Nikon D90 with Nikkor Lens 18-200 DX - 1:3.5 - 5.6

To Nikon Forum members

18 Jan 2022

I have problems with my D90 and one lens.

Nikon D90 with Nikkor Lens 18-200 DX - 1:3.5 - 5.6

This is a lens with Vibration Reduction and automatic focus.   This lens has no lock against lens creep.   Later models have a lock to prevent the lens opening out to long range when the camera is hanging down from your neck.

I have taken around 20,000 photos.   Here are the symptoms:

1 When the D90 is turned on with this lens attached, there are noises - probably coming from the lens.   This occurs when you switch on, that is before you take a picture - there is no comparable noise when taking the picture.

2 When the D90 is turned on with this lens attached, the picture in the viewfinder shows lots of movement.

3 Nearly all the buttons on the camera - with the exception of the bin button - cause the noise and movement (provided the camera is on)

4 Vibration reduction does not seem to work when taking a picture

4 Autofocus continues to function

6 When a different lens (without vibration reduction) is attached to the D90, the symptoms 1 2 3 do not appear.   These lenses do not show the problem :

- AF Nikkor 28-70 mm1: 3. 5 - 4.5 D

- AF Micro Nikkor 60mm 1: 2.8D

- AF Micro Nikkor 70-300mm 1: 4 - 5.6

None of these lenses has vibration reduction.

I have not yet been able to locate another VR lens to test whether the problem is the camera or the lens.

Is the problem with the lens or the camera ?   Please could you advise.

Thank you

Bruce.Kilpatrick@Orange.fr

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Hello Bruce

I would tend to suggest the lens being at fault, but without trying another VR lens, difficult to say.

What happens if you switch to 'VR-off' on the lens? 

The VR system is fairly complex - there are various explanations  on-line.

I have a 70~300AFS VR lens that makes an awful racket when VR is turned on and I autofocus the camera, especially when mounted on an FX camera. The noise is somewhat less when the lens is used with a DX camera but still there. Turning VR off reduces the noise to zero. In my case, however, VR works no matter which camera I mount the lens on and, to be frank, it's still one of my favorite lenses, with or without VR.

I didn't see any mention in your post of trying the lens with VR off as a means of diagnosing the problem. So, my suggestion would be to try that, if you haven't already done so. VR modules do go bad ... there's a lot of stuff moving around inside those things. So, it's possible that with all the use you've put your lens through that the VR module is shot.

--Ron