Made my first big purchase and got a used Nikon 70-200 2.8 vr used, Might be broken?

[fino]

Here is a video using the lens that may explain a bit:

As title says, I was finally able to save up $1200 to buy my first big lens. Bought it from an ebay camera company that's located in Ohio, they go by the name of ColumbusCameraGroup. I felt good about the purchase because they had really good rating (32,000 with 99.4% positive) and the lens seemed in nearly perfect condition. I got it today after a week, which seemed more like a year. I start taking pictures with it right away and did some video to try it out. The pictures came out pretty smooth but noticed when zooming in and out during video i started hearing these scraping noises so I decided to look into it a bit more by taking it to my local camera shop to have it looked at. The guy at the camera shop ended up taking a few test shots and moving things around to make sure everything works, and he ended up telling me the VR doesn't work and there was no sense in having it fixed since it would cost a lot. I'm not sure how my VR doesn't work when I hear the inside motor turning to focus. I turned VR off as well and it made no noise/motor wasn't going, then, I turned it back on and the interior motor starting working again (does this mean VR does work?). To sum it up, I'm not sure if my lens is broken or what the scraping noise is, could someone help me on what to do?

Thank you!

 

[tirediron]

First of all focusing and VR are two different functions, independant of each other. To test the VR, set your camera to shutter priority, and 1/100 of a second, zoom out to 200mm, ensuring that the VR switch is 'ON' and shoot a couple of exposures of something 25-30' feet away wher it will be easy to distinguish focus, a picket fence, or something with like that. If it's sharp, then your VR is probably okay.

I can hear a scraping noise randomly on your video, but I have no idea if it's the right noise. Does it always occur at the same point? Do you have the focus limiting switch on or off?

 

[Derrel]

The lens could be 10 years old. It was never intended for video use; the built-in mic on most d-slr cameras will pick up every focusing noise, rattle, and VR hum...

See if the VR works by shooting still images, at 200mm in Normal VR mode, hand-held, at slowish speeds,like 1/60,1/50/1/40 second. It's not uncommon for a lens that has been "knocked" to have a glitching or scraping sound as it is zoomed. I found it difficult to tell from the video just how bad the sound was. ANd, as stated, this lens was never intended to be used to record video with; a d-slr with video will pick up and amplify virtually ALL noises the lens or focusing system makes, unless the lens is SPECIALLY designed to be silent when shooting video.

I have dealt with Columbus Camera Group on numerous occasions; they sell a LOT of used gear, and I think sometimes they do not get the chance to check all items out individually; they are one of the lowest-priced used dealers around; they sell a LOT of merch, cheap.

 

[fino]

Just shot a few test shots doing what you said and items 25-30 feet away look okay, it focuses quickly and the picture looks fine. I shot a pole 25-30 feet away at 1/50 with VR off and on on the same subject and both looked identical, same exact picture.. I then shot with VR on at a target that was maybe 10 feet from me and there was a lot of bokeh/picture looked very nice. I do hear the motor when VR is on and motor turns off when VR is off. As for the zooming noise, I'm not sure what's causing it but it seems to occur when zooming (usually at 70-100mm there is no noise). What kind of difference am I suppose to see when VR is off and when VR is off shooting at low shutter with a subject 25-30 feet away? because I shot in both settings and i noticed no difference (was in shutter priority too).

 

[fino]

1

 

[Derrel]

I watched the video again and listened thru my good headphones...your lens sounds a lot like mine does when zoomed. I hear the VR; I think the video's microphone is exaggerating the issue tremendously; this model of lens is not 100% silent in operation; sometimes the VR group will make a little clunking sound. I think maybe you're having a bit of sort of buyer's remorse/uncertainty.

Try slooooower speeds with VR, like 1/8 second.

 

[KmH]

Nikon VR explained

 

[480sparky]

......I think the video's microphone is exaggerating the issue tremendously;...........

It's not that the mic is 'exaggerating' the sound... it's just that the vibrations caused by the VR does not need to travel through the air for the mic to pick it up: It travels directly through the solid camera body.