lense sliding in and out

[mbartolucci]

So I bought a new sigma 18 - 250 lens, and I noticed that when I am looking downwards to take a photo (at an angle of 45 degrees downward or more) the part of the lens that moves to zoom slides out from the spot that I had it at. However, this does not happen if I have the lens fully retracted. The same happens when I look up and the lens is zoomed out, except that it slides in (although this does not happen if it is completely zoomed out). Is this normal or do I have a bad lens?

If this is normal, is there a way to prevent this from happening?
Thanks for the help!

 

[480sparky]

Zoom creep is normal with superzoom lenses.

 

[Derrel]

I own a Sigma 18-125... thing ALWAYS slides back to 18mm when pointed upwardly. It has terrible, terrible zoom creep.

 

[Solarflare]

Is this normal or do I have a bad lens?

Thats both true.

 

[ronlane]

I had a Canon 28-135mm kit lens that did that terrible. I got one of those rubber band braclets and put over the zoom ring where part of the rubber band was on the barrel and it helped stop it.

 

[Dave442]

I had a cheap push-pull zoom lens years ago for a film camera that had the zoom creep.

If you are supporting the camera with the left hand under the body/lens and a finger or two touching the zoom ring then it should not be much of an issue.