topic Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500 in Alpha & NEX interchangeable lens cameras

SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

IanMacey — Mon, 16 Jan 2017 14:40:43 GMT

With SteadyShot ON,when the shutter button is half pressed, I sometimes get a high pitched metallic whine from the SEL18200LE and the picture in the monitor/viewfinder vibrates and jumps around (more noticable at longer focal lengths).

I can get this to happen when in manual focus, so the autofocus doesn't seem to be the cause. Once the lens starts doing this you can stop it by turning SteadyShot OFF, but it will recur as soon as you turn it back ON. The only way to really stop the vibration is to reset/park the lens mechanism by powering the camera off and back on.

I returned one SEL18200LE with this problem but it's replacement behaves the same, suggesting the issue is with all SEL18200LE (Ver. 02) on A6500 (Ver. 1.00).

Has anyone else seen this problem / know anything?

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

juergenw_MZ — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 09:38:56 GMT

i see the same behavior with my A6500 and the SEL 18200LE

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

IanMacey — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 10:42:09 GMT

I've reported the issue to Sony's email customer support. Unfortunately I've been stuck for over a week with a first-line support guy who alternated between insisting I return the lens for repair or that I should simply reset the camera to its factory defaults. He finally passed my case on to 'the relevant department', but that was four days ago and I've heard nothing since.

The SEL18200LE has been around for four years, so if the issue was only with the lens there would be a5000/a6000/a6300 users complaining about it. It seems likely the problem is specifically with the lens on a a6500 body (is a clash with IBIS the cause?). That the only other person to see the issue also has a a6500 certainly fits the theory.

Am at the point now where I can hear the lens OSS starting to strain before the vibration starts up. I immediately restart the camera to force a lense mechanism reset/park. I can usually then shoot without problem. But it's less that ideal and means missing shots.

I guess as more a6500s are sold we might see more reports coming in.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

JoachimSchmid — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 09:25:01 GMT

I have similar issues with Sony Alpha 6300 and SONY SEL18200SE.The lense makes strange noise when focusing and the image is jumping in the display. If I deactive Steady-Shot, then everything is fine.

Would be interested how to fix this

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Sat, 18 Feb 2017 12:13:41 GMT

That's interesting, I thought it was only an issue with the 6500, but you have it on a 6300.

The only additional information I have found is that similar behaviour can occur with IBIS and non Sony lenses, when you don't tell your camera the correct focal length of the lens. So I thought maybe the issue was the SEL18200LE sometimes failing to report the correct focal length to the camera on start up.

If you are seeing the same SteadyShot vibration issue with the SEL18200LE lens on a 6300 (which does not have IBIS) then the problem may just be with the lense and nothing to do with the 6500/IBIS after all.

My attempts to get support from Sony on this issue have been very disappointing. So far I have been unable to talk to anyone with sufficient technical knowledge to even understand the issue being reported.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

IanMacey — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 15:20:40 GMT

Do you still have the problem?

After 6 weeks of trying to get support on this issue I was given a definitive answer: There is no known issue or recall in place on the lens, send it in for repair, if nothing is found you will be charged for the 'repair'. Even though I have sent them a video of the problem happening and they agree it is faulty behaviour.

As I can go a week without seeing the issue, then one morning have it happen every time I turn it on, I have little confidence they will find the problem testing it for a few days.

Can you tell me your lens serial number (7 digit on bottom)?

My two failing lenses are 2012538 and 2012670 - very close numbers, wonder if it's a batch issue?

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

bipedbones — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 09:07:38 GMT

Hello,

I have the same problem on mine a6500 (fw 1.04) and SEL18-200LE (fw 02). My lens is 2022671 so its not as close as yours but its a newer version and the problem is aparently not solved.

Did you resolve this somehow?

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Tue, 30 Jan 2018 12:31:54 GMT

So my first copy of the SEL18200LE with this problem was replaced by the store. The second copy I eventually sent in to Sony for repair. They accepted that it was faulty but didn't have parts for a repair (I have heard from other reports that the repair is to replace the lens block). So they sent me a brand new third copy of the lens (2022770).

Unfortunately this third copy of the lens also has the problem. Meanwhile I have now seen a couple of reports by people who say they owned this lens on older camera bodies without any problems, only to see this issue start when they upgraded to a6000/a6300/a6500.

It seems possible that there is a lens design issue which only manifests itself on the 'new' a6?00 bodies. Alternatively the lens vibration could be caused by an issue with my a6500 body and all three copies of the lenses are actually fine! But I don't have a second camera body to check that.

Am living with the problem. If the IQ of the new SEL18135 turns out to be better than the SEL18200LE, then moving to that lens for a 'walkaround' is a possibility. Especially as at 135mm the 18135 is faster at 5.6 than the 18200 at 6.3. But I would miss the 200mm for some shots...

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

bipedbones — Wed, 31 Jan 2018 13:27:06 GMT

That sounds sad. It is shame that Sony just let people to buy this combination of body-lens. I am going to send my lens (as well as the body) to the main Czech service center next week so will see. It seems I would need to have bit of luck to get pair with no issues.

I also have to mention that my previous set (a6000 & SEL18-200LE) had similar problem. In this case the problem was in lens but I claimed it post warranty so I get only discount for new sony device. Repair was not possible only the repalcement of the whole lens. I dont have the old body yet so I can not check how the current lens would behave on it. Anyway thanks for sharing your experience.

As a climber I really appreciate the longer end so the sel18135 is not a solution for me

Anyway thanks for sharing your experience.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Thu, 01 Feb 2018 16:26:00 GMT

Would be very interested to hear what happens with the repair...

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

bipedbones — Mon, 05 Mar 2018 09:47:14 GMT

Hello, finally I got my set back from service centre and after some testing outdoors it seems to be working fine. Serial number of the lens and the body remained same but when I asked for the details, they told me the problem was in lens so they gave me new unit and switched the label only.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Mon, 12 Mar 2018 13:17:08 GMT

That sounds right, the repair is to replace the lens block which is pretty much everything but the case.

This is my protocol to test for the problem: (1) Attach lens to camera body and ensure SteadyShot is ON. (2) Remove lens cap and extend lens to full 200mm focal length. (3) Point at subject, half press the shutter button to engage OSS and hold for 10 seconds. (4) If no vibration occurs, power the camera off and on again, then return to step 3. Vibration will usually occur within 10 attempts.

If you can get to 10 attempts without vibration, I'd be optimistic that it's fixed.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

jimmysmithson — Tue, 23 Apr 2019 04:53:56 GMT

Well here is another one joining the club.

I've just purchased the A6400 and the SEL18200LE and I'm having the same issue my serial number is much higher surely after all this time Sony should have fixed this issue.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

andrewwrichards — Sun, 19 May 2019 21:56:12 GMT

Yup, another one - this with an A6300. Lense serial number 2033431 bought off Amazon less than 12 months ago, so am returning to Sony for repair. Fingers crossed.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

glen.turvey — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 05:24:57 GMT

This issue is still ongoing. Purchased SEL18200LE in Australia a few years back to use with my a6000, within 3 months had on-and-off issues with OSS noise, wobble, and non-function. The symptoms deteriorated/increased until eventually OSS stopped altogether.

Sony agreed to review under warranty and said it was the lens hardware that had failed, and the whole lens was replaced directly from Sony. Interestingly, it had the same serial as the first one, despite being entirely new. Perhaps that's how they track warranty replacements? But seamed odd to me.

Within 12 months, the second lens also failed in exactly the same manner. Sony have reviewed and agree the OSS has failed again. For the life of me I can't get them to say what's wrong exactly, if it's a design issue, fatigue of some sort, or how likely it is to happen in the future.

I'm now in discussions with Sony about getting an entirely different lens, even if I put in some extra cash and upgrade. I've clearly had enough of trying this one, and in my case, I only use this lens for it's longer range, so the new SEL70350G my suit me better - and be more reliable!

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 12:02:00 GMT

A couple of people have said they were told they'd get a 'new lens' but received one back with the same serial number. Supposedly they 'repair' it by replacing the whole lens block, which is pretty much everything but the case.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

glen.turvey — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 04:01:48 GMT

I've been trying to have a meaningful conversation with Sony about this issue. But they seem to be taking a corporate line that there is no "issue" as such, just bad luck on the part of a few individuals. I suspect the issue is much broader than that, given that most people don't report these issues, some wouldn't even notice (if the OSS failed) and some just don't use it.

Communication isn't helped by the fact that I'm talking with Sony's approved repairer, rather than Sony themselves. That being said, the repairer is at least camera-savvy, where as Sony customer service sometimes struggle to understand a very clear description of a camera-related issue.

Has anyone found a solution other than continually getting warranty replacements until the issue goes away?

Does the issue go away if you get enough replacements?

I'm still waiting for Sony to comment on my request to discard my SEL18200LE, let me pay a bit extra, and send me an SEL70350G instead. Fingers crossed...

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

jimmysmithson — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 23:49:47 GMT

What really peed me off when I tried to get a refund from Jessops was that they would not listen to me when I told them my lens had this issue, I pointed them to this topic and still they ignored me I will never purchase a single thing from that shop ever again. The way I was treated by the shop staff and the way online support handled the situation was disgusting. I was still in my rights and in the time for a full refund but they still refused to refund me any money. I also asked them for the engineer report from Sony which Sony said I was entitled to but they just ignored my emails and phone call completely when I asked for it.

The lens was purchased with their recommendation because of the focal length I needed at the time, I was going to buy the 6400/18-135 lens which at the time was £200 cheaper but went with their recommendation costing me £200 more. When I took the lens back after a 7 days 3 days usage I spent 3 hours in the shop trying to explain the issue but because they couldn't replicate it I asked for a refund or a swap for the 18-135 and to refund the difference but was told because it was a package they couldn't do this!!! I should have just asked for a refund for the whole lot but just wanted to get out of there. In the end the manager just said swap the lens for the 18-135 so I did but was left £200 out of pocket because of their ignorance on not being able to replicate the issue I was seeing on the lens when using it outside and they were testing it inside the shop. I would also like to say the issue wasn't there all the time probably for the 1st 20mins when shooting then it would stop but this wasn't a good thing when I only had it for 7 days and used it for 3 of those days.

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

Ian.Macey — Sun, 15 Dec 2019 17:07:43 GMT

I've gone through 3 copies of the lens, all had the problem.

The first lens was replaced by the store I'd bought it from (not Jessops - jimmysmithson). With the second lens the store weren't prepared to replace it again, so made me send it to Sony for repair. They were going to do the 'replace the lens block but keep the case & serial number' repair, but ran out of spares (wonder why!) so kept my lens and authorised the store to give me a third new one.

You can't have three copies of a lens with the same problem and believe that it's 'just bad luck'. There's clearly a real issue here. But most casual users probably don't realise it. I suspect it's not just the lens, rather a combination of the body and the lens. Try your lens on another body, I did that once and couldn't get the problem.

It's a relatively slow lens anyway, I find it's mostly used in good light when you can get away with keeping OSS off. Or, if you can afford to miss a shot and have to restart, keep OSS on and see how your luck holds!

Re: SteadyShot vibration in SEL18200LE on A6500

glen.turvey — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 06:00:37 GMT

Well good news in my case; Sony approved a deal whereby they send me an SEL70350G and I contributed a smidge under ¼ of the new price for that lens. I'm disappointed that the 18-200 isn't a reliable option as a travel lens, but I'm totally happy with the outcome.

This only works for me because I primarily used the 18-200 at it's longer range. I already carry 10-18, and 16-70 for the wide and mid ranges.

I'm sure Sony would treat each warranty claim case-by-case, but for those who are stuck with their second or third SEL18200LE, it shows that they are willing to consider transitioning you into a different (and more reliable) lens.

Best of luck everyone, and many thanks for this thread! Knowing I wasn't the only one helped guide my decision making when dealing with Sony, and ultimately opting out of SEL18200LE all together.