[niceshot]

How many of you that buy old Manual Lens find yourselves engaging in this disease,do to filthy Lens element to concrete stiff Helical s?

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Last edited by niceshot; 03-08-2017 at 06:38 AM.

[antipattern]

It's been latent for a while having fixed (and in some cases broken) a few lenses over the past few years. But I have had a bad lapse recently, acquiring five Pentacon 135mm 2.8 in various conditions.

The first is fixed and I will keep it (just needed a new front element), the second was in an ok-shape and just needed a small clean-up, one had a broken aperture mechanism and, because it was a 6-blade design, became the designated donor lens. The fourth had sticky aperture blades and a stiff focus mechanism (both fixed now), and one of the guide pins was missing.

The fifth was in terrible shape, the rear elements are marked, the focusing helicoid comes apart, one guid pin and both guide pin springs are missing. I think the end of an RCA audio connector can potentially serve as a replacement.

[niceshot]

I think I might be patient zero.

Yup I now, it is a hard thing to stop myself from doing these days.

---------- Post added 03-08-17 at 08:39 AM ----------

It's been latent for a while having fixed (and in some cases broken) a few lenses over the past few years. But I have had a bad lapse recently, acquiring five Pentacon 135mm 2.8 in various conditions.

The first is fixed and I will keep it (just needed a new front element), the second was in an ok-shape and just needed a small clean-up, one had a broken aperture mechanism and, because it was a 6-blade design, became the designated donor lens. The fourth had sticky aperture blades and a stiff focus mechanism (both fixed now), and one of the guide pins was missing.

The fifth was in terrible shape, the rear elements are marked, the focusing helicoid comes apart, one guid pin and both guide pin springs are missing. I think the end of an RCA audio connector can potentially serve as a replacement.

I see the bug bit you to,

[monochrome]

I think I might be patient zero.

If so, then I might be an enabler.

[UncleVanya]

I think I might be patient zero.

I have fed your habit. Lol.

[DrawsACircle]

Guilty, I just had to disassemble and clean my new old Pentax M 200mm, f4 lens 😊

[filmamigo]

I bought a bargain 35mm M lens, expressly because it had sticky aperture. I was convinced I could clean it myself and save a fortune.

I haven't gotten the nerve up to tackle the job. Maybe this thread will inspire?

[BigMackCam]

I've become quite addicted to basic servicing - optical and mechanical cleaning, helicoid re-lubricating and (most recently) aperture blade cleaning and re-build. LRD is a great term - it really is like a disease as you get more and more affected by it, and there are plenty of ups and downs along the way

[niceshot]

I've become quite addicted to basic servicing - optical and mechanical cleaning, helicoid re-lubricating and (most recently) aperture blade cleaning and re-build. LRD is a great term - it really is like a disease as you get more and more affected by it, and there are plenty of ups and downs along the way

i had a funny feeling I wasn't alone, with this disease

---------- Post added 03-08-17 at 01:31 PM ----------

I bought a bargain 35mm M lens, expressly because it had sticky aperture. I was convinced I could clean it myself and save a fortune.

I haven't gotten the nerve up to tackle the job. Maybe this thread will inspire?

You can do it it is a piece of cake ,just like DCSHOOTER says. GO FOR IT.

---------- Post added 03-08-17 at 01:32 PM ----------

Guilty, I just had to disassemble and clean my new old Pentax M 200mm, f4 lens 😊

Good man, that is what I like to hear.

[chuck_c]

I have had the itch to do this for some time. I have acquired some basic tools (JIS screw drivers, spanner tool, PEC pads, and so on) and some bargain MF lenses (a couple each of M 50/1.7 and M 50/2 for $10 each) towards that end. Look to get started soon.

[niceshot]

I have had the itch to do this for some time. I have acquired some basic tools (JIS screw drivers, spanner tool, PEC pads, and so on) and some bargain MF lenses (a couple each of M 50/1.7 and M 50/2 for $10 each) towards that end. Look to get started soon.

GOOD today is a good day.

[BigMackCam]

I've been mentally going through the lenses I've worked on in the last few weeks:

Helios: 44-2, 44M, 44M-4 / 5 / 6 / 7
Industar: 50, 50-2, 61 L/D
Jupiter: 11A, 21M, 6-2
Tair: 3 PhS
Mir: 1, 1B and 20M
Zenitar: M2S, M1.7/50
Volna: 1.8/50
Arsat: 80-200
ZM: ZM-5CA

Work has all been pretty basic stuff (though hair-raising for someone like me!!), including optical and mechanical cleaning, aperture pin mods, spring replacements, flocking to reduce internal reflections, helicoid re-lubricating and aperture blade cleaning.

Nothing compared to some members here, but I've definitely got a taste for it and I'm *slowly* building up my confidence and very basic skills. Lots of small projects awaiting my attention, too

[niceshot]

I've been mentally going through the lenses I've worked on in the last few weeks:

Helios: 44-2, 44M, 44M-4 / 5 / 6 / 7
Industar: 50, 50-2, 61 L/D
Jupiter: 11A, 21M, 6-2
Tair: 3 PhS
Mir: 1, 1B and 20M
Zenitar: M2S, M1.7/50
Volna: 1.8/50
Arsat: 80-200
ZM: ZM-5CA

Work has all been pretty basic stuff (though hair-raising for someone like me!!), including optical and mechanical cleaning, aperture pin mods, spring replacements, flocking to reduce internal reflections, helicoid re-lubricating and aperture blade cleaning.

Nothing compared to some members here, but I've definitely got a taste for it and I'm *slowly* building up my confidence and very basic skills. Lots of small projects awaiting my attention, too

Ok so ,a basic thing I learned today watching MIKENO62 ,was is this measure the travel of the helical before disassembling . Also Infinity is always considered the go to spot for reference when assembling. And always always count the revolutions and mark off the disconnections spot one every helical. The reason is really simple some lens do not afford you the opportunity to adjust Infinity focus, such as the 35mm3.5 Auto Takumar. There is no focus adjustment on the focus collar, so you be get it right first time out

[IgorZ]

You are definitely not alone. I have a couple of lenses sitting on the shelf awaiting their time. I have worked on a couple with success (putting Tair 11's 20 blade diaphragm back together was interesting), and some without. Now I try to resist the temptation to buy lenses in "as is" condition with the goal of fixing them

[BigMackCam]

Ok so ,a basic thing I learned today watching MIKENO62 ,was is this measure the travel of the helical before disassembling . Also Infinity is always considered the go to spot for reference when assembling. And always always count the revolutions and mark off the disconnections spot one every helical. The reason is really simple some lens do not afford you the opportunity to adjust Infinity focus, such as the 35mm3.5 Auto Takumar. There is no focus adjustment on the focus collar, so you be get it right first time out

Yep, marking or visually noting the points at which helicoids detach from one another was something I learned through trial and error. It took me many attempts to get my first lens back together so that it would focus to infinity, because I had no understanding that there were several positions at which the helicoids would interlock Won't make that mistake again in a hurry!

One of the things that has become shockingly apparent to me while servicing my own Russian lenses is how badly some previous owners have treated them... squirting all sorts of thin lubricants / solvents into the mechanisms, cleaning inner optical surfaces with unsuitable materials or without adequate preparation and leaving fine scratches and smudges behind, bending levers and other components, stripping or breaking screws, damaging screw heads, or not tightening them properly etc.

I picked up a cosmetically mint Helios 44M-5 for peanuts because it was seized, wouldn't focus and had a loose focusing ring. I actually bought it to take apart and learn a bit about servicing, and didn't really care if it wasn't easily fixable. When I took it apart, three of the screws were apparently missing, but two of them were just loose inside the barrel A previous owner must have started work on it and given up, then bodged putting it back together. The silly thing is, it only took me half an hour or so to take it apart properly, clean and re-lube it, and re-assemble (I had a spare screw to replace the one missing). It now works perfectly, takes great photos, and is one of the cleanest 44M-5's I've seen