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01-24-2012, 06:10 PM   #1
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Fujinon 55mm f1.8 - Surgery to change from AUTOMATIC to manual

I have a Fujinon 55/1.8 that does is fully automatic, not auto/man button. So, I have to permanently push the pin that closes the aperture. I have read that some people just use crazy glue to push and glue it in place. I would like to know how to apply the crazy glue1) to the pin and push it, holding until it is stuck (being careful not to glue the finger tip to it), or (2) can I get a thin piece of metal and bridge it over the pin pushing it down, and gluing the bridge to the inner edge of the bottom of the lens. Will this affect the camera? Will the crazy glue fail and suddenly the piece of metal go flying inside the camera and hit the sensor (cover)? Help please. Pepe.

01-24-2012, 06:21 PM   #2
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pepe Guitarra Quote
I have a Fujinon 55/1.8 that does is fully automatic, not auto/man button. So, I have to permanently push the pin that closes the aperture. I have read that some people just use crazy glue to push and glue it in place. I would like to know how to apply the crazy glue1) to the pin and push it, holding until it is stuck (being careful not to glue the finger tip to it), or (2) can I get a thin piece of metal and bridge it over the pin pushing it down, and gluing the bridge to the inner edge of the bottom of the lens. Will this affect the camera? Will the crazy glue fail and suddenly the piece of metal go flying inside the camera and hit the sensor (cover)? Help please. Pepe.
I just use a dab of super glue -- the thick gel type (Loctite brand is my favorite because the bottle is so well-designed -- doesn't get glue everywhere). Just stick a dab at the base of the pin on each side. Use a toothpick to apply. Now prop up the lens pin down on something hard (plastic or metal) you don't care about getting a little glue on so the pin is held down. (Plastic filter cases work good.) The best way to do this is use two objects so that the lens is more or less level -- the side with the pin will be balanced on the edge of one object with another object holding up the other side. Just leave it like that for a few hours. If you put the glue at the base, it shouldn't end up glued to the object you propped it on (much) and will come right off. I'm told you can dissolve the glue later with acetone, but I only do this with lenses I plan on keeping forever (or sell to someone who wants it that way). I've glued a bunch of 'em -- works fine.
01-25-2012, 12:33 PM   #3
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tthe pin should nor hit the mirror or sensor if it comes unglued but it should be possible to use a not permanent method to hold the pin down. I will be dissecting mine over the weekend to see but you should be able to use a tube to wedge the pin down no problem. Ill get back to you on my luck.
01-25-2012, 12:35 PM   #4
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check this modification, which I did on a tamron adaptall II M42 mount, most M42 lenses have a similar arrangement and the spacer is just about 1/8 inch (2-3mm ) of the end of a ball point pen refil. the mod is reversable by removal of the spacer.

i did my MC Zenitar 16mm the same way and that was a brand new lens



01-25-2012, 01:41 PM   #5
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Well, last I just did the first one the non EBC, tonight I will do the EBC. I put two little dubs of thick crazy glue on each side, push it down and top of a plastic filter container (82 mm). This morning, the pin was fixed and the plastic filter container came off easily. Tonight, I will dremel off the protudence that needs to be removed. I will keep you posted.
01-25-2012, 01:51 PM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pepe Guitarra Quote
Well, last I just did the first one the non EBC, tonight I will do the EBC. I put two little dubs of thick crazy glue on each side, push it down and top of a plastic filter container (82 mm). This morning, the pin was fixed and the plastic filter container came off easily. Tonight, I will dremel off the protudence that needs to be removed. I will keep you posted.
seems like a shame to permenantly damage the lens when a simple solution that is 100% reversable is possible.

If you don;t care about resale, and will never own a screw mount body it may be OK, I like to keep options open
01-25-2012, 04:06 PM   #7
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I tried to get information, and I did, but there was no previous exprience for the 55/1.8. The solution is reversible with a bit of acetone. Acetone dilutes crazy glue and the pin will just go back to normal easily. Plus, these lenses in full automatic were good only for certain few film cameras. I really wanted to use it in DSLR. In case of resale, I may offer it for use only on DSLRs.

QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
seems like a shame to permenantly damage the lens when a simple solution that is 100% reversable is possible.

If you don;t care about resale, and will never own a screw mount body it may be OK, I like to keep options open


01-25-2012, 04:08 PM   #8
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Although, I like your solution here. I may try it on my DOMIPLAN 50/2.8.

QuoteOriginally posted by Lowell Goudge Quote
check this modification, which I did on a tamron adaptall II M42 mount, most M42 lenses have a similar arrangement and the spacer is just about 1/8 inch (2-3mm ) of the end of a ball point pen refil. the mod is reversable by removal of the spacer.

i did my MC Zenitar 16mm the same way and that was a brand new lens
01-25-2012, 04:09 PM   #9
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You don't need to dremel anything -- even if the pin is sticking out fully (as it does on a lens with an auto-man switch) it has no effect and is not in the way of anything.
01-25-2012, 04:12 PM   #10
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The dremel is not for the pin, but for the tab that protrudes out at the bottom of this lens. This tab goes inside a groove on certain Fuji cameras that allow automatic aperture. If I put it like that on a DSLR (which does not have the groove), it will not sit properly, focus properly and may get the aperture blades stuck. Usually the tab is on the EBC, but I had a non-EBC lens and also has it .





QuoteOriginally posted by vonBaloney Quote
You don't need to dremel anything -- even if the pin is sticking out fully (as it does on a lens with an auto-man switch) it has no effect and is not in the way of anything.
01-25-2012, 04:31 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pepe Guitarra Quote
The dremel is not for the pin, but for the tab that protrudes out at the bottom of this lens. This tab goes inside a groove on certain Fuji cameras that allow automatic aperture. If I put it like that on a DSLR (which does not have the groove), it will not sit properly, focus properly and may get the aperture blades stuck. Usually the tab is on the EBC, but I had a non-EBC lens and also has it .
Ahh, ok.
01-26-2012, 11:47 AM   #12
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DOne

Well, it is done. Dremmeling took 5 minutes, both lenses fit nicely on the DSLR and work great. It was worth the effort, this lens has a nice quality to it. I am just shooting everything I see with this lens. I will post pics of the final result as well as taken with them.
01-27-2012, 01:06 PM   #13
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I know I'm a little bit late on this but I did say the weekend I'd get to it.

But here is the non destructive way of modifying it. It took less than 15 minutes.

First your Fujinon 55 1.8 maybe different as the non-EBC and EBC versions are built differently shell wise but mine was held together by three screws. My EBC 55 is solid and glued together so taking those apart will be much harder. Once the three screws are off you should get the following

http://dwo.net23.net/forum/gallery/image.php?album_id=5&image_id=125

The two columns on the right hand side are the control mechanism for the aperture. The left column is the aperture size itself and the right one controls the opening and closing.

So in order to make it manual, I wedged a piece of a cut hollow cotton swab tip (in pink) to between the pin and the base of the pin. As shown in the picture

http://dwo.net23.net/forum/gallery/image.php?album_id=5&image_id=123
http://dwo.net23.net/forum/gallery/image.php?album_id=5&image_id=124

I believe that most of the M42 pin designs are similar to this. I know the ones that I have taken apart are pretty much the same with very little variation. Here is the key though. The wedge you place in between the pin and the base of the pin should be long enough to hold it down at the maximum depth as the Fujinon aperture design requires the button to be pressed fully to get the aperture closed down fully. Otherwise you end up with aperture not fully stopping down which is my case right now. Anything past f8 has the blades staying at f8 size, which is easily rectified by adjusting the length of the wedge.

As for glue and acetone. I'd be really careful about that as acetone if spilled may affect the grease for the focusing mechanism and the black paint.

Edit:
Oh and for placing it all back together you have to be careful as now that you wedged the pin down the mechanism that controls the opening and closing column is at the original location but the control arm is slightly skewed. In order to place it in the right location just use the precision screwdriver to hold the control arm in the proper location and gentle lower the bottom piece once you get it in the right location remove the screwdriver careful not the hit the rear element and then screw the three bolts back in and your in business.
01-27-2012, 02:05 PM   #14
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Thanks. I read that you could do that with the 50mm, but not with the 55mms. In any case, I will do that next time. For now, I do not see reasons for going back to fully automatic. Thanks.
01-28-2012, 07:33 PM   #15
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Here are some pics taken with the Auto Fujinon EBC 55/1.8:































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