14-45mm quality problem

OlyFlyer · 23rd May 2006

I have a problem with my 14-45mm.

Touching the filter ring or the front tube part of the lens brings the image out of focus. And I mean touching with just a light touch. The longer the lens the more noticable the out of focus is. Also, in manual focusing mode, the lens gives out strange noices, like if it had sand in the cogweel mechanism, which I guarantee it hasn't, unless they put it there in factory. Image quality is not a problem, unless I touch the front part, just after the focusing ring, which I have to do some times with Polarizing filter on.

Anybody else noticed this?

I don't have the same problem with 40-150mm. Is it the 'Made in China' syndrome that causing the trouble? 14-45 has Made in China label, while 40-150 is a Made in Japan.

I know, I know, I should have got the 14-54mm, but I haven't.

tao · 23rd May 2006

I am not sure about quality issues with the 14-45mm but one must consider that this is a lens with a front rotating element, which is probably why it is sensitive to your touch after AF. I never have any problems with the 14-45mm when I had it but when I got the 14-54mm, the difference between the 2 lenses is obvious. The latter is simply more well built, non-rotating front element, much less barrel distortion at max wide angle and faster aperture which makes for a brighter viewfinder as well.

This is your calling...

doubliewkay · 23rd May 2006

The 14-45mm does not have a front rotating element.
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/len...3556/index.htm

OlyFlyer · 23rd May 2006

Originally Posted by tao

... this is a lens with a front rotating element...

No, the 14-45 does not have a rotating front part, as opposed to 40-150 which is definitly better build.

tao · 23rd May 2006

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer

No, the 14-45 does not have a rotating front part, as opposed to 40-150 which is definitly better build.

My mistake... then the problem is a loose AF servo motor?

Cliffy · 23rd May 2006

Hmm... no matter how I turn the front part, there seems to be no difference.

Cliffy · 23rd May 2006

edit*

OlyFlyer · 23rd May 2006

Originally Posted by Cliffy

Hmm... no matter how I turn the front part, there seems to be no difference.

I mean, turning the focusing ring does focus, as it supposed to (except for the noise). Touching the front part, makes me feel like if the front part of the lens tube is loose, and if the camera is laying on its back, lens pointing up, then the front part can be moved by at least 2 mm in any horizontal direction without moving the camera. Can also hear a click noise some times when I turn the focusing ring.

OlyFlyer · 23rd May 2006

Originally Posted by tao

My mistake... then the problem is a loose AF servo motor?

No, I don't think so since the AF seems to work without problems.

tao · 23rd May 2006

Three questions:
1. Have you dropped the lens or knocked it against something hard?
2. Did it get splashed with water or exposed to moisture and sand particles?
3. Did it exhibit such a behaviour since day 1 or it is only recently that it became like this?

OlyFlyer · 23rd May 2006

Three answers:
1. No and no. I have always been very careful with my lenses and cameas. Even my old ones are as new.
2. Not a drop of water, nor a grain of sand, unless it comes from factory. Second and third sentence of the answer above is also applyed here.
3. Yes for the focus change when touching that is as day one, no for the noise. But feels like the noise is worstening for every day of use.

So, I guess I am quite alone, which is good and reassuring. Will call Oly tomorrow and send in the lens as soon as possible. Anyway, please let me know if you have heard of the problem.

plastic · 24th May 2006

Mate, you are right... better send it in to Olympus and let them have a look.

If you can, share with us what they say... good luck.

OlyFlyer · 24th May 2006

Just spoke to Oly Sweden. On friday I will bring my lens with camera and show them, they promised me that I will immediatly get a new one in exchange. That's what I call good service!

Fortunatly, I live near Oly Camera division Sweden, otherways the size of the county is about 1500km from north to south, so I guess I am lucky.

harmony · 24th May 2006

1-for-1 exchange!... now that's good service indeed

tao · 24th May 2006

Good for you! A brand new lens sounds fantastic to me! While you are at it, maybe you can try to be cheeky and ask whether you can top up the retail price for a 14-54mm instead.

plastic · 25th May 2006

Originally Posted by tao

Good for you! A brand new lens sounds fantastic to me! While you are at it, maybe you can try to be cheeky and ask whether you can top up the retail price for a 14-54mm instead.

Good idea!

OlyFlyer · 25th May 2006

Originally Posted by tao

Good for you! A brand new lens sounds fantastic to me! While you are at it, maybe you can try to be cheeky and ask whether you can top up the retail price for a 14-54mm instead.

Almost what I had in my mind, except that I thoght I settle for one they used at demos and no paying in between. Not that I think they would be so nice, I mean there is a limit even to their niceness. Anyway, I will try as a second choise to pay in between, maybe some sweet talking helps. I hope I'll meet the woman I talked to, she sounded very nice.

And, ususally they do not do like this 1 to 1 exchange here eigther, but I sweet talked her to not to force me to be without my lens for two weeks, the time the repair normally takes. So, even if I get back a brand new 14-45mm without any faults, I will be very happy. Unfortunatly, I have to wait until monday due to a holiday tomorrow and they are closed on friday.

plastic · 25th May 2006

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer

Almost what I had in my mind, except that I thoght I settle for one they used at demos and no paying in between. Not that I think they would be so nice, I mean there is a limit even to their niceness. Anyway, I will try as a second choise to pay in between, maybe some sweet talking helps. I hope I'll meet the woman I talked to, she sounded very nice.

And, ususally they do not do like this 1 to 1 exchange here eigther, but I sweet talked her to not to force me to be without my lens for two weeks, the time the repair normally takes. So, even if I get back a brand new 14-45mm without any faults, I will be very happy. Unfortunatly, I have to wait until monday due to a holiday tomorrow and they are closed on friday.

Congrats, nevertheless, on getting a 1 to 1 replacement for your faulty lens. I would agree that you should not push it too hard... no harm trying, like as a "matter of fact asking" when you are there. If you don't ask, you will never know right? But nevertheless, I am really impressed with the kindness they are showing. That is great after sales support.

I recall the time when I brought my 14-54 to Oly Singapore to let the technicians take a look at it... the front ring felt loose, and I was wondering if that is a manufacturing fault or normal, and I was impressed at the patience and "nice-ness" of the folks there. They were smiling, and patient and tried their best to answer all my questions. That I appreciate very much.

cjtune · 25th May 2006

Well, I find that my own 14-45mm is really touch sensitive compared to my 40-150mm. Any touch to the front element will also bring the subject out-of-focus but usually I don't have any problems as I keep my hand only on the zoom and focusing ring. I suppose that's also why they designed the focusing ring to be damped.

As for 1-to-1 exchanges, the company that I work for practises this at our customer service centers because:
1.) It's more expensive to repair the appliance (man hours of the technicians) than the cost price of a new appliance. I can't comment on the larger and more complicated models though.
2.) We save more money in the long run by TEARING DOWN the supposed faulty unit and pin-pointing the problem so we can roll improvements ASAP into future design revisions than to just repair and return faulty units.
3.) A happy customer experience will usually result in increased sales by generating new customers -those having heard his story and gained confidence of our brand name. An unhappy customer causes exactly the opposite.

OlyFlyer · 25th May 2006

No Plastic, I will definitly not push too hard. Kindness should never be abused, and will definitly just ask in a kind of "by the way.." tone, if I get a no answer, well that's fine too. I agree, it is excellent after sales support already if I get a new lens. It seems that Oly has nice people employed all over the globe, that is good. I have no experience with any other brand, so it may be the same, anyway, it is far better to read comments like this, than if we would regard Oly support as it is something that sucks. I never during my 26 years of Oly use ever had contact with support (never needed), but now, about two weeks ago I asked them about my ancient T32 flash and the possibility to use that on my E-500, and the guy I spoke to was also very kind, patient and knowledgable. We even talked about a few other Oly things. Definitly, contacts like these and stories like yours and mine makes me feel safe with my camera. So, so far thumbs up for Oly support!

23rd May 2006	#1
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	14-45mm quality problem I have a problem with my 14-45mm. Touching the filter ring or the front tube part of the lens brings the image out of focus. And I mean touching with just a light touch. The longer the lens the more noticable the out of focus is. Also, in manual focusing mode, the lens gives out strange noices, like if it had sand in the cogweel mechanism, which I guarantee it hasn't, unless they put it there in factory. Image quality is not a problem, unless I touch the front part, just after the focusing ring, which I have to do some times with Polarizing filter on. Anybody else noticed this? I don't have the same problem with 40-150mm. Is it the 'Made in China' syndrome that causing the trouble? 14-45 has Made in China label, while 40-150 is a Made in Japan. I know, I know, I should have got the 14-54mm, but I haven't.

23rd May 2006	#2
tao Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Land of the Vegetables Posts: 2,958	Re: 14-45mm quality problem I am not sure about quality issues with the 14-45mm but one must consider that this is a lens with a front rotating element, which is probably why it is sensitive to your touch after AF. I never have any problems with the 14-45mm when I had it but when I got the 14-54mm, the difference between the 2 lenses is obvious. The latter is simply more well built, non-rotating front element, much less barrel distortion at max wide angle and faster aperture which makes for a brighter viewfinder as well. This is your calling...

23rd May 2006	#3
doubliewkay Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 113	Re: 14-45mm quality problem The 14-45mm does not have a front rotating element. http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/len...3556/index.htm

23rd May 2006	#6
Cliffy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Singapore, Ang Mo Kio Posts: 357	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Hmm... no matter how I turn the front part, there seems to be no difference. __________________ www.clifftan.com

23rd May 2006	#7
Cliffy Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Singapore, Ang Mo Kio Posts: 357	Re: 14-45mm quality problem edit* __________________ www.clifftan.com

23rd May 2006	#10
tao Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Land of the Vegetables Posts: 2,958	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Three questions: 1. Have you dropped the lens or knocked it against something hard? 2. Did it get splashed with water or exposed to moisture and sand particles? 3. Did it exhibit such a behaviour since day 1 or it is only recently that it became like this?

23rd May 2006	#11
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Three answers: 1. No and no. I have always been very careful with my lenses and cameas. Even my old ones are as new. 2. Not a drop of water, nor a grain of sand, unless it comes from factory. Second and third sentence of the answer above is also applyed here. 3. Yes for the focus change when touching that is as day one, no for the noise. But feels like the noise is worstening for every day of use. So, I guess I am quite alone, which is good and reassuring. Will call Oly tomorrow and send in the lens as soon as possible. Anyway, please let me know if you have heard of the problem. Last edited by OlyFlyer; 25th May 2006 at 02:12 AM.

24th May 2006	#12
plastic Deregistered Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: In A Suitcase Posts: 700	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Mate, you are right... better send it in to Olympus and let them have a look. If you can, share with us what they say... good luck.

24th May 2006	#13
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Just spoke to Oly Sweden. On friday I will bring my lens with camera and show them, they promised me that I will immediatly get a new one in exchange. That's what I call good service! Fortunatly, I live near Oly Camera division Sweden, otherways the size of the county is about 1500km from north to south, so I guess I am lucky.

24th May 2006	#14
harmony Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Lion City Posts: 350	Re: 14-45mm quality problem 1-for-1 exchange!... now that's good service indeed __________________ HarmonyPhotoGallery

24th May 2006	#15
tao Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Land of the Vegetables Posts: 2,958	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Good for you! A brand new lens sounds fantastic to me! While you are at it, maybe you can try to be cheeky and ask whether you can top up the retail price for a 14-54mm instead.

25th May 2006	#19
cjtune Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,516	Re: 14-45mm quality problem Well, I find that my own 14-45mm is really touch sensitive compared to my 40-150mm. Any touch to the front element will also bring the subject out-of-focus but usually I don't have any problems as I keep my hand only on the zoom and focusing ring. I suppose that's also why they designed the focusing ring to be damped. As for 1-to-1 exchanges, the company that I work for practises this at our customer service centers because: 1.) It's more expensive to repair the appliance (man hours of the technicians) than the cost price of a new appliance. I can't comment on the larger and more complicated models though. 2.) We save more money in the long run by TEARING DOWN the supposed faulty unit and pin-pointing the problem so we can roll improvements ASAP into future design revisions than to just repair and return faulty units. 3.) A happy customer experience will usually result in increased sales by generating new customers -those having heard his story and gained confidence of our brand name. An unhappy customer causes exactly the opposite.

25th May 2006	#20
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: 14-45mm quality problem No Plastic, I will definitly not push too hard. Kindness should never be abused, and will definitly just ask in a kind of "by the way.." tone, if I get a no answer, well that's fine too. I agree, it is excellent after sales support already if I get a new lens. It seems that Oly has nice people employed all over the globe, that is good. I have no experience with any other brand, so it may be the same, anyway, it is far better to read comments like this, than if we would regard Oly support as it is something that sucks. I never during my 26 years of Oly use ever had contact with support (never needed), but now, about two weeks ago I asked them about my ancient T32 flash and the possibility to use that on my E-500, and the guy I spoke to was also very kind, patient and knowledgable. We even talked about a few other Oly things. Definitly, contacts like these and stories like yours and mine makes me feel safe with my camera. So, so far thumbs up for Oly support!