What is going on with my camera?

[Ygrazi]

I bought the camera used from ebay from a good seller... the lenses were from my d50 about 3 years ago... my 18-55 seems that the focus ring lock broke- as the ring is very loose and comes in and out even in AF mode... my 55-200 is making funny noises, sometimes it'll focus and sometimes it won't... I hear it working too hard. 2 different problems, but within a day of each other- just really bad luck?

 

[JerryPH]

It could be something as simple as a grain of sand that slipped in and jammed the lens focus mechanism... or it could just be a very well used D200 with some hard use and a well worn focus screw.

Edit: If the lens jammed and did not let the camera focus it, it could have damaged the camera screw jst as easily as a lot of hard wear could have.

Do you know how to check for the total number of actuations your camera has?

 

[Ygrazi]

Nope. Can you help?

 

[JerryPH]

Really Useful Software for Nikon DSLRs

Download it run it, click shutter count, run, load latest image you have.

 

[Ygrazi]

4041

 

[Flash Harry]

Well it should be nowhere near its end of life, I would take your lens in for repair and stick with the 50 till you get the others back. H

 

[JerryPH]

lol... no it is VERY low considering this camera has been out for as long as 4 years, I believe. It has a 100,000 shutter click lifespan and there are people out there with over 300,000 actuations and the camera is working 100%.

I still would have the camera checked, though I am not really certain that it is indeed the camera screw. There seem to be 2 issues here... a focus issue on the kit lens and a noise (that may or may not be related!) on the other lens.

It is not outside the realm of possibilities that it is 2 problems:

- either a dead kit lens and a noisy second lens

or

- a bad focusing screw mechanism on the camera that damaged the kit lens and is starting to do the same on the 2nd lens.

From here, it is very hard to say which... but it *is* time to get it looked at by either a very knowledgeable local camera tech or Nikon themselves.

I know you do not want to be without your camera long, but I think it is time to send it out to Nikon directly, IMHO.

Do you have any kind of warranty on the camera or exended warranties on the lenses?