G'day everyone. I thought I'd tell you about a problem I've encountered with my first generation Nikon 18-200mm lens - the front element just fell off!
It stopped focussing at anything beyond 35mm and I tried all the tricks to fix it i.e. turning the camera on and off and removing and reattaching the lens, but nothing worked. This morning I removed the filter to have a closer look and when I did the front glass element fell off. It bounced on the floor but luckily it stayed on its edge and remained clean. There were two thin metal gaskets(?) that also fell out. I put the gaskets back in and screwed the element back on. With fingers crossed I turned the camera on and it worked like it was brand new! Phew! I'll be keeping a close eye on it from now on, ensuring it remains nice and tight. To say I was annoyed is putting it mildly. Has anybody else encountered this?
Cheers Pete