[loji]

Well, my FA77 got a bit of a fall and dent the other day (of course it would happen to the nice one)

Still works perfectly, from a 4 foot drop outside straight onto solid concrete with no lens cap .. I'm impressed

I checked on the ziess star chart for decentering, and it looks fine. The lens hood still pulls out, Pictures form it render lovely as always.

but there's a little flat spot denting in both the hood and the rim (filter thread).

Any good way to repair that? I've read about pounding it back out to round .... but it's so close to all that lovely glass, and like I said, the lens focuses and works fine. And with the added metal hood behind it, I feel it's even stronger to try to undent that way


I would like to get 49mm filters back on some day (soft, close-up, CPL) ... but I'd rather keep a filter-less lens, than a broken and scratched one. What's the best idea? How are these kind of issues repaired?


Here's some pics :



PIX_7713 | Resolute Star | Flickr

PIX_7710 | Resolute Star | FlickrPIX_7711 | Resolute Star | Flickr

[sergysergy]

ouch! lucky you. I would not touch it.

[robgski]

Needle nose pliers, and some thin tough padding, like doubled over electrical tape stuck to itself, not the outer lens body or the inner threads, you might be able to gently and incrementally get it back int a round enough shape to take a filter.

[Not a Number]

You Tube

You Tube

[Audi 5 cyl]

I guess with the right tools you can get the job done for the filter ring and a hood but for that retaining ring my bet is that it will stay there for a while.

If you go for the tool, this is the way I do it. On the exterior side, i use the folded 4 mm thick steel sheet that follows the lens curvature and a part of a stronger filter rim on the inside. I press the two together with strong pliers and it is usually enough to screw back in the filter. If you do not care how the exterior will look after the repair, you can work directly with pliers (but gently). It is quick, dirty but effective.

If you fear that you will mess up, better leave it that way.

[loji]

What do you mean the retaining ring? .. the black plastic surround next to the glass?

so the tool is about $30, thnks for the advice. I've heard they don't work too welll (I read all the forum posts I could on repairing dents). .

When you use pliers, what exactly do you mean I'm having a hard time picturing it ... do you mean you use the tool again a piece of steel?
Or do you mean you place a round piece on the outside of the lens ... and slip only a section of a broken filter ring into the lens and push that together with pliers with the steel (effectively straightening out the dent)

The thread looks fine in the dented area which is good, so it doesn't need new threads cut, just not dented out so a filter can slip on (or the lens cap :-p) ...

[Not a Number]

Looks like the tool worked fine in the video. There are other videos out there too. There are cheaper versions available but you may get what you pay for. Caveat Emptor.

[Audi 5 cyl]

Or do you mean you place a round piece on the outside of the lens ... and slip only a section of a broken filter ring into the lens and push that together with pliers with the steel (effectively straightening out the dent)

exactly that, but to be honest, I've never tried this trick on a filter thread and a hood at the same time.

This tool that is shown on the video could work, for 30 bucks it's worth a try (and you do not have to machine your own )

Are you sure that retaining ring is plastic? If yes it might have some elasticity in it and come back after a while if all the dents are sorted out. It seemed to me as colored alu and these, when bent, are very difficult to get out.

[Not a Number]

If the ring is plastic, the tool will probably not work. You'll probably end up with a piece of the ring missing. But then with the piece missing you may be able to screw a filter in.

[loji]

Nope, the entire top is metal ... hood and filter ring are both metal ...

I can probably extend the hood, and use pliers or something to bend that back out , and then slide it back down and work on the filter ring . . . hmmmm