Originally posted by BigMackCam The aperture preset ring for selecting the aperture should feel very firm in the way it clicks in and out of each position, but it shouldn't be stiff in movement between those clicks. The diaphragm open / close ring should feel completely smooth and unlubricated - which I guess could be interpreted as "loose" (in fact, if it feels lubricated, it's often a sign of migrated lubricant from the focusing helicoid, or just occasionally misguided servicing). This is true for both the 44-2 and 44-3, though the click positions on my 44-3's aperture preset ring feel a lot more positive (aggressive, even) than any of the 44-2 copies I own.
Thanks! I will not bother the seller on this matter.
The lens is currently in pieces on the table behind me with the intent to re-lube the focus helicoid and investigate a strange misalignment of the focus ring. I will probably extend the lube job to include the pre-set ring before putting it all back together and will report back if I am able to remedy the stubborn action.
I did find the cause of the focus ring misalignment (was rubbing against the mount face on one side only due to a 2mm rise to one side). Happily, the fault does not result in optical misalignment. The piece to which the focus ring is fixed apparently shifted in the lathe chuck while being made such that the face mating the focus ring was machined at an angle to the lens axis rather than being orthogonal. The fix would be to have the face machined true or sand down the focus ring and accept the crooked appearance.
Oh, well...such were things in the world of the recently independent Belarus state.
Steve
Last edited by stevebrot; 11-03-2018 at 10:18 AM.