14-24 issue

[mysh]

I picked this lens up today for 1k. It shows wear on the body but the glass is perfect. The zoom does get alittle sticky around 18 and I think there is a problem with the lens. The left side is always OOF.. I compared it at 17mm with my 17-35 doing manual hyperfocal and the items on the left with the 17-35 are sharp and with the 14-24 it is OOF. the area I do focus on is extremely sharp.
Could something like this happen from a drop or something or is it just uncalibrated?
Doesn't seem like it should be a factory flaw, I haven't heard much about bad copies of this lens, and from what I read at 5.6 this should be sharp corner to corner

 

[StIves]

proably was dropped. I would send it back to the sender assuming they will take it because a lens like that should have been disclosed as having problems. nikon service may be able to fix it but you're already 1K down so unless you can get it fixed for about 400 bucks it doesn't make much sense since you can get used ones without problems for about 1.4k

 

[mysh]

more testing shows it has serious issues. Oh well gonna have to take it back. I was really excited at that price but I guess there was good reason.

It is very soft up to F11 on the left side. Odd problem

 

[sambo.]

sounds like it was dropped or bumped heavily and one (or more) of the elements is out of whack.

i guess there's a reason it was only $1k. you might want to contact Nikon and get a quote on how much to repair it. you might still work out saving some $$$ by having it fixed over teh cost of a new one.

 

[Moony16]

It could be the lens suffers from serious decentering. From what Photozone says, all lenses have some level fo decentering, but few get so bad as to be obvious. I've read dropping can cause this, but some come this way right out of the factory, though I've not heard of a 14-24 being bought new with this serious a level of decentering. Can you post an example for us?

 

[mysh]

I took it back today. Its just too expensive of a lens to always know it has issues. Even if it was an easy fix it will always be in the back of my mind.
It was easy to duplicate the problem since it happened with every pic under F11. The guy didnt give me a hard time about the return.
Ohh well I really wanted this lenses but this time it wasn't meant to be

 

[StIves]

good call. It is a legendary lens and it would suck to have a problem copy. I'm sure you can find them used in good condition if you're patient.