Nikon S2 50mm sc lens questions?

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Vsanzbajo

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I just got a Nikon S2 with a 5cm 1.4 SC Nikkor lens and the aperture ring is kind of hard to move. Any ideas, suggestions? The lens is mint, but the aperture ring is tight. Is this common?
Thanks in advance.
 
Spend about 5 minutes rotating it back and forth gently. If it has sat for awhile, you could be pleasantly surprised.
Good Luck!
 
Vsanzbajo said:
I just got a Nikon S2 with a 5cm 1.4 SC Nikkor lens and the aperture ring is kind of hard to move. Any ideas, suggestions? The lens is mint, but the aperture ring is tight. Is this common?
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Are the aperture blades really oily or greasy?

If they are it will cause a hard turning of the aperture ring.

It is best to get them cleaned before they bind up and get twisted then you will have a more expensive problem to get fixed.
 
Put a tiny drop of lighter fluid, mixed with lubricating oil, at the ring and turn it back and forth a bunch of times. That should free things up a bit. The lens disassembles pretty easily if you want to do a more thorough cleaning.
 
Yes, be careful if the blades have oil on them. Tearing a blad is no fun.

xayraa33 said:
Are the aperture blades really oily or greasy?

If they are it will cause a hard turning of the aperture ring.

It is best to get them cleaned before they bind up and get twisted then you will have a more expensive problem to get fixed.
Click to expand...
 
I am not sure if I see oil. There seems to be darker stains, but they look dry. How can you tell? How can oil get in there?
Thanks
 
Vsanzbajo said:
I am not sure if I see oil. There seems to be darker stains, but they look dry. How can you tell? How can oil get in there?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Oily blades look very shiny and wet.
Dry blades look matte.

The stiffinness is more likely to be caused by dried-up lubricant under the aperture ring. The click-stops work using a linear track with holes in it and a pin inside the ring. The ring is set with three set screws, all have to be tighten at the same moderate torque then secured with laquer, if one or two or those set screws are tightened too much then the ring gets stiff.

Chances are that your lens has to be taken apart and cleaned, mechanically wise.

Oil in lenses are the result of original factory dampening greases having separated over time. Animal greases used in the 1950's are made of animal oil and soap (to simplify). With time, the soap and the oil separates, the soap leaves a gummy material which causes stiffiness, and oil migrates to reach the aperture blades. That oil is sticky, hence the great risk of having a blade pin torn out if you force an aperture mech. having got stiff because oil on the aperture blades. Once this has happened the lens becomes a paperweight so don't get there.

All lenses of that vintage have this begnin problem, in general.

Don't force it and have it cleaned asap by someone who knows how to do it. It's not a difficult task, but if you haven't done it already, first thing is to figure out, how to take the lens apart, and how to reassemble it. What you need are precision screwdrivers, some lighter fluid, some Q-tips, and old toothbrush, some marmelade glass pots to have parts soak in.

Original dampening grease residues have to be carefully fully removed and modern white lithium grease is used to lubricate what must be. Don't use too much grease if you don't want it to migrate onto the blades sooner or later and chose a good quality ball bearings grease which remains steady and thick from very cold to very hot temperatures.

Eat the marmelade and clean the pots before pouring the lighter fluid in the pots and having the mechanical parts soak in.

Honey pots or organic mustard ones should work too.
 
Highway 61 who do you recommend to have it fixed? Anyone with good prices and good turn around time. I live in Berkeley, CA.

Thanks
 
Vsanzbajo said:
Highway 61 who do you recommend to have it fixed? Anyone with good prices and good turn around time. I live in Berkeley, CA.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Pete Smith, based in Florida, is a well-known Nikon repair expert. I have had Pete clean a bunch of lenses, and have been very pleased. Usually got the lens back within 2 weeks
 
Pete is the way to service a Nikkor lens. I've disassembled a couple of my own, but if I can't get them back together- I can get mad at me and live with it.
 
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