Nikon Lens Questions

[marcr1230]

Repairs - I have a 50/1.4 that has a sticky aperture lever. It doesn't return to wide open easily/quickly - it gets there, but it doesn't seem normal to me compared to the easy action of my other lenses


so - is this a DIY job? or send for repair ? who to send it to ?


second question

I just bought a Nikkor-P 105 AI'd , I know that there are different AI conversions, from kits to just grinding the edge off the aperture ring,,,

this one was machined away - to the point that the heads of the screws holding the prong are slightly cut away. now I assume it makes no difference practically, is this correct? It was pretty inexpensive ($100 )
so I could get either a proper AI'd version or a non-AI and sell this one.
does anyone think about the aesthetics like this or am I crazy ?
At least now I understand what to look for in the future


as a side note, while I was looking at pictures of these lenses on the Bay, I noted one where the aperture when stopped down didn't look like a symmetric hexagon - I questioned the seller and he checked the lens and said I was right, there was something wrong with the blades, so attention to detail isn't always crazy

 

[BillBingham2]

DIY, no experience, prices are so low on these that I'd give it a try if you have time, tools and a place to lay everything out. Using pictures keep track of what you're doing might be helpful in reassembly.

The AI first got announced there was a list of focal lengths and serial numbers that Nikon made AI-Kits for. Not sure what to find the list or find kits.

A better option is here: http://www.aiconversions.com/

John is the expert. When I drop the coin on a 105P, it's going to him.

RE: Symmetric is important, very important when you're talking apertures.

B2 (;->

 

[Ken Ford]

I've un-stickied a few Nikkors, in each case it was just a matter of removing the lens mount. I never did a 50/1.4, though.

 

[Vickko]

DYI is not hard, to free up the aperture ring. But be careful, on Nikon lenses the screws for the bayonet mount were often glued in. If you try to remove them with a screwdriver, even a correct screwdriver, you can damage them.

Heat and solvent is needed to dissolve the glue.

Learned this the hard way (and confirmed by internet search).

 

[Ken Ford]

When I run across a glued one I touch a soldering iron to the screw - that usually makes short work of it. (Same as burning through Locktite.)

 

[nikon_sam]

I've got a 150mm 2.8 that the blades no longer close down on...pretty sure it's the spring & linkage inside...I might open it up some rainy day...hope it doesn't need parts...

I also have a Auto Rikenon 50mm 1.7 lens (paid $5 for it) where one of the six blades is closing just a tad bit more than the rest...you can really start to see this at f/5.6...it might be at it's worst at f/11 & f/16.
I figure it's not worth worrying about as it might slightly underexpose by a tiny amount...

 

[sevo]

DYI is not hard, to free up the aperture ring. But be careful, on Nikon lenses the screws for the bayonet mount were often glued in. If you try to remove them with a screwdriver, even a correct screwdriver, you can damage them.

The bad news are that the head often already had been stripped before you bought that cheap used used lens with sticky aperture or helical...

 

[Dwig]

Repairs - I have a 50/1.4 that has a sticky aperture lever. It doesn't return to wide open easily/quickly - it gets there, but it doesn't seem normal to me compared to the easy action of my other lenses


so - is this a DIY job? or send for repair ? who to send it to ?

If it is just the "lever" that is sticky then it could be a DIY job. As others have mentioned, Nikon usually used a Loctite type seal on the lens mount screws. Personally, I always used acetone as a solvent to loosen the screws. Also not that the screws are not Phillips screws (if 4 point) or conventional American slotted (if older). The 4 point screws are a JIS Cross Point screw and you need the proper bit to fit properly. The slotted screws use a driver blade that is wider for thickness than conventional American standards. You want a blade that is as wide as the screw diameter in order to get adequate torque.

second question
...
this one was machined away - to the point that the heads of the screws holding the prong are slightly cut away. ...

which is good because if they weren't then the f/stop ring wasn't cut away adequately and may result in binding and improper coupling. The cut should reveal 1/2mm of the chrome lens mount flange when viewed from the side/top.

 

[Fraser]

You'll probably find a YouTube clip showing how to fix the 50, are the aperture blades oily?
I wouldn't worry too much about the 105, when you ai convert lenses you normally file to just short of the screw holes for the rabbit ears it's quite easy to go a bit too far.
Five leaf apertures are not symmetrical I've noticed that on quite a few old nikkors.