Small Rotation Play Between Lens and Body after Locking

Choma

New to Nikon. Just received "new" D850 body as well a "new" Nikon 70-200mm 2,8E. There is a "small" noticeable rotation play after the lens is locked to the body. Purchaed from a well known retail seller who says "no worries" as long as the camera/lens works They "Nikons are like that" . A call to a authorized Nikon repair location "could be a problem but would have to measure the "amount of play". A call to Nikon resulted in there there should be "no" play.

I've owner several other brand an never felt "slippage". The system seems to work fine but I worry the "play" will get worse.

Any one experience the same movement in the body and lens as I'm describing? I have no other Nikon lens but I have tried the Nikon 105mm 1.4e. withe same outcome.

Thanks

Pistnbroke

No play in any of my 5 Nikons with any lens..if its just received send it back.
There is a pin on the lens and a slot on the body ..if slot too wide or pin too small it will move

PB_PM

The question is, how much play is there? A little bit play is more common with telephoto glass, the AF-S 300mm F4D IF-ED was well known for this for example. The locking slot on the lens is oval shaped, not perfectly round like the pin on the camera body, so there will always be a chance.

I don't have the 70-200mm F2.8E, but the G VRII I have does have a very, very, small bit of play (not enough to mess with CPU contacts) and its 9 years old or so. I can slightly, ever so much, move all my lenses when mounted. Lenses like the 24-70mm F2.8G have almost none, for example. That has been the case with all the lenses and Nikon camera bodies I've had over the past 11 years (D80, D300, D700, D800, D750). Perhaps the "E" lenses have more play, since they no longer have the aperture lever to hold them in place as well as the "G" and earlier models.

NSXTypeR

I agree with PB_PM, it honestly depends. Is there enough play that you can't operate the lens properly? If there's enough play that the lens isn't locking down into the mount, then yes, that's a problem.

Choma

Thanks everyone for your time and great feedback. It's great piece of equipment and has performed very well despite some user error. Hate to be without it but I may send to Nikon for a revisit of the concern I'll contact Nikon again to discuss best option and report back once I have something of value to say. You guy's are great!

Pistnbroke

If you are zooming and you can feel the movement as you go back and forth then its too much

Choma

What's interesting is that if I had not placed it on a tripod locking the body/lens in place, I would not have felt the movement at all. When handheld you do not feel it UNLESS you are looking for it. Thats how small the movement is.

WestEndFoto

My 24-70 2.8E has a little play on my D850 and quite a bit on my D850. I wouldn’t worry about it.

spraynpray

So the concensus seems to be get out and use it. If you have any problems arising, send it back. I just checked my D850 and it is tight.

Pistnbroke

The bayonet on the mount holds it tight ..if its not tight the pin stops it falling off ..so if the movement annoys you send it back ..

mhedges

Choma said:

What's interesting is that if I had not placed it on a tripod locking the body/lens in place, I would not have felt the movement at all. When handheld you do not feel it UNLESS you are looking for it. Thats how small the movement is.

That seems to be typical, at least in my limited experience. I would imagine Nikon has to design in a little play to account for manufacturing tolerances. I wouldn’t worry about it unless you are seeing other issues.

spraynpray

I think the play IS the manufacturing tolerances. Tolerances are a well understood science not a surprise, which is why you may get a little play or not, but you will not get a lens that doesn't fit at all. Unilateral tolerances.

WestEndFoto

spraynpray said:

I think the play IS the manufacturing tolerances. Tolerances are a well understood science not a surprise, which is why you may get a little play or not, but you will not get a lens that doesn't fit at all. Unilateral tolerances.

I think that your point is well said Spraynpray.

HankB

A bit of rotation on an "E" lens (electronic aperture control lens) has absolutely zero effect on performance. But it sounds like we are not talking about enough rotation to affect electronic contact pin registration.

In theory, rotation would affect aperture stop down on a mechanically controlled aperture (non "E" lens) though I think we are talking about a totally immaterial degree.

Also consider that no rotational play whatsoever, might be so tight as to not actually allow the locking mechanism to fully engage. This would be like a simple door latch where the door doesn't close far enough to allow the latch striker to extend securely into the striker plate. Push on that door and it would pop open whereas a bit of play would allow the striker to fully and securely seat.

Killerbob

Through my camera/lens combinations a number of them have a bit of "play". Most are rock solid, but my 80-400mm for instance has a bit of play on all my cameras. It does seems that the bigger the lens, the more play. My 200mm and my 500mm both have some, whereas my wide lenses have absolutely nothing.

It hasn't ever affected focus, or anything else, it's just something I notice when I put the lenses on the cameras.

Choma

Thanks all for your feedback and support. I talked in person with a Nikon Rep/Tech today at a ProCam dealer day event. The Tech handed me the Nikon kit off his should and asked me to replicate the movements to see it I felt the same. It replicated the same movement in the my body/lens. So there it is, manufactured tolerance. Just as many of you point too. Problem solved! Happy image capturing to you all!