50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

[Bruce Clarke]

I thought I'd been lucky, but finally, my 14 year old Mk 1 50-200mm is feeling loose and wobbly between the back of the zoom ring and the rear of the lens body It is obviously well out of warranty, but I can't afford an expensive repair at the moment. Anyone know if a DIY job is possible, or what it might cost through Oly or Luton Cameras? I guess the O rings should be replaced too.

I was trying it out with the new E-M1 firmware, and still seems very sharp, but will stop using it to avoid complete separation, which seems horribly common.

Thanks,

[DerekW]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

I would not be surprised if Oly charged you about £330 ish and you would get a new motor mechanism as well. That is what I experienced last year with an SWD 50-200mm that was failing to communicate with the camera, it had had a small fall the previous year.

Given the prices of 4/3rds lens it might be worth looking a SWD version and then budget for a service on it at a later date.

[Bruce Clarke]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

Not worth fixing at that price thanks Derek! The focus motor on the Mark 1 isn't prone to failure like the SWD version, so that may bring the price down if it's just a few screws and O rings. The Oly repair page just says 'Estimate'. I'm still happy with the Mk 1, and prefer the lens hood to the bucket on the SWD.

[andym]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

My trusty old Mk1 went "crack" yesterday when turning the zoom ring. Now it's stuck at 200mm.

Don't like the sound of those repair prices but it's got to be fixed, missing it already .

[benvendetta]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

I thought I'd been lucky, but finally, my 14 year old Mk 1 50-200mm is feeling loose and wobbly between the back of the zoom ring and the rear of the lens body It is obviously well out of warranty, but I can't afford an expensive repair at the moment. Anyone know if a DIY job is possible, or what it might cost through Oly or Luton Cameras? I guess the O rings should be replaced too.

I was trying it out with the new E-M1 firmware, and still seems very sharp, but will stop using it to avoid complete separation, which seems horribly common.

Thanks,

14 years old?????
Mine fell apart in california last year but was fixed by Olympus

[Bruce Clarke]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

Sorry, 8 years old Dave! Counting trouble! Hmm, that would be nice, but not sure why they would, even though it is a bit of a design flaw.

[peak4]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

When mine fell apart in 2009,Olympus fixed it for free, even though I declared I bought it second hand from a dealer a couple of years previously.
When it then started front focussing a year or so later, it came to £138 inc postage back from Portugal.
I suspect that this is a fixed price repair for that lens.

[Bruce Clarke]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

Anyone who's had their 50-200 come apart, where did it separate? Mine is getting very loose behind the zoom ring and the rear of the lens body.

I think I'll try emailing Oly UK and see what they say.

[benvendetta]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

Doesn't sound dissimilar to my experience. It was OK one minute, then it felt loose and literally started separating. Some screws fell out I seem to recall too. All very annoying half way through a California/Arizona/Nevada holiday and which meant almost entire reliance on my 12-60 for well over a week. Wrapped in in a plastic bag and held together with rubber bands and residing in my suitcase until returning home.
Good luck with contacting Olympus.

[Bruce Clarke]

Re: 50-200mm Mk 1 coming apart

Doesn't sound dissimilar to my experience. It was OK one minute, then it felt loose and literally started separating. Some screws fell out I seem to recall too. All very annoying half way through a California/Arizona/Nevada holiday and which meant almost entire reliance on my 12-60 for well over a week. Wrapped in in a plastic bag and held together with rubber bands and residing in my suitcase until returning home.
Good luck with contacting Olympus.

Thanks Dave, there are no rattles inside mine yet, so I've presumably caught it before they have come right out, but I won't use it any more till it's fixed. I will email Oly later.