18-200 VR - AF died!!

[kkcharles82]

Guys, the wear surfaces on the SWM are immune to humidity. Even if you set your dryboxes to way below 40%, nothing will happen the the SWM. BUT that will DESTROY your rubber grips, surfaces, and possibly the stuff that they use to lubricate the mechanism in your camera. I have backgound in SWM and SWM control circuits, and I can tell you that they are damn hardy motors, with almost nothing to wear out, except for the springs, which I suspect have a limited lifetime under normal operating condition.

 

[ymmij]

my 18-200vr coming to 2 years still doing fine. how much would be the cost of repair anyway?

 

[Henessy]

Guys, the wear surfaces on the SWM are immune to humidity. Even if you set your dryboxes to way below 40%, nothing will happen the the SWM. BUT that will DESTROY your rubber grips, surfaces, and possibly the stuff that they use to lubricate the mechanism in your camera. I have backgound in SWM and SWM control circuits, and I can tell you that they are damn hardy motors, with almost nothing to wear out, except for the springs, which I suspect have a limited lifetime under normal operating condition.

May I know is it possible to replace just the springs along and not the whole motor?

 

[lsisaxon]

Guys, the wear surfaces on the SWM are immune to humidity. Even if you set your dryboxes to way below 40%, nothing will happen the the SWM. BUT that will DESTROY your rubber grips, surfaces, and possibly the stuff that they use to lubricate the mechanism in your camera. I have backgound in SWM and SWM control circuits, and I can tell you that they are damn hardy motors, with almost nothing to wear out, except for the springs, which I suspect have a limited lifetime under normal operating condition.

Whether it is or not, mine and other people's copy died and statistics shows that they're all kept below 45%RH. Those who has kept it between 45% and 50% did not notice this problem. I don't know what's the failure mechanism but that's just statistics for you. You can do a search because I encountered this issue when the lens was released. ;p I never believed that the SWM would die simply because it's too dry. Piezo elements are very durable. :dunno:

 

[An drew]

Whether it is or not, mine and other people's copy died and statistics shows that they're all kept below 45%RH. Those who has kept it between 45% and 50% did not notice this problem. I don't know what's the failure mechanism but that's just statistics for you. You can do a search because I encountered this issue when the lens was released. ;p I never believed that the SWM would die simply because it's too dry. Piezo elements are very durable. :dunno:

Apparently this is quite a common problem and it seems like Nikon is aware of it. My friend's 18-200 died with expired warranty but Nikon has kindly offered to repair it for FREE! Great Nikon Service! :thumbsup:

Hope Nikon will keep this up as my 18-200 might just conk off soon since my dry box is below 45%. :sweat:

 

[Henessy]

Apparently this is quite a common problem and it seems like Nikon is aware of it. My friend's 18-200 died with expired warranty but Nikon has kindly offered to repair it for FREE! Great Nikon Service! :thumbsup:

Hope Nikon will keep this up as my 18-200 might just conk off soon since my dry box is below 45%. :sweat:

Wah Free.Your friend is so lucky

 

[Henessy]

Whether it is or not, mine and other people's copy died and statistics shows that they're all kept below 45%RH. Those who has kept it between 45% and 50% did not notice this problem. I don't know what's the failure mechanism but that's just statistics for you. You can do a search because I encountered this issue when the lens was released. ;p I never believed that the SWM would die simply because it's too dry. Piezo elements are very durable. :dunno:

May I know what are piezo elements. Howcome they are so durable?

 

[lunas]

I have sent the lens to NSC. I will check with the technician the queries that have been raised here.

 

[lsisaxon]

May I know what are piezo elements. Howcome they are so durable?

Because they are ceramics.

 

[mcn]

I have sent the lens to NSC. I will check with the technician the queries that have been raised here.

dood. tku:thumbsup:

 

[Henessy]

Because they are ceramics.

Wah, I think ceramics used in lens!!!

 

[lsisaxon]

Wah, I think ceramics used in lens!!!

It's the material used to make the SWM.

 

[nakedtoes]

i been keeping my 18-200 at 43 humi for pass 4 mth no poblem at all... think i better play safe

 

[leekch]

Mine better still - test it a day before; the SWM it worked. Bring it overseas for a photo trip, the SWM failed to work. After using it on MF for a few hours, the SWM suddently worked again. Strange... Bear in mind all switches on the lens are in the correct position for AF.

 

[lsisaxon]

Mine better still - test it a day before; the SWM it worked. Bring it overseas for a photo trip, the SWM failed to work. After using it on MF for a few hours, the SWM suddently worked again. Strange... Bear in mind all switches on the lens are in the correct position for AF.

Yeah.. that's why after playing with it for a while it will work again but you get a gritty sound after that..

 

[xtemujin]

I've also sent my 18-200mm to NSC today as the AF went kaput.

The best part is that it is after 1 month and 1 day of the Nikon 1 year warranty.

The CSO told me that it'll be a 7-10 days of service down time for my pow ka leow lens.:cry:

 

[Henessy]

I've also sent my 18-200mm to NSC today as the AF went kaput.

The best part is that it is after 1 month and 1 day of the Nikon 1 year warranty.

The CSO told me that it'll be a 7-10 days of service down time for my pow ka leow lens.:cry:

???:dunno:

 

[Henessy]

Anyway, given thar SWM are supposed to be very hardy, howcome they seem to break down quite easily?(EG, either motor failure or screeching or gritty sound from motor while focusing)

 

[lsisaxon]

I've also sent my 18-200mm to NSC today as the AF went kaput.

The best part is that it is after 1 month and 1 day of the Nikon 1 year warranty.

The CSO told me that it'll be a 7-10 days of service down time for my pow ka leow lens.:cry:

Mine used quite extensively, then these few days I realised that the VR is going.. It's intermittently working and not, plus sometimes, it will just go click click click then go dead. I suspect it's a problem with the flexpcb connection coming loose at the VR engine because everytime it fails, after zooming in an out a couple of times, it works again.... sigh... terrible mechanical engineering...

 

[lunas]

NSC replaced the GMR sensor FRC. I don't know what is that. Can anyone share with us what is this and it's functionality?

My apology, I wasn't able to speak to any of the technician on the humidity level and the SWM issue.