Goodbye 18-70!

[Dusty]

Just when I need it, my 18-70 strips a gear! Judging by the number of replacement gear collars for it available on e-bay, it must be more common than I would expect.

I need to find a new on ASAP, as I just picked up a bargain a350 for my daughter ($250, body, charger, and generic batt only) on said auction site. I don't have any other wides I can send her to camp with next week, 28mm is as wide as I have, and that won't do for a girl at camp who'll obviously want photos of everyone in the cabin.

Off to the local camera shop to check it's used Sony lenses!

Since I really need one for me, too, maybe I can justify a 17-70 or 16-105 if I find a good deal.

Dusty

[gio67]

good luck dusty, I have an 18 to 55 or 70 kit lens here that I have never used,I,m sure most of us have, the a700 with the kit lens was only £10 uk sterling about 14 dollars more than the camera on it,s own

[Birma]

Sorry to hear that Dusty. There always seem to be plenty of 18-70 and 18-55 on eBay. I'm sure you'll get one for a good price.

[UrsaMajor]

I need to find a new one ASAP, as I just picked up a bargain a350 for my daughter ($250, body, charger, and generic batt only) on said auction site. I don't have any other wides I can send her to camp with next week, 28mm is as wide as I have, and that won't do for a girl at camp who'll obviously want photos of everyone in the cabin.

I'm one of the people with a NIB 18-70 lens, as I already had a very good copy of that lens before I bought my A700 kit during the Circuit City bankruptcy sale a couple of years ago. I was so happy with my existing 18-70 that I never took the A700 kit lens out of the box.

I would be happy to offer it to you at a friendly price, but I suspect that the lens would not make it to you from California in time to meet your needs, especially since the earliest I could make it to the Post Office would be Monday.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[Dusty]

Tom, I PMed you on this.

Dusty

[bfitzgerald]

Dusty what body stripped the gears?
Mine is still going strong the KM version always got on well with it. And not managed to strip any gears yet on any bodies.

I'd def suggest going for a KM version if you can the 2 Sony ones I had were simply "awful" in every respect though I am sure there are some better ones out there (possibly A100 era)

[Dusty]

Barry, It was my 350, the only body I've ever had (until I got a duplicate 350 on Friday!) It's just at the close focus distance, and after 2-3 seconds of hunting and gear jumping it will engage enough to focus at farther distances. Still, it shouldn't be doing that. I'm hoping to get Tom's spare or another one before she has to leave for camp next Sunday.

Dusty

[UrsaMajor]

Tom, I PMed you on this.

Dusty

Hi Dusty,

You should have a PM from me in reply.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[Dusty]

Thanks to Tom, another fine copy in now in my hands. Actually, my daughter has it at camp this week. If it doesn't come back in one piece, I won't be on the board any longer - these days they take a dim view of drawing and quartering people!

Dusty

[bfitzgerald]

I'll have to watch this one though I don't often use the kit lens on the A200 the AF motor is def pushing more on that body no danger of the Km5d mashing gears on it!
Which copy did you get the Sony or the KM one?

I'm convinced something happened production wise after the A100 models with that lens because the 3 copies I used were all completely different I was staggered to see such a variation far more than I have with any other lens. Would be nice if they offered a new 18-70mm range I find it great for general use 18-55mm is a bit short tele end for me.

[UrsaMajor]

Which copy did you get the Sony or the KM one?

It was the 18-70mm that came with my A700. I already had a very satisfactory 18-70mm that had come with my KM 7D, so I had not even unwrapped the one I sent Dusty. (I bought my A700 a couple of years ago at a very good price when the Circuit City chain of stores went bankrupt. All they had was the A700 kit, but the price was so attractive that I did not care that I was also getting a lens for which I had no need.)

With best wishes,
- Tom -

[Dusty]

While Tom's copy of the 18-70 is fine, I now have 2 350 bodies, and only one usable wide lens, the original 18-70 having stripped a gear.

So... I hunted on e-bay and found a good deal on a 18-55 SAM. The seller says he got it with his a33, but also bought a Siggy 17-50. IN about a week it should be in my hands so I can compare the 2, and see which one stays on the main body. For now, I'm using the 28-105 and Samantha has the 18-70 on the body I'm letting her use.
http://www.photoclubalpha.com/forum/index.php
Once I get all the tornado damage taken care of, I can go back to saving for the 8-16 Sigma - or the 11-16 Tokina, not sure yet, still!

Dusty

[Dusty]

Well, the 18-55 SAM came today. It arrived in the Tamron (not Sigma) box that he bought as a replacement. It's in perfect condition and I'm sure we'll give it a good workout soon!

I also invited the seller to come join us here at PCA.

Dusty

[Birma]

Congrats Dusty . How does it compare with the 18-70?

[Dusty]

Congrats Dusty . How does it compare with the 18-70?

Well, I haven't had a lot of time to shoot with it, but at the local 4th of July parade, it miss focused several times. OTOH, the new 18-70 is simply fantastic!

Here's a shot my daughter did at camp of her counselor. She has several great portrait shots, and I'm encouraging her to get an account here and take/post more photos.

Ann-web.jpg

Taken by Samantha

(105.93 KiB) Downloaded 2864 times

Dusty