PBase

I bought a Nikon 18-200VR with a Nikon D40 recently. After about a month, I noticed that there are dusts in the lens and I have just sent it back for servicing. I was told that it is normal for dust to enter the lens. Is this normal? I thought the lens should be sealed and it's unusual for dust to enter.

It's normal and you shouldn't see any of the dust in the shots. Unless you're paying a fortune for weather sealed equipment, it's just all part of the fun With your camera, assuming you change lens occasionally you should expect to have to clean the mirror and sensor.

I guess it depends on how much dust was in there and whether or not the dust was actually impacting on image quality. The 18-200 is in no way environmentally sealed so I imagine dust intake would be inevitable, read normal. If it was my lens and the dust wasn't causing any problems, i'd just leave it there and keep shooting because you can't take photos with a lens that's in the shop.

As others stated, it's normal. Even weather sealed lenses can suffer, since moving parts inside can flake. Quality control isn't quiet what it use to be,
and the price of fuel keeps going up... just another one of those things we're forced to accept, unfortunately.

Thanks for the info! I think the dust in the lens was affecting the pictures that I took, especially on sunrise and sunset. I can have 2 suns in a picture when there is dust and it goes back to normal when the dust is removed. That's why I think the dust is affecting the pictures.

chunfye wrote:

I can have 2 suns in a picture when there is dust

2 suns in photo? Are you sure you're not experiencing lens flare?

If you're pointing toward the sun, it can reflect inside the lens, and depending on the angle cause ghosting which might give this impression. Can you post a photo showing the problem so we can have a look?

2 suns?

Yes, that sounds like lens flare.

As for the dust, all lenses get dust in them, or produce their own dust in the sealed lenses. I do find the 18-200 to be one of the better sealed of the non-sealed variety, if you know what I mean. 2 suns? - unless the glass is extremely reflective, it does sound like flare.

John

Thanks for the info guys. I will try to shoot again when I got my lens back and see if it's still the same. So far I enjoy shooting with my camera apart from the flare but I think I can avoid that by changing the angles. It's really easy to get around with most situation with this lens cause of the wide zoom range it offers.

I've had similar dust problems with my 18-200 VR. I just take it apart and clean it myself.

I've used the 18-200 VR in dusty, sandy, windy conditions and never had a problem with debris entering the lens. But you can easily end up with dust on the image sensor, although if you're using a "super zoom" there wouldn't be much need to change lenses. I'm constantly changing lenses, so dust on the sensor (or lens) is inevitable. But no need to be without your camera or lens for 3-6 weeks, you can easily clean it yourself with a small bulb blower, or with special sensor-cleaning swabs, which I use about once every three months.