How to fix the stuck focus, WITHOUT fully disassemble the lens AF-s Nikkor 70-200mm 1:2.8 G ED

If the focus gets stuck about 1.5 meter in the AF-s NIKKOR 70-200mm 1:2.8 G ED, this is whats actually happen inside the lens, just behind the focus ring, and its "easy" to fix :-).

Its "easy" in a way to fix the stuck focus, WITHOUT fully disassemble the lens, just take off the rubber focus grip and pry off the tape with the thin brass plate.
Now you have via to long holes access to the little circuit board and the focus brush and you will probably see that the one end sticks out a little more to the edge than the other end, and this is why the focus gets stuck.

To fix the problem you will need some lighter fluid on a cotton bud to clean the tiny area and then apply a little 7386 Activator and then apply a tiny amount of the LOCTITE 330 Multibond glue, or you could just use a tiny drop of super glue.
The glue has to be add to the flat surface and up to the inner edge of the circuit board and closest to the inner tube, NOT!!! to the outer edge.

Now, you will then need to put a light pressure on the outer edge of the circuit board and press it as long inn as it can come, and keep pressing 10-20 min, until you will see the circuit board will not move anymore, when you release the pressure, maybe you will need to keep the pressure a little longe than you maybe expect.., and thats it!
Just check that the focus ring can move all the way from near end to infinity

Let the glue dry fully so there is no smell, BEFORE close the brass plate and the rubber focus ring, it can take 1-3 hours or so.

[kimpedersen]

4 years later this is still a great video! - i just fixed my lens with your video as a guide. Thanks alot!

[groovesme]

I watch almost all your videos even I don't have the item. I really appreciate you taking time to show how to fix these issues.

Thank you,
Mark

[beermechanic]

Taking photos for an event yesterday and intermittantly the lens autofocus didnt work. Everytime the focus stopped working it was stuck around 1.7M, couldnt even get it go past 1.5M using the manual focus ring. Did this fix today, no more issues! I couldnt be happier, this video made my day. Thanks!!!

[TommyBombon]

Wow! Am glad to find your video on this problem I have with my 70-200 f2.8. The problem is intermittent and tend to happen when the weather is cold. I will give it a go. Many thanks Mike! 👍🏼👍🏼

[davidgeorge]

Nikon should be repairing this for free, quite obviously a design flaw on what is a very expensive lens.

[joeleong]

By the way, thanks for the video. I see a lot of users are highly appreciative especially the fact that this IS a wonderful lens. I have had this problem fixed once before and Nikon didn't charge me much and it took less than 15 mins. This time around, they quoted me equivalent of USD400 and it would take two weeks.

[teohhun]

Thanks for sharing. My lens was stuck too but was different from your case. I found my lens was due to glue stuck around the circuit board edge causing the jam. I apply some wd-40 with cotton bud and slowly scrath those glue. And it finally works flawlessly. This is inspired by your sharing. Thanks again. 😊

[anthonynaulty]

Wow! Thanks so much for this video! I've just repaired my lens using your advice, and bingo, all fixed!

[TranquilloPanSeco]

Brilliant! With your tutorial I could fix a recently bought lens. I was pretty sad when the focus stuck some days ago but you made my day. Thank you, thank you, thank you! It's a brilliant lens and now I can shoot again with it - yeah!

[ZahidKhan-tjty]

Without open the lens you fixed the lens with glue idea

Grate job.

[punilshah]

Wow, thank you very much for this video, I had this problem with my lens, I sent it in for repair, they charged for a swm motor, and a few months later the same problem is happening again. Not going to get ripped off again now, this is a great easy fix...thank you for your video

[oqvsuyi]

Hello! Thanks to your video I managed to eliminate jamming of an auto focus of the lens Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200 of f/2.8 IF ED VR independently. Thanks a lot that showed how everything is arranged.

[thinktank]

A friend wants to sell this lens to for price K&H will give him $300. Its got this issue. I bought it at a chance it may clear up. Now ill have a well working lens for 300. Youve saved me around $700 for a new one. Thanks much.... made my day..

[benoitgros-louis]

It lookts to have fixed my 70-200 lens too. Thanks very much for the tutorial.

[dbender]

Mike, you're the man. Thank you for this video. I ordered some of the Loctite adhesive and will be giving this a shot as soon as it comes in. Very detailed explanation of everything that is going on with this repair, well done.

[MrSongwriter]

I just used medium thin superglue with a wicking tip. It seeps under the board and sets quick. It fixed mine however if you deliberately wind the manual focus past 1.5m and deliberately keep winding as if trying to go to back and back (pretend it exists) the autofocus will get stuck but a simple twist manual focus will get the auto focus working once it gets to 1.5m the autofocus gets working again. If you use autofocus you won’t have this problem. Mine wouldn’t even manual focus before the fix. My suggestion for those who have fixed this issue unless you really need it to focus to 1.5m id set the 2.5-infinity switch as A it speeds up the focus and B will stop any sticky end of the lens where it’s problematic. Most of the time you’re more than 2.5 m away from subject anyway. Once it’s glued if you do find it a fraction tending to stick at 1.5m a quick manual focus twist fixes it. There is no doubt this fixes the manual focus issue

[LuisMartinez-lggl]

Thanks a lot!!!
My 80-200 auto focus had a different kind of stuck than your lens but this video helped me to understand how to get close to the problem and fix it.

[oxigen]

Hi! Thank you for the very good instructional video. I fixed my optics which had the same problem. Saved a lot of money and did not need to send for repair to Nikon. Good work!

[Andersonrcade]

Thank you Mikeno62. I fixed the lens problem with the help of this video. Tks for share

[DIZEMANPHOTO]

With as many Nikon owners as have had this same problem with their 70-200mm f2.8 lens, if Nikon was the honorable, ethical company they profess to be... they would fix this problem on every lens that has this issue and since it is CLEARLY, CLEARLY a manufacturing error/flaw... THEY SHOULD FIX IT FOR FREE! My lens does EXACTLY the same thing, both my 70-200mm f2.8 and my Nikon 600mm f4 AF-S ED lens have he same problem. This is a NIKON problem NIKON should fix for FREE. I have been using Nikon Cameras, 21 systems of Nikon since 1973 and the company was entirely different in the 70's, 80's... they stood behind their products. Back when the AD on TV every night said, "More professional photographers use Nikon 35mm cameras than all other brands combined." Back when that was true, Nikon would have never allowed their customers to have to resort to tearing apart their lenses to fix a manufacturing error. If I did not have so much Nikon high-end glass, I would move to Sony in a midnight minute.