I have used Authorized Photo Service (APS) in the past to fix and tune a couple Nikon lenses. They were reasonable and did good work. They are located in Illinois. Good luck.
Lots of red flags with the transaction. It always stinks to learn from mistakes. The best thing you can do is learn and move on.
I'd start racking the AF-S lenses manual focus rings back and forth in manual and see if it knocks off any corrosion that may exist on contacts and try to shoot them regularly (ie every couple of weeks).
Shoot and enjoy the lenses that are working too. They're going to work, and they're fine lenses. Start chasing some good light and enjoy taking photos with your family. Take some photos of cars, firearms, etc. Most of all just choose to have a good time. You can't change what's already happened, and the best thing you can do is to choose the make the best of where you are and get out and have a good time so you can move on from the regrets.
I would personally not necessarily rush out to sell the lenses immediately or ship anything off for repairs. Take a few weeks, make notes if conditions change (maybe don't use the 200 AF-D in auto), and take some time to move on from the immediate frustrations so you can plan with some distance from all of this as the emotional side of it settles and mellows.
Enjoyed the read, but sorry to hear about the bad luck. Like a few others have said, it happens to all of us at a certain point swapping gear, so don't beat yourself up about it. Regarding your search for a D700, there is one in the buy and sell forum for only $189... https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1954746/
RoamingScott wrote:
You're gonna take a bath twice if you start dealing with KEH
I assume they aren't going to offer much, and ask a lot!
jcw1982 wrote:
I have used Authorized Photo Service (APS) in the past to fix and tune a couple Nikon lenses. They were reasonable and did good work. They are located in Illinois. Good luck.
Thanks for the tip. I was going to start looking around for repair options. While Illinoians don't have the best rep in Wisconsin, maybe they are actually good at something other then speeding, littering, and pumping stupid money into real-estate?
dalegaspi wrote:
i don't understand why people here assume that OP has been scammed; i don't think he ever mentioned how much he paid for the lenses.
I don't think I was scammed, I assume responsibility for not having the gear with me to test the lenses. Had I had the gear and put a little more effort into testing etc, I would have left the lenses behind. Like I said, I was anticipating there being a camera body available for sale and testing, but it had already been sold.
sungphoto wrote:
Enjoyed the read, but sorry to hear about the bad luck. Like a few others have said, it happens to all of us at a certain point swapping gear, so don't beat yourself up about it. Regarding your search for a D700, there is one in the buy and sell forum for only $189... https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1954746/
I may or may not have just bought a D700, D200, (2) SB-800's, (1) SB-600, 105 2.8 AF-D Macro, 50 1.4 AF-D, a couple other kit lenses, a few photography bags, and a bunch of filters and CF cards for right around the same price. Fingers crossed, the battery is on the charger. Shame on me.
you still haven't mentioned how much you paid for the lenses. if it's $500 for the entire lot, it's a great deal...if it's a couple thousand or more... maybe not.
dalegaspi wrote:
you still haven't mentioned how much you paid for the lenses. if it's $500 for the entire lot, it's a great deal...if it's a couple thousand or more... maybe not.
I'm assuming he's embarrassed enough as it is without self-incriminating any further
dalegaspi wrote:
you still haven't mentioned how much you paid for the lenses. if it's $500 for the entire lot, it's a great deal...if it's a couple thousand or more... maybe not.
$500 for the entire lot from an elderly widow would be what most consider theft and/or elder abuse (if both the buyer and seller were under the assumption that the lenses were indeed in the described condition) All said and done I will have paid somewhere in the ballpark of the going rate for a used 400mm 2.8 AF-S.
RoamingScott wrote:
I'm assuming he's embarrassed enough as it is without self-incriminating any further
I usually don't like to mention exact figures...let's just say if I had paid an amount that I felt was fair for the actual condition of all the lenses I wouldn't have taken the time to create this thread.
I actually got done with work at a decent time Friday (we've been on mandatory OT since January) and I had just enough time to get something rigged up to start conducting some lens testing. I got through the 400 2.8 w/ 1.4/1.7 TC's as well as the 70-200 2.8 w/ TC's, then it was off to the big cross town rivalry football game.
I finally had time to sit down Sunday morning to upload pics, but Windows refused to recognize the CF card presumably due to RAW files vs normal JPEG. I have a "decent" amazon card reader, and windows was recognizing files from a micro-sd card, but nothing from the CF card. I searched the internet high and low, did all the updates and even started a 7 day trial of lightroom to see if the extensions from the download would help windows recognize the files.
Nothing worked...I tired every USB port on the PC and even tried shooting a few JPEG images on the CF card...still nada. I searched and Walmart had a card reader, so after getting the Big Green Egg setup and getting the chicken wings going I ran over there and picked it up. I got home, checked on the wings then ran downstairs to try out the new reader. WTF it doesn't accept CF cards!!! I checked the website again and the damn description was wrong.
Knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep w/o solving the issue I looked and Best Buy had one...."dinner is going to be a little late I need to run to Best Buy". I arrived home just in time to take the wings off and get them on the dinner table, and run downstairs to find that the issue was a result of a faulty card reader. Although I didn't have a chance to evaluate the test images, I at least got a good nights sleep having jumped that hurdle.
Sometimes it seems to take a while for me to learn my lessons, but I've learned I'm a sucker for a good deal.
I had been eyeing up a listing on CRAIGSLIST (yeah people apparently still use CL for stuff?) for a few weeks as I am still on the hunt for a D700 and had some time early Saturday to make the 2hr drive over to look at it. The seller had terrible pics of everything, but I could make out a D700 and 50 1.8d, flash, and a couple rando's...that was about it and there was no other info. He did say "it was gear he had received as payment for rent due from a friend", and that he didn't have a lot of info on it.
We arranged a time to meet, and the seller kept saying that he would "bring the cameras for me to look at". I was a bit confused by him saying that, but figured he was just referring to the D700 and lenses. I was wrong...he was referring to; D700, D200 (w/ David Busch guide), 105mm 2.8D, 50 1.4D, (2) SB-800's (1) SB-600, a bunch of cheaper kit lenses, 15 or so quality filters, two bags,10 CF memory cards, and Keiv 88 camera case/parts. He accepted my offer of roughly have the asking price, and I was on my way home.
So far everything checks out and is in pretty darn good condition. The D200 has 35,xxx clicks, and the D700 has 85,xxx clicks. I was intending on selling everything but the D700 but idk now!! haha
I've used them as well, and yes, they do things right. As far as the other vices, well, they aren't the only ones in the US doing that.
jonshonda wrote:
Thanks for the tip. I was going to start looking around for repair options. While Illinoians don't have the best rep in Wisconsin, maybe they are actually good at something other then speeding, littering, and pumping stupid money into real-estate?
I'd say it depends on what you paid, which I didn't notice in your post. The 200...I wouldn't care if it didn't AF but it is a noisy screwdrive so...may be fine. I'd just want clean glass on that one.
300...AFS motors fail...not uncommon, but...try turning the focus ring all the way to each side and give it 20-30 spins past where it stops moving the elements...just spin it. I have had some luck with squealy ones doing this. Never tried with a dead one but why not. Still a heck of a lens even if it MFs only (again...depending on what you paid). The 70-200...that can probably be serviced and cleaned as long as it's not a part replacement thing.
Anyway...hope it works out for you.
jbear wrote:
I'd say it depends on what you paid, which I didn't notice in your post.
Anyway...hope it works out for you.
As I mentioned a few posts above, I wouldn't have bothered making this thread if I felt ok about the whole deal.
I hope it all works out as well. My wife and kids are already looking for me to produce good quality soccer and volleyball images, so I need to keep on trucking along with what I've got.
