Lens not working

[kat]

I have a Nikkor 18-135 lens.

From the 105 to the 135mm my lens just wont autofocus anymore. I hear a little click sound and nothing. From 105mm and down it works perfectly fine.

I can manual focus on the higher mm's but now I am worried that something is really wrong and that I shouldn't use it.

Does anyone know what is going on? The nearest camera store to take it in is 5.5 hour drive away so I figure I'd give this a shot first...

[jjeling]

Wow, you do live in Canada! I could probably walk to 4 different camera stores. Wish there was something I could do, but no such luck. Just fixed the focus mechanism on my camera, but lenses are a different thing. Sounds like the focusing screw is stripped out at its far end and I have no clue how to fix that. Seems like it would be an unlikely problem, but don't know what else it could be.

[tirediron]

I agree, sounds like the most likely cause is a stripped mechanism. Is the lens still under warranty?

[kat]

No..I think it's out now. I'd have to go through some papers and see for sure. Is it something that can be fixed in store or has to be sent away?

[jjeling]

Depends, if you think you can disassemble it, fix the screw or replace it, and then reassemble it as it was when it was new? Lenses are something different than the camera body. If it were a camera body, I would try it. I recently just took my camera body completely apart, fixed the autofocus switch, then reassembled it. Its as good as new. That was a camera body, lenses are a LOT different. There are no screws you can easily take out and then put back in. Not only that, the elements in the lens are extremely sensitive, taking the lens apart would probably mean disaster. It would probably be best to get sent away. That might be unrealistic depending on the glass, it might just be better to get a new lens, and use that one through its usable range.

The other thought I had is it might not be a stripped screw. It sounds like when you zoom out past 105, whatever keeps the linking mechanism between the elements and the screw lose its hold. When you come back down to 105, it can regain its grip and autofocus again. Can't seem to think this would be an easy problem to deal with.

[tirediron]

I would NOT try to disassemble a modern lens. I've taken apart old, mechanical (60s, '70s vintage) lenses and repaired them, but there were no electronic contacts, focus motors, microchips or anything else. Unless you have access to a major camera-repair facility, I'm 100% sure they'll send it back to Nikon for repair.