Scary Zoom creep on Tamron 80-210 103A

LittleSkink · 03-13-2010, 06:29 AM

picked up a minty Tamron Adapatall 103A n ebay a few days ago. Everything is pristine (as I hoped) but the zoom 'creep' is really bad (annoyed I didnt ask about this before buying as I would have avoided otherwise). But then again it was £10 and I can never resist a bargain

Anyhow, it simply wont stay put at any focal length, and slides from end to end with almost no resistance. Even putting it in the case is a little risky

As it is one touch I cannot stick it at 80mm with blutak, any ideas ? Assume the screws on the outside wont help. For the price I am tempted to take it to bits and see how it works . . . .

aliasant · 05-18-2010, 12:50 PM

Any progress on this 103a?

I just bought the same and am waiting for it to arrive.

About the creep. My tiny experiance tells me that the grease they used has hardened and might look more like wax now. That can be the problem.
If you dare to take it apart and clean all parts you can turn it into new again.
I have done that to many lenses but I also broke some in the process.
Its hard to do if you cant find any guides on the dissmantle process. Once you took one model apart you hopefully learn so that you can do the next one you find proper,even if you did break the first one in the learning process

if you actually did take it apart maybe you took some images of the process that you could share?

I think I will have to take mine apart when I get it..... . ..

r0ckstarr · 05-18-2010, 01:18 PM

If you are going to take it apart, make a video of you taking it apart. That way you have a reference to fall back on when it comes time to put it back together.

aliasant · 05-18-2010, 02:03 PM

I always take pictures of every critical step and it never failes that I need to go back and look at those pictures over and over to get it all back together.
This Tamron though I have never taken apart and sometimes you make unneccesary misstakes if you have no clue were to start. Sometime you only need to loosen 3 screws to get to the inner part without messing up the aparture mechanics... but sometimes not.

Like my Fav lens, Tamron SP 35-80
I have taken it apart 90% 3 times but i never managed to get to the Focus Zoom mechanics. Very difficult lens that one. I even talked to Tamron both in the US and in Germany but they all said that they had no service manuals for such an old lens...
They probably had but wanted me and everyone else still using it to buy a new lens instead

03-13-2010, 06:29 AM	#1
LittleSkink Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: t'North Photos: Albums Posts: 166	Scary Zoom creep on Tamron 80-210 103A picked up a minty Tamron Adapatall 103A n ebay a few days ago. Everything is pristine (as I hoped) but the zoom 'creep' is really bad (annoyed I didnt ask about this before buying as I would have avoided otherwise). But then again it was £10 and I can never resist a bargain Anyhow, it simply wont stay put at any focal length, and slides from end to end with almost no resistance. Even putting it in the case is a little risky As it is one touch I cannot stick it at 80mm with blutak, any ideas ? Assume the screws on the outside wont help. For the price I am tempted to take it to bits and see how it works . . . .

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05-18-2010, 12:50 PM	#2
aliasant Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 634	Any progress on this 103a? I just bought the same and am waiting for it to arrive. About the creep. My tiny experiance tells me that the grease they used has hardened and might look more like wax now. That can be the problem. If you dare to take it apart and clean all parts you can turn it into new again. I have done that to many lenses but I also broke some in the process. Its hard to do if you cant find any guides on the dissmantle process. Once you took one model apart you hopefully learn so that you can do the next one you find proper,even if you did break the first one in the learning process if you actually did take it apart maybe you took some images of the process that you could share? I think I will have to take mine apart when I get it..... . ..

05-18-2010, 01:18 PM	#3
r0ckstarr Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Texas Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,507	If you are going to take it apart, make a video of you taking it apart. That way you have a reference to fall back on when it comes time to put it back together.

05-18-2010, 02:03 PM	#4
aliasant Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Stockholm Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 634	I always take pictures of every critical step and it never failes that I need to go back and look at those pictures over and over to get it all back together. This Tamron though I have never taken apart and sometimes you make unneccesary misstakes if you have no clue were to start. Sometime you only need to loosen 3 screws to get to the inner part without messing up the aparture mechanics... but sometimes not. Like my Fav lens, Tamron SP 35-80 I have taken it apart 90% 3 times but i never managed to get to the Focus Zoom mechanics. Very difficult lens that one. I even talked to Tamron both in the US and in Germany but they all said that they had no service manuals for such an old lens... They probably had but wanted me and everyone else still using it to buy a new lens instead