From the Nikkor ED 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D VR Review (emphasis is mine):
[quote]Here’s the warning in the manual: “When the camera is pointed down, be careful not to hold the lens at the very end as indicated by the black marks in Fig. F, because the zoom ring or focus ring may rotate and pinch your fingers.”

Huh? The camera doesn’t have to be pointed down for this to happen, so I don’t know what Nikon’s crack manual writers were on when they wrote that. Worse still, your fingers will often be in that position because this is a heavy lens and you’re likely to be trying to balance it by holding it near the front. The first time the camera racks focus on the lens from near focus to infinity at 80mm and your fingers are in the way, you’ll get a rude shock as you think your fingers are about to be crushed by the receding front elements (at longer focal lengths, the front elements are further out and pinching is not likely). Fortunately, there’s a small ramp on the bezel that tends to push your fingers out of the way, but it’s still possible to get seriously pinched, especially if you have fat fingers.[/quote]

OUCH! Very rarely they read what we write and we get caught. So an embarrassed me quickly glances around, ensures no one’s watching, and gets off the bus.

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