Sigma lens and zoom gear - having MAJOR problems

Help please! I have a Sigma 17-70 lens that I am having MAJOR problems with trying to get the zoom gear to work right. It is in an Aquatica housing on a Nikon D90. I used it in Bonaire in March - but had problems with it then too. Getting ready to leave Friday for Palau and really want to be able to use the lens on the trip.

Here is the gist of things - when I put the zoom gear on - I am having trouble getting it to work right. I have to put it so far up on the lens to mate with the gear in the housing, it ends up hitting the lock button on the lens a lot of the time. The zoom gear also will not stay mated to the gear in the housing for long at all or I cannot get it to mate at all. After a few rolls of the gear on the outside, it comes lose and then I am stuck at whatever focal length I was at before this happened. I have tried putting more of the little pieces inside the zoom gear to hold it in place - but then I cannot get the gear on the lens b/c it is too tight. Also, the zoom gear tends to bind up the lens unlock botton and force it against the camera - which in turn means the lens is not locked in. Just too many problems here and VERY frustrated.

I have worked with this until I am screaming - well not quite since my husband and son would not appreciate it - but I bet some of you can hear me This is what I feel like doing to something right now.

Anyone have some suggestions or dealt with this and know a work aroud?

Help - DiverPam

Hi. I put my camera inside my aquatica housing with lens on. I have the d40 housing but the d90 housing might not let you do it. Then install the gear after. In my instructions from aquatica it says put camera with no lens on into housing. Then lens with gear on. I don't like that way so i put camera with lens into housing then the gear. I feel i get better positioning of the gear. I also think you must be putting the gear too far into housing to be hitting other parts. It just has to be deep enough into housing to turn the gear. The gear is over an inch wide. My gear has three setscrews to hold it into place. I am not sure you might have the time to instal these. Contact Jean at aquatica he does get back to you quick but monday is a holiday here in canada so he should get back to you tuesday at the earliest.

THanks - couple of things - The gear I was sent for my Sigma 17-70 does not have any set screws. I know how this works since my Tokina gear has them. Is there more than one gear for this lens with the Aquatica? And second if I do not put the gear far enough in - it will not get close enough to the housing gear to mate up. Thjs should not be this hard!!

I will try the lens on the camera and see what happens.

Will also check with Jean on Tuesday - and the place I got it from on Monday.

Thanks - DiverPam

Hey - just looked up some information about the gear since you mentioned set screws and they are not with mine. Seems like Aquatica has changed this gear recently. Their site says the Sigma gear has been discontinued and repleased with another gear. Hopefully I can get some more information at the first of the week about this.

thanks - diverpam

THanks - couple of things - The gear I was sent for my Sigma 17-70 does not have any set screws. I know how this works since my Tokina gear has them. Is there more than one gear for this lens with the Aquatica? And second if I do not put the gear far enough in - it will not get close enough to the housing gear to mate up. Thjs should not be this hard!!

 

I will try the lens on the camera and see what happens.

 

Will also check with Jean on Tuesday - and the place I got it from on Monday.

 

Thanks - DiverPam

Is the gear symmetrical, or is there a lip. If it is not symmetrical there are two choices of how to put it on (on the Nauticam this was terribly confusing since the rings designed to hold it on also had two choices so four all together) and you might try both ways.

Bill

I had the zoom ring permanently affixed to the 17/70

Is the gear symmetrical, or is there a lip. If it is not symmetrical there are two choices of how to put it on (on the Nauticam this was terribly confusing since the rings designed to hold it on also had two choices so four all together) and you might try both ways.

 

Bill

Bill - There is a lip inside the gear. Would love to hear your suggestions.

My husband made the suggestion to me last night to have him put set screws into it (he has a lathe that he could probably do this with).

Thanks - DiverPam

Why don't you call Aquatica and have them walk you through the installation?

Hi- I checked aquatica chart for you nikon d90 housing and there are three versions of the sigma lens. But there are two gears. Here is the chart for your sigma lens. I would add the set screws as you are going away quick. It would end the frustration.

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC MACRO HSM (Z) 18719

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC MACRO HSM (Z) 18719

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5 DC MACRO (Z) 18716

What I and some other friends do is put tape around the lens until the lens gear fits tight enough (some even use toothpics). Could you post some pics of the gear, inside housing and lens?

Thank guys - I talked with the place that I bought it from today and they are going to talk with Jean about this. Jean is out today - holiday in Canada?

Here are some pics I took with my P&S camera this aftenroon. There are not any set screws in this gear. I do not know if you can see it or not, but the gear is still not mating with the inside gear and it has already hit the lock button on the lens as well as the release knob for the lens inside the camera housing. Any thoughts are welcome as I wait to hear back from Aquatica and the place I got it from.

DiverPam

Thanks for the support and letting me vent. I finally had time to sit down with Eric (my better half) today and work on the problem. He suggested that I grind the lock mechanism on the lens down (still usable) so that it did not stick up. So..I agreed and he did. The gear does not hit it now. I put it on and have moved the gears over and over to make sure it will not slip now.

I will cross my fingers that this continues to work out.

Thanks - Pam