Mooyo wrote:
I heard some rumors regarding Nikon 24-70 N lens that light leaking happens through focus finder n tested it by myself...

It was not rumor... it really happened..

I posted my test on youtube.

check it out.
http://bit.ly/cbK3QN

Both my Nikons came with a plastic thing to stick over the viewfinder when using self timer or similar situations..sure you can buy the part. It's like the little plastic tab that covers the hot shoe...you know...the one which we all likely tossed "somewhere safe" then forget where that was. LOL!

Sourcelight Photography wrote:
My favorite lens for the past year.  Never had a problem.  I imagine there are a few thousand other Nikon shooters around the world who could say the same thing, but people rarely go on forums to report NON-issues with gear.

Robb Mann wrote:
The only way I can recreate the issue is to literally point a flashlight at the focus indicator and hold it there during a long exposure while the lens is set to 50mm-ish and f2.8.  Trying the same thing in bright daylight with the "leaking light port" pointing directly at the overhead sun produces no result.

Guess I need to rethink all of those shoots I wanted to do with flashlights pointing at my camera and the lens cap on. I know --- I'll take a picture of total blackness at 35mm instead of 55!!!!

Exactly.  I think someone is trying to make an issue where no real issue exists.

Mooyo wrote:
Ok....there are couple things that I want to mention.

First I don't feel good about youtube since they won't let pp search ma video by search words...

2nd.. not sure about other countries but in Korea Nikon service center did respond with customers complain about leak and they did confirm that leak happens at the certain situation. 

The solution they gave was taping the the focus finder or if customer bring the lens to the center they will do taping...

humm...for $1700 lens... taping is the solution....

How often do you use the focus finder? ... and also under such extreme light conditions. Not trying to excuse Nik but what exactly do you want? A refund? If you were an engineer, how would you fix it as a recall? Probably not possible.

Mooyo wrote:
humm...for $1700 lens... taping is the solution....

Solution?

I think the solution is to forget about it and get back to taking photos.

DougBPhoto wrote:
Lately, it seems like Nikon is doing their best to boost Canon's sales.

Personally, I'm in the midst of a problem with Nikon, but I'm keeping quiet on it until next week to give them a chance to do right by me.

Needless to say, I am very displeased with the situation I've encountered with their service department, anyone knowing the facts would probably think I'm being incredibly generous with trying to give them a chance to make up for this.

I find that difficult to believe you're having an issue with their service dept. Nikon has been pretty quick to straighten out their mistakes over the last few years

Robert Jewett wrote:
Before someone asks, I just tried this with a 7D and a 24-70L. No light leak.

Thanks. Can someone else please check every other possible lens/camera combo just to make sure?

Walker Productions wrote:
Both my Nikons came with a plastic thing to stick over the viewfinder when using self timer or similar situations..sure you can buy the part. It's like the little plastic tab that covers the hot shoe...you know...the one which we all likely tossed "somewhere safe" then forget where that was. LOL!

You misunderstood. It's not the body that's leaking, it's the lens. The little VF cap is supposed to prevent light leak from the VF. This test assumes the cap is in place (or that your body has a flip switch to flip a cap in the VF. With those in place, the lens leaks. Now, I'm still not sure this mounts to a hill of beans...

Robert Jewett wrote:
Before someone asks, I just tried this with a 7D and a 24-70L. No light leak.

Robb Mann wrote:
Thanks. Can someone else please check every other possible lens/camera combo just to make sure?

I'm all over it

Mooyo wrote:
2nd.. not sure about other countries but in Korea Nikon service center did respond with customers complain about leak and they did confirm that leak happens at the certain situation.

What exact situation?  If you take a picture, with your cellphone flashlight one inch from the focus window, at ISO 4,000, with a 10 second exposure with the lens cap on!  Oh yes, I do that a lot.

Or, alternatively, how often do you shoot at ISO 800 with the lens cap on with the focus window held less than a foot, and directly pointing at a 2400 watt second strobe set to full power?

According to the video, it only happens when the lens is set to 50mm.  How often do you do either of those things with the lens set exactly that way?

This whole thing borders on absurdidity.  I tried to force a light leak with such extremity with several other Nikon lenses and even a Canon lens, "L" glass, since a camera happened to be here.  If I tried hard enough, I could force, at least some light, into every one of those lenses.

Show me a problem that can affect me in any kind of real life situation and I will be concerned.  Show me a problem that can only happen in a situation where a photo can't be taken, I really don't care.

When was the last time you took a photo in bright sunlight at ISO 4000 with a ten second exposure?

BTW, I called Nikon and asked about the problem and the recommendation to use gaffer's tape and he chuckled.

Albertex Photography wrote:
I could not make mine do it.  I tried:
ISO 4000
10 sec
f2.8
Cell phone light

ISO 4000
1/125
2.8
WL 800 at full
24mm, 55mm or 70mm

Wonder if it was a bad batch or a grey market.

Mine had no light leak and I tried more settings than were shown in the video so it must be a bad batch.

ei Total Productions wrote:

What exact situation?  If you take a picture, with your cellphone flashlight one inch from the focus window, at ISO 4,000, with a 10 second exposure with the lens cap on!  Oh yes, I do that a lot.

Or, alternatively, how often do you shoot at ISO 800 with the lens cap on with the focus window held less than a foot, and directly pointing at a 2400 watt second strobe set to full power?

According to the video, it only happens when the lens is set to 50mm.  How often do you do either of those things with the lens set exactly that way?

This whole thing borders on absurdidity.  I tried to force a light leak with such extremity with several other Nikon lenses and even a Canon lens, "L" glass, since a camera happened to be here.  If I tried hard enough, I could force, at least some light, into every one of those lenses.

Show me a problem that can affect me in any kind of real life situation and I will be concerned.  Show me a problem that can only happen in a situation where a photo can't be taken, I really don't care.

When was the last time you took a photo in bright sunlight at ISO 4000 with a ten second exposure?

BTW, I called Nikon and asked about the problem and the recommendation to use gaffer's tape and he chuckled.

I totally agree with what you are saying, I know many will say a 1800.00 dollar lens should not leak. However what was the shooting conditions this was discovered?

1st, I would like to know how was it discovered?
2nd, It looks like one would have to go to a extreme to create it.
3rd, do anyone have any images, showing the problem it creates?

Jake

pullins photography wrote:
I find that difficult to believe you're having an issue with their service dept. Nikon has been pretty quick to straighten out their mistakes over the last few years

It took them 4 tries to fix my D1 and they finally gave up and replaced it.

Took 2 times to get my D2x working right the first time I sent it to them, and again when I sent it to them later after 160k clicks to replace the shutter, again it took them 2 times to get it working right.

I just got my AF 80-400 VR back, this was the third time they have had it to work on, and I think they FINALLY replaced parts and it finally appears improved with the image quality closer to what I'd expect... although the focus is still not as fast as it should be.

I will give them some praise, they did get this repair logged into their system much faster, so at least there was some improvement there.

If you find my experience difficult to believe, PM me and I'll send you the details, because you will be going WTF.

On the other hand, my friend with Canon is still waiting on getting her items back that she sent in via CPS, it seems like it has been over a month, I'll have to ask her.

The light leak described in the OP look just like the sort of thing that would happen to me.

Jake Jacobs wrote:

I totally agree with what you are saying, I know many will say a 1800.00 dollar lens should not leak. However what was the shooting conditions this was discovered?

1st, I would like to know how was it discovered?
2nd, It looks like one would have to go to a extreme to create it.
3rd, do anyone have any images, showing the problem it creates?

Jake

photoimager wrote:
As per my comment on that Flickr image, the light leak shown there is different from the one in the video clip and is catastrophic to the image. It also looks quite suspicious compared to the slight corner leak.

I can create the corner leak at Iso 25600, 55mm F2.8 with a 600 w/s flash head pointing at the distance scale. I make it at least 30 stops overexposure, a little more than my usual lighting conditions. I'll keep some opaque slide masking tape handy.

I would have to agree, that leak look a little suspect, compared to the original findings. Again if one have to go to that extreme to create it, one would have too wonder how much of a issue this really is. I was able to reproduce it, directly under a strobe, a couple of inches away.  That was the only way I was able to reproduce the produce problem, if it is a problem.  Interesting.

Jake

o k u t a k e wrote:

The difference is, is that lenses are not supposed to leak light. Viewfinders on the other hand do leak light, and it's common knowledge amongst experienced photographers that they do. There are viewfinders specifically made with internal shutters that will block out light that leaks in through your cameras regular viewfinder when doing long exposures or shooting in conditions where this may be a problem.

There is a viewfinder cover attached to my Canon neckstrap that is used when your eye is not blocking out the light.

Jake Jacobs wrote:
I would have to agree, that leak look a little suspect, compared to the original findings. Again if one have to go to that extreme to create it, one would have too wonder how much of a issue this really is. I was able to reproduce it, directly under a strobe, a couple of inches away.  That was the only way I was able to reproduce the produce problem, if it is a problem.  Interesting.

Jake

He didn't put a 10 stop ND and shoot at f/22 for 2 minutes to highlight the flaw, he did it to create a long exposure in bright ambient light. It's extremely consistent with MooYoo's findings, although created in a different way. What I find extremely interesting, is that Nikon is purportedly repairing it. Hmmm... maybe time to check my warranty. Maybe they do have a fix other than tape, just don't want to spread the news.

Silver Crossroads wrote:

He didn't put a 10 stop ND and shoot at f/22 for 2 minutes to highlight the flaw, he did it to create a long exposure in bright ambient light. It's extremely consistent with MooYoo's findings, although created in a different way. What I find extremely interesting, is that Nikon is purportedly repairing it. Hmmm... maybe time to check my warranty. Maybe they do have a fix other than tape, just don't want to spread the news.

I understand what you are saying, the reason I would agree with one of the previous post, about this image being suspect is that when I went and created the same. What I achieved as well as others have achieved, was more of a glare in the very upper left extreme corner of the image, and without that much detail. 

I am not saying that it is not a problem, I am just currious how this was first discovered.  One have to really go to a extreme to first create it!

I have also spoken with Nikon, one of the techs I spoken with mentioned that he had heard of this issue, within the last couple of days,  however there was no sevice bulletins on it. But that he would deffinitely look into it, and try to recreate it as well.

Jake

Koriana wrote:
Wow, that's ridiculous.  "Just put some electrical tape on your $1600 lens".  LMAO at the people who are defending the lens.  I'm sorry, I don't care if this "photographically" speaking isn't a large issue to work around.  However monetarily it's appalling.  If you think otherwise it's probably because you feel like a jack ass for dropping the dough on the Nikkor vs a cheaper off brand. I mean I know how much wear and tear these lenses get in your hermetically sealed studios. It justifies the need for a $1600 lens. BAHAHAHAHAHAHA

When you actually use one and see the image quality then you wont regret the purchase...Couple it with the 70-200mm VRII and you have a awesome tag team.   Unless to you, image quality is not important...

Star Studio wrote:
Finally Nikon gonna repair this!
http://nikonrumors.com/2010/07/13/nikon … korea.aspx

Go read and translate the site yourself.    That is why they call the site "Nikon Rumors."  It is also, perhaps why i have so little regard for the rumor sites.

This seems to be a "sour grapes" effort by the guy to try to prove  that he is right about something that Nikon seems to be saying, very clearly, is not a problem.    There is no general recall, there is no general repair.  All Nikon is saying that they will listen to your complaint, that actual cases of any real problem are extremely arare, but if there is a problem that can be found, they will fix it.

It still sounds to me like people are trying to make issues where no real issues exist.