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02-26-2008, 08:33 AM   #1
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What type of grease for Takumar focus ring?

I picked up a Super Takumar 85mm f1.9 recently. The appearance of the lens is basically new so I don't think it was used much. Anyway, the focus action is really heavy and I think it could use a refresh on the grease. Does anyone here have a recommendation on what kind of grease would work best for my old Takumar? I'm worried if I put the wrong kind in it will ooze everywhere. And I want the feel to be right, like all my other Takumars.

Thanks!

02-26-2008, 10:46 AM   #2
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I "rebuilt" a Nikon 105mm lens once along time ago.
I picked it up really cheap, possibly because the focus was very stiff.
because it was so cheap I wasn't afraid to dissasemble it.
After carefully cleaning all the existing grease off I used a modest ammount of clear silicon grease. It's available in small squeeze tubes. It's very stable and won't "break down" or dry out for a long time. It worked well for me.
Now, here's a note of caution:
The when I did mine, the lens unscrewed very easily, but it was "nearly" impossible to to get the focus threads on the two halves to re-engage. In fact after about 1/2 an hour I was certain that it couldn't be done, or that I had screwed it up some how. Well eventually I discovered that when I got it perfectly aligned that almost fell back together. Unfortunately it was "10 start thread" and it took about 5 tries before I choose the correct starting point so that the infinity mark wound up in the correct spot on the barrel. Of course on each successive try it got a little easier. In the end I had a perfectly functioning lens.
Levi
02-26-2008, 11:05 AM   #3
roy
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yes sir Levi. i didn't have any gray hair until i went up against those threads.. a real PITA!!!

I've seen it recommended and have used it myself. automotive lithium axle grease.. sparingly..
02-26-2008, 11:07 AM   #4
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Thanks Levi. I've tried to do a little research on the web about this. It seems that the white lithium grease and the silicon grease that you mentioned are the popular choices. Both should be stable so I'll see what I can find the easiest.

Yeah, I've read that it can be a bit difficult to line the threads back up. I'm up for a challenge. Thanks for the advise.

02-26-2008, 11:08 AM   #5
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QuoteOriginally posted by roy Quote
yes sir Levi. i didn't have any gray hair until i went up against those threads.. a real PITA!!!

I've seen it recommended and have used it myself. automotive lithium axle grease.. sparingly..
I've got some of that in my garage, I guess I'm all set! Thanks Roy.
02-26-2008, 01:38 PM   #6
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Remember to mark the two parts when you're at the final turn to take them apart. Depending on the lens, screwing them back can be very challenging. It was quite easy with my Distagon, but it was almost impossible on my Planar because of its double threaded mechanism.
02-26-2008, 01:47 PM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by aegisphan Quote
Remember to mark the two parts when you're at the final turn to take them apart. Depending on the lens, screwing them back can be very challenging. It was quite easy with my Distagon, but it was almost impossible on my Planar because of its double threaded mechanism.
Thanks for the tip, I'll make sure to mark it.

02-26-2008, 04:01 PM   #8
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This is a subject I am interested in too. Do any of you know if these grease products may emit oily gasses over time which could possibly deposit on the lens?
02-26-2008, 04:44 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by wiseman Quote
This is a subject I am interested in too. Do any of you know if these grease products may emit oily gasses over time which could possibly deposit on the lens?
silicon is clean... no petrolium, and it holds up for a VERY long time. Not sure about the other one.
02-27-2008, 03:27 PM   #10
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Just an update. I ended up using lithium grease, like Roy suggested. I tried to find some of the other greases locally and had no luck locating any. That's what I get for living in a county that has more cows then people. Anyway, the lithium grease seems to work well, and the focus ring has a nice smooth action. Still a little heavier then my other Takumars, but not too bad either. Definitely an improvement. I'll say these lenses are a lot easier to work on then I thought they would be. I really had no trouble taking it apart and putting it all back together. Well worth the effort. Thanks for the help!

Now I just need to go take some pictures with it. I did notice that the infinity focus is slightly off, so a few more tweaks and I'm good to go.
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