Lens front bent.

[dubtom]

Hi,just picked up a 14E tonight (in my excitment I've already posted that elsewhere,sorry) The thread around the lens has some damage,basically bent badly, but the camera seems to fire ok at all shutter speeds and stops,won't know for sure until i put a roll through. I'm tempted to try and gently pull the offending part with a pliers or grip of some kind, but am a little concerned,the metal looks like quite soft aluminium. At the moment it's not of great concern,I have a cap that kind of fits but will be unable to fit a hood if I come upon one, I read the lens needs one. Any suggestions,do it,leave it?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

A camera repair pro told me to use a suitably shaped block of wood and a very small hammer to move the metal back into position.

 

[nparsons13]

Don't use pliers. You can easily ruin the filter threads and make the dent worse. Special tools are made for removing rim dents, but they are relatively expensive ($40+ at Micro-Tools). Take a look at http://www.kyphoto.com/classics/filterringtool.html and http://feuerbacher.net/photo/repair/FilterRings/FilterRings.html for homemade tools that will do the job with less potential damage.

 

[Vince Lupo]

A camera repair pro told me to use a suitably shaped block of wood and a very small hammer to move the metal back into position.

I've tried that very thing and it does work.

 

[btgc]

If you use snap-on hood (which probably is shorter than longest possible but still better than nothing) and do not use filters, you can leave it as is. At least, for a while.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

Feuerbacher's solution looks like what the repair pro showed me. He did it on a bench top.

 

[dubtom]

Thanks for the replies gents, the feuerbacher's solution certainly looks do able, although supporting the camera may be an issue without an assistant, I'll mull over it for a while. Thanks again for the help.

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

The key is to push on the thread side with something soft (wood) not hard (that is, not a metal tool).

 

[Harlee]

That's a fairly easy do-it-yourself solution. Pick up a dowl approximately 1/2 inch in diameter, cut it to about 5" in length, take a small or at least lightweight hammer, have someone hold the camera with it's lens on a piece of block wood, and then carefully, very carefully, hammer out the bend. As the dent comes out slowly, try to screw on a lens hood until you can get it started and once the lens hood can screw on, a filter can screw on as well. Just take your time and the bend will come out, and as other have warned, DON'T USE PLIERS!!! If you do you'll ruin the threads. I've fixed 4-5 lenses this way.

 

[farlymac]

Here is a link to my set on Flickr about the repairs I did on my 14E. Had a badly bent filter ring that is as good as new now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7699588@N07/sets/72157629578163303/

PF

 

[clayne]

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=942273

 

[dubtom]

Finally mustered up the courage to have a go with my bent lens,had to hit it harder than I thought was possible and I didn't manage 100% success, but I can get a hood to fit and stay, btw,I picked up a nice metal 58mm hood from fleabay for €5 inc delivery from hongkong, I have a UV on the way which will be the ultimate test.

Good lord, look at the dust on that lens,would you believe I just gave it a blow of my Giotto rocket thingy before I took this shot.:bang:

 

[one90guy]

I use a half circle of wood cut from a 1x4 and cut for the inside measurements. I use a very small hammer to tap with. Just had a MG-1 fall from camera bag in front seat of car, it landed right on the lens edge. When finished there was only a small line on outside right where the bend was.

 

[chubasco]

I'm late to reply, but the mallet and wood method works great. Had a flat
spot on the Lynx 14:

used a rawhide mallet and a drum stick with beveled tip

and hood fits easily after dent removal

Congrats on your successful repair!