece of glass on the lens (out of 10-15). It's held in place by a metal ring (I've drawn a red ring around the two notches that he must have used to get a grip on it). I think it was this ring that was coming unscrewed, and allowing the glass to move.

He said it was very unusual for this to happen. I took all my gear out and tested it a week before the trip with no problems. The camera travelled in the hold of the aircraft and I took it down to the beach straight after arriving at the first hotel, so it seems likely it was the vibration of the flight.

[mudd]

Thanks Franglais! I'll be on the lookout for that. My D90 has survived the rigors of adventure travel so far, save snapping the hook at the bottom of the plastic faceplate that protects the LCD. I'm hoping I can pick one up when I hit a big city (Damascus, Cairo) lest I continue to walk around with mine taped to the camera body

[Don Schaeffer]

What a helpful thread! Thanks.

[mark cooper]

I just had to register, to say thanks for this fix, I had this very problem with my 18-200, I have stripped the lens to replace a capacitor which had been shaken from the main pcb. however this didn't solve the problem, then I read this thread, and two minutes later it's fixed, thanks!
(though as its dark outside, its difficult to check the results until the morning,)

thanks again
Mark

[+Jethro+]

Thanks so much for posting this, just had the same thing happen to my 18-200VR, was freaking out then came upon this thread. Tightened up the lens element and it works like new!