fpl1966 wrote:
Good evening.
I had the same problem recently and I can give you a quick fix without sending the lens to Sony Service:
1 - remove the front rubber gasker (be careful not to break it but is very easy)
2- once removed, remove the metal (silver color) ring with a small scredriver. There are 4 tiny screws
3- once removed the metal ring you will have access to the screws to tighten the loose part of the filter thread and lens hood attachment.
Mount everything back
My suggestion is not to travel with the lens hood attached even reversed, as seems, with time, with vibrations, to loose these screws.
Anyway is an easy fix, it took me a small screwdriver and 5 minutes....Show more →
Such an annoying problem! Just discovered it on mine today, and like many others in this forum i do a lot of hiking with the camera in the backpack (hood attached).
Could you advise a bit on how this procedure looks like, especially how to get the rubber gasker off?
Really hoping i can sort this one out with some tips
I also had this happen today and if you made it this far, here is what to do elaborating more on the previous instructions.
1) Don't panic this on a scale of 1-10 is a 2 (mainly because it's your expensive lens) Total fix time 5-10 min. Tools needed, your fingernail and a jewelers screwdriver.
2) You can leave the lens cap on, it won't get in the way and your front element stays nice and safe
3) Remove the gasket. You just need to run your fingernail under the rubber and it will separate nicely. Go all the way around till you can remove it. No adhesive or anything it's just on via pressure.
4) Remove the silver ring. 4 screws. Jeweler screwdriver worked fine here. They are really tiny so make sure you have some place to keep them safe.
5) Tighten down the 3 screws holding the front element on. These are vertical into the lens mount but silver colored so easy to see. (One of mine had fallen completely out and the other 2 were pretty loose and that is still concerning me)
6) Put the silver ring back on and tighten the 4 screws
7) Slide the gasket back on and seat it as best you can.
8) You are done and it's time for some more birding
I had some pictures too but I don't have "Upload and Sell" active now. ;(
Geez I have had mine now for over a month and inspected it. It's as tight as can be with no gaps or play at all. Hope it stays that way. Hope it was made on a Wednesday not a Friday if you know what I mean. I'll keep an eye on it but am not losing sleep the construction on mine had any real compromises. Thus far anyway. I'm pretty OCD so maybe it won't ever come my way.
sonyshooter wrote:
Sony 200-600 front element loose DIY repair
I also had this happen today and if you made it this far, here is what to do elaborating more on the previous instructions.
1) Don't panic this on a scale of 1-10 is a 2 (mainly because it's your expensive lens) Total fix time 5-10 min. Tools needed, your fingernail and a jewelers screwdriver.
2) You can leave the lens cap on, it won't get in the way and your front element stays nice and safe
3) Remove the gasket. You just need to run your fingernail under the rubber and it will separate nicely. Go all the way around till you can remove it. No adhesive or anything it's just on via pressure.
4) Remove the silver ring. 4 screws. Jeweler screwdriver worked fine here. They are really tiny so make sure you have some place to keep them safe.
5) Tighten down the 3 screws holding the front element on. These are vertical into the lens mount but silver colored so easy to see. (One of mine had fallen completely out and the other 2 were pretty loose and that is still concerning me)
6) Put the silver ring back on and tighten the 4 screws
7) Slide the gasket back on and seat it as best you can.
8) You are done and it's time for some more birding
I had some pictures too but I don't have "Upload and Sell" active now. ;( ...Show more →
I can certainly see why a person such as yourself would do the reassembly using LockTite next time to avoid those screws loosening up at all again. Did you think of that?
Loctite probably would be a good idea. I was just nervous doing that so close to the expensive glass.
Also now I know what is happening I am pretty aware if something seems 'loose' and fixing it is trivial.
Now speaking of that, a couple weeks ago I was out shooting and the lens indeed felt a bit wobbly again but slightly different than before.
Well look at that, it was the 4 mount screws (to the camera side) that were coming loose and I had to use the same jewelers screwdriver to tighten them back up as well.
So while you are doing any tune ups make sure you check that side too. Pretty easy to notice just by looking at the screws and they are no longer slightly recessed. Go grab the screwdriver and double check.
I can't help but wonder if the assembly of the product might have just a small amount to do with these screws being loose. It is either that they weren't properly torqued upon assembly, OR in use where it's bumped around a fair amount which eventually would loosen the screws. I for one don't bump. It gets treated like a baby in my case, so hoping I never incur this issue. But I certainly won't fear the mentioned correction.
dcisive wrote:
I can't help but wonder if the assembly of the product might have just a small amount to do with these screws being loose. It is either that they weren't properly torqued upon assembly, OR in use where it's bumped around a fair amount which eventually would loosen the screws. I for one don't bump. It gets treated like a baby in my case, so hoping I never incur this issue. But I certainly won't fear the mentioned correction.
One theory is that having the hood always on (either when shooting or especially when reversed for storage) means the front assembly is always being torqued due to sideways pressure on the hood. Imagine a reversed hood on the lens being constantly jostled with sideways pressure in a bag and I can see how that might be a factor. Just in case I now place the end of the lens into the reversed hood without actually attaching them together.
Yeah I thought about that, just placing the hood turning it a bit but NOT locking it and storing it that way. Perhaps that would eliminate the torque as you mentioned. Who knows.
Those are good points. I hadn't thought of it in that regard.
I will be the first to admit I don't baby my gear. Right now that lens is attached to a body in my bag and when I go shoot next time I won't disengage it when I travel.
However, after reading this it makes sense to break it down into components when done shooting. But that extra 10 seconds could really add up over say 20 years.
All that said I have had this lens from the week it came out in 8/2019 and use it a bunch. Probably more than all my other ones combined. So a bit of wear and tear is to be expected.
sonyshooter wrote:
Sony 200-600 front element loose DIY repair
I also had this happen today and if you made it this far, here is what to do elaborating more on the previous instructions.
1) Don't panic this on a scale of 1-10 is a 2 (mainly because it's your expensive lens) Total fix time 5-10 min. Tools needed, your fingernail and a jewelers screwdriver.
2) You can leave the lens cap on, it won't get in the way and your front element stays nice and safe
3) Remove the gasket. You just need to run your fingernail under the rubber and it will separate nicely. Go all the way around till you can remove it. No adhesive or anything it's just on via pressure.
4) Remove the silver ring. 4 screws. Jeweler screwdriver worked fine here. They are really tiny so make sure you have some place to keep them safe.
5) Tighten down the 3 screws holding the front element on. These are vertical into the lens mount but silver colored so easy to see. (One of mine had fallen completely out and the other 2 were pretty loose and that is still concerning me)
6) Put the silver ring back on and tighten the 4 screws
7) Slide the gasket back on and seat it as best you can.
8) You are done and it's time for some more birding
I had some pictures too but I don't have "Upload and Sell" active now. ;( ...Show more →
I had this problem too. I got an estimate from SonyPro of $475 for the repair. Between the cost and the hassle of packing the lens for shipping, I decided to give the instructions above a go. I quickly learned that I needed a tiny Phillips screwdriver to do the repair. Got it delivered the same day from Amazon. I found one screw floating free inside the front lens assembly, and the other 2 screws were loose. Within 10 minutes the lens was back together and tight as a drum. Do-it-yourself is definitely the way to go.
Yes, it happened to mine too, that hood is too heavy and pushes down on the barrel
I had to send it in under warranty, otherwise a $300.00 repair
I had replaced the hood with a smaller screw on metal hood from Amazon
All Sony hoods for tele lenses are huge
I 've replaced them all
Taking no more chances
I have started to do what has been mentioned above, storing the lens in the bag with the hood not screwed on, but placed on loosely. I hope that will prevent to screws from loosening again. But if they do, I now know the fix is quick and easy.
Have you been knocking the hood with your knee?
I do regularly and have been for years with any long lens.
Sigma 150-600, Canon 100-400 II, Sony 200-600 and Sigma 500 f4.
Walking in the bush, usually just a big step and it 's really my leg, just above the knee.
My 200-600 has been copping these hits for several years now and the hood is permanently attached.
Almost literally permanently attached, it's taped on as I don't use the lens cap and I have had the hood come loose. (I don't want the front element to get scratched in case of hood coming loose).
So while multiple users have had the issue, the fact mine has survived shows it's not every 200-600 affected. If mine does loosen, it will be illogical to blame Sony as the bruise above my knee is also almost permanent.
sonyshooter wrote:
Sony 200-600 front element loose DIY repair
I also had this happen today and if you made it this far, here is what to do elaborating more on the previous instructions.
1) Don't panic this on a scale of 1-10 is a 2 (mainly because it's your expensive lens) Total fix time 5-10 min. Tools needed, your fingernail and a jewelers screwdriver.
2) You can leave the lens cap on, it won't get in the way and your front element stays nice and safe
3) Remove the gasket. You just need to run your fingernail under the rubber and it will separate nicely. Go all the way around till you can remove it. No adhesive or anything it's just on via pressure.
4) Remove the silver ring. 4 screws. Jeweler screwdriver worked fine here. They are really tiny so make sure you have some place to keep them safe.
5) Tighten down the 3 screws holding the front element on. These are vertical into the lens mount but silver colored so easy to see. (One of mine had fallen completely out and the other 2 were pretty loose and that is still concerning me)
6) Put the silver ring back on and tighten the 4 screws
7) Slide the gasket back on and seat it as best you can.
8) You are done and it's time for some more birding
I had some pictures too but I don't have "Upload and Sell" active now. ;( ...Show more →
Thanks SonyShooter!
I discovered today that the front assembly on my Sony 200-600 was loose!
One side especially could move quite a distance from where it should be
Didn’t panic or put an order in for the 600 f4, instead I remembered a thread on this forum
The 3 screws holding the front assembly were not only very loose but (like you) one was completely undone
Not only that but it had turned around(!) not only undone but the head was down and the threads were up
My ancient, pre order copy of the superb 200-600 lives on
Apart from an ongoing very tight fitting lens hood (may be a contributing factor) the only other issue has been the lens foot mount screws coming loose but these were tightened and told not to come undone again by Mr Red Locktite
sonyshooter wrote:
Sony 200-600 front element loose DIY repair
3) Remove the gasket. You just need to run your fingernail under the rubber and it will separate nicely. Go all the way around till you can remove it. No adhesive or anything it's just on via pressure.
I performed the repair as described above, and initially was pleased. But I found out the rubber front gasket is actually secured by adhesive strips. Removing and replacing the gasket broke the adhesive bond. Now the hood catches on the gasket, and tends to pull it off.
I found the adhesive strips as a Sony part online, and ordered. A single 2" strip arrived, where the lens circumference is 13.5". So clearly many strips will be required at $11each! I cannot find any instruction on how many strips are required, or how to apply them and replace the gasket properly. If anyone has experience, I would appreciate some advice.
