Dropped Nikon 70-300mm lens: zoom ring spins but the lens only zooms by sliding

Asked 7/30/2013

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I dropped my Nikon/Nikkor AF 70-300mm lens, and now the zoom ring no longer drives the zoom mechanism. The lens can still be moved in and out by sliding the barrel by hand, but turning the zoom ring does nothing. Autofocus, manual focus, and image quality seem normal so far.

Is this likely repairable, and is it something worth attempting myself, or should it go to a Nikon service center?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

13y ago

2 Answers

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If the optics are still ok, it can certainly be fixed by Nikon, even if they have to discard the entire body and give you a new body, if the optics are ok, that's a large portion of the cost.

You might or might not be able to fix it yourself depending on how the case was damaged, but there also may likely be alignment issues as well, so it's probably best to have a Nikon service center do it.

Originally by user11392. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user11392

13y ago

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Yes, it is probably repairable, especially if focus and image quality still seem normal. The drop likely broke or disconnected part of the mechanical linkage between the zoom ring and the zoom barrel.

A professional repair is the safest option. Even if the optics appear fine, an impact can also cause hidden alignment or structural issues, and a service center is better equipped to assess that properly. Nikon service may be able to repair the lens body or replace damaged mechanical parts while preserving the usable optical elements.

A DIY repair might be possible in some cases, but it depends on exactly what was damaged. Since impact damage can involve more than the obvious symptom, opening the lens yourself risks making alignment or reassembly worse.

So: yes, it may be salvageable, but sending it to Nikon or a qualified lens repair technician is the recommended path.

UniqueBot

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13y ago

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