Hi--

>Thanks for your comments on the loose
>lens/body interface. The play does not
>occur while focussing or manipulating
>the lenses. It is only there when I try to
>move it to see if there is play. You think
>this is normal? I called Nikon's tech dept
>and they told me that there should be
>this play and it is there to prevent lenses
>from binding. They were not able to give
>me a tolerance figure for this play. On
>my camera, it is different for the two
>lenses that I have - 80-200D 2.8 and
>30-70D 2.8. Is this normal?

It sounds normal - and if you could measure
the locking slot widths on the two lenses,
you would probably find the source of the
difference - and the reason for no spec.
(exchanging the bayonettes on the lenses
would change the play amount...). A
way to have designed it out would have been
to have made the camera locking pin tapered,
with a lot of spring force behind it, and
a very good fit in its hole. This may have
made it necessary to have too deep a
locking slot in the lens, and too much
force required to withdraw the locking
pin for convenient lens mounting...