Sticky zoom ring on 70-180

[Erik Lund]

I answered my PM before seeing this    Se below:


Hi, welcome to NikonGear!
The 70-180mm is "fairly easy" to work on, yes but one mistake and it's manual focus only,,
Most likely the lens has suffered a minor impact while at close focus distance, the focus is in the front and guided in curved slots with small nylon rollers, as long as the rollers are not lose it's afe to use the lens.
A pro technician would be able to repair it to make the focus less sticky at that small range as well but it will never be as new!I would leave it as it is and avoid using it at that range.Please repost your question on the forum and for for further questions so everybody can benefit from the questions and answers
Maybe richardHaw has worked on the lens as well,,,

https://richardhaw.com/lens-repair-articles/
https://imaging.nikon.com/imaging/information/story/0018/
Here you can see the slots/guides Page 10
https://www.nodevice.com/service-manuals/lens/nikon/af-zoom-micro-nikkor-70-180mm-f-4-5-5-6d-ed/258837#p1

[Erik Lund]

To repair an impact damaged lens requires either a smoothening out of the area which has damage and live with that slight inaccuracy in focus feel, or replacement of the tube with the slots and guide rollers if they are damaged, there could be damage to the tube that holds the guide rollers as well,,, all very costly and parts for such lenses are very scares,,,

[Geert]

Thanks Erik for your kind replies.
As i understand it now, i'll just keep using it as it is...

[richardHaw]

i am intrigued by this sticky zoom ring thing

[Geert]

Hello Richard,

Thanks for your reply. The zoom ring works perfectly, it's the focussing which is "sticky" at the shortest end, between 0.40 and 0.37m. This means that, when turning the focussing ring, it turns smoothly from infinity all the way down to 0.40m, but beyond 0.40m and down to the shortest focussing distance of 0.37m, it's harder to turn, and feels like something is stuck in between rings you are turning. The 0.37m is still a hard stop.

kind regards
Geert

[Erik Lund]

Sticky Zoom vs. Sticky Focus   


On most Nikon AF especially the AF-S Zoom lenses the mechanical extension of the lens is the zoom function and focus is done internally or as IF these lenses a susceptible to impact damage on the zoom function; The slots getting a hard hit from the nylon guides.
On this lens it's the focus ring that is most vulnerable to this damages of the focus slots since it's the focus ring that extents the lens. see images in the link above.

[Erik Lund]

i am intrigued by this sticky zoom ring thing

It's really easy for you to work on this lens, and a very unique Nikkor lens zoom design! Good luck