During the weekend, I used a Nikon 200-400mm with a TC1.7X attached with my D800. To carry the camera and the lens around I attached the lens to a monopod with a strong head. After shooting for several hours I did remove the lens from the TC but when I tried to remove the TC from the camera body it did not move at all. The TC could not be removed from the camera body even after I tried to press inside the release button (with a paper clip) but it did not work either. I am bringing the camera (with the stuck teleconverter) to the Nikon repair center in Long Island (NY) since I don’t want to break the mounting camera structure by forcing the TC out. I suspect that the pin that releases (and keeps) the lens in place is broken (or damage) and that the only way to remove the TC would be by dismantling the camera and try to remove the TC from inside the body. Anyway, I am curious about why something like this occurred since I am careful and I did not force or did anything to break the pin mechanism. I would like to know if any other Nikon shooter has experienced something like this and if you have any idea about the reasons that could explain this weird situation.
Something probably got tweaked when it was getting handled due to the pressure on the mount from the size/length of the lens. The only reason I can come up with is just crap luck
Your problem is easily resolved with a strong hammer and a bit of determination
Kidding aside, if it were me I'd mess around with it a bit and if I couldn't get it to release I'd send it into service. If the pin isn't working as you suspect (and that really does seem likely IMO), then there isn't much you can do beyond sending it in.
I have used the same combination with a Nikon 300 f/2.8 (that is also heavy) and I have not experienced the kind of problem that I am having now. It seems that the only way to dismount a stuck lens (or teleconverter) from a camera body is from the inside and that mean a labor intensive work that is charged by the hour.
Just looking at how it mounts. I think the fix might be to drill into the pin from the side of the teleconverter mount to release the pin. Then repair the pin and replace the teleconverter mount. I don't think you caused the problem. Probably just a malfunction of the release mechanism.
I had this happen with as nearly new TC14 on my D800 in Africa. One day just it randomly wouldn't come off. Ended having to turn it the wrong way and kinda pry it off. When my camera was sent to Nikon for calibration, they said the aperture arm was badly bent, which I can assume was the result of me trying to get the damn TC off. This wasn't a heavy lens either (new 80-400G) and was handheld. $400 later I'm hoping it's focusing issue is resolved. Oddly only the 80-400 gave me grief with the aperture dial usually resulting in an F/0 error, all my other Nikon and Sigma lenses performed as per usual, before and after.
m.sommers00 wrote:
I had this happen with as nearly new TC14 on my D800 in Africa. One day just it randomly wouldn't come off. Ended having to turn it the wrong way and kinda pry it off. When my camera was sent to Nikon for calibration, they said the aperture arm was badly bent, which I can assume was the result of me trying to get the damn TC off. This wasn't a heavy lens either (new 80-400G) and was handheld. $400 later I'm hoping it's focusing issue is resolved. Oddly only the 80-400 gave me grief with the aperture dial usually resulting in an F/0 error, all my other Nikon and Sigma lenses performed as per usual, before and after....Show more →
Maybe the aperture coupling in the 80-400G was bent at the same time?
m.sommers00 wrote:
I had this happen with as nearly new TC14 on my D800 in Africa. One day just it randomly wouldn't come off. Ended having to turn it the wrong way and kinda pry it off. When my camera was sent to Nikon for calibration, they said the aperture arm was badly bent, which I can assume was the result of me trying to get the damn TC off. This wasn't a heavy lens either (new 80-400G) and was handheld. $400 later I'm hoping it's focusing issue is resolved. Oddly only the 80-400 gave me grief with the aperture dial usually resulting in an F/0 error, all my other Nikon and Sigma lenses performed as per usual, before and after....Show more →
I'm not making light of what happened but it would not occur to me to "turn it the wrong way and kinda pry it off".
fpmentel, Have you tried holding the camera facing up and wiggle/rock the TC while holding the button down? The other day I went to use my close up lens. I had stored it with a downsizing lens adapter ring screwed on. It was stuck. I'm pretty strong and I could not get it to budge. After I calmed down, I lightly tapped around it with a would block, let it set for a few seconds and it spun right off. Just saying a little finesse sometimes helps.
MitchSC wrote:
I'm not making light of what happened but it would not occur to me to "turn it the wrong way and kinda pry it off".
fpmentel, Have you tried holding the camera facing up and wiggle/rock the TC while holding the button down? The other day I went to use my close up lens. I had stored it with a downsizing lens adapter ring screwed on. It was stuck. I'm pretty strong and I could not get it to budge. After I calmed down, I lightly tapped around it with a would block, let it set for a few seconds and it spun right off. Just saying a little finesse sometimes helps....Show more →
I have tried many things and it is still stuck, I don't want to break the TC either the camera mounting system and (thus) I will bring the camera body + TC (stuck) to Nikon repair center in Long Island.
